SL/R129: basic mods
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
basic mods
Just picked up my 2002 SL500 today, love it like a first born. I'm interested in doing some mod work, but nothing too serious to start out with.
If anyone has some advise for basic mods that are geared more for performance and feel, I'd love to hear suggestions. Previously I had been driving a 97 s500 coupe. I drove that one off the show room floor, so I never felt very comfortable modding it. This one is my baby now, though, and I'm looking for something special in the way of modification.
One thing I definitely want to do is get some type of iPod integration going. I'm not sure of the best way to go with that. In the coupe I added a Monster iCruze, which worked well enough. I still have the iCruze box, but I've had trouble locating a suitable cable for the fiber optic system in the SL.
Right now, my thinking is towards a nav/CD head unit, but i"d like to keep the stock look if possible.
I would consider replacing the head unit with an aftermarket if the aftermarket looked fairly stock and had a lot of extras (nav, bluetooth phone, iPod integration, etc).
Any advice would be appreciated.
T
If anyone has some advise for basic mods that are geared more for performance and feel, I'd love to hear suggestions. Previously I had been driving a 97 s500 coupe. I drove that one off the show room floor, so I never felt very comfortable modding it. This one is my baby now, though, and I'm looking for something special in the way of modification.
One thing I definitely want to do is get some type of iPod integration going. I'm not sure of the best way to go with that. In the coupe I added a Monster iCruze, which worked well enough. I still have the iCruze box, but I've had trouble locating a suitable cable for the fiber optic system in the SL.
Right now, my thinking is towards a nav/CD head unit, but i"d like to keep the stock look if possible.
I would consider replacing the head unit with an aftermarket if the aftermarket looked fairly stock and had a lot of extras (nav, bluetooth phone, iPod integration, etc).
Any advice would be appreciated.
T
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
From: Connecticut
1997 SL600
Hey man....I had the same problem w/ my '97 SL600 stock stereo. Love the stereo, but wanted my MP3 player w/out an FM transmitter and/or a cable coming from my tape deck.
Anyways, there are $300 solutions out there, or the $11 solution that I chose to do!
I ended up buying a tape converter and re-routing the wire out the back of the stereo down through the center console and out the storage compartment!
You can't tell there's a tape in my stereo and I can listen to MP3's off any type of player all day long with no messy wires or brackets!
Here's a link that gave me the idea. My mod was very similar to what this guy did except I didn't bother deactivating the cassette motor. My stereo doesn't eject the tape unless you hit the button and I even rigged it so I can easily pop it back in if it's hit accidentally.
Good Luck,
Dreux
Anyways, there are $300 solutions out there, or the $11 solution that I chose to do!
I ended up buying a tape converter and re-routing the wire out the back of the stereo down through the center console and out the storage compartment!
You can't tell there's a tape in my stereo and I can listen to MP3's off any type of player all day long with no messy wires or brackets!
Here's a link that gave me the idea. My mod was very similar to what this guy did except I didn't bother deactivating the cassette motor. My stereo doesn't eject the tape unless you hit the button and I even rigged it so I can easily pop it back in if it's hit accidentally.
Good Luck,
Dreux
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Hey man....I had the same problem w/ my '97 SL600 stock stereo. Love the stereo, but wanted my MP3 player w/out an FM transmitter and/or a cable coming from my tape deck.
Anyways, there are $300 solutions out there, or the $11 solution that I chose to do!
I ended up buying a tape converter and re-routing the wire out the back of the stereo down through the center console and out the storage compartment!
You can't tell there's a tape in my stereo and I can listen to MP3's off any type of player all day long with no messy wires or brackets!
Here's a link that gave me the idea. My mod was very similar to what this guy did except I didn't bother deactivating the cassette motor. My stereo doesn't eject the tape unless you hit the button and I even rigged it so I can easily pop it back in if it's hit accidentally.
Good Luck,
Dreux
Anyways, there are $300 solutions out there, or the $11 solution that I chose to do!
I ended up buying a tape converter and re-routing the wire out the back of the stereo down through the center console and out the storage compartment!
You can't tell there's a tape in my stereo and I can listen to MP3's off any type of player all day long with no messy wires or brackets!
Here's a link that gave me the idea. My mod was very similar to what this guy did except I didn't bother deactivating the cassette motor. My stereo doesn't eject the tape unless you hit the button and I even rigged it so I can easily pop it back in if it's hit accidentally.
Good Luck,
Dreux
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 11
Likes: 0
Worked like a charm. I ran the wire from the headunit to the storage box in the top of the console. That box is usually for the phone that could have been installed. Mine never had a phone, so I was able to drill through the pop out panel and run the 1/8 inch mini-plug right through. Now I just need to add a 12v outlet up there and I'll be set.
