No CD player in a 2018 S63? Really? Woe is me.
03-09-2018, 11:08 AM
#1
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Maryland
Posts: 677
Received 170 Likes
on
108 Posts
18 MB S63, 2022 911 Turbo S, 23 BMW M5C
No CD player in a 2018 S63? Really? Woe is me.
I must be getting old. At 57, I got my first new car ever a few weeks ago, and it doesn't have a CD player in it. Really? Wow! I have 1400 Grateful Dead shows on cassette tape that I haven't been able to play in my cars for many years since 15+ years ago they stopped putting in tape decks, and I have hundreds of CD, some just recently purchased last month.
I had to laugh when I looked in the space where a CD player would be and found an ashtray with a cigarette lighter instead. The dealership pretty much laughed at me when I said I had recently purchased CD's. "CD's?" they said? "Too funny".
Kind of surprised. Guess I'm falling behind on technology. I have no interest in converting my CD's or tapes to another technology so I probably won't get much use out of them anymore but... no CD player in a new car? The car I traded was 6 years old and had a 5 changer CD player that I used quite a bit. Called the dealer today to see if they could put a small CD player in the glove box. "Nope" they said.
Oh well... I'll be dead in 50 years or less so none of this will matter but it's just perplexing to me. I don't want to use my phone to stream music in my car, I just wanted a CD player there. 😯🤔 . I know, the quality of our problems in modern society today. Not so bad, all in all.
I had to laugh when I looked in the space where a CD player would be and found an ashtray with a cigarette lighter instead. The dealership pretty much laughed at me when I said I had recently purchased CD's. "CD's?" they said? "Too funny".
Kind of surprised. Guess I'm falling behind on technology. I have no interest in converting my CD's or tapes to another technology so I probably won't get much use out of them anymore but... no CD player in a new car? The car I traded was 6 years old and had a 5 changer CD player that I used quite a bit. Called the dealer today to see if they could put a small CD player in the glove box. "Nope" they said.
Oh well... I'll be dead in 50 years or less so none of this will matter but it's just perplexing to me. I don't want to use my phone to stream music in my car, I just wanted a CD player there. 😯🤔 . I know, the quality of our problems in modern society today. Not so bad, all in all.
Last edited by stever500; 03-09-2018 at 11:39 AM.
03-09-2018, 11:39 AM
#2
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Maryland
Posts: 677
Received 170 Likes
on
108 Posts
18 MB S63, 2022 911 Turbo S, 23 BMW M5C
I just found out my dealer was wrong. I called another dealer and for $235 they can install one in the glovebox (plus an install fee), the tiny little glovebox. Ok, guess I'll look into that. Thx folks. Stu - what you're describing is nothing I understand but thx anyway sir! I don't use iTunes, nor my phone, for anything musically. Am I really that behind the times?
http://www.benzblogger.com/2018/01/c...8-s-class.html
So, you drive one of the most technologically advanced vehicles in the world but you really like listening to CDs? I have heard this a surprising number of times since the 2017 E300 arrived without a CD player and the 2018 S-Class was not far behind. I had this same issue when the 2003 E-Class was the first car to arrive without a tape deck. I wonder what comes after Bluetooth streaming? Usually once all of my clients become comfortable with a technology is about the time the next new things arrives to shake it up!
Mercedes heard you still listen to CDs and has come up with a solution so you can be a little old-school. I have not seen this in person but it looks pretty simple and would not interfere with the scent diffuser. I bet if your got really crafty you could fit an 8-track in there too.
The accessories team is pleased to announce the availability of the NEW CD player retrofit suitable for select E-Class and S-Class vehicles. The retrofit accessory CD player supports all current music formats and is fully integrated into the operating logic of the vehicle. Artist, album, title and cover art image are shown on the vehicles central display and the CD drive is discreetly installed in the glove compartment to protect it from prying eyes.
http://www.benzblogger.com/2018/01/c...8-s-class.html
So, you drive one of the most technologically advanced vehicles in the world but you really like listening to CDs? I have heard this a surprising number of times since the 2017 E300 arrived without a CD player and the 2018 S-Class was not far behind. I had this same issue when the 2003 E-Class was the first car to arrive without a tape deck. I wonder what comes after Bluetooth streaming? Usually once all of my clients become comfortable with a technology is about the time the next new things arrives to shake it up!
Mercedes heard you still listen to CDs and has come up with a solution so you can be a little old-school. I have not seen this in person but it looks pretty simple and would not interfere with the scent diffuser. I bet if your got really crafty you could fit an 8-track in there too.
