watchdogusa

Hi, I need some help here. I have a 2006 R350 with Premium Package 1, which included Nav + pre-wired telephone. When I saw the bluetooth module that can be plugged in and make your bluetooth phone work, I immediately contact my dealer to have the socket(connector) installed. That was 1 year ago. At that time, my dealer told me that they know what I am talking about (because they have seen that socket/connector in the new S550) but they have no parts to do so. I then contacted MB via email. I was told that with Premium Package 1, I should have the connector already installed in the armrest. However, 1 year had gone by and my dealer now claims that it doesn't come with the package and I have to purchase the phone option with the phone craddle. I told them that I don't need the phone or the craddle, all I need is the connector so I can go and purchase the bluetooth adaptor that plugs in. Does anyone of you have this problem or have some resolution of the problem? Thanks in advance for your help!!

silverspecial

I know the piece you are speaking of...I have an 07 R350 with the P01 package. My car already has the connector installed, I haven't seen any that don't have the piece already in there with that package. I'll ask a stupid question I guess, are you 100% sure your car doesn't have it?

Just found this thread on a different site...perhaps it would be of some help:

http://www.pointedthree.com/disc/for...sts=28&start=1

sseiii

You need phone system installed. Prewire does not mean you have the system installed. Hand free communucation (2007) is not the same as phone prewire (2006). but confusing though.

griffbag

I have the same problem - I just picked up a 2007 CLK350 Cab and the screen sticker says Premium Package 1 and pre-wired for telephone. So I asked the dealer to put the bluetooth accessory on - it's supposed to be $400 and has a pre-req on the Premium Package.

Anyway, after half a day in the shop they finally called and said it would cost about $2000: $400 for the bluetooth module, $300 for the cradle and $1000 for the car kit, plus labor!

I looked in the arm rest and there is no socket so I'm wondering whether the pre-wiring was not completed - the bluetooth module accessory page says, and I quote: "Requires factory pre-wiring included with P1, P2, or P3 Premium Packages. Bluetooth Interface Module or Multi-Handset Interface cradle sold separately." Nothing about needing any other phone package.

Anyone else got a 2007 CLK with the pre-wiring and did it have a socket showing?

I tried to talk to AutoWireless Solutions but their salesman couldn't tell me anything - just wanted to know if I had an MB approved phone :-(

I'm heading in to see my salesperson tomorrow, taking the printout of the bluetooth module accessory with me, and I'll let you know what they say but I'm not too optimistic. Seems quite a con to me - I would have waited for one with bluetooth installed if I'd known about this...

rob13572468

mercedes has gone back and forth, constantly changing their midns about how they offer the phone option: the result is mass confusion so your irritation is warranted... before 2006 all cars simply came pre-wired for
phone: that meant the wires were there but the phone module socket and modules all needed to be purchased and installed. then for 2006 they opted to have most models come with the everything installed except for the $400 bluetooth module or the cradle. the idea was that you would decide between bluetooth or one of the mercedes phones and get either a (for example v600) cradle or the now common bluetooth puck. now the current approach is not to prewire most of the vehicles at all. if you want the phone you must order the option from the factory or the vehicle will have no phone and no prewiring and thus the phone kit will not even be retrofitted. certain models will be excepted such as the S-class which will all come with the phone system.

the reasoning behind this was that mercedes felt that they were paying for all of this expensive pre-wiring that was going completely unused on the majority of vehicles. the problem was that few people decided to pay the $2500 to add the phone kit when similar aftermarket kits were available for around $500 installed (though you would not be able to dial through the radio but everything else worked). then when they simply put the kit in on all models and charged everyone for it they figured everyone would simply buy the bluetooth puck: at $400 it seemed like a no-brainer yet still many people did not.

now i dont think they really care much. you either order the whole thing or not.. they just dont want to pay for all of this pre-wiring that goes unused. the same thing is happenign with many of the options. fortunately upcoming kits like the argos bluetooth add-in will allow any newer mercedes to be retrofitted for full phone integration at a considerably lower cost than the factory kit. if it were me i might look into the argos kit since it is due to be released any day now.

griffbag

Thanks very much for the info - I had not come across the Argos product in days of searching bizarrely. It really does seem to be the magic bullet - I've put my name on the contact list to be informed as soon as the new version is available.

I talked to the dealer today. He agreed that it was stupid, and that he understood it the same way as I did, that the bluetooth module would slot right in if the P1 package was installed. We checked several other cars there and none had the sockets. They didn't have a single one with Bluetooth unfortunately - I wanted to see if the sticker price was $400 or $2400 more!

The only advice he could give me was to write to MB USA - letting them know that the web site is wrong and misleading since it does not mention any additional kit, just the P1 dependency. I will do so but I'm not holding my breath.

