Well I have long since abandon the factory Mexican made Becker Grand Prix stereo's that came in our Mercedes. While the Becker was a real nice crisp sound, it lacked the power to really jam most modern music.
About the only thing worth a damn in my opinion is the factory speakers which were made in W. Germany. The Becker head units, and the little amps behind the back seats are always going out or having problems.
Installing an aftermarket stereo in a Mercedes is not as easy as say installing a stereo in a Ford or GM vehicle. They factory sound system is actually quite complex and requires basiclly re-wiring the whole damn system, cutting out the factory AMPs, and fader controls. Splicing into the existing wires for the speakers will save you some time but its important to realize that its not a straight shot, and some modifications will be required at the harness plug that connects to the AMP's located behind the seat.
At first I installed a less expensive CD head unit by Pioneer, but soon found that swapping CD's was just a pain in the ass. I then swapped out the Pioneer for a Kenwood Excelon unit that matches my Sub woofer box and Excelon amp that is located in the trunk. As an added bonus this Kenwood reciver allows USB connection that lets you use your iPhone/iPod to play stored music. Its really quite nice, and looks pretty nice also.
For anyone looking for any suggestions on a replacement head unit, the Kenwood Excelon model with USB connect comes highly recomended. I have taken some photos and feel free to ask any questions should you be thinking about replacing your head unit.
I have been using this stereo for quite a while now and I can say I'm 100% happy with it. Installing an Iphone head unit into your Mercedes is about the cleanest and most economical way of updating your W126 to modern day specs!
Cars now days have nothing on the W126 with the addition of an Iphone. The Iphone allows you to store MP3's, Movies, and also gives you the Navigation/GPS ability that many newer cars boast.
Trust me when I say you WILL BE HAPPY. I have seen so many hack jobs where people try and install monitors and ugly looking improvements to gain a fraction of the features that are offered with the iPhone. In the end the iPhone with compatable head unit is hands down the CLEANEST install offering the most bang for your buck.
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What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
I HAVE CLEAN HANDS TRUE.............................. NOT SOME SHIT COVERED FINGERS THAT YOU EAT WITH!!!!!!!!!!!! WAS YOUR HANDS YOU SICK SON OF A BITCH!!!!!!!!!
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LIKE A PHOENIX RISING FROM THE ASHES.................... HERE TO SHIT ON REX!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I HAVE CLEAN HANDS TRUE.............................. NOT SOME SHIT COVERED FINGERS THAT YOU EAT WITH!!!!!!!!!!!! WAS YOUR HANDS YOU SICK SON OF A BITCH!!!!!!!!!
WAS my hands?? Did you mean "WASH" my hands? I am a mechanic Stoma, some days they just wont come clean without removing skin.
Stoma uses his clean hands to change his 8 track's in his vehicle.
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What is to give light must endure burning -- Viktor Frankl
