Mobile phone (cellphone) for 2001 CLK hooked to car

This subject has probably been aired before but I can't find any references in the last 500 subject lines or so (I have had to re-install Windows and re-download messages)...so any help gratefully received.

I have a 2001 CLK 320 Cab with a factory-fitted cradle for Nokia phones including the 6310i. I am in the UK.

The other week my 6310i handset finally gave up the ghost...I shall still go down the route of having my mobile phone provider send it in for repairs but I am not very hopeful.

In meatime I started investigating other options, e.g. being able to integrate a modern phone with the built-in wiring so that I can still use the steering-wheel controls and the dashboard display of SIM card data etc.

Mercedes Germany (tech dept of dealership from which I purchased the car) and UK (London garage where I get the car serviced) have advised that this is not possible (neither new cradle not wireless retrofit), though both offered to sell me Nokia 6310i handsets (for about GBP 300...). Curiously the UK price was lower...

I don't think I want to invest this kind of money in an old-model phone.

The UK service person suggested there might be a 3rd-party solution available but had no information.

The Nokia handsets I am looking at are:

6300 8500 Classic

Low priority: Possibly 6220 Classic or E51

=> Does anyone have any suggestions for integrating a modern phone with the older car?

Many thanks. DAS

Reply to
Dori A Schmetterling
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You are in luck. I was reviewing the options for my folk's 2001 E320.

You would have to chanse your PSE (Phone brain module in the car). You can buy used or new (Universal PSE) form dealer.

You will also have to change your cradle using the new Cradle eliminator cable (also sold by dealer). And get the right bluetooth adapter to make it all work.

With this setup, you are free to use any Bluetooth phones and you never have to remove your phone to plug into the car. The negatuve aspects of this router is,,, you are relying on your phone's antenna for signal (most people don't have issue with this) and you will not be chargning your battery with this method (even though you can use your car charger to take over this function)

This is where you find all the info you wanted:

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The other way is similar to factory setup... the phone physically fit into the cradle... This method use factory antenna amplifier for strong signal and charges your battery. With this method, you are free to choose compatible phones (not only MB phones).

However, the problem with this hardwire setup is that you are limited to older model Motorola phones and because you are using Nokia setup... you would have to change your PSE...

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Reply to
Tiger

Much obliged, Tiger.

I shall present this info to the dealer. As I don't use my car that often (5000 miles per year tops, usually less) I am not that bothered about a hard-wired solution, nor about having to charge via the what used to be the cigarette lighter connection.

It is not so elegant and you can't tuck the phone away under the arm rest but... so be it.

As regards the antenna, I think under the existing set-up the phone is using the car aerial anyway, and that works well.

As it happens I have an old Motorola handset, a Timeport (mode number not to hand) but I think it predates the Nokia 6310i and has no bluetooth.... As it is in good, hardly-used condition I am using it now until I know what is possible or have implemented the modernisation solution with my car. My provide would supply some phones for free (the first two I listed in my initial message.

DAS

Reply to
Dori A Schmetterling

PS. The two main models in contention are:

6300 6500 Classic

(There is no 8500 in the current line-up.)

Merc Europe tends to favour Nokia phones for good reason. They are the best-selling and my favourite (best menus).

DAS

Reply to
Dori A Schmetterling

These information is mainly for US customers... where we used mainly Motorola. I am a Motorola fan. However, with the bluetooth option... any phone can be used.

You should contact Steve at:

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He would know every single thing about retrofitting anything on the car. He has installed navigation system into cars that didn't have it in the first place.

I am going to do a search to see if there is a Nokia bluetooth retrofit like the Motorola version.

Reply to
Tiger

Check this out... I think this is the solution for your car.

B6 787 5840 / B6 787 6125 BT adapter for EUROPE is coming....: BT SAP UHI adapter "After a research that I made with MB Stuttgart the Bluetooth adapter for all UHI systems will be available after the 20th week of this year.... The part number for ordering it is: B6 787 5840 (1 number over the US model!!!)" from BOTONOSI, Greece. Only phones supporting the SIM-Access profile can use it directly; about a dozen different Nokia and Siemens phones listed below. Some phones which were tested with MB BT SAP: Nokia 6230 6230i 6233 6280

8800 E60 E61 E70 and Siemens S65 SK65 S75 SL75 S68. Might also depend on the phone software versions. The popular 6310i is not supported but of course can be used with a standard UHI adapter. Lateron in December 2006 an updated version B6 787 6125 of the Bluetooth adapter became available which stores the PIN, pairs four phones, and can use 3 phone numbers per phonebook entry and has otherwise the same funtionality as the first generation. Bluetooth SIM Access Profile compatible phones
Reply to
Tiger

Dori, this is it... the only info you need.

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Reply to
Tiger

Hi Tiger

Thanks! I tried to call this last supplier but could only leave a message, so I hope to be called back soon.

The problem is that this site(and the US one you mentioned just before) lists older phones.

The big hurdle is that the older cars present a technical problem. In the next CLK Cab (W209) and other newer cars the installed system allows easy change of cradle for a new phone and has, I believe, a Bluetooth facility if required.

When I have heard from the source you suggested (and another in-car audio and phone dealer in London I just remembered) I may see a way forward.

The most economic solution may be to have to forget about using the steering wheels controls. This does not look bad:

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Need to find out what it costs...

DAS

Reply to
Dori A Schmetterling

Dori,

What does speak against buying a new or used Nokia 6310i off ebay (UK)? They start new at 67 GBP, used ones of course should be (much) cheaper).

