SL/R231: Mr12Volt - Carplay & Android Auto
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Newbie
Joined: Sep 2007
Posts: 12
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2017 SL450, 2018 GLE, (former) 2011 E350, 2008 S550, 2005 E250, 1997 E420, & 1990 300E
Mr12Volt - Carplay & Android Auto
I also posted this in the W212 forum, this is the model I installed the unit in, but I think if you have a 2013 to 2016 SL, this fits in your car too. I thought I'd end up buying a 2015 or 2016 SL400, but wound up with a 2017 SL450, so I've got factory android auto! I'm kinda happy about that, but would've bought this unit for the SL400 if I had bought that.
I haven't seen this unit much in these forums. An occasional mention here and there but not much, which I kind of find surprising.
I bought this unit for my daughters 2013 E350, which is a replacement for the 2011 E350 we sold her a few months ago. Literally 3 days after we sold it to her, a large truck bumped her on the freeway in a rainstorm, which spun her around into a wall. So, she replaced it with a model two years newer.
As some of you know, that opened up options on the carplay unit going from the 2011 NTG 4.0 to the 2013 NTG 4.5.
I had bought and installed this unit - MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS 2010-2011 Smartphone Mirroring Video Interface (*******.com)
I had a lot of trouble installing it, but finally got in done and working. Well, mostly working. Occasionally, the factory backup camera either wouldn't work, or it would cause the unit to not display carplay & android auto. I'm still certain it was fixable, but the support was great until it wasn't great. Eventually, if you ask too many questions, they just stop responding to you. Whether it is phone, chat, or email. When they're done, well, they're done. So, I just shut that off and pretended it didn't work.
My daughter didn't have it long, but she complained about the sound. Like most of the other units it used the AUX input, and she complained about the lack of bass. I guess I'm not an audiophile because it never bothered me.
Anyhow, on the new car, I bought this mr12volt, primarily because they used the most bus and claimed the sound quality was better.
I got it on a Mothers day sale at 399 plus 15 bucks shipping. It's on sale now too.
High End Mercedes Benz MOST bus NTG 4.5 4.7 CarPlay & AA Interface – Mr12Volt Car Interface
Yesterday was the install. It took me 90 minutes in the Texas heat... lol. I did it just like their install video here:
High End Mercedes Benz MOST bus NTG 4.5 4.7 CarPlay & AA Interface – Mr12Volt Car Interface
Here's the video for the SLK install, I think it is similar..
It turned out really nicely. There are a few advantages I see over this unit, and the Kremersino & Roadtop units I've seen reviewed.
1. Uses the MOST bus for sound. I have to agree with my daughter. The bass is better. Not a huge difference to me, but there is to her.
2. Starts up automatically. Since it uses the TV input on the video menu, carplay and android auto start up when the car starts up. To me this is worth redoing an install...
3. These two things make it almost factory.
4. No programming. I literally held down the clr button and the back button simultaneously and it programmed the TV function. No engineering menu. No checking and rechecking when you don't have sound, etc.
5. Fewer cables made the install and the inevitable hiding cables exercise easier. The unit is sitting inside the plastic tray under the glovebox as shown in the video. I may take the glovebox down at some point and hide it in the side of the center console the way the guy in the Bucks Garage video did it (his install video was great, BTW), but it is good enough for now.
I have no affiliation with these mr12volt guys, but today I'm a happy customer. My daughter and her husband are thrilled and that's good enough for me. I did ask a "prebuy" question which got a snarky answer of (yes, your question was answered in our FAQ). Honestly, I never looked. But still, it was snarky, so I don't know if support would've been better than what I got with ******* or not. I'll tell you that the ******* guy knows everything there is to know about these units, but he's (IMHO) a jerk. In his defense I'm not the smartest guy in the room, and I did ask a lot of questions.
Hope this helps someone. Give it a try. If I had installed either the Kremersino or Roadtop unit, I'd pull it out for this one, just for having it auto start up when I hit the ignition, but that's me.
I haven't seen this unit much in these forums. An occasional mention here and there but not much, which I kind of find surprising.
I bought this unit for my daughters 2013 E350, which is a replacement for the 2011 E350 we sold her a few months ago. Literally 3 days after we sold it to her, a large truck bumped her on the freeway in a rainstorm, which spun her around into a wall. So, she replaced it with a model two years newer.
As some of you know, that opened up options on the carplay unit going from the 2011 NTG 4.0 to the 2013 NTG 4.5.
