E500 Center Console Phone

[ESVIC]

The '94 500E I'm looking at has a factory (MB) analog cell phone w/Hands free kit and it even has a small box with 3 or 4 buttons above the rear view mirror for SEND..MEM1...MEM2...END. Does anyone have any idea what I can do with it...I currently have a Motorola StarTac (Verizon). Can I integrate my StarTac to it so I can use the hands free kit?

Also, Has anyone changed the headlights/bulbs to have more lighting power or Xenon power or conversion?

Thanks in advance,
Jay
'00 E55
'94 500E (hopefully soon)

[Michael]

I was able to find a compatable Motorola digital phone that I replaced the analog OE phone with. Plugged right in, and works great.

Forget your StarTac-no reasonable way to retrofit it. Sorry!

[engatwork]

Michael,
What is the model number of the Motorola unit you installed?
thanks

[ebennz]

esvic,
in regards to your lighting question, the only way to improve the lights is to go with euros. did i say the ONLY way?

do a search on "euro lights" and maybe one for "500e euro lights"
you will have a lot of info to consider.

the biggest downside is cost, but it's the best money i have ever spent on any car.

let us know what you do.

peter

[Michael]

According to Motorola, the Model # of my phone is "Motorola TDMA Phone". That's all anyone could tell me.

[ricardo]

Check: post115005 , of last Aug 2001: car phone help by rockjockjh

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?postid=115005#post115005

Michael,

How about a scan of that phone!

I want to look around for a replacement so I can use the factory hands free, etc.

Thanks,

Dave

[Gilly]

Michael, There may be a model number listed amongst all the bar codes on the decal underneath the battery? When the phone is being used, do you actually get an indication that you are in the digital mode? Possibly it is only operating on the back-up analog mode, I don't believe the antenna wiring in the car will support digital. There should be an indication on the face of the phone when you are working on digital, usually just a "D" somewhere. Also if you have the user guide for the phone it'll list something for a model number somewhere.
Another thing to consider is that this is only 2 band dual mode phone, only TDMA and analog. What is currently the best to have is 3 band, dual mode, covers TDMA, CDMA and analog for a back-up. This ensures the best coverage as different carriers use different protocols. You may or may not end up with roaming fees, depends on what type of program you have, but at least you can get a call out in an emergency, as long as there is "some" coverage in the area you are in.
Gilly

[Michael]

If anyone wants pictures, drop me an email and I'll get them to you.

Gilly- I chased this issue around quite a bit, and spoke to many people both at the manufacturer, Motorola, and at MBZ Corporate (they were particularly useless on this issue). Everyone did agree, and the Owner's Manual corroborates it, that the phone is known simply as a "Motorola TDMA Phone", no model #.

The handset says "Motorola Digital" right on it. The entire phone has been bench-tested, and can assuredly operate in both digital and analog modes (I have it on a Digital Rate Plan with my carrier), which is essential here in New England.

When I power it up, the first thing it flashes in the display is the word "DIGITAL". If a call is digital, it displays the word Digital upon connecting. If it must switch a call to Analog mode because of compromised Digital reception, the phone does so seamlessly, and can revert to Digital uninterrupted as well. And the reception is fabulous...really a nice setup, and I've retained use of many of the overhead console functions (Send and End work fine, as does volume control)

And Gilly, you're exactly right-only 2 modes. Only 1 of the 2 main carriers in my area is willing to support it, and that phone cannot go onto a nationwide rate plan-that's apparently when that 3rd band comes in. Same thing with my dual band Nokia 2160s, so I'll likely have to upgrade in a few years.

Hope this helps, folks

If I recall correctly, the 500E has Euro lights already.

Have a great day,

[rockjockjh]

With regard to the phone, I live in Montana and having the analog phone service is very nice, because analog service is available all over the state. Digital is only available in the cities. If you do lots of driving on rural highways then I would go with analog, however if you would mostly use your phone in the city, then you should try to convert it to digital. I have a PDF file of the phone manual, if you want to see what does what, or you could just ask me a specific question.

