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Well, I've been dragging my feet on installing my Navigation system. But today the UPS guy showed with my Alpine iPod controller so I couldn't resist and installed the whole shebang today. Before today I was running an Alpine CDA-9833 with the stock Bose amp and speakers. I also have a JL Monoblock and 10W6 fiberglassed into my trunk. Three weeks ago, I bought an Alpine IVA-D300 DVD head unit and an NVE-852A navigation system. The last couple weeks I've been on a couple forums trying to find out where the VSS (Vehicle Speed Sensor) is in the W210--thanks Steve for the correct location!

So here's some pics of what I did. The Alpine head unit is really clean and looks nearly factory when closed up. The head unit blocks the climate control unit when open but so far no big deal as the screen can be closed while keeping the whole unit running uninterrupted (and I usually keep the climate control on one setting most of the time). I first tried the head unit in the top slot and moved the climate control down to the radio slot but then the screen is too high for my liking. The next dilemna I had was just about every square inch of the W210 is taken up by something--the IVA-D300 head unit has a brain unit which needs to go somewhere. Under the seats is taken by the seat motors. No room anywhere in the dash. Trunk is too far and then you would have to get a monitor extension cable and run the radio antennae wire back there. No room under the rear seats. So mounted the brain under the dash on the passenger side. I could have actually mounted it behind the carpet where the passenger's feet go but there is no ventillation back there and the brain needs some air (it has a fan on it so I suspect it can get hot and therefore does really need some air movement around it). But I did put the iPod controller module underneath the carpet where the passengers feet are (see picture). Navigation unit is in the trunk under the rear deck (see trunk picture). Nav antennae goes through the rear deck and sits on top of the rear shelf. I wired the iPod connector cable to the little cubby under the head unit--iPod fits in there perfect and can closed up and out of sight. When connected the Alpine system, the iPod logo on the iPod screen changes to the Alpine logo--pretty sweet. The nav system is awesome. After reading the manual it looked like the system would take a day to calibrate and to become accurate. But one trip down the street and back and it was dead on!

ruffrob

Nice ,Nice ,Nice,and now that I've complimented you,can you do mine like that??? Real nice job,and great pics to boot,I live in Newark NJ,and I'll pay your plane fare.......

Seriously though,you MUST be electrically inclined,because from your description,the install seemed like a breeze. Again,just the shots of your car with the unit installed has me seriously considering an upgrade from my Pioneer/Sony 'Okay' system . A Few questions,what was the total price of everything,and how long did it take to install,just so I know what to expect?

Thanks for pushing me off the 'okay' bridge into the better waters...

fazooley

Had the exact same installation in my old W210. Just so you know it is very easy and the wires will reach if you want to swap your Alpine and your heating/air controls. I had the same problem with it covering my controls and it bothered me so much eventually I just popped them both out and switched them; its really as simple as that. Just incase it makes you crazy I'll confirm for you the stock wires are long enough encase you want to switch.

Fazooley

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Ruffrob:
Thanks for the props. Install took me 4 hours--but I've been in and out of the electrical system/cable gutters/pulling trim & carpet on the W210 many times so I'm really familiar where everything is and what I need to work around. I got the Nav on eBay for $600 and the head unit on eBay for $1000--both brand new and in the boxes. I got the iPod control module from Crutchfield for $100. I've had the JL sub and amp for a couple years and got those on eBay also--don't remember what I paid. I did a crappy job on the sub enclosure since it was my first time working with fiberglass and may redo it if I ever have a free day or so.

Fazooly:
I tried the head unit up top at first but I didn't like the screen up so high. The screen is a touch screen and as weird as it sounds, it was just awkward so high up so I switched them back.

BT320

Wow! We're not worthy! That's a great setup you put in there. I would love to do something similar with my car as well.

I have a couple of quick questions for you:
Is your sub hooked up to an additional amp or is it spliced into the stock Bose amp?
Is the space on the side of the trunk where you installed your custom enclosure big enough to fit a 12" sub?

Sweet setup

OceanView

Awesome mang!

That install looks very clean and professional.

Can you watch DVD's on that Alpine unit?

hubert

Did you have to change all the speakers or everything stayed stock and you just conected everything to stock speakers and amp.
Thanx

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The sub is connected to its own JL MonoBlock amp--you can see it in the trunk picture to the right of Nav unit.

My sub is a 10" JL 10W6 which has a pretty big/deep magnet and voice coil. You would have to measure your particular sub to see if it would fit. A bigger sub can fit. I saw one guy put in 12W7 which is signicantly bigger/deeper than my 10W6--he just altered the shape of the enclosure a little bit so it sticks out a little more but it still looked factory. Bigger isn't always better. I guess it depends on what you want sound wise. My single 10W6 hits harder than a lot of 12" subs--you get what you pay for. If you want good clean tight base, the 10W6 works great--although if I change my amp settings I can make it boom too--doesn't do too much good for the cells in my kid's body when she's riding in the back seat though. If you want to be able to be heard from down the block you might want to go with a 12W7 on each side and a monoblock for each sub.