The service manager left a vague glimmer of hope - apparently the S-Class originally shipped without the extra parts too (since they were not available at the time - the same thing MB told her when she tried to order them for me) but when they became available the dealers were told to fit them for free! I know the people with those cars paid even more than I did but you never know, MB may see the error in their ways...

Thanks again for the info on Argos - I think this will be the way I will go :-)

sseiii

I am sorry that your dealer gave confusing info when you purchased the car. It is very clear that either your car is "prewire" or equipped with "handsfree communication" option. Prewilre means only prewire (fiber optic, powerline, and antena installed), nothing to do with "controller" (core and completer kits). Be careful on the terms "prewire" and "handsfree communication system". It is not suprising that your MB SA or saleperson do not know what they are talking about.

BTW, Argos was planning to sell thier newer system compatible with MOST last Summer but it appears that promise did not come true.

Richmoba

I have several friends who own Lexus's and they just do not have these problems.

Bluetooth is just there.

None of this, ignorance of a mainstream technology.


so far it looks like Lexus is a much better company at least when it comes to the electronic gadgets that go in a car.

MB_Vclass

Same issue here with my '06 R500 and '07 CLK550. The window sticker has under options, pre-wired for telephone, but that really means nothing. I asked my dealer if I could buy the puck but after he checked it, I would need the $2000 install and then the puck. Very bad on MB part!

R350@LA

Hello,
Is there anyone 2006 R Class owner who has prewired and completely installed phone kit themselves? I'll appreciate if you can share the experience.

Grewvey1

I think I just got hosed as well. Here are 2 pics of my center console...





You can see the outline of where the "plug" would go for a cradle or bluetooth module... In the second pic, you see the wiring under the false floor of the console. I am having a hell of a time finding the "plug". My Audio 20 has all the phone gizmos and the antennae is on the back window... Seems all i need is that damned plug. Is there any other way to tell if the phone system is really not fully installed?

R. Reyes

It seems you have answered your own question. If it was, there would be a puck on the arm rest shelf, and you would just be able to plug-n-play type of deal. I also was hosed back in '06 and have let MBUSA really know about it.

As others have said, Audi, Lexus, hell even CHEVY have it. It's such a shame that MB can't figure out what's going on and get it fixed.

melvinh

If you find out, please let us know. my dealer also quoted me about $2000 to have it installed.

nanoera

According to my research:
You need (1) vehicle core kit, (2) vehicle completer kit, and (3) rearview mirror with microphone array to complete the installation provided your car is pre-wired. You don't need the cradle, just buy the used MB Bluetooth pn# B6 787 5839 for 2006 (Can someone confirm whether B6 787 5878 works on all R model years?) off ebay and plug into the contact plate.

(1) and (2) total cost about $600 or so. (3) is a big chunk at $1100 or so.
I don't know whether you can get away without swapping the rearview mirror. That's the biggest bite right now preventing me from going any further.

lkchris

Your conclusion is incorrect.

Rather, Mercedes doesn't make its customers pay for it unless they ask for it.

acr2001

You do not need most of the parts on that list if you're going the bluetooth route. Many of those parts are for the cars cell phone antenna, something you will not be using with bluetooth anyway.

Not sure about the R, but with a C class that is prewired for phone you need 3 parts: MHI module (install in the trunk, simply plugs in), contact plate (install in center console, this is what the bluetooth puck clips into) and the actual bluetooth puck itself. I was able to get those three parts on ebay for $800, installed them myself and all phone functions work perfectly with my COMAND unit. You may need coding done at the dealer depending on how your vehicle is setup. You might also have to reconfigure the optical loop so that the MHI module works properly. All of this is here on the forum, you just need to do a ton of searching and dig through it all. You could also buy a days subscription to www.startekinfo.com - there are telephone retrofit guides available there from MB, I believe. There is also atleast one for the C class floating around this forum. The R class should be extremely similar (might even use the same parts).

nanoera

Thanks. So how do you use the handsfree microphone? Are you using the one on the mirror for tele-aid? Which bluetooth puck do you recommend?
Link to price info
More details

AsianR350

I argee with you. It should come standard.
My 2007 Acura RL came with blue tooth and pairing with most cell phones.
I can call (voice command) anyone on my phone list thru. button (call or hang up button) on steering wheel.
BTW, I can raise or lower the air tempearture thru voice command without touching any buttons on dash board.

For R350, I use TomTom Go 720 GPS and have no problem pairing it with my cell phone. I can call anyone on my phone list via its touch screen LCD.

acr2001

Not sure about other models, but I know that all C classes that are "prewired for phone" have the microphone built in. In the older models it was mounted near the mirror - you could easily see it. On the 05s they changed it to a microphone array inside the mirror. You can see it if you look under the mirror.