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I just acquired a 2005 sl 65 AMG. I've been looking, trying to find some technical information. I have tried 2 different disks that claimed to be complete manuals. However was unable to access the information on them. I got my money back. That has not helped me solve the problem. Does anyone know of a source that I can call on. There is nothing wrong with the car now. I do plan to keep it and have done my own work in the past. Also any info on scanning software would be great.
For a technical manual there is no substitute for the Mercedes WIS. You can download it from eBay for about $10.
For diagnostic work you can get a Foxwell NT510 for c. $135 which replicates much of the functionality as Mercedes proprietary Star Diagnosis System (SDS). Most people get an SDS clone from alixepress for $200-$250 which often includes the SDS software, Mercedes WIS, and other useful programs.
I forgot to mention the electrical troubleshooting manual which includes wiring diagrams, connector layouts, and parts locator. It's the same application that Mercedes dealers use. It's always bundled with SDS from aliexpress, and it is available as a free download here: R230 ETM 64.
WOW Thanks so much this was just the kind of info I was hoping to find.
at least you can not say you didn't know if you buy that junk
for those who read this just lookup my posts everything has been discussed and explained multiple times
The NT510 from Foxwell is not "junk". It is reviewed on MBWorld here. As for SDS clones, nearly everyone (98%?) of Mercedes owners who use them sourced them from a Chinese vendor and are immensely satisfied. They enthusiastically recommend them to new owners.
If you want a free look at what Star Diagnosis is and what it can do you can download it from the Internet. Send me a PM for a link.
It not about the Hardware, its about Xentry and chinese Xentry is incomplete pirated junk, 25% of important functions are not working
Windows is pirated too, fake licence with bootloaders and trojans
and you don't know because you never used something else than vintage systems.
Alos, the Chinese 2020 hacked Xentry is the worst ever sold. Don't try to safe a couple dollars, get crap and feed the communist dictators
The computers they sell you in packages don't even match the minimum specs for Xentry and the SSD's inside are junk too
Your whole Newbie experience is based on read, assimilate and paste
PS: all the Arguments by Bobterry99 below are based on readings, vintage and imagination mixed with hate.
Registered in 2006, 1 post, then nothing for 13 years. not one original post. representing the chinese since mid 2019
He thinks he knows better on something he has never used and that all great workshops and Mbworld users are idiots.
I don't bother responding to such fantasy anymore. > hundreds of users saying the opposite on the forums and reviews, that is what counts
not someone who never seen or used it > Just read and enjoy !
min specs for Xentry since 2019:
I prefer Win 7 Ent N x64 because it has less services running.
Make up your own mind by reading real user's reviews who had the Chinese Xentry software, then moved forward to the real thing
PS: all Bobterry's "denigration campaign" numbers are wrong
It not about the Hardware, its about Xentry and chinese Xentry is incomplete pirated junk...
It's absolutely about the hardware. If you had experience with Chinese product you'd know this. Over on the other forum is a thread that at last count has 1333 posts which discuss almost exclusively Chinese Star Diagnosis, and the popular problems are related to hardware -- not software. Note that Chinese manufacturers have a predilection for used relays and other components which often are more than two decades old.
Your $800 Star Diagnosis package includes a C4 multiplexer. A year or two ago on ******* there was a thread detailing with pictures of the C4 and its circuit boards how quality was very poor with this product. Here or on another forum last week I posted a picture of a multiplexer with a screw missing, and the picture was from an aliexpress ad of the vendor's product!
Originally Posted by pmercury
Windows is pirated too, fake licence with bootloaders and trojans...
Since the hardware you, I, and the rest of us use is pirated, should we have qualms about pirated software? Of course not. And please don't scare people with false suggestions that Chinese software is loaded with trojans and other malware, because it isn't. And even if this weren't the case, it really wouldn't matter because SDS is running on a standalone workstation PC.
Originally Posted by pmercury
The Chinese 2020 hacked Xentry is the worst ever sold.
Paul600600 on the other forum has extensive experience with SDS. A few months ago he had a look at a 2020 XENTRY (Star Diagnosis) and reported that it was actually the 2014 version with a different splash screen. That would be excellent.
A $250 SDS consists of a wired multiplexer (C3) which is arguably more rugged and reliable than the C4. Reportedly it will not work with software versions newer than c. 2017, and it won't work with vehicles newer than c. 2014. So 2020 Star Diagnosis from China which was faithfully replicated would be useless.
Originally Posted by pmercury
The computers they sell you in packages don't even match the minimum specs for Xentry and the SSD's inside are junk too
Nonsense. I just did a search on aliexpress and the first complete package includes a Dell D630 with 4 GB of RAM -- that's at least double the RAM that is needed. The Dell D630 is a staple of cloned Star Diagnosis Systems.
Originally Posted by pmercury
Your whole Newbie experience...
Au contraire. Back when not many owners had heard of SDS -- back when e-commerce from China was less common and it took a huge leap of faith to pay $1000 to a seller and hope to receive what you paid for -- that is when I purchased SDS. That was a dozen years ago, so I imagine few if any members have been using SDS as long as I have. So I am not a "Newbie", as anyone searching who reads ten randomly chosen posts of mine can quickly discern.
