Aftermarket stereo in W211

[timskemp]

My E270CDI has Audio 20 CD. Thinking about fitting an Alpine double din touch screen unit (I Alpined up my A class too!) with USB module (for a hard drive) and maybe nav - should cost under a grand, which is significantly less than a Comand (I want a video input as well for a project I'm working on this year).

Question is - what will I find behind the dash - ISO connectors or something horrible? Plenty of fascia adaptors around for the car but can't find any wiring adaptors online. Also the car has a centrefill speaker - is this wired from the main front speakers or on a seperate feed?

[beaker218]

I too wanted to replace my cassette radio on my 2002 E240 but had the same problem. Loads of facia adapters around but no connectors as the wiring behind the head unit travels to an audio gateway which is situated over the near-side rear wheel arch. Certainly no ISO connectors around and cant see that there will ever be. Bought an Audio 50 APS off ebay eventually for £200 and fitted that. Good to have sat nav but no MP3 and the sound is nothing special - lots of bass and treble but nothing in between!

[timskemp]

Hi beaker

Mine's an audio 20 CD so the AGW is not a seperate item...

[murman]

I too wanted to replace my cassette radio on my 2002 E240 but had the same problem. Loads of facia adapters around but no connectors as the wiring behind the head unit travels to an audio gateway which is situated over the near-side rear wheel arch. Certainly no ISO connectors around and cant see that there will ever be. Bought an Audio 50 APS off ebay eventually for £200 and fitted that. Good to have sat nav but no MP3 and the sound is nothing special - lots of bass and treble but nothing in between!

In a W211, isn't the sound quality dictated by the audio gateway, and not the head unit? (For non-Audio 20 units, that is...)

[miro]

My E270CDI has Audio 20 CD. Thinking about fitting an Alpine double din touch screen unit (I Alpined up my A class too!) with USB module (for a hard drive) and maybe nav - should cost under a grand, which is significantly less than a Comand (I want a video input as well for a project I'm working on this year).

Question is - what will I find behind the dash - ISO connectors or something horrible? Plenty of fascia adaptors around for the car but can't find any wiring adaptors online. Also the car has a centrefill speaker - is this wired from the main front speakers or on a seperate feed?


You will find the same connector that the current ML and C class navigations have. Look on German eBay for an adaptor. Probably want the MOST to ISO adaptor.

You will also find some radio antenna cables .... once again the Fakra to DIN adaptors are also on eBay.