With the headlights. If you do not want to dish out the $400 bucks or so to get euros, than I would get the next best thing...Euro light bulbs!!! Philips makes a model called the Philips Vision Plus. They are not DOT approved, so you have to order them through a european (English) website. I installed them (installation is easy) on my 1994 E420, and they work great. I don't know if the bulb sizes are the same on an E500 as on my E420 (I think they aren't), but the E420 uses a H4 bulb. Hope this helps, Josh

[rockjockjh]

forgot to tell you, you can get the bulbs at:
http://www.powerbulbs.com/pvph4.htm

They have free shipping to ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD! The site shown is for the H4 bulb, so you might search around for a different bulb, but I would stick with the Philips Vision Plus bulbs. They are not the cheep imitation xenon bulbs that only change the color to a bluish tint (a.k.a. PIAA's), the vision plus bulbs actually put out more light.

[Gilly]

OK, the 2 digital protocols currently in use are TDMA and CDMA. TDMA is Time Division Multiple Access, CDMA is Code Division Multiple Access. Neither one is truly "better" than another, just different. CDMA is more popular because more calls can be made on a single frequency, the drawback is that as more calls are made at the same time there can be distortion and interference. One Rate or Nation Wide calling programs require tri-mode/dual band phones because as you roam, you can't be sure which protocol will be available or which protocol the carrier has that your service provider has set up service with in the distant area you are in.
The confusion I had about the antenna is this: Up until 2001 model Mercedes, all the MB phones were 800MHZ, then they went to 800MHz AND 1900MHz. The pre-2001 cars cannot use the newer phone because the antenna wiring can't handle the 1900MHz frequency. That's where I screwed up. Yes, you should be able to run the digital phone as long as it's 800MHz only, no 1900MHz.
I am unsure how Michael stumbled upon a phone like this that interfaces with the car. Michael, is this phone a portable, that is, the phone can be removed and works outside of the car? If, so, some modifications must have been neccesary, as the 92 originally was "mobile" only, meaning the transciever was in the trunk and the handset fixed into the car. In short, it could only be used in the car only, couldn't take the phone with you outside of the car. Can we ask where you bought the phone? There must be something on the receipt saying a model number (last time I ask for a model number for your phone, promise). You state MB was "useless" trying to ID the phone, but how would they know anything about it, did MB sell it to you?
If it is a portable unit that has been modified to work in a car prewired for a "mobile" only phone, and it's not a flip-phone like a StarTac, but it's Motorola, it sounds like some special kind of Motorola MicroTac, unless it's one of the newer style Motorolas that came out to compete with the cheaper Nokia phones.
I'm also curious, do the M1,M2 and M3 keys in the overhead controller also work?
Gilly

[Michael]

Zero modifications-plugged right in. The brain looks identical, but the handset looks more curved, like if you left the original out in the sun too long!

According to paperwork I came across, the digital phone could also be configured as a "bag" phone, meaning the handset and brain could be attached to a satchel case with battery and carried about. Not easy to do, assuredly, but possible.

I know there are skeptics, but I am completely certain that if you can find one of these phones it'll plug right in. A little tricky to program, but a pro with some experience can figure it out quick.

The real shame is that a couple of weeks before I came across mine, the dealer (an independent Cingular shop) from whom I purchased it had thrown 5-6 of them away, since they're a bit outdated!! Luckily, one of the in-house techs liked the phone so much he'd installed one in his Integra. I bought him a new phone and we swapped-so I got away cheap.

As to the model number, both Motorola Management and the Owner's Manual recognize the phone simply as I've indicated. I thought it kinda screwy too, Gilly!!

As to MBZ, they like you Gilly had no knowledge such a phone existed. I guess I got really lucky, eh? I was at that dealer looking to replace the whole shebang...