Khena

I just bought the new Kenwood DDX7015 with Navigation. It looks almost like the factory, since it is a touch screen that doesn't fold in.





There are pros and cons about going with an aftermarket. Here are the pros I found:

Sattelite Radio (Sirius)
DVD Player with optional TV local channels.
Plays MP3
Superior Sound Quality

Here are the cons:
Steering control of the radio do not work (though everything else does, it just doesn't show anything on the audio page on the instrument cluster - It just says Audio with 2 small bars below it).
They are coming out with a new module, though, in the next few months that will allow you to control this unit (and many others) with your steering wheel controls for a couple of hundred dollars.

If you have a phone hooked up to your unit, that also goes away.

No tape player (though I don't remember the last time I listened to a tape).

CD Changer in the trunk is no longer operational.

Just thought I would share this with you. To me, the pros out weighted the cons.

Hope this helps.

LowRydeR

That's clean ! Mad props !!

-Bruce

jddumas

what did it cost you?

brianw430

I see they are selling for a little over $1,000 on eBay. Does this come with the Nav already installed on the unit? And can you get an additional changer for the cd's? The sound processor sounds good, and if you could get your changer back, that would be a tight little system!

Brian_I.

Definitely like the look. Does it still work with your stock speakers or did you have to change those out as well?

Khena

Wow, just gone for a couple of hours and so many questions!!!!
:-)

OK, let me answer all your questions.
The cost:
Total, it ended up at a little over $3,000.
The head unit does not come installed with the nav. You have to add this to it, which is another $1,000. The cool thing about this is that the nav comes with a DVD that has the entire US on it. Only one DVD, which is great, since in my previous cars, I had to change and buy different CD's depending on where I was. Don't have to worry about that here, unless I take my car to Europe (which I don't see me doing anytime soon) :-)

There are many options that you can add on to this unit. Of course Sirius Satellite, which I added, TV Tuner, Weather Band, and yes, you can add a CD changer for the trunk that will also play MP3's. Another cool thing you can add is a small Hard Drive you can plug in to your home computer, download all your MP3's (I think 80 GIG worth), and plug it back in your car. Pretty cool.
For another $75, the nav can be voice activated. Just tell it 'I'm Hungry', and it gives you a list of the closest restaurants, in this cool female British sexy voice (though other voices are selectable).

I actually decided to leave the stock speakers, expecting fully that after I listened to it, I would have to upgrade them. Well,
I WAS WRONG! It sounds GREAT!!!
Of course, I also added an Alpine V12 Amp and a 12" Diamond Sub in the trunk.

The screen can tilt up a bit, which is great to really be able to see the screen. The best part about it, is if you notice on the photos, the background of the nav is black. Actually, it is white with black lines during the day. As soon as you turn on your lights, it switches to what you see on the photos, so at night, you're not blinded by the bright white nav, and during the day, you can see it really well with the white back. Very well thought through.

Hope this helps. Let me know if I can answer any other questions.

mmgrad

This was one of the units I considered picking up when I was in the market to replace the COMAND system.

I ended up going with the Eclipse AVN2454 unit, which is an awesome unit for those who might be considering an All-In-One solution that is also a non-flip screen...

And the best thing about the Eclipse unit is that the Nav system is built in... nothing else you need to buy...

ARISTO

Very nice, I like the fact that it is widescreen and also that it is flush mounted, gives a very clean appearance. Nice mod

Khena

Hey MMgrad,
I did look at the eclipse as well. I loved it. Very nice unit.
The reaons why I went with the Kenwood instead was:
Higher pixel count on LCD - 336,960 vs 280,800
The Satellite radio (love Sirius. I used to have XM and like Sirius much better)
The local TV Channel option
The Hard Drive Option,
But most importantly, when the Eclipse opens, it opens flat, which would bump into shift knob. In park, it would not open all the way.
I think it's because the Kenwood only has one disc opening, which recognizes wether it's a DVD or CD, while the Eclipse has 2. Actually, I kind of like the separate DVD from the CD.

The navigation was almost identical on both, and price was pretty close as well. I think the Kenwood was a couple hundred more with the navigation, so all and all, I decided for the Kenwood, but again, the Eclipse is a phenomenal unit!

Oh by the way, how does yours open in your CLK? Will it open if the car is in Park? When I looked at it, it didn't look like it would work.

Bouncer

"They are coming out with a new module, though, in the next few months that will allow you to control this unit (and many others) with your steering wheel controls for a couple of hundred dollars."

Who is they? Kenwood? Or Mercedes? any further info on this?

Regards,
-Bouncer-

Khena

Actually, the company that makes them is Pac - Pacific Accessory Corp. (Pacific Accessory)Right now theirs work on most cars but not Mercedes yet, though, last I talked to them, they are working on that specifically, as they have gotten hight demand on it.

I'm looking to see if other companies are doing it as well.
I know Alpine makes one specifically for the CLK and for Alpine radios. (model KCE-868B)
You can see that one at Alpine

Hope this helps.

mmgrad

I mounted the Eclipse to the very top of the Double-DIN slot, and the unit opens fully with about, oh, a few mm of space above the shifter in Park... so, no problems there...

I love the Eclipse unit... so much better than the COMAND...