Aftermarket Navigation System - Pioneer etc?
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Joined: Apr 2005
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Aftermarket Navigation System - Pioneer etc?
Hi everyone;
I have an '03 without command. Looks pretty expensive to upgrade to retrofit command and nav on this puppy. Does anyone have any ideas on some aftermarket navigation units I could look into? I would like to have both Euro and North American maps if possible (planning on bringing the car to Europe and parking it there in the next few...)
... possibly something with a screen above the front middle dash vents.
Thanks!
I have an '03 without command. Looks pretty expensive to upgrade to retrofit command and nav on this puppy. Does anyone have any ideas on some aftermarket navigation units I could look into? I would like to have both Euro and North American maps if possible (planning on bringing the car to Europe and parking it there in the next few...)
... possibly something with a screen above the front middle dash vents.
Thanks!
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 304
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From: San Clemente, CA
2003 E-500
I use a portable Magellan Road Mate 700 in my GMC Yukon and also take it with me on trips and use it in rental cars. Very nice user interface and maps are available for US and Europe. For the Yukon, I have a bracket that enables me to snap the unit in and out with the push of a sinlge button at the bottom. Wiring is hidden and ties in with the cigarette lighter. A friend of mine has a similar bracket for his older MB sedan and also likes it. Not fancy but funcitonal and low cost. They have a newer model that has a few new features, but overall, I prefer it to the factory installed NAV in my E-500. Perhaps the best feature of my MB Nav is that it plays DVD's since it was a NAV replacement vehicle made at the end of the 2003 model run. Someone on this forum advised us how to use the 3-5-7 key code to play DVD's. I also have the British voice for the NAV guidance instructions.
Senior Member
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 419
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From: Los Angeles, CA
'05 C55 AMG
Originally Posted by Double Eagle
I use a portable Magellan Road Mate 700 in my GMC Yukon and also take it with me on trips and use it in rental cars. Very nice user interface and maps are available for US and Europe. For the Yukon, I have a bracket that enables me to snap the unit in and out with the push of a sinlge button at the bottom. Wiring is hidden and ties in with the cigarette lighter. A friend of mine has a similar bracket for his older MB sedan and also likes it. Not fancy but funcitonal and low cost. They have a newer model that has a few new features, but overall, I prefer it to the factory installed NAV in my E-500. Perhaps the best feature of my MB Nav is that it plays DVD's since it was a NAV replacement vehicle made at the end of the 2003 model run. Someone on this forum advised us how to use the 3-5-7 key code to play DVD's. I also have the British voice for the NAV guidance instructions.
Senior Member
Joined: Feb 2003
Posts: 304
Likes: 0
From: San Clemente, CA
2003 E-500
Only those of us who had originally ordered NAV with our early delivery 2003 E's and were then given new 2003 E's with NAV at the end of the 2003 model run are able to see DVD's without any retrofit actions. This was a "benny" discovered by members of this forum shortly after the replacements were given to us. None of the other factory E's in later years had this capability to my knowledge. Several old threads talk about this capability and lack thereof with newer model E's.
Now that I have the Extended Seven Year, 100K warranty and have had only one problem with my late build 2003 E-500, I am hopeful I can go for five more years with this car and enjoy DVD's as well as a great car. By the way, my dealer service rep didn't even know this was possible until I took it in for my last annual service in August and showed him a DVD. He then called in other Service Reps to see it as they thought it was impossible. Mine doesn't work above 5 MPH but I don't really want it to do that. However, there are some posts showing how to permit this through software and a cooperative service techinician.
Now that I have the Extended Seven Year, 100K warranty and have had only one problem with my late build 2003 E-500, I am hopeful I can go for five more years with this car and enjoy DVD's as well as a great car. By the way, my dealer service rep didn't even know this was possible until I took it in for my last annual service in August and showed him a DVD. He then called in other Service Reps to see it as they thought it was impossible. Mine doesn't work above 5 MPH but I don't really want it to do that. However, there are some posts showing how to permit this through software and a cooperative service techinician.
Newbie
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 18
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The model that pioneer has as a flush mount is the AVIC-D2. I have the Avic-N1 which is the flip up model on another vehicle and love it.
Originally Posted by clkcadet
i hear pioneer makes awesome nav/dvd player units, check out their latest i forgot the model number but it looks as if it came with the car (its flush and not the flip out type)
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jul 2005
Posts: 3,221
Likes: 11
From: Sydney, Australia
W203 slightly modified
Originally Posted by birdman-c
Hi everyone;
I have an '03 without command. Looks pretty expensive to upgrade to retrofit command and nav on this puppy. Does anyone have any ideas on some aftermarket navigation units I could look into? I would like to have both Euro and North American maps if possible (planning on bringing the car to Europe and parking it there in the next few...)
... possibly something with a screen above the front middle dash vents.
Thanks!
I have an '03 without command. Looks pretty expensive to upgrade to retrofit command and nav on this puppy. Does anyone have any ideas on some aftermarket navigation units I could look into? I would like to have both Euro and North American maps if possible (planning on bringing the car to Europe and parking it there in the next few...)
... possibly something with a screen above the front middle dash vents.
Thanks!
Messing with other brands will do nothing except lower the value of your car and disable all of the onboard functions.
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Junior Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: Dallas Texas
2003 E320, looking to buy a Black 03 ML500
Pioneer AVIC-D2 http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/pn...585964,00.html
Fujitsu Eclipse AVN 5435 http://www.eclipse-web.com/5435index.html
E320 owner that installed the Eclipse with photos!
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/foru...190735&posts=9
I plan to do something like this. I like the all of the updated festures that the aftermarket systems have. I'm not concerned about de-value because I will keep this car longterm. I am concered about the lost of funtionallity. Has anyone else done this? Can you please post or PM me your thoughts?
Thanks
Fujitsu Eclipse AVN 5435 http://www.eclipse-web.com/5435index.html
E320 owner that installed the Eclipse with photos!
http://www.benzworld.org/forums/foru...190735&posts=9
I plan to do something like this. I like the all of the updated festures that the aftermarket systems have. I'm not concerned about de-value because I will keep this car longterm. I am concered about the lost of funtionallity. Has anyone else done this? Can you please post or PM me your thoughts?
Thanks
Last edited by j3cubcapt; Mar 22, 2006 at 01:06 PM.