The accessories team is pleased to announce the availability of the NEW CD player retrofit suitable for select E-Class and S-Class vehicles. The retrofit accessory CD player supports all current music formats and is fully integrated into the operating logic of the vehicle. Artist, album, title and cover art image are shown on the vehicles central display and the CD drive is discreetly installed in the glove compartment to protect it from prying eyes.
- CD ripping on to the head unit music register is not possible (this feature is not available in NTG5.5)
- Single CD drive only
- Functions: play, pause, stop, search forward/backward, track increment/decrement, direct track selection (Track “n”), disk check, CD-Text
- Supported formats: CD-DA, WAVE, CD-R, CR-RW, mp3, m4a, FLAC
- Part Numbers: A222 820 6306, A222 826 1300, A213 820 7802, A000 983 3800
Last edited by stever500; 03-09-2018 at 11:44 AM.
03-09-2018, 11:42 AM
#3
MBWorld Fanatic!
You aren't getting old! I know a ton of people that still burn mp3's to disks. My buddies wife makes a new CD full of songs every other week for his wife. In my opinion it was way too soon to do this removal. It's still digital quality 
Mercedes really needs to make a list of what was removed on the 2018. At least say what was removed and what was added to replace it.
Mercedes really needs to make a list of what was removed on the 2018. At least say what was removed and what was added to replace it.
03-09-2018, 12:09 PM
#4
Out Of Control!!
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: North Scottsdale, AZ
Posts: 15,903
Received 4,417 Likes
on
3,146 Posts
'71 Pinto
Vehicle is equipped with pre-wiring for CD player (data card code 320 PREINSTALLATION OF SINGLE CD DRIVE).
Last edited by konigstiger; 03-09-2018 at 12:51 PM.
03-09-2018, 11:45 PM
#6
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Maryland
Posts: 677
Received 170 Likes
on
108 Posts
18 MB S63, 2022 911 Turbo S, 23 BMW M5C
Heard back from my service advisor today on this. Certainly not worth spending this much just to get to play my occasional CD! Yeesh. They parts dept told me about $275 for parts but the service guy is saying A LOT more. $340 for the parts and device PLUS $465 to install in a freakin glove box? $465?!?!? Why? Damn, I'll have to just listen my CD's then in the Porsche. Screw this!
``````````````````
We can get the kit form Mercedes to install a cd changer parts $ 340.00 labor $ 465.00 total = $805.00 plus taxes .
Thank you
Service Advisor
From: Stephen
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2018 11:54 AM
To: Service Advisor
Subject: Re:
http://www.benzblogger.com/2018/01/c...8-s-class.html
Cost for installing this? Thanks!
sr
``````````````````
We can get the kit form Mercedes to install a cd changer parts $ 340.00 labor $ 465.00 total = $805.00 plus taxes .
Thank you
Service Advisor
From: Stephen
Sent: Friday, March 09, 2018 11:54 AM
To: Service Advisor
Subject: Re:
http://www.benzblogger.com/2018/01/c...8-s-class.html
Cost for installing this? Thanks!
sr
03-10-2018, 08:31 AM
#7
MBWorld Fanatic!
It amazes me that folks are driving around 100k+ Automobiles yet they whine about the cost to install a CD player.
Does anyone else see the irony in this?
Does anyone else see the irony in this?
The following users liked this post:
superangrypenguin (03-11-2018)
Trending Topics
03-10-2018, 09:50 AM
#8
Super Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: Maryland
Posts: 677
Received 170 Likes
on
108 Posts
18 MB S63, 2022 911 Turbo S, 23 BMW M5C
Too funny for sure. $805 is too much for a CD in any car these days, especially one in the glove compartment that's retailing at $240 plus a bracket and 1 part that was quoted to me as being about $35 extra, max. Yes, that's excessive whether I'm driving a Honda Civic or S Class MB. I'll just forgo the damn thing, stubbornly and use Sirius radio after all, listening to the CD's in my other car. And yes, I'm a stubborn ******* on certain things - I'll pay a crazy amount of money for 1 thing and be totally thrifty with something else. It's just how I do things. If that's amazing to you, so be it. It's amazing to me too. Totally... amazing.
The following users liked this post:
LTGTRNOLA (06-24-2023)
03-10-2018, 10:34 AM
#9
MBWorld Fanatic!
My grand daughter transferred 85+ of my favorite CD's and over 110 of my wife's CD's to a thumb drive/ memory stick. Easy peasy. Can be carried in one's pocket and plugged into any modern auto in less than 2 seconds. All of my favorite songs back to my teenage years on something the size of a stick of gum. CD's are uber bulky.