Reply to
Juergen .

The problem is that Mercedes has locked the system to Mercedes phone... no other phone will work even the same model.

Reply to
Tiger

Dori, There is no equipment change with bluetooth. That bluetooth module just plug right into where your phone now sits. Then that bluetooth adapter will communicate with your new bluetooth phones.

It shows the original phone models so you can tell which bluetooth module to buy.

A quick search on ebay yields alot of ViseeO MBU 1000... for probably half the price you would pay for at the dealer.

Reply to
Tiger

...that's what I feared... ==:-(

What's exactly wrong with Dori's phone? Maybe repairable at reasonable cost?

Reply to
Juergen .

You need to check out the MikBox

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Reply to
me

I have Mikbox... they work great... however, it is Motorola only. No Nokia as Dori needed.

Reply to
Tiger

Hi Tiger and all

Here is an update.

My (6310i) phone is kaputt. Not sure where, exactly, but I don't think it is the battery's power-holding ability. It is dead. When the phone was dying it would suddenly go dead and pressing hard on the on/off switch would get it back on, sometimes at the same place where it left off screen-wise (i.e. no log-on required).

My phone supplier won't take it back for repair.

I didn't fancy buying a handset privately off e-bay. Who knows the state of the battery in such an old model?

In Europe Mercedes does not lock specific phones. I don't think there are even Merc-branded phones. If a phone model fits, any handset acquired from anywhere will fit. I think this is different what obtains (or used to obtain) in the US.

In short, the two most sensible options turned out to be

1) The ViseeO system.

Yes, it looks like the MBU-1000 is the right gadget.

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2) Refurbished 6310i handset from a dealer.

The advantage of this is the one-year warranty that comes with buying from a reputable dealer. The dealer I have in mind charges GBP 200 or zero if I extend my air-time contract by 12 months.

If I extended my contract directly with the mobile service provider without taking a new phone I would get a GBP 100 rebate, giving me a net handset cost of 100 pounds if I just bought a phone off the dealer.

However, I might as well extend the contract via the dealer and get the phone for free. The dealer has assured me that billing would continue via the same phone company.

So this is what I am doing. This only delays crunch-time but is worth a shot since the phone will work for at least a year (dealer guarantee).

Maybe I'll get the MBU-1000 in a year's time if am finally convinced to get a new phone...?...

Thanks for your comments/suggestions. DAS

To send an e-mail directly replace "spam" with "schmetterling"

Reply to
Dori A Schmetterling

Ahh... I see... So Nokia is not locked to MB dealer only as USA vehicles were.

Yes, I see that in your case, it is cheaper to buy same phone. Have you bought a cheap battery for your phone to see if it was dead battery that give you phone problem? How old is that cell phone battery? Most will last about 2 years... and not much more.

Reply to
Tiger

Did not think to try another battery as the symptoms were different to previous cases where the battery's charge just dropped.

The handset is about 4 years old, battery probably same.

I think I have found the optimum, least hassle/risk solution. I am just waiting for the 'new' handset and new air-time contract to be posted. I can't be bothered to drive to the dealer, who is about 20 min away... They said they would get the hardware in 24 h.

Without your prompts, Tiger, I am not sure I would have arrived at the present point so quickly.

As regards Merc-dealer-lock-ins, I don't think we ever had it. When Europe (and RoW outside US and some countries) went digital the SIM card was immediately introduced and this meant we could just transfer SIM cards from handset to handset.

The only present tie-in of which I am aware is with the phone service provider. Mine (O2/Telefonica) for example does not permit the use of another service provider's SIM card in handsets acquired under certain plans, e.g. low-cost pay-in-advance schemes. But one can always find a geek to unlock it...

DAS

Reply to
Dori A Schmetterling

I had some cheap battery installed on my cell phone... even though it was only a couple months old, my phone went crazy and won't turn on. A new battery solved the problem.

4 years old battery!?!?! It is definitely dead. Just for the heck of it, buy a cheapo battery on ebay... I think you can get one for 4 quid... check it out.

I got a question... is quid and pound the same? I watch BBCA and Gordon Ramsay keep saying quid and pound... I am a bit confused.

Reply to
Tiger

:-))

Yes, a quid = a pound.

Like the "buck" it's a colloquialism.

Very important: It has no plural! I.e. 10 pounds = 10 quid! Not quids!

Do you watch The F Word?

To get back to the phone...

Today I received the replacement handset with a charged battery. I did the obvious, swapping batteries. No problem. My old battery is fine (even if it may not hold as much charge as when new), but my old phone still does not work. Now you see why the Nokia 6310i is so popular and persistent in the market. Quite a few of my business contacts, especially in central Europe, still have one.

Unfortunately the key for the "1" on the phone did not work properly so the dealer agreed to take it back and change it.

This is service!

DAS

To send an e-mail directly replace "spam" with "schmetterling"

Reply to
Dori A Schmetterling

Oh man! I wished he (Gordon Ramsay) doesn't curse that much. But what can I say... he is a Scot! I think... In US, that F word is censored... which is fine with me.

Ahh... good thinking... on swapping the battery from the new phone. In US, cell phone providors does not give money back to customer if they use their own phone... it is practically mandatory to get the 'free' phone at the minimum... I have to test this by going into AT&T store and ask them if they will credit me for not buying a phone from them. However, they do give out free upgrades every 2 years... free or with nominal fee depending on what you want... subsidized.

Ay! Like a buck... a quid.... although a quid is worth alot more than a buck.

F Word is a show? I don't know if it is on BBCA.

Reply to
Tiger

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