Antennas

6197 Views 26 Replies 12 Participants Last post by nickwilcock, May 5, 2008

ByByeAmericanPie

Discussion Starter · Nov 29, 2005

Will the SL Class, R230, 2003 antenna base retrofit into the SLK with no modifications? I was looking into that with my dealer and the tech guy said it wont work...anyone had any experience with this?

1 - 20 of 27 Posts

WHATNXT

· #2 · Nov 29, 2005

This is the information that I got:

Base: 230-820-1075 $112.14
Antenna: 230-827-0101 $99.80

I told him that my car was paint code 744 (brilliant silver) so the numbers may reflect that. Also, there are two different antennas. One for the US and another for Canada. Both are short but work for different frequencies. The one shown is for the US.

ByByeAmericanPie

Discussion Starter · #3 · Nov 29, 2005

Wow..my stealership told me it was $128.70 for the base and $104.50 for the nub

larryk

· #4 · Nov 29, 2005

ByByeAmericanPie - 11/29/2005 2:22 PM

Wow..my stealership told me it was $128.70 for the base and $104.50 for the nub

Buy the nub as they pop up on ebay like I did, for cheap ($10), and paint the whole shebang to match your Magma. My $0.02 USD

ByByeAmericanPie

Discussion Starter · #5 · Nov 30, 2005

Check this out...a MB OEM stubby for the R170

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=8018481696&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT

16falcon

· #6 · Nov 30, 2005

ByByeAmericanPie - 11/30/2005 10:44 AM

Check this out...a MB OEM stubby for the R170

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1,1&item=8018481696&sspagename=STRK%3AMEWN%3AIT

That is interesting, I have never seen one like that. My parts sheet shows our mast antenna part number as 170-820-04-75. Someone needs to buy this short one (part # 170-820-06-75) and try it out. At least someone should see if their dealer has one in stock and take a look at it. It looks like our stock mast antenna with the mast portion removed. I wonder how the reception is with it?

ByByeAmericanPie

Discussion Starter · #7 · Nov 30, 2005

I bought the one on Ebay. I will let you know how it works.

16falcon

· #8 · Nov 30, 2005

ByByeAmericanPie - 11/30/2005 1:27 PM

I bought the one on Ebay. I will let you know how it works.

Thanks if it works well I think I'll order one. I'm using a silver SL shorty on my black base now, reception is just OK and I really should have a black tip that matches the base. I don't want to paint the base in case I ever want to put the stock antenna back on (concours). The black shorty SL tips are high gloss which doesn't really match either. I've also thought about painting the tip I have a black semi-gloss if I could find some. But I'll await your report. Have you ever seen anyone with an antenna like the one you bought?

ByByeAmericanPie

Discussion Starter · #9 · Nov 30, 2005

I never knew they existed till I saw that one on Ebay.

ByByeAmericanPie

Discussion Starter · #10 · Dec 5, 2005

Got the new R170 stubby on Sat and put it on today and drove with it a while. Works pretty darn good. I couldnt tell the difference in reception from the whip.

16falcon

· #11 · Dec 15, 2005

ByByeAmericanPie - 11/30/2005 2:47 PM

I never knew they existed till I saw that one on Ebay.

I just called and ordered the small SLK antenna (part number 170-820-06-75) from my local dealer. The parts guy said it is a "Germany Only" part. He said there were none in the U.S. and 100 of them in Germany. He ordered it from Germany, said it would take at least 10 days to get here. Cost is $50 plus tax, you got a lot better deal on the ebay one [

].

ByByeAmericanPie

Discussion Starter · #12 · Dec 16, 2005

Let me know how you like it. It works great for me.

landsalmon2

· #13 · Dec 17, 2005

Any Pics?[

]

ByByeAmericanPie

Discussion Starter · #14 · Dec 17, 2005

2

landsalmon2 - 12/17/2005 9:25 AM

Any Pics?[]

Here are a couple showing the R170 stubby

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16falcon

· #15 · Dec 29, 2005

ByByeAmericanPie - 12/16/2005 2:55 PM

Let me know how you like it. It works great for me.

