Has anyone switched a D2B head unit for a MOST? Does it affect any other systems in the car? I've got a 2004 W203 which of course has D2B, but got MOST the very next year. Could I just buy a 2005 or 2006 HU from eBay and plug it in? I know the CD changer would not work, and I don't have a phone so that shouldn't matter. I'm trying to decide if I should replace the changer with a DICE interface for aux/iPod, but it would be nice to keep the single-slot CD at the same time. Thanks.
If you don't have any other devices on the fibre ring than the CDC, then the fibre ring should not be a problem (if you can abandon the changer or put an iPod interface instead).
But it would need CAN-bus signals still. I don't know if the CAN bus from a D2B car would be compatible with that of a MOST base car, it could but I'd suggest you to ask from some of the retrofit experts.
Yep, I would be abandoning the CDC. I can't imagine the CAN signals to be that different as manufacturers that make steering wheel control interfaces don't seem to draw the line between D2B and MOST, but I don't know how the pixels would behave. Maybe the displays work the same between years? Hopefully someone has done this. It just seems so much a cleaner setup than anything aftermarket, and with reselling the old CDC and HU might even break even.
"The post facelift system can not be reasonably fitted to the pre-facelift car - many other control units in the car need updating to make this work, and its almost certainly cheaper to just buy a post facelift car !"
Of course this was not an option as I bought a C-coupe and there were only a few imported that were 2005 models. Oh well!
"The post facelift system can not be reasonably fitted to the pre-facelift car - many other control units in the car need updating to make this work, and its almost certainly cheaper to just buy a post facelift car !"
Of course this was not an option as I bought a C-coupe and there were only a few imported that were 2005 models. Oh well!
Yeah - was gonna point you at that link. There's only one guy to the best of my knowledge who's pulled it off, and it was not even close to cost effective. I think the "buy a post facelift car" is valid advice, but if you are looking for a coupe, and are in the US, yeah, it can be painful. Here in the UK, they are still quite popular, and I'm waiting to see one of the CLC's
I can't imagine the CAN signals to be that different as manufacturers that make steering wheel control interfaces don't seem to draw the line between D2B and MOST, but I don't know how the pixels would behave. Maybe the displays work the same between years? Hopefully someone has done this. It just seems so much a cleaner setup than anything aftermarket, and with reselling the old CDC and HU might even break even.
The after market steering wheel interface devices usually have very limited functionality, just reading a few CAN messages corresponding to a few buttons being pressed. The data to the IC menu is a lot more complicated. But have you looked at the IC part numbers for pre- and post-face lift cars?
It looks like there are different connectors and the trim is different. That might be enough to stop it.
Wiring plugs as such are not an issue as long as the signal wires are not different. Plugs may be differently coded just to avoid similar devices being installed "accidentally" when they would not fit anyway as plug-and-play.
If you look at the web-pages you referred, Richard explains how different Comand units are rewired to fit from one car to another.
"The post facelift system can not be reasonably fitted to the pre-facelift car - many other control units in the car need updating to make this work, and its almost certainly cheaper to just buy a post facelift car !"
Of course this was not an option as I bought a C-coupe and there were only a few imported that were 2005 models. Oh well!
I assume you quoted the sentence from the referred link. It would be from Richard then. I could suggest you to ask a bit of clarification from Richard himself (if he would have the time to answer, a bit unfair to use his time when he does not get any business out of it, but he is doing a lot of voluntary helping anyway).
My understanding is that Richard is considering a case where the HU operates with "at least one other device on the fibre ring". This of course would be different if there were no other devices on the ring after the retrofit and the only device previously used, can be ignored (the CDC). He may mean other devices behind the CAN bus too, I'm not sure. I just don't remember anyone reporting success or failure for the very basic retrofit where only the new head unit is used.
By the way, have you compared the wiring diagrams for the two options?
I've decided it looks like I can just plug-and-play the Audio 30 from Europe. They come up on eBay UK often enough, and several sellers say they will work fine in US cars. That'll leave me with ancient navigation that I will never use, a single slot CD and the opportunity to hook up an iPod interface without losing the ability to just drop in a CD.
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