03-10-2018, 10:58 AM
#10
Member
This is on the list now of the many convenient/thoughtful features that have been taken away since my 2007 221.
This has no impact on the people you see on TV getting out of a MB on the news. But a lot of us use the MB as a family/personal vehicle.
I don't have a 2018 yet I'm just complaining in advance so I won't later on......maybe.
03-10-2018, 11:23 AM
#11
MBWorld Fanatic!
Well, The good news is that we live in a free enterprise system where if you don't like a certain automobile you just go elsewhere and spend your money with a competitor that suits you better. If one is just buying for the prestige of the name you have to settle with what is offered. Some folks buy a watch at WalMart for $15 and others spend 20k on a Rolex yet they both keep time the same...
Last edited by Utopia Texas; 03-10-2018 at 11:27 AM.
03-10-2018, 03:07 PM
#12
I will definitely be sticking with the BMW 7 series then for a few more years. CD player and Music Collection with 20 GB of internal storage. I downloaded hundreds of my CDs. Music Collection sounds significantly better than Apple Car play or any of the other music streaming options from my iPhone.
03-10-2018, 04:48 PM
#13
Super Moderator
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Land of 10,000 lakes
Posts: 9,983
Received 3,171 Likes
on
1,977 Posts
AMG GTC Roadster, E63s Ed.1, M8 Comp. Coupe
I will definitely be sticking with the BMW 7 series then for a few more years. CD player and Music Collection with 20 GB of internal storage. I downloaded hundreds of my CDs. Music Collection sounds significantly better than Apple Car play or any of the other music streaming options from my iPhone.
03-10-2018, 04:58 PM
#14
Super Moderator
Join Date: May 2002
Location: Land of 10,000 lakes
Posts: 9,983
Received 3,171 Likes
on
1,977 Posts
AMG GTC Roadster, E63s Ed.1, M8 Comp. Coupe
I haven't listened to CD's in the car for 10 years. Playing DVD's is not great on the screen either as their media player never utilized the full screen size (as our old BMW did). But even then, it had marginal value.
The problem isn't in MB changing their options as much as the dealers not telling you what is actually changing when new models are introduced.
When we got our 2013 SL I ended up with a car on springs; never imagined that ABC wasn't standard as it was for the 11 years in our prior SL's. I guess I could have checked in the DOG but we just grabbed the car in short notice. Also, no more electric center rearview mirror that moved with seat memory. That still bothers me as my wife and can actually use the same seat settings (minus the mirrors), so we still have to adjust it manually each time.
03-10-2018, 05:07 PM
#15
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Venice Florida
Posts: 4,458
Received 653 Likes
on
511 Posts
2018 S560 and 2019 E450 Wagon.
It's all a question of getting use to things as they change. I went to Apple Music and really like it a lot. I can hit in just about any album I had on CD before and put it in my phone and have it there. I have over 1000 songs on my apple music. It's only $9.95 per month. But I do hear what people are saying about missing the CD/DVD drive, it's something we all got so use to over the years. I'm over it at this point though after having my 2018 half a year now. You just re-adjust to doing things using your phone for music connected to the lightening connector, seems to sound a little better that way vs bluetooth. I think Benz mainly made the change to cut down warranty costs and production costs. If you really had to have a CD player, I'd say a good car audio place could install one in the glove box a lot less than dealer, maybe $400.00 or something like that.
03-11-2018, 03:29 AM
#16
MBWorld Fanatic!
CD should have been standard ,people still buy CDs at the supermarket stores or order thru internet . I have got DVD player in my car but it doesn't have SD Card Slot .It's kinda weird to me . I see some people whine about having single USB slot in the center storage area too . I don't think nobody would miss cassette players here but CD / DVD player is different
03-11-2018, 11:34 AM
#17
I got my Ambient Air Package in my glovebox. Not giving up that luxury! No room for aftermarket CD players. BMW better keep the CD player and internal hard drive as an option.
03-11-2018, 06:15 PM
#18
MBWorld God!
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: 39.515509, -111.549668
Posts: 30,572
Received 3,353 Likes
on
2,807 Posts
2012 CLS63
03-11-2018, 08:33 PM
#19
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Corona Del Mar, CA
Posts: 7,045
Received 3,422 Likes
on
1,949 Posts
2020 S560 Sedan, 2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, '24 BMW I7 on order...
Well, The good news is that we live in a free enterprise system where if you don't like a certain automobile you just go elsewhere and spend your money with a competitor that suits you better. If one is just buying for the prestige of the name you have to settle with what is offered. Some folks buy a watch at WalMart for $15 and others spend 20k on a Rolex yet they both keep time the same...
