This may be stupid question but want to be sure: I just read in the 1997 SL500 owners manual that you should NOT use a portable phone or "walkie talkie" device as it might screw up the electronics in the car.. Is that true? I'm afraid to use my cell phone now, I surely don't need another electronic problem!!
Thanks, Mike

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1997 SL500 Sport
1994 Land Rover Defender 90
2001 VW Beetle Sport
1950 Cadillac Convertible

My manual says the same thing, so I went and bought a hands free kit. I have a motorola phone and the hands free kit has an external antenae connector that is connected to the cell antenae in the rear antenae mast. (the top black part) You just have to get an adapter and it hooks right up. My car had the integrated analog phone so the speakers and mic were used, but I am sure that your install shop can put speakers in for you, they go in the dash, and the mic near the drivers sun visor. The black computer box can go in the passenger floor board with the Siemens control unit and connects directly into the power source right there. This keeps the RF waves from flying around in your car and causing interference with your electrictronics. Although I did use my handset in my car for months with no problem. I think the reason MB says this is because they want you to use a hands free set up to prevent accidents. Good luck and happy benzing.

Given that you can specify the car with a factory-fitted cell phone, I suspect this is over-caution on the part of the manufacturer. It is also a bit absurd: you may be able to cease using your phone in the car, but what about the guy in the next car, or the girl standing on the pavement? if your phone is bad for the car, surely all their phones are bad too? and what about all the other electromagnetic radiation around your car?

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JJ Rodger
2013 G350 Bluetec
1999 SL 500
1993 E300 diesel T
1990 190

maybe it held tru for the older analog phones

anyhow, can you advise me on how to remove the analog cellphone keypad installed in the spectacles compartment? should i just pry it off with a screwdriver?

On the top of the keypad there are two notches, just stick a small screwdriver in those notches and they will release the unit. Behind there are 3 connectors, disconnect them and then there is a metal housing that comes out with a couple of screws. You will then see a hole in the back that you will want to cover up, you can do so either by tucking a piece of black board back there, or removing the whole storage unit from the dash, which is what I did to try to trace the wires to get to the speaker wires and mic, but that was too complicated because the harness goes to the control unit in the rear. So I had to remove the cluster, which i had to replace a bulb anyway, and go directly to each speaker and wire it into the speaker output from the hands free control unit. The mic is the little wire that goes into the middle of the analog keypad, I didn't want to splice the wire from the new kit, so I just ran the new mic up to where the old one was. It works so well that others think the car came that way, and most people I am talking to on the phone don't even know I am hands free, also there is a ground wire that mutes your radio, I think I remember it to be orange, when the hands free kit is activated either by making or receiving a call, the radio mutes and displays "phone" what is great too, is it also pauses the CD player. If you use this motorola kit, be aware that if you connect the switched power lead, your phone will turn off when you remove your key. I hope this helps. Good luck!
Brian