I had bought and installed this unit - MERCEDES-BENZ E-CLASS 2010-2011 Smartphone Mirroring Video Interface (*******.com)
I had a lot of trouble installing it, but finally got in done and working. Well, mostly working. Occasionally, the factory backup camera either wouldn't work, or it would cause the unit to not display carplay & android auto. I'm still certain it was fixable, but the support was great until it wasn't great. Eventually, if you ask too many questions, they just stop responding to you. Whether it is phone, chat, or email. When they're done, well, they're done. So, I just shut that off and pretended it didn't work.
My daughter didn't have it long, but she complained about the sound. Like most of the other units it used the AUX input, and she complained about the lack of bass. I guess I'm not an audiophile because it never bothered me.
Anyhow, on the new car, I bought this mr12volt, primarily because they used the most bus and claimed the sound quality was better.
I got it on a Mothers day sale at 399 plus 15 bucks shipping. It's on sale now too.
High End Mercedes Benz MOST bus NTG 4.5 4.7 CarPlay & AA Interface – Mr12Volt Car Interface
Yesterday was the install. It took me 90 minutes in the Texas heat... lol. I did it just like their install video here:
High End Mercedes Benz MOST bus NTG 4.5 4.7 CarPlay & AA Interface – Mr12Volt Car Interface
Here's the video for the SLK install, I think it is similar..
It turned out really nicely. There are a few advantages I see over this unit, and the Kremersino & Roadtop units I've seen reviewed.
1. Uses the MOST bus for sound. I have to agree with my daughter. The bass is better. Not a huge difference to me, but there is to her.
2. Starts up automatically. Since it uses the TV input on the video menu, carplay and android auto start up when the car starts up. To me this is worth redoing an install...
3. These two things make it almost factory.
4. No programming. I literally held down the clr button and the back button simultaneously and it programmed the TV function. No engineering menu. No checking and rechecking when you don't have sound, etc.
5. Fewer cables made the install and the inevitable hiding cables exercise easier. The unit is sitting inside the plastic tray under the glovebox as shown in the video. I may take the glovebox down at some point and hide it in the side of the center console the way the guy in the Bucks Garage video did it (his install video was great, BTW), but it is good enough for now.
I have no affiliation with these mr12volt guys, but today I'm a happy customer. My daughter and her husband are thrilled and that's good enough for me. I did ask a "prebuy" question which got a snarky answer of (yes, your question was answered in our FAQ). Honestly, I never looked. But still, it was snarky, so I don't know if support would've been better than what I got with ******* or not. I'll tell you that the ******* guy knows everything there is to know about these units, but he's (IMHO) a jerk. In his defense I'm not the smartest guy in the room, and I did ask a lot of questions.
Hope this helps someone. Give it a try. If I had installed either the Kremersino or Roadtop unit, I'd pull it out for this one, just for having it auto start up when I hit the ignition, but that's me.
Last edited by retailguy; Jun 16, 2024 at 08:29 PM.
MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Feb 2004
Posts: 3,124
Likes: 223
From: Milton/Westport, MA USA
me: 2015 SL400 & 2015 ML400; wife: 2022 GLC Coupe; daughter: 2017 GLC SUV
The sticky thread about the Roadtop unit has some great Mr12Volt input by @Barryg111 starting at page 5 HERE; Barry had to install his twice, and @ThatsMyDawg is still true to the Roadtop unit. I've never been a fan of the W212 E-Class, pre or post facelift, so I'm not too familiar with the interiors but I bet it's easier to disassemble than the R231. I don't drive my wife's X253 a lot, especially alone when I could really play with the Apple CarPlay but I have it for a couple of hours last week and I finally see that I could stop my endless obsession with the perfect phone mount/charger and just leave the phone in the console as MB intended. I will likely attempt the DIY in my W166 but hire a shop to install in the R231.
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2023
Posts: 11
Likes: 1
From: South Florida
SL 550
I love the Mr 12 Volt in my 2016 SL 550.. I didn't really need to install 2x as it worked the first time but my AC didn't and a few error messages came up, but found out it was only the 7.5 amp fuse for the AC that went out and that also fixed the error messages.. The first time you are very timid in removing all the panels etc, but it really is a simple job. I too chose it because it uses the MOST system and the sound has no denigration. Now I need to add an amp for the rear speakers as for some reason Mercedes did a **** poor job in the balance and sound coming out of them unless you are playing a DVD..
