Thinking of a C55 Amg
09-21-2004, 09:16 PM
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Thinking of a C55 Amg
I am looking at the new C55 AMG w/o Renntech for now (maybe in a year or two), but i want the handsfree system, has anyone used it and is it compatible with all motorla phones?
09-22-2004, 12:22 AM
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I have had the handsfree in every mercedes I have owned. (That is about eight years of experience with the system.)
First, the short answer. Is it compatible with all motorola phones, the answer is an emphatic no. Mercedes' car technology moves much more slowly than phone technology. The problem used to be that the phone was sort of okay when you got it and just plain sucked, compared to what was out there, by the time you sold your car.
I have ordered the handsfree system on my C55 and am deciding whether to use it or not. For now, it is cheap insurance to get the base kit from the factory and decide on the phone later.
You see, Mercedes has just this year gone to offering a multiple cradle system to make the handsfree system compatible with more than one phone. People have always been able to retrofit other brands into the car, but I can't speak to the quality of operation of those retrofitted systems. I would think at least some of the features would not operate properly, but with enough tenacity, I am sure someone ironed them all out.
It looks like they are going to carry the following phones for the C-class: V60, V600, maybe the V7XX. I doubt that they will be the consumer version, but rather the corporate versions of the phone, mainly lacking the digital cameras built in to the consumer models and maybe any mp3 functions that might exist as well.
In summary, the good news is that now your car can age more gracefully because your phone technology can grow with you. The bad news is that you are going to have to pay a minimum of $600 every time you want to switch phones, and undoubtedly a lot of phones motorola makes will not be modified for mercedes' use.
I for one will probably go with the motorola MPX and just say to heck with the handsfree function as most phones have a decent system built into the phone to do this anyway. Also, bluetooth now allows cordless talktime with crystal clarity and keyed phone conversations so you don't hear the conversation in the car next to you.
This setup will probably beat whatever mercedes can offer, but the decision is very personal. Most of the time, people will have a hard time hearing you on the other end and you will sound like you are on a speaker phone. You will eventually, out of frustration, just talk loud enough so that others can hear you. The sound coming out of the speakers is likely to sound great but there will probably be one volume "click" between too quiet and too loud. You will choose too loud in all likelihood.
All-in-all, it is a great toy, and may increase resale value due to the rarity of it being installed. I think this move from mercedes is just too little, too late.
Hope this helps.
First, the short answer. Is it compatible with all motorola phones, the answer is an emphatic no. Mercedes' car technology moves much more slowly than phone technology. The problem used to be that the phone was sort of okay when you got it and just plain sucked, compared to what was out there, by the time you sold your car.
I have ordered the handsfree system on my C55 and am deciding whether to use it or not. For now, it is cheap insurance to get the base kit from the factory and decide on the phone later.
You see, Mercedes has just this year gone to offering a multiple cradle system to make the handsfree system compatible with more than one phone. People have always been able to retrofit other brands into the car, but I can't speak to the quality of operation of those retrofitted systems. I would think at least some of the features would not operate properly, but with enough tenacity, I am sure someone ironed them all out.
It looks like they are going to carry the following phones for the C-class: V60, V600, maybe the V7XX. I doubt that they will be the consumer version, but rather the corporate versions of the phone, mainly lacking the digital cameras built in to the consumer models and maybe any mp3 functions that might exist as well.
In summary, the good news is that now your car can age more gracefully because your phone technology can grow with you. The bad news is that you are going to have to pay a minimum of $600 every time you want to switch phones, and undoubtedly a lot of phones motorola makes will not be modified for mercedes' use.
I for one will probably go with the motorola MPX and just say to heck with the handsfree function as most phones have a decent system built into the phone to do this anyway. Also, bluetooth now allows cordless talktime with crystal clarity and keyed phone conversations so you don't hear the conversation in the car next to you.
This setup will probably beat whatever mercedes can offer, but the decision is very personal. Most of the time, people will have a hard time hearing you on the other end and you will sound like you are on a speaker phone. You will eventually, out of frustration, just talk loud enough so that others can hear you. The sound coming out of the speakers is likely to sound great but there will probably be one volume "click" between too quiet and too loud. You will choose too loud in all likelihood.
All-in-all, it is a great toy, and may increase resale value due to the rarity of it being installed. I think this move from mercedes is just too little, too late.
Hope this helps.
Last edited by rguy; 09-22-2004 at 12:25 AM.