The following users liked this post:
LTGTRNOLA (06-24-2023)
03-11-2018, 08:45 PM
#20
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Corona Del Mar, CA
Posts: 7,045
Received 3,422 Likes
on
1,949 Posts
2020 S560 Sedan, 2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, '24 BMW I7 on order...
IMO, MB pulled a fast one in dumping the CD player from the W222 this early on. They should have waited until the W223 to make the move and they should have at least given us something wonderful in place of the CD changer. My 2018 just has this lame, empty slot there that isn’t big enough for much of anything to fit in. If they had put a wireless connection pad there, where I could simply lay my iPhone and have everything connected automatically, without having to tether it inside the center storage, that might have been acceptable. CD’s are still main stream with most S Class buyers and MB should have waited.
The following users liked this post:
LTGTRNOLA (06-24-2023)
03-11-2018, 09:03 PM
#21
+1 on the Rolex (or other expensive watch) comment.
My wife has suggested it many times as a present for me. Every time I say not only wouldn't it be something I'd value (other than it was a gift from her) but I'd feel bad about how much money she burned for something unimportant to me (and most people would assume is fake anyway if they even recognized it at all).
Nice cars on the other hand...
The wipers are part of the deal IMHO. If you can't stomach the ante, don't sit down at the table.
My wife has suggested it many times as a present for me. Every time I say not only wouldn't it be something I'd value (other than it was a gift from her) but I'd feel bad about how much money she burned for something unimportant to me (and most people would assume is fake anyway if they even recognized it at all).
Nice cars on the other hand...
The wipers are part of the deal IMHO. If you can't stomach the ante, don't sit down at the table.
03-12-2018, 06:06 AM
#22
Senior Member
IMO, MB pulled a fast one in dumping the CD player from the W222 this early on. They should have waited until the W223 to make the move and they should have at least given us something wonderful in place of the CD changer. My 2018 just has this lame, empty slot there that isn’t big enough for much of anything to fit in. If they had put a wireless connection pad there, where I could simply lay my iPhone and have everything connected automatically, without having to tether it inside the center storage, that might have been acceptable. CD’s are still main stream with most S Class buyers and MB should have waited.
I have an iPod classic that has about 14,000 songs on it. It’s plugged in and hidden in the center console. I can pull up any album-artist or song with a few movements. Much easier than a CD!
The following users liked this post:
Carfan500 (03-12-2018)
03-12-2018, 07:54 AM
#23
MBWorld God!
Join Date: Jul 2010
Location: 39.515509, -111.549668
Posts: 30,572
Received 3,353 Likes
on
2,807 Posts
2012 CLS63
Wonder how many other 2018 cars don't have them? All Merc models? What about other car makers?
03-12-2018, 10:57 AM
#24
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Oct 2010
Location: Corona Del Mar, CA
Posts: 7,045
Received 3,422 Likes
on
1,949 Posts
2020 S560 Sedan, 2019 SL450, 2019 E450 Luxury Trim Wagon, '24 BMW I7 on order...
I’m curious how you can make this statement. Did you take a poll? Ask every S Class owner in So Cal? Or? I’m an S Class owner and I haven’t owned or used a CD in probably close to 10 years. It is completely outdated technology and I understand why MBZ didn’t include one. Seems stupid fumbling around with jewel cases and CDs when you can easily plug and iPhone/iPad/iPod/SD card or stick in a USB slot and have access to 1000’s of CDs at your fingertips.
I have an iPod classic that has about 14,000 songs on it. It’s plugged in and hidden in the center console. I can pull up any album-artist or song with a few movements. Much easier than a CD!
I feel that, for the most part, S Class cars are driven by older people. Older people tend to not embrace new technology as quickly as younger ones. That said, as stated in my post, this is my opinion. Maybe I’m wrong.
03-12-2018, 02:33 PM
#25
Super Member
After 40 yrs of MB's I drive an Audi which has a single slot CD. I can load the CD into the slot---play it & IMPORT the CD into my hard drive & play it anytime. Does MB have a hard drive IMPORT feature? I have loaded my favorite CD's on to a SD CARD & IMPORTED to the hard drive,but I can add any CD in addition..
Last edited by greasykid; 03-12-2018 at 04:45 PM.
