nicgentile

Im just curious what you guys all think about this.

I personally think its rather cool and more then likley WILL purchase it...even though it is clearly over priced for what it REALLY is/does.

http://www.cartronics.com/MBD2B.html?IntelliTop=1

Does any one here have it or have any exp with it?

I would just like any input at all

Bigdaddy69

It looks pretty nice, I always worry that my year car won't work with it. Yeah the price is high but if it works like they say it will it would be worth it. Let me know if you decide to order it. I may do the same.

Sathinas

Call and ask them. The owner of Cartronics is a fellow MB owner. He runs around in a black CL65.

nicgentile

yeah, they tell you right on the site what years and models it all works with.

does anyone have any experience with one personally installed in their MB?

redC55

I found cartronics.com a few nights ago. From what I've read it sounds like you might need to plug in a STAR diagnostics program to turn on the devices you install from them. I will be waiting anxiously to see what you guys do. I want the backup camera and bluetooth setup. Maybe we could organize a group buy?

nicgentile

The guy I bought my MB from told me about the solution. He didn't know the brand and it seems cartronics is the only company doing this kinda thing. I REALLY like the idea. But 700 or 800 is just too much. I might break down and spend it. But I'm not sure it should be priced like a deal part.

I'm not sure about needing star diag for the phone control. But if by chance I would... That would be even more$ to spend just to have my iPhone working in my MB

MarcusF

I think a bluetooth enabled head unit will do the same thing for less money.

nicgentile

#1 I like the factory head unit with nav and #2 I don't think a headunit would give you phone control from the steering wheel ... would it?

MarcusF

In reverse order -

#2: Mine does.

#1: If you like the OE COMAND, then it sounds like you have a solution.

nicgentile

What kind of head unit are you talking about?
Did you have to hack around some wires to get steering control?

MarcusF

I have an Alpine head unit. Alpine and other manufacturers build many decks that are compatible with most factory steering wheel audio controls.

If by "hack" you mean were any Mercedes-Benz wires cut, no. No factory wires cut and no error messages display (unlike my <expletive deleted> Bosch universal O2 sensors that decide the heaters aren't working whenever they feel like it, but that's another thread, and yes, my website is about to get updated). Back to the radio, there are converter boxes made by PAC-Audio that allow people to use the factory steering wheel controls.

For Bluetooth, the Alpine KCE 400 will talk to a smart phone running Windows Mobile, and allow you to see caller ID, address book info, auto answer, and missed/dialed/received calls info (phone hardware dependant). This is in addition to placing and answering calls. It will also allow you to play music stored on the phone, which I haven’t tried because I don’t store music on phones – my head unit has a small (150 hours) SSD device plugged into it. My deck will talk directly to an iPhone.

Speaking of iPhone - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FL7yD-0pqZg



Anyone want to buy a set of Bosch O2 sensors? The front pair are BRAND NEW. The rear pair have low miles.

nicgentile

Well i appreciate this thread even if it has gotten away from cartronics. maybe the reason no one seems to have cartronics is because there is a better solution out there.

could you point me towards some example head units that support steering wheel controls?

id appreciate it

bobbyjo9

If you have factory command wasn't your car also equipped with an old phone system? why not upgrade to bluetooth using the factory system and adding the bluetooth puck/ auto sense PSE?

MarcusF

The slippery slope of modding has begun . . . . . . first it’s browsing a few websites, then a couple of catalogs show up, and the next thing you know - UPS is making deliveries.

I know that Alpine, Eclipse, JVC, Clarion, Kenwood. Sony, and Pioneer all make head units that can be controlled by the multifunction steering wheel.

I just went to the Crutchfield website and selected car receivers. As expected, that listed every dash mounted jukebox known to man. But then I narrowed the search by selecting “steering wheel control compatible” in the filter search. That lowered it to one hundred and twenty-six head units. Being an Alpine addict, I got an X305 when it was first released. Back then, they were under $300. Anyway, here’s the link -
http://www.crutchfield.com/g_300/Car-Receivers.html?tp=5684&avf=N&nvpair=AG_General_Fea tures%7cYCSteering_Wheel_Control_Compatible

Here’s a link to my head unit install. This is why I did it. I can't believe I had a 1960's era cassette in my dash. Today, even BUICKS have hard drives feeding the head unit. Anyway, Alpine uses a port in the back where the PAC-Audio steering wheel control converter plugs in.

Bobbyjo9’s solution may be less expensive AND you’d retain the COMAND. If you go that route, don’t look at some of the other poster’s head units. Double DIN touch screen with TV, DVD, NAV, album art displayed on the screen, custom wallpaper . . . . . . that slippery slope just turned into a cliff!

redC55

I also wonder if the display on the instrument cluster is the same (cartronics vs alpine). Can you still flip through the phonebook or ipod with steering wheel buttons and see the names displayed on the cluster?

nicgentile

MarcusF thank you for all your input on this thread. After reading your site and looking on CF. I think I have been led away from the cartronics souliton. Considering that for the same price $800 I could get a 7inch flip out touch screen that will maintain the steering wheel controls and also phone control!

once again I thank you

MarcusF

Use the multifunction display to show the phone book, call history, album art, and everything else that appears on the Alpine screen? Not to my knowledge.

The multifuntion wheel will "control" the Alpine. The Alpine does not send a signal to the dash mounted TFT display. On my car, the dash mounted TFT displays everything except audio and phone information.

If you want to display radio and phone information on the multifunction display, you may want to keep the OE radio and add phone support.


Glad to be of help. Many of the guys on this forum have very nice head units. Next to the artwork in some of these cars, my HU looks like amateur hour. Some time ago, GiZzO posted this from another forum. I thought it was about the best I've seen, except I'm not sure where the buttons went (unlock the car? heat the seats?) and I'm not sure how the HVAC and a double DIN can be swapped and have the HVAC work.

fredyfunk

thats a nice install...some of the buttons are right under the key. pretty impressive.

redC55

I know this may sound strange, but I'm not looking to add much to the car, or take out any equipment MB took their time to install. It takes away from resale value when you modify a car permanently. I love my car and I don't want to change too much. I tinted the windows, and the idea of adding bluetooth without cutting wires appeals to me. My last car was an 08 C300, and the bluetooth was awesome. I did't have to look down at my head unit when someone called to see their number or name. It was awesome. This car is ten times better than my old C300, the only thing I was disappointed about was the lack of bluetooth.

To explain why I'm not just buying the puck-- I don't have the pre-wiring for the puck. (the puck for the puck for the phone?) In 2006, many MB models were not equipped with the wiring for a phone puck. I don't know why MB decided to tease their customers with a telephone button when they couldn't provide the functionality. My dealer wants over $2K to add the necessary wiring (and plug into STAR diagnostics) to add this function. For much less money, I will have the exact same functionality and a back-up camera. When I called them they gave me a discount on a second item, so I folded.

I'll let you know this weekend how the install goes, from what I've researched, this sounds like the perfect solution for any MB owner who wants to keep the factory look, but optimize it's capabilities.