I did an unscientific test tonight with all three antennas (original mast, SL, and new shorty like ByeByeAmericanPie's pictured above). With the car in the garage I can hear all my normal FM stations clearly with mast antenna. The station the farthest away has some static with both the SL antenna and the new shorty antenna (seemed about the same), the others come in clearly with both. So my conclusion is that the Mast antenna is the best for reception, the SL antenna looks best if you want to paint the base and the new shorty antenna looks best if you leave the black base. A black SL tip isn't a bad option either although the black paint on the tip is glossy and doesn't really match the base. I'm going to leave the new shorty antenna on. After I get a chance to drive around with it I'll report back if I change my mind about it's abilities.

I'm usually using the ipod and Bipes MP3 adapter so I don't really know why I have spent so much time and energy on the FM antenna. [

]

NickDC

· #16 · Dec 29, 2005

16falcon - 12/28/2005 11:24 PM

I'm usually using the ipod and Bipes MP3 adapter. []

May be off topic.....but, how do you like the Bipes MP3 adapter? I'm thinking of ordering one.

Thank you,

Nick

16falcon

· #17 · Dec 29, 2005

NickDC - 12/29/2005 7:53 AM

May be off topic.....but, how do you like the Bipes MP3 adapter? I'm thinking of ordering one.

Nick

Works great. LarryK was just here this morning checking it out. I think he is going to stick with the cassette tape adapter though.

The only things to consider are the fact that you have to control the volume, bass, etc through the MP3 player not the HU. The Bipes adapter works with the HU turned off. Incoming phone calls (if you have the integrated phone installed) still override the Bipes and automatically turn on the HU so you can answer incoming calls. The only other issue I have is that I wish there was a Bipes adapter that was ipod specific so the connection would be at the docking port not the headphone jack. That way the ipod would be charging while connected. As is is you must run the ipod on battery power or get a power port adapter to plug into the docking port to charge while you're driving.

That's a long answer to a short question [

].
The short answer is that I like it very much and would purchase it again. It is the best solution for me.

NickDC

· #18 · Dec 29, 2005

Thank you very much for the thorough answer.

larryk

· #19 · Dec 29, 2005

16falcon - 12/29/2005 1:39 PM

NickDC - 12/29/2005 7:53 AM

May be off topic.....but, how do you like the Bipes MP3 adapter? I'm thinking of ordering one.

Nick

Click to expand...

Works great. LarryK was just here this morning checking it out. I think he is going to stick with the cassette tape adapter though.

The only things to consider are the fact that you have to control the volume, bass, etc through the MP3 player not the HU. The Bipes adapter works with the HU turned off. Incoming phone calls (if you have the integrated phone installed) still override the Bipes and automatically turn on the HU so you can answer incoming calls. The only other issue I have is that I wish there was a Bipes adapter that was ipod specific so the connection would be at the docking port not the headphone jack. That way the ipod would be charging while connected. As is is you must run the ipod on battery power or get a power port adapter to plug into the docking port to charge while you're driving.

That's a long answer to a short question [].
The short answer is that I like it very much and would purchase it again. It is the best solution for me.

Learn something new everyday. Today thanks to 16falcon. I have been using a Philips Tape Adapter plugged into my Garmin GPS/PDA for mp3s. Until today I thought, as with older cars, you had to eject the tape to play the radio, cd, etc. Not so on the OEM SLK radio. I did not know that.

So, we pulled the radio partly out with the keys, and placed the wire from the Philips cassette behind the lip of the radio, and pushed it back in. Now, the wire is hidden except for where it briefly peeks out to go into the tape door. The rest of the wire is hidden in my Kuda console mount that holds the Garmin, and the jack peeks out slightly from the Kuda mount and plugs into the Garmin.

So, I have mp3 and GPS audio simulaneously through the car stereo, and can switch to CD or radio with the HU buttons. Only issue is, is that I have to pull up on the jack into the garmin when I swith to radio or CD so the GPS audio can be heard through its built in speaker.

All in all, I'm happy with the setup. I will say the Bipes was impressive but, the radio has to be off for it to work, and all audio must be controlled from the unit it is plugged in to. So, it would not give me any greater control of my setup, in fact it would be slightly less. I'm still considering it, but as 16falcon says, I think I'm going to stick with what I have for the time being.

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barndogz

· #20 · Jan 2, 2006

ByByeAmericanPie - 12/17/2005 12:41 PM

landsalmon2 - 12/17/2005 9:25 AM

Any Pics?[]

Click to expand...

Here are a couple showing the R170 stubby

looks good.
i have heard that the stock one can be ripped off by an automatic car wash, don't know for sure if it's true. but have you run the car thru the car wash with the stubby?

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