Me be pissed. I just bought a 2004 C230 with CD changer in glove compartment. I was led to believe that I could get an iPod adapter (like who uses cassettes anymore?) but when I took it in to local dealership (I bought it out of state) I was told that it's the 2005 models that can take the iPod adapter!! I'm friggin stuck with a car with no tunes. This is my first mercedes and I guess I'm somewhat at fault for buying out of state (good price and miles) but I'm not sure what I can do about it now. Resale and take a loss (taxes etc)? I was really excited about this car but now bummed cuz i can't cruise and have some music. Any ideas?

 

MB's iPod kit is only available with MOST fiber optics (normally 2005+ models)
you can use Dension's iceLink to connect your iPod to your car without changing the headunit.
you will still have controls from steering wheel, the iPod is charged while playing and sound is much better than connecting via AUX port or FM transmitter. MSRP is $449.99. K1 price to forum member is $379.99.

 

Go to this website, www.newertech.com and look up their Road Trip Car audio wireless transmitter, $19.95. One end you plug into your cigar lighter, the other into the headphone jack of the IPod or and MP3 player and set your radio to the specified frequency on the box, mine is 107.7 FM. But they will send you one with a frequency that is not used in your area or is far away so you get no interference. You still have to operate the Ipod manual, but for $19.95 you can't hate it. MBCA's STAR magazine road tested it a few months ago and I ordered one road tested myself and in the next issue STAR published my road test. The only fault I found was the plug to the cigar lighter, you might have to get a wooded tooth and bend the two metal prongs inside the lighter so it is tight.

 

Go to this website, www.newertech.com, and order their Road Trip, Car audio Wireless Transmitter for $19.95. You plug one end into the cigar lighter, the other into the headphone output of your IPod or MP3 player and set, in my case, your radio to 107.7FM, they have different frequencies for different areas of the country. Works great. I am a member of the MBCA and their magazine The STAR road tested it a few months back. I bought it and road tested it myself, and it works great, no interfernence, and it is cheap. I have a 99 C280 with the optional BOSE system, but it works on any system with a radio and a cigar lighter, no cassettes, just a the charger like end with the transmitter built in and the male plug for the IPod or any MP3 players, will also work with handheld computers, or any of those devices. I bought a

 

This is all good news for me. Two options.. i like the fact that with Dension the ipod is controllable through radio.. but newertech's so much cheaper. also saw a link for DLO’s TransPod which looks interesting too. So now me happy again.

 

what you pay for is what you get...
FYI, here are the options in the order of audio quality (poor --> best)
FM transmitter (iTrip, RoadTrip, etc...) --> AUX input (through COMAND) --> iPod Kit (MB OEM, Dension USA)

 

I have to disagree with your first sentence, I am familiar with electonic and how and why they work, they divices are not rocket science . They are for the most part simple wireless transmitters and or transceivers, i.e. WIFI, very inexpensive to build and profit margin are high. They are also made from the simpler and less expensive, parts diodes, magnets etc. An IPod is nothing more that a small hard drive, as in computer. You can but a 2GB harddrive in most electronic stores for $40 to $60. I picked up a Panasonic HDTV 32 inch flat screen TV last year for $600. Works fine and the picture quality is great as well as the surround sound. I also pick up a Panasonic dolby digital 5.1 surround sound receiver for $100 and a DVD Burner also Panasonic for $99.00. Earlier last year I bought a VHS/DVD player, made by guess who? for $49.95. All of them have worked fine. Electronic are one of those products where the price comes down on a regular basis as the conponents the labor is dirt cheap. Also, there is a misconception that these items are better if they are made in the USA. To my knowledge and I follow the industry there are non of the above devices I mentioned made in this country any longer, no mattter if they have RCA's name on them. So no you pay for what you get generally doesn't apply to these types of products. As far as audio quality, the newtech wireless sounded better then another brand I bought a month before and crapped out after two weeks. The key to a good sound system IMHO are the speakers, I never skimp on speakers, you could have a $1K received and a $900 CD player and if you get cheap speaker you get cheap sound. this is the only segment where "what you pay is what you get applies. People will buy great conponents and cheap speakers and wonder why their systems sound lousy, it's the speakers, At home I have Boston Acoustics for my surround set up and a Mirage subwoofer, both brands pricey but worth it. Why are speakers different? because of the magnets the speaker and the material they are made from and the enclosure. There is a saying in the audio/ visual industry, if the product fails within the first month of ownership, it is a lemon, if not it will last for years, I have never replaced a CD player, burner, receiver because it failed I replace a item for upgradess

Cars however are contrary to this thinking, even Mercedes. I been having trouble with my brakes and steering, and finally took it to the shop, the passenger side tie rod are bad. But I also found out, and I checked several sources, you just don't replace the right side inner and outer right side tie rod. Mercedes built this part of the suspension to include both side tie rods and the worn and roller, so you have to buy the whole unit. I get 50% off parts so it wasn't a real big it. Also after 52K miles plus both my front disc are shot, so I am having them replaced as well as the brake pads, I am going with Mintek vice OEM as Mercedes has the worst dust problem with pad I have ever seen in a disc brake car and I am sick and tired of cleaning the wheels twice a week. But these are wear items, even Mercedes cars wear out. I rear in Car and Driver a while back that Mercedes, are built for safety first and reliable second. Ferrari IMHO are the most overrated cars as far as maintenance in the world. They remind me when I was a kid and my dad had his oil changed every 1000 miles. Yes, they are fast, handle and mostly read and beautiful, but for 1/4 million dollars and up they reliability don't reflect the price. Same goes for Aston Martin, Rolls Royce, and I hear Maybach are a reliable nightmare? My daughters 2001 Dodge Neon went 78K miles before the tie rods went and the second set of front brake disc and pads were replaced. The rear disc and pads are still the originals that came with the car when she bought it new? Is there something wrong here? Probably not, you get what you pay for?

I just picked up a 79 450SLC with 114K miles. It needs some work, mostly in the HVAC system and is going to expensive to fix, but other then that the car itself is as solid as a rock, the engine purrs. I am the 3rd owner, I got lucky the two others maintained and garaged the car, so I expect to sink a few thousand into it and have a car that will probably go another 100K miles almost trouble free. By the time I put 100K on the car I'll be about 80 years old, I am 59 now, so I expect this car to last my lifetime.


To your credit I will say your choice of products are excellent. IMHO Mercedes has a great sound system, if you get the BOSE speaker and amp option, any of the products and brands you mentioned will perform very well whether they cost $19.95 or $495.00.

I can see all the audiophiles from the forum writing nasting comments to the above, go ahead I can take it. I am a veteran!

 

I had a 2002 C230 coupe that had a cassette player in it. My advice is to get a cassette adapter, jam the door close with the wire coming out and voila...! I tried the wireless route, the Itrip & the sonicfreq, and they all were lousy. Part of the issue maybe that I live in the NY area where the frequencies are all full. I was very happy with the adaptor as it worked for both my Sirius and my Ipod with perfect sound. Now obviously if you don't have the cassette player you are stuck. However for about $250 you can get it hardwired at your local Best Buy, I figured the $15 version was fine. Hope that helps