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Yeah, the DVD player is built-in to the head unit which also plays regular CDs and CDs loaded up with MP3s. I also put the TR-7 module on the unit so movies can play while you're driving--but that would be just for my kid to watch some Sesame Street. Actually, the real reason I put on the TR-7 is so I wouldn't have to deal with tapping into my brake and parking brake system--probably saved me an hour on the install.

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I'm using the existing Benz Bose amp and speakers. They actually sound good--much better than I thought. Usually the rule of thumb to get better sound quality out of the factory system is to replace the speakers. But the Bose system is actually pretty good and the crappy sound actually lies in the stock Becker (that's who makes if for Benz) head unit. I know because I've done it both ways a couple of times. The first round, in my old W210, was keeping the stock deck and putting in some top of the line JL seperates and Alpine amp. Sounded better but not significantly. Then I pulled the deck and put in a good Alpine head unit. World of difference. In this W210, prior to this latest install, I kept the Bose speakers and amp and put in an Alpine CDA-9833 deck thinking I would have to do speakers the week after. But I was so surprised and pleased with the sound that I left the Bose system in--that was a year ago. So when I did this install I left the Bose system and it still sounds great. The Alpine decks are awesome--the digital time correction feature makes all the difference in the world with sound quality. Also, you can configure most of the Alpine decks using their online software and then burn it to a CD and then the deck can read that CD and download your settings. I'll stop now because I sound like a freakin' Alpine salesman. I like JL too. Now I sound like JL salesman.

pghbenzo

So how what did you have to do to get the alpine HU to work? Did you just use the VW wiring harness adaptor? I've heard you have to do some re-wiring on the Bose amp. Thanks

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Yeah, I used the VW wiring harness--worked like charm. No rewiring of the Bose amp. I think that it helps that Alpine uses 4V preouts on most of their decks--cleaner signal and supposedly a slightly "louder" signal which is what the Bose amp likes/wants.

Richard Galing

Thnx, as this information is valuable to me...so long I've been debating to upgrade on the OEM head unit but ideally the steering controls is a must feature for myself, now I'm assuming this is no longer functional w/the Alpine HU? Are their adapters that can be afixed to maintain the steering controls when upgrading to aftermarket HU, perferably Alpine as I'm currently using their product now on the e-ride.

Any info is much appreciated.

BTW: Nice pics, your setup looks and must sound great!

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No steering wheel audio controls. Although I pretty much always use my Alpine remote which does everything. Here's a UK site that has an adapter that will let you use the steering wheel controls but I've never tried it or heard how well it works:
http://rds.yahoo.com/S=2766679/K=alp...roducts_id+461

Richard Galing

Thank you, I'll check the link.

BT320

Ditto that, Richard asked my question already about the steering wheel controls. Good info to have even though maintaining the wheel controls aren't that important to me.

JamesM3M5

What is the VW wiring harness and where can I get it? Is this a simple PnP harness sold by places such as Crutchfield?

I want to put a similar Alpine w/ iPod adapter in my wife's 99 SLK230. I would rather keep the stock stereo system if it is good (Bose or no?). Birthday and Christmas are coming up, so I want to get a head start.

Thanks!

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Most German cars use the same wiring harness connectors. Nobody really makes a Mercedes one per say but the Volkswagen (VW) harness works just fine. There are a couple different ones so take a look at your head unit before you buy one. Yes, most places like Fry's or Crutchfield usually have them.

hubert

Does the radio go louder when you accelerate or this is no longer functional when you change the head unit.
Thanx for all that info. Great set up.

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No longer functional. I don't know if any aftermarket head units have that function.

hubert

Why did you ask Steve where is the VSS wire?

michakaveli

Pioneer has a feature on their radios called ASL. It's adjustable for like 4-5 settings... And it compensates for the amount of noise in comparison to the volume.

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Even though the nav system is GPS, it still needs to know how fast the car is going.

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I forgot to post the "roll pan" I had to fabricate to hide the Alpine brain. As you can see the brain and all it's wires are visible since they are mounted to the bottom of the dash in the passenger area (picture 1). So I took a piece of sheet metal and made sort of a roll pan to hide all of it (picture 2). The roll pan covers the brain and wire and allows air to still flow freely over the brain. Picture 3 shows the roll pan covered with black leather and installed.

BT320

Holy crap, your install just keeps getting better and better man! I hope to have something like that done when I save up enough $$$ for it.