I have an 06 R500 that was not pre-wired for bluetooth. However I would really like to be able to use my cell phone bluetooth capability to hold a conversation using the command audio system. My dealer says it can't happen, but then he said that about adding an integrated navigation system which I just finished doing. (Actually, I just bought the unit, DVD, and antenna splitter on ebay and then the dealer suddenly knew how to install it.)
Does anyone out there have advice for me on adding bluetooth capability?
I have an 06 R500 that was not pre-wired for bluetooth. However I would really like to be able to use my cell phone bluetooth capability to hold a conversation using the command audio system. My dealer says it can't happen, but then he said that about adding an integrated navigation system which I just finished doing. (Actually, I just bought the unit, DVD, and antenna splitter on ebay and then the dealer suddenly knew how to install it.)
Does anyone out there have advice for me on adding bluetooth capability?
Thanks,
Paul
it is technically possible to retrofit the phone/bt system to your r500. the only issue is that it is getting to be less and less practical to do so as mercedes has been systematically discontinuing everything that you will need. first your vehicle isnt prewired so a bunch of the harnessess are missing but those could be built. now the latest issue is that mercedes has discontinued the phone retrofit kit altogether, making the actually parts more or less impossible to get. as far as i know even the individual parts (e.g. the phone MHS module) cannot be ordered via parts.
right now alot of this is up in the air since we dont know exactly how mercedes wants to handle these issues but the basic premise is that if you want bt/phone support you had better order it from the factory. otherwise you are SOL.
of course there are aftermarket bluetooth solutions available, ranging from simple to complex integrated solutions. parrot and motorola make base bluetooth kits that have a small outboard control panel. parrot now has steering control interface for some of these kits. dension has a bluetooth module available for the gateway 500 ipod kit. while i have not used on yet (they are brand new) they llok to be very cool, allowing a good deal of integration into the audio system. finally the argos system (yet to be released) is supposed to be a almost direct replacement for the mercedes kit, allowing full control of the phone via the command system. if an when it is released it may be the ideal solution for someone in your position.
Adding Bluetooth (no pre-wiring) 
Linear Mode
