Understood...if MattBelliveau let's me have it, I want it...and will install it into my older 190D. But, if I can't get it to work (easily), I'll pass it on to you. I'm not going to cut any wires or anything, so you need not worry about that.

Does anyone know if the stereo codes are usually listed in any of the owners manuals or anything? I have all the original books that came with the car when new...

Don't think it would be in the manual because each code is unique to a specific radio, well, a total possible 9,999 codes. There should be an extra card with the code on it. Never seen one, so don't know what they look like. Possible red? A lot of the Becker cards are that color.

Your '89 doesn't have a coded radio.

If you pull the radio with the alarm set off, you will destroy the radio (non-recoverable). I believe that there is a warning sticker on the back of the radio telling you that the alarm wire MUST be plugged in before powering up the radio also, or it will be destroyed.

The coded radios started in '90 or '91, pretty sure it was '90. The code cards came in the owner's manual packet.

Didn't want to make a whole new thread.
 

I have a 94 E320 with the factory radio.

Does anyone know if there is a factory radio, certainly a period looking one, that will have Bluetooth?

I know I can get Ipod connectivity for the factory radio, but I would love to do so and also have Blue tooth.


See, i'm thinking that one of the radios that came in a car with a factory phone (and cd changer for the Ipod) would be a prime candidate for a Bluetooth mod.........

Lol....I hiiiighly doubt it. People weren't even on the internet back then. I've actually never even seen any recent radios with blue tooth.....why do you need Blue tooth for the radio? what purpose?

So I can use my phone......

blue tooth
 

Neanderthal---I think a portable GPS will connect your phone and Bluetooth device. I have a TomTom 720 and a Verizon Cell phone. The GPS unit asks you if you want to connect them & does so automatically. The phone ringing plays thru the radio or the telephone Bluetooth. P.S. not every telephone can be set up this way.

Absolutely! In my search for a replacement for one of my autos, I've been looking at the offerings from Crutchfield. Some of them have bluetooth built in. What that allows to happen is when an incoming call is detected, the radio mutes and you can speak (normally) into either an external microphone that is usually clipped to a visor or through a radio "hidden" built-in microphone. When the caller talks, it is played through the car's radio speakers. Pretty nifty.

I don't really want an external microphone, and the hassle of running a wire, so if I go with a head unit with bluetooth built-in, I want it to have an internal microphone (in the head unit).

A lot of the Crutchfield radios have bluetooth as an option, or is "bluetooth ready", but I'm thinking a unit with it already built in is better. Have taken my search much further than that. Still looking for the "right" unit.

if you intend on replacing the original unit with an aftermarket be prepared for a couple hundred dollar charge for installation, on top the price of the new unit itself. Just did it last fall on my 1990 300. It seems that there is an outboard power amp on the original and the wiring to the speakers employs this thing single common grounding. Not to mention that the original unit is wired into the anti-theft system as well as the fader switch on your console. All of which means it's all incompatable with an aftermarket unit, the whole shooting match must be rewired and that takes time. And my local dealer didn't even get it right the 1st time...the alarm was going off on my way home every 20 seconds,,,it would go on for 20 seconds and then shut off for 20 seconds, then go back on for 20 seconds and sorth as I am driving the car home. A cop stopped me because the headlights are blinking on and off and the horn is blaring. When I took it back to be corrected the mechanic said 'Well, these are engineered like no other'...it was tounge in cheek and they fixed it but christ..good luck on this

I put an Alpine stereo in my 1990 a couple of years ago. It was straightforward and uneventful. Only thing "unusual" was bypassing the fader knob in the console.