Ok, i've been sort of researching factory MB stereos (other options for our 140's, but made by MB) and for the most part, they're models that they used overseas (they seem to get all the good stuff, eh?)
LOOK what I found on eBay:
Item number 180232444830
It's practically identical to the stock unit, has the same LOOK to it, instead of the more rounded look that you'd see in slightly newer cars... just instead of cassette, you get CD! And, it's got that RDS feature, and maybe a few other tricks, but no NAV, which i could care less about while at home, really.
Looks pretty expensive though... but i think i just found exactly what I'm after. Gotta love the old-school LCD look... VERY much like our factory stereos! I have NO idea why this wasn't offered as an option.
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Matt
1996 S320 Long
Black with tan interior
Mods:
Bosch Platinum Ir Fusion Spark Plugs
Previous Cars:
1995 Mercedes-Benz C220
1981 Chrysler Imperial Coupe
Last edited by mgill85258 : 04-17-2008 at 10:32 PM.
Cool! FYI, the back of the unit looks exactly like the stock cassette one so it will probably be a direct swap-out. If you can get it for $300 - $350 I'd say go for it. The "Buy it now" price is a bit steep.
I swapped my cassette unit in my S320 with this one. It ran about $300 on ebay and they even threw in the little removal tools. It has 10 presets, RDS, and a connector for a fiber optic cd changer too.
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"It's not about how fast you can go, but how well you can go fast."
Bob in Richmond
'97 S320 (LWB), Ruby Red Metallic, 46k miles
'97 S420V, Smoke Silver Metallic, 98k miles
Yup, saw that one.. looks great except I feel that one is more suited (style wise) for 2000+ C-Classes, E-Classes, CLK, etc with the more rounded style buttons...
The one I found is absolutely perfect, style wise, for the W140's dashboard and other buttons... (i'm being a bit picky) Although I'm sure that one you've got would still look great...
Price wise, i'd probably go for the less expensive model, BUT the thing is, these (The one i showed) are being greatly marked up on eBay, when in reality if you just find a european website selling them, they're going for FAR less (I found some going for 99 BPS = about 200 bucks USD) so that's a MUCH better deal for a used, standard in-dash CD PLAYER for crying out loud! hah.
I'll find one somewhere for around that price (again, on a foreign website) and that should do OK... just not sure if the programming would work the same for US radio stations?
Actually, while we're on this subject, and you own that Audio 10 model... could you think of any benefits of that one compared to the one I'm interested in? What do some of those buttons mean? Some of those acronyms, i'm not familiar with.
Unit design for Euro market has a different AM range than those unit design for the North American market. I have contact both Alpine and Becker and was told that it cannot be modified. The AM station that I listen to for news and traffic report cannot be set.
On late eighties to the nineties these were the official radios factory fitted to M.B.s, all Becker brand:
-Europa
-Grand Prix
-Grand Prix RDS, and
-Mexico (top of the line)
These line switched then to:
-Classic
-Special
-Special CD, and
-Exquisit
-Exquisit RDS(top of the line)
Then, the line up changed to:
-Audio 5
-Audio 10
-Audio 10CD, and
-Audio 30 (top of the line)
The first post is the Special CD and the second post is the Audio 10 CD. Both "CD" versions were available for owners who did not want to order the rear mounted CD changer.
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A. R. R.
S 500 L, 1998
E 320 T, 1995
im thinknig of retrofitting an 02 CLK headunit. anyone know where to get the harness for it? I only got the stereo with no harness and it doesnt even closely resemble the harness on my 93
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Deutsche Tourenwagen Meisterschaft
Here is a picture of my S 500 L's Exquisite RDS radio. It was ordered from the factory with the six CD changer and the optional cordless remote control seen on the second picture.
The remote control was an option not available in the U.S. and also not very popular at most markets, as they charged almost US$200 for it. You can tell if an Exquisite RDS has a remote control by the black round cristal at the lower right of the volume control (that is the remote pick up sensor).
Does anyone know if the first post radio/cd ("Special CD") unit can control MB CD changer in '99 W140? It does not seem to have the CD changer button. Thanks.
Linear Mode