Last edited by bobterry99; 07-08-2020 at 02:04 PM.
It's absolutely about the hardware. If you had experience with Chinese product you'd know this. Over on the other forum is a thread that at last count has 1333 posts which discuss almost exclusively Chinese Star Diagnosis, and the popular problems are related to hardware -- not software. Note that Chinese manufacturers have a predilection for used relays and other components which often are more than two decades old.
Your $800 Star Diagnosis package includes a C4 multiplexer. A year or two ago on ******* there was a thread detailing with pictures of the C4 and its circuit boards how quality was very poor with this product. Here or on another forum last week I posted a picture of a multiplexer with a screw missing, and the picture was from an aliexpress ad of the vendor's product!
Since the hardware you, I, and the rest of us use is pirated, should we have qualms about pirated software? Of course not. And please don't scare people with false suggestions that Chinese software is loaded with trojans and other malware, because it isn't. And even if this weren't the case, it really wouldn't matter because SDS is running on a standalone workstation PC.
Paul600600 on the other forum has extensive experience with SDS. A few months ago he had a look at a 2020 XENTRY (Star Diagnosis) and reported that it was actually the 2014 version with a different splash screen. That would be excellent.
A $250 SDS consists of a wired multiplexer (C3) which is arguably more rugged and reliable than the C4. Reportedly it will not work with software versions newer than c. 2017, and it won't work with vehicles newer than c. 2014. So 2020 Star Diagnosis from China which was faithfully replicated would be useless.
Nonsense. I just did a search on aliexpress and the first complete package includes a Dell D630 with 4 GB of RAM -- that's at least double the RAM that is needed. The Dell D630 is a staple of cloned Star Diagnosis Systems.
Au contraire. Back when not many owners had heard of SDS -- back when e-commerce from China was less common and it took a huge leap of faith to pay $1000 to a seller and hope to receive what you paid for -- that is when I purchased SDS. That was a dozen years ago, so I imagine few if any members have been using SDS as long as I have. So I am not a "Newbie", as anyone searching who reads ten randomly chosen posts of mine can quickly discern.
Hello all,
Reading this thread made me willing to share my experience of working with different vendors who provide Xentry.
In 2016, I bought the complete system from one of Ebay sellers from China. I paid $1000 for Panasonic CF19 with 2016 Xentry and C4 with all cables. It was working ok for small repairs giving me what typical Xentry could give. However, the scope of the problems was very wide. Several time the system stopped working because I was connected to internet. After one year warranty, power adapter stopped working draining the battery. The entire system stopped working. Of course, everything was fixed for an additional charge of $50 per incident. I had more than four of them.
In 2018, I found another seller on eBay, from Europe. He send me the disk with 2018 Xentry and activated remotely. With this install my C4 never worked because it was blacklisted and the seller of Xentry could not solve it for weeks. Finally that seller disappeared and I was left out with not working system and lost money.
For me, those never ending troubles ended when I got a hold of PMercury.
This is the first time where I was able to talk to a real person who knows a LOT. When I got his install, I can really tell that now I have three times more of stuff on my laptop than I ever had in the past. Magically, my C4 started to work again. But the real key is an immediate support that I get from Peter-Pmercury, and that is priceless. On my 09 SL550 we updated ME97, ABC, Transmission and other modules. After a day of driving I can feel better handling on corners, I guess ABC update made a difference.
So basically, my post is to outline the difference between Xentry suppliers and to acclaim it the package by Peter is the best that I found so far. Hope that helps.
Several time the system stopped working because I was connected to internet.
Connecting to the Internet is a fundamental mistake, since Star Diagnosis tries to "phone home". On this point I mention that the free 2008 software has been modified not to do this.
Originally Posted by vkovaler888
On my 09 SL550 we updated ME97, ABC, Transmission and other modules. After a day of driving I can feel better handling on corners, I guess ABC update made a difference.
Likely what you have experienced is the Placebo Effect. It's a powerful thing. Just search for "omeyhomey" on the other major forum to see what I mean. You might also search for "weichert" to read more testimonials rhapsodizing about the wonderful benefits of a dubious change members have made to their vehicles. At any rate, you needn't engage the services of Peter to update modules.
The negative experiences documented above could have been avoided by first reading the forums and following the purchase advice that I have been giving since 2014. Specifically, get a C3 multiplexer, cables, and software configured for a Dell D630 laptop from a reputable seller on aliexpress.com.
The second point is that vkovaler888's experience is an outlier. For every negative narrative like this one I think I can find at least ten positive ones. Remember, I cited a thread with 1333 posts, so they are everywhere.
Finally, I have never criticized the quality of Peter's service. I believe it is quite good. There's just one problem, and curiously, no one ever bothers to mention it: Cost. At c. $800 it's much too expensive. As mentioned here, the preferred SDS setup that I favor costs just $250. In regard to support, there is an unending supply of expertise here on MBWorld and on the other forums. And it's free. So again, while the quality of Peter's service is quite good, I believe there are much better choices.
Last edited by bobterry99; 07-09-2020 at 10:38 AM.
07-06-2020, 07:50 PM
