ejm20

Im considering buy either a 2003 or 2011 SL. The 2003 is missing both BlueTooth and Sirius and the 2011 is missing BlueTooth. How easy is it to add these features to these cars nicely?

Thanks

funymuny

The 2011 should have the AUX audio cable in the center console. That opens up a range of Bluetooth adapters that are very inexpensive ($15'ish or less for basic wireless adapter). Not sure the 2003 has that AUX jack. Depends though on what you are trying to do with the Bluetooth. My 2011 has Bluetooth in the factory radio for phone only. Also has the SD card slot which I use for A LOT of music. You can use one of these inexpensive BT adapters plugged into the AUX cable and stream music from another BT device, say for example, your smartphone. Not sure about the 2003. I have read similar threads on that...it seemed more complicated than I would be wanting to deal with. And swapping the radios for newer apparently is not as simple as it would be in my Yukon. I traded for much newer SL to eliminate the issues. Not sure it was cost effective...but love this body style.

ejm20

Thanks for the info! Im only looking for the bluetooth connection for the phone, don't need it for music, etc... Looking at the pix of the 2011, the steering wheel looks it has all the right buttons and the radio has a "Tel" button and the radio screen has "Phone" shown next to "Navi" "Audio" ...so maybe this car either has it and the dealer (non MB) is unaware of it or it has the wiring and just needs some hopefully add-on piece

funymuny

The COMAND manual can be found online if the car does not have one. If the 2011 has the factory radio I'll bet it has BT feature just like mine. Scroll through the menus to pair it to your phone.

ejm20

Just to confirm, BT = BlueTooth? So you're thinking that this car will have bluetooth for the phone but not music. Ive looked at a lot of cars and typically MB's have things packaged, if you want the Navigation, you need to get some type of electronic convenience package that in later years would include phone bluetooth. I looked at an '07 and it had a MB add-on bluetooth module in the console. Either this car has phone bluetooth built in or is "wired" for their add-on module which will "talk" to the audio system. ....at least thats my thoughts and hopes!!!

Thanks again!!!

funymuny

Yes, BT = Bluetooth in this case. Yes, I am thinking the 2011 with have BT for phone but not music; that is how my 2011 is. Below are the BT activation steps from the COMAND manual. Let me know what you find out. Try this on the 2011 you are looking at. Should let you know if BT function exists.
Mark

Activating/deactivating Bluetooth®

X Press the SYS button.
The system menu appears.

X Select Settings in the system menu using
the arrow buttons and press the OK button to confirm.

X Select Bluetooth and press the OK button to confirm.

X Select Activate Bluetooth and press the OK button to confirm.

This switches Bluetooth® ON or OFF.

Rudeney

Starting with the MY2009 facelift, the R230 came with COMAND NTG 2.5 which includes built-in Bluetooth hands-free calling. You just pair the phone similar to any other car with this feature. My MY2011 has it.

Prior to MY2009, in order to get BT handsfree, you'd have to make sure the car had the old style cell phone integration kit, and then insert a special Bluetooth "puck" into the dock. This puck emulates an old Nokia or Motorola cell phone, but talks BT to you modern phone. If the car does not have the phone integration kit installed, then it's over $1000 in parts to add it. And BTW, all MBZs have the phone buttons on the steering wheel and the radio head units regardless of whether or not they have the hands-free cell phone integration kit.

anothercar

More trouble than it's worth. This vehicle is not easily adaptable for a/v equip.