avb777

Does anyone have an update on the ipod from the dealer install?

thanks.

xraymd

What sort of update are you looking for. I've had it done. It's really nice to have all my music available at the touch of a few buttons. The song title (or at least the first part) appears on the instrument cluster and you can use the steering wheel buttons to navigate. Only down sides are cost and the fact you are still limited by the iPod's weak amp. You can't turn it up really loud. I find it fine most of the time, but every now and them something comes on I really want to crank and I can't. I'm thinking about ripping some mp3's and seeing if that's better.

sosh

My 05 E320 is at the dealer's having it done as I type. They ran into one problem which pushed the install time to a bit over 8 hours. Apparently one wire which runs from somewhere in the front of the car to somewhere in the rear that was supposed to be there was not. They are still only charging for the quoted hour and a half. Should have it back tomorrow and we will see how it works.

avb777

How much does it cost Unit and labor?

Is it available at any dealer now?

sosh

I paid or will pay $120 for the kit and one and a half hour's labor.

cyclerider

Where did you get the kit for only $120?

sosh

Kit and install from my dealer. Yes, all dealers should be able to order and get the kit at this time. However the labor costs may go way up when they all figure out that lots more time is required than MB originally stated. Prices will vary from dealer to dealer.

cyclerider

My dealer thought the kit was around $400 installed, so I decided to pass on it. I will ask them to look it up again. $120+90 minutes of labor sounds good to me.

sosh

Actual time of the install was 8 plus hours. Do not think that my dealer will quote the price given to me to anyone else after this one!! They have done 2 W211's now and both took that time. $400 is not too bad either. Its the labor that runs the cost up.

CALBenzo

Steve at MBENZNL did mine, and it took him about 3.5 hours. Really quite involved.

Matt230K

Wow, they gave you a break on everything. The kit is supposed to retail for $300. Even the dealer cost on the kit is way over $120.

Matt230K

Does it have anything to do with the volume on the iPod. I just have my iPod connected through the AUX input, and it was really quiet at first, until I realized I needed to crank up the volume on the iPod too.

AJU_E350

I don't think the ipod has anything to do with the sound quality coming through the speakers. The IPod kit is connected via dock and not headphone jack right? If so, then it should be a non amplified audio signal so you should have no volume problems.

W210

I have my installer mount the docking station under my armrest and with the line-out to the AUX, the volume is as loud as CD. The iPod volume doesn't not make a difference.

xraymd

Yeah, it doesn't matter what level the volume on the iPod is set to, the COMAND takes over. And yes, the output is through the dock, not the earphone jack. I can crank a CD up much louder than the iPod, but I'd lose my hearing pretty quickly. You can do a search, there are several people who've complained that they can't get the volume really loud. Understand that it's fine 90% of the time. I've run all my tracks through mp3gain and have been able to add 1-3db without clipping. However, this hasn't helped a whole lot. I paid $299.99 for the kit and $180 for labor. The invoice doesn't break down how much time the install took.

If I had to do it over again, I would

-tokz-

my local dealer , in walnut creek, ca told me it cost around 400 - 500 to install it.

is it too high?

Ducman

Sounds about average .

MBenzNL

that is BS - NONE of the W211s has that one wire and when installing an Ipod kit into a W211 (or W219 for that matter) this wire has to be run from the front to the rear...the dealer would have known that - if they just read the news bulletins they receive from MBUSA.

Anybody who gets the kit offered for less then 500USD installed into a W211 should jump on it!!! 8 hours is exagerated - but 4 hours is definitely a fair time for the 211 Ipod install.

greetingz,

kerryburn

Guys,

i picked up from the MB dealer in wolverhampton part no's

B67824205
B67824206
B67824207

and i have attempted to have it fitted by a friend of mine who works for Toad (professional installer) and it would appear that the kit is not the correct one despite having had this checked by two dealers!

can anyone who has had it fitted pls confirm the numbers above, and if there is anyone with fitting instruction i would be grateful to receive it. i just dont want to pay 3hrs plus labour unless i have to. my belief is that i have the wrong kit!?!?!!?

thanks in advance

Kerry

sosh

I will get the complete story when I talk to my SA next time. I was originally quoted the 1 1/2 hours that the original MB info stated and I saw that publication. As I stated my W211 is only the second one that they did and the first was only done a week or so prior. It does not matter to me how long it took as I am only being charged the 1 and 1/2 hours. As for the price of the kit, this was stated to me long before the kit was available and was based upon their verbal understanding with MB and they are holding that price for me. This dealer is very honest and takes very good care of me, possibly due to the number of vehicles I have purchased from them over the past 5 years.

jhillman

I had the iPod integration kit installed by my dealer last week. It was $600 for parts and labor. It's probably not worth that much, but I felt like I "had" to have it, and I'm really pleased with the results. My only disappointment is that you can't control the iPod (or see artist/track/title information) through the main COMAND display in the center console. The steering wheel controls are tricky at first, but you get used to them. You use the phone buttons (answer and hang up buttons) to navigate forward and backward through the iPod menus.

sosh

Had the opportunity to play with mine today on a 200 mile drive. Once used to it its quite easy to navigate thru the menus. As far as volume is concerned it produces the same levels as my CD and radio does, even tested max volume, no problem. One interesting note, when I got the car from the dealer for the install it was set on "speech" in the MCS. Changed it to Logic 7 and the difference was phenominal. For what ever reason the difference between Std and Logic 7 with the radio and CD is no where near the difference in IPOD mode.

mbnj

I go in for IPOD tomorrow. All-in quote was $500.

xraymd

I've had a lot of time to play with my integrated iPod. I really find the low volume thing is track specific. I have some that are fine, and others I can turn up to "that's good" but not "ouch, you're hurting my ears!" I really notice it when I've had the system turned all the way up to listen to the iPod on the drive home. The next morning, I switch to radio quick to get the traffic update and POW, the radio blasts me out of the car because the volume is still on max.