From 1st December it is illegal in England to use the phone when driving - and quite right - can't argue with that.

Went to my dealer to ask about retro-fitting hands free kit and was quoted $4,250 (£2,500). There is apparantly no aftermarket product that utilises the steering wheel button, mutes the CD etc.

Is this right?

I have a blue tooth, Nokia 6310i phone.

Help!

Marc

Marc

Oh, England caught up

4/5 must be the service part, because it's alot to do to fit the original kit after production. Knowing the British IT Consultant fees, I'm not suprised.

Yes, that's right, because there are no hand free sets available, that can use the CAN-bus (button signals are distibuted via the CAN-bus).

A solution, based on Nokias original kit should be much cheaper. The hand free set will use an extra speaker and only mutes the sound system. The steering wheels button won't work.

I had a simular solution in my old W203 using a Nokia 6210. Therefore I ordered the hand free set option with my new S203.

Dirk

Thanks for the advice Dirk. Just been to my phone dealer and he is recommending a Nokia kit, but warns it may effect the warranty with MB. I am going to check with the dealer.

Marc

What's wrong with using the phone while driving? There are no laws for talking with others, eating in your car, playing with your radio, heck I've seen women putting make up on while driving, but there is no law agaist that? What a stupid law.

you've got a bluetooth phone? install the parrot system:

http://www.buy.com/retail/searchresu...parrot&loc=111

Actually, the phone kit receives/transmits instructions and voice over the MOST bus. The phone kit does not use CAN at all. The audio gateway converts the CANbus button-press information to MOST.

It's likely that Marc's car is not pre-wired for phone kit (option 380/354) for £495, and fitting that wiring harness throughout the car would involve many hours of work. Fitting the aerials and harnesses are the difficult part, as fitting two modules in the boot and handset is the simple part.

In the US, all our cars are prewired for phone and thus make the US$2500+ price for an installed phone kit seem ridiculous, as the W211 is one of the easiest installs there is: fit a compensator in the boot (two bolts and two screws to twist) and plug in three wires; then fit the handset by removing four T10 screws and plugging in some wires and two screws. (Oh in the US you MUST activate the phone kit in Star Diagnosis.)

-s-

I agree 100%!

Smoking, eating, drinking playing with the radio and putting make up on while driving will lead into loosing the insurance coverage in case on an accident in Europe, like drunken driving and driving under the impact of drugs. Even before the law, using a phone while driving without a had free set has the same result in case of an accident.

Fines for using a phone without hand free set ranges from 40 to 200 EUR in Europe. In Germany it also can cause loosing your driving license, like drunken driving or speeding.

Dirk

While I agree that avoiding such activities during driving is a safer approach, it still makes no sense to me for them to be "illegal". Eating non-messy food while stopped at a traffic signal, or while traveling in light traffic, can be easily compared to walking and chewing gum at the same time. Certainly dialing a phone, if you are looking at the phone instead of the road, can be dangerous... which is why you should master the art of dialing a number WITHOUT looking at the phone's keypad (do you think I look at the keyboard while typing this message)?

Look, I can see lots of reasons why someone can do ANYTHING in a dangerous manner in nearly ANY situation - should that make those actions illegal?!? I don't think so... but certainly those who abuse the freedoms we have here in the U.S. must face the consequences as needed.

And we take drunk driving seriously here (ever hear of MADD?), and so we should, but comparing adjusting the audio on our radio station with that is ridiculous.

I'd rather have my freedom to decide what's best for me, and as long as I can safely maneuver my vehicle, and not cause any adverse impact on other drivers or pedestrians, it shouldn't matter.

The thread's going to be off topic

The law was initiated in Europe after studies showed that driving & calling is comparable with drunken driving.

I think we all saw cars driving in sinous lines like drunken driving and recognised that the driver was using a mobile phone.
Heros writing SMS & drive on a highway.

Dirk

the law in the uk is incredibly stupid. you cannot hold your phone whilst driving. if you pulled over and came to a stop to answer a call and left you engine running, then you would be shafted by the police as you are legally deemed as being in control of your car. However it is not illegal to compose sms at 70mph -->if your phone is in a cradle. stupid.

its the same in NY. why not just use a headset? if you have a bluetooth phone, you can even use a wireless headset.

I have been told by EVERY phone dealer I approach that blue tooth and Merecedes are not compatible. Messes up the electics on the car? And I mean every dealer.

Is it true?

Marc

I have been told by EVERY phone dealer I approach that blue tooth and Merecedes are not compatible. Messes up the electics on the car? And I mean every dealer.

Is it true?

Marc

do they mean to say that you cannot use a bluetooth device in the car, unrelated and non-integrated to any built in system in the car? that is totally wrong, what other wireless protocol is running inside this car?

if you read the owners manual for a BMW, you would find that they have a disclaimer that a cell phone cannot be used inside the car. its total nonsense.

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...eding_driver_2

And we want to ban cell phone use!

he he he - good one

It is easy to criticise individual countries laws, it is unfortunate that it is being made compulsory to force drivers not to use their mobile phones but on our local television last week there was a 'loud mouthed' journalist who claimed he could drive his car and use the mobile phone at the same time.

They filmed him on the West Country Driving Test Centre, if it wasn't so serious it would have been funny watching this person negotiating a roundabout with his phone to his ear. When he had finished negotiating the course he humbly admitted he was wrong and thanked his instructor for the enlightening lesson.

Regarding the expense of a retro fit system you are looking at a lot of labour charges and they may well be in excess of £80 per hour at a main dealer. Even then you run the risk of squeaks and rattles from various reinstalled parts.

Good luck with your decision, and keep your eyes 'peeled' for our local 'peelers'

John

PLease check this site.
You should be able to get after-fit for the Nokia 6310i phone to hook up to the commands bus system to work from the steering wheel buttons and the audio system.
Some parts like the microphone are allready factory installed which fits behind the front courtsey light switches near the rear view mirror.
The prices they quote are generaly 1/4 of M.B. dealers prices.
A good auto electician with a sychmetic circuit diagram should ne able to install the phone.

Here is the web site

http://216.239.39.104/translate_c?hl....htm%26hl%3Den

I have had my E 320 cdi now for 3 months It came with the NOKIA 6310i sims free no contract (pay as U go) but I have another 6310i on contract so both my self and my wife can use the system....it,s great.....clarity and reception is very good even at speeds in excess of 90 M.P.H.
Other phone cradels can be ordered I guess from MEGACOMM or M.B. for use with other makes and model of phone.

leslierushforth@aol.com

Chesterfield U.K.

Actually in the MB manual, they also talk about how non-MB cell phones should not be used in the car for danger of interference with electronics.

Dealers probably read it and are simply repeating the lines.