donbiz

I bought a 2002 CLK 320 (black/black) a few weeks ago, it came with heated seats, xeon headlights and I had them add a wood steering wheel, chrome headlights rings, chrome wheels, and an extended warrenty.

I love the car!

My question is regarding the integrated phone option.

I now am seriously thinking of spending the $2400 for the v60 phone. I currently have a v60 phone (that they tell me will not work) but i could probably sell it on ebay.

Is this phone worth it for a convertible?

Will I be able to use it with the top down?

Will I sound like I am in a mine shaft?

2 years from now will my phone be way outdated and I will be stuck with it?


Since I didn't buy it when I bought the car, they tell me it will only have a 1 year warranty, is this a big deal?

I am guessing that I will trade the car in within a year or so of the date that the new bodystyle AMG cabs come out (probably 2005), will this option have any trade in value?


I am in my car for about 2hours a day so I could get a lot of work done, but then again I could just crank up the CD player and relax!

Any and all opinions are appreciated.

Thanks
Don Biz
donbiz@yahoo.com

donbiz

Well I got a little anxious and bought the phone anyway. The dealeer said they could do it in a way that i would get warrenty for 5 years. I will report back on how it works with the top down on the freeway!

Don Biz
2002 CLK cab

donbiz

OK, It is really worth it!

Keeping my old number was no problem. I drove over to Verizon and in about 5 minutes my new phone had the same number as my old one.

I am blown away, the voice control is just incredible. There is no traning the system with your voice, you just say "dial number" and the car says "number please" and you speak the number and say "dial" Say "cd3" and you r system selects CD 3.

It is just as easy to store a number and then tell the car to "dial Name" then say "home" or Ed's cell" or whatever and you're there, Even at 80 MPH with the top & windows down!

They must use some sort of noise cancelling because no one has complained about me sounding like i am in a tunnel. They have noticed noise when a truck drives by but rolling up the windows solves that problem.

The v60 phone is great, i got a cable from verizon that let me sync the phone with outlook to download my phone book. You can scroll through the phone book from the steering wheel controls and the names will show up on the dashboard.

One hassle has been that if you have 3 numbers in your phone book for "john smith" the display gives you no indication to whether a particular number is home work or cell, all three entries show as "jon Smith". Also I havn't figure out how to quickly scroll through the 80 names in my phone's memory. To dial someone whose name starts with an "n" results in me pressing the up arrow about 30 times. I gues if the guy was imortant I could assing him a voice command and just say his name. There must be an easier way. I could always break down and read the instructions!


The phone also works with the cable I bought for my old (non mercedes) v60 phone that lets me send and recieve email with my Palm 505.

This voice control V60 package is well worth $2,200, I can't believe i almost didn't spring for it.


I have owned a Mercedes (C280) since 1998, buying this CLK have made me a fanatic! I now check this forum daily, and am already saving my pennies for a kleeman upgrade and/or a lorinser body kit!

Regards,
Don Biz
donbiz@yahoo.com

2002 CLK Cab

SteveZ

I would imagine that after two years you would just leave it in your car as a car phone, then you get another phone to take around with you. So then you would have a car phone number (like back in the day) and a cell number.

theonlyallan

Hello,

So i bought the V/R module + Telephone off ebay. .

I installed the unit, everything is working fine except for the Voice Unit. .

i found the owners manual online, it says: it can control the Radio / CD Changer. . but when i say those commands it doesn't do anything.. ??

does it need seperate programming? i already took it to the dealer to have the telephone activated on the cluster. . is there something different for the V/R module?? or maybe my module is not capable of such things??

any insight would be great. . thanks.

splib

Are you saying that the Voice Control works for the phone but not the Radio/CD; or do you mean it doesn't work at all? What happens when you pull the Push To Talk lever? Do you hear the beep?

theonlyallan

the V/R works perfectly for the telephone only..
it can dial, name, store voice phonebook, etc.. .

however when i say CD Changer, Radio etc.. . it says "Sorry..."

it beeps when I press the PTT lever.

any idea? does it need programming or did i hook it up incorrectly?
or is my module incapable of doing this??
I have VMR P/N#220 820 64 26

theonlyallan

okay. from the searching i've done.. it seems that I have an older V/R box that can only control the phone. . .sucks .. unless it's possible to turn on those commands by mercedes?

splib

Yeah, that sounds like the older VRM module. You could upgrade to the newer unit if you want. You can search the Audio and Telematic forums for which part numbers have the enhanced capability. A used VRM with the newer functions can usually be found on eBay for around $100. I'd suggest checking with seller Coppertop91; he's always selling used MB phone kits and VRM units. Good luck!