COMAND

glojo

New member
Just been speaking to a good friend that has purchased a COMAND unit for his Vito off of Ebay. This is the latest version with the HDD and he is most impressed. A straight forward fit which he says went in with no problems and he is a builder with the hands to match!!

Has anyone here dared to do this and if so what are there thoughts? If no one has then apart from the concerns of buying something off of Ebay what are the main concerns?

Apologies if I am slow in responding but I am not getting any e-mail notifications regarding replies :(
 

glojo

New member
I take it no one has fitted this option so when mine gets installed I will update everyone.

What I have found out is that the new Sprinters with the Audio 20 option that has Blue Tooth is a bonus as the COMAND will\should allegedly slide straight in.
 

glojo

New member
COMAND has been installed, it comes as standard with Linguatronic BUT........... As far as I am aware there is no way of operating, activating this option?
 

glojo

New member
Was wondering how you'd been getting on - any updates?
Unfortunately because of my condition I have not got out in the vehicle (just the one short trip) But by crikey we have had some niggly problems.

Because we have a stretcher lift there was no room for a spare wheel. On the rear nearside there is a seat which ruled out putting the wheel at that location. The offside is where the reclining wheel chair is stowed so no spare wheel.

I was not happy with this and designed a bracket which has now been fitted directly under the flotation unit so the van had to go back to the coach builders for this modification.

Our car went for an MOT so my wife decided to use the van for an important hospital appointment.... Wrong!!!

Right on the approach to a VERY busy roundabout the thing died. An automatic without an engine is not going anywhere but within seconds a Police Inspector was saying to my wife, "You can't park here madam!!"

No **** lieutenant!!!! The vehicle was quickly pushed into a bus stop to await the emergency Mercedes Breakdown service. Forty minutes later the mechanic was on scene and tried to fix the fault but all to no avail. He tried for three whole hours but could not resolve the problem even after many phone calls and much playing with his lap top!! A flat bed truck was called out, the van winched onto it and off to Exeter it went. Four days later we had it back and was told it was a fault with the plugs going into the CANBUS??? I might have misunderstood what i was being told but I got the impression that nothing was talking to anything so the box of tricks shut down??


Next problem was a leaking aerial that allowed water to run through the headlining and out through the interior light with all the switches for the alarm etc. I mention the alarm because this leak activated the van alarm system (several times)

One of the delivery drivers scratched the nearside mirror so that had to be sorted so we lost the van once more :cry::cry:

320 miles on the clock and we have done just 20, the rest is all down to the vehicle going back for what I call teething issues but it does not inspire confidence.

My wife tells me the vehicle drives like a car, the extra insulation has really made the vehicle quiet. The 160hp engine is far better than our previous 130 and is even better than the original 5 cylinder 120hp 212. The seven speed automatic box sadly appears to be better than the Sprint Shift but I have only been in it the once so I am not passing judgement on that comparison as I loved our Sprint shift :thumbup:

The colour has grown on me but a big disappointment is the satellite TV.. I wanted my digital radio as I am a huge fan of the radio station 'Gold'. It plays the music I like and was told a digital or satellite TV system would recedive that station. All I can say is the system we have does not receive that station. I can receive Dave or QVC but you can have too much of Top Gear :)

Oh well enough of my moans, it is a great looking vehicle and hopefully we will eventually put some miles on the clock and enjoy this new wagon.
 

mean_in_green

>2,000,000m in MB vans
Oh dear, sorry to read that. Not the best beginning at all. I wonder if the connectors at the control unit had been removed temporarily by someone for protection to electronics whilst welding during some of the fabrication works?

My DAB tuner died after ten years service. Really missing it, and finding most FM tiresome (adverts galore). Not had time to sort a replacement as yet.

The NAG1 is smoother than Sprintshift but cruder in another sense: it can't think for itself the way Sprintshift does!
 

glojo

New member
Another quick update
The COMAND we had installed works very well but takes some getting used to. Points of Interest is a challenge to understand as it states none are installed. This is an Ebay special so only came with the navigation installed on the unit's hard drive. I took the plunge and purchased an older DVD in the hope these points of interest are on the software. not the case and after much perseverance I have managed to find out we need to give the system more information about our location, route etc and abracadabra... It will then offer the points of interest you might want..... Be that for diesel, bank, dealership etc etc.

Touching wood as I type this... No leaks from the roof installed air conditioning, the gearbox is nice and quiet and most important, really smooth. I stipulated extra insulation for this vehicle to cut down on road noise, vibrations etc and whether this is the cause or the latest vehicle is quieter than the one it replaces is something I cannot comment on, but internally this vehicle is much quieter than the one it replaced.

I am not a fan of putting the main battery in its new location. It is not easy to access and if Mercedes-Benz insist on using that location then why not have a socket that can be used to charge this battery? I have made up my own gadget for doing this as taking up carpets, taking off upholstery strips and then metal covering all seems way too much hassle to simply access a battery!!

Nice vehicle, nice looks with ample power for what we want :)
 

autostaretx

Erratic Member
I am not a fan of putting the main battery in its new location. It is not easy to access and if Mercedes-Benz insist on using that location then why not have a socket that can be used to charge this battery? I have made up my own gadget for doing this as taking up carpets, taking off upholstery strips and then metal covering all seems way too much hassle to simply access a battery!!
Couldn't you rig a socket (or just use clamps) on/to the big red Jump post that's in the engine compartment?

--dick
p.s. CANBUS ... yes, everything talks to each other over the CANbus. Even the MB radio uses it to be told that the engine is running.
 

glojo

New member
Couldn't you rig a socket (or just use clamps) on/to the big red Jump post that's in the engine compartment?

--dick
p.s. CANBUS ... yes, everything talks to each other over the CANbus. Even the MB radio uses it to be told that the engine is running.
I'm sure you are correct but I would be terrified of connecting the charger to the incorrect locations.

This all started when my battery charger was simply not mnan enough to fully charge the van's main battery. I took the plunge and purchased a decent CTEK charger which came with an optional lead that I hard wired onto the main battery, put back the metal floor covering, replaced the plastic trim and finally put back the carpet floor and then made sure the charger socket is located out of harms way.

To me this just seems an awkward place to locate the battery and forget an emergency situation where folks want to disconnect the vehicle's main battery!!!! They would never find the thing!!!!

I could have put something on that jump post you describe but me being a non technical person I was unsure if this was a suitable location for charging the battery!! (I am your original fikkie)
 

mean_in_green

>2,000,000m in MB vans
NCV3s are a good bit quieter than their predecessors, even before you do other stuff in the hope of reducing noise levels.
 

jenkitchen1006

New member
Please help I have a 2011 sprinter it has the standard 2 din cd radio with steering wheel controls. I have seen a Mercedes becker BE 7095 with the same connection on the back. but it has a blue and yellow additional jacks aswell
can anyone tell me if I need to do anything or can I plug straight in and it will work. any feedback would be appreciated
 
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glojo

New member
I have no idea what a Mercedes becker BE 7095 is but I have a 2012 Sprinter that had the standard 2 DIN Sprinter radio and I can confirm that slides out and the COMAND unit was a straight forward installation.
 

jenkitchen1006

New member
Please help I have a 2011 sprinter it has the standard 2 din cd radio with steering wheel controls. I have seen a Mercedes becker BE 7095 with the same connection on the back.
can anyone tell me if I need to do anything or can I plug straight in and it will work. any feedback would be appreciated
 

glojo

New member
I jen,
Please go ahead and hopefully by asking me other folk more knowledgeable might respond as there are certainly a few very clever people that frequent this forum.
 

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