Gotta Mercedes need a stereo

[TheCityBeef]

Just got a Mercedes 260e 1989, and boy, The radio they stuck in this thing is a horrible new age plastic piece a Junk. I want a new stereo but I want something from the late 80's for it, I'm fine with cassettes *bigthumbsup* I'm young and 80's car audio isnt my forte, If anyone would like to sway me in the right direction or show off some cool tape decks i'd really appreciate it.

The 260e came with a becker grand prix radio, I'm also thinking about going back to the original but the anti theft code is making me wonder, and i'm not sure if they were any good in the first place.

Here are some pics of some marantz car audio I found, Like the looks of the stuff but seems like there rare as can be.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2009-3/1337585/carmarantz1.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2009-3/1337585/carmarantz3.jpg

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/355/image00022xi.jpg

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/623/p1000249i.jpg

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/2113/p1000248v.jpg

[Scorpion8]

For a Mercedes you need a vintage Blaupunkt unit! *yes*

[TheCityBeef]

For a Mercedes you need a vintage Blaupunkt unit! *yes*

Thanks for the info, Ill check um out

[Nakdoc]

I might have a Blaupunkt Monterey SQR23 cassette but it is in pieces right now. It would look good and wouldn't have the code issues. Those codes could only be looked up using the car's VIN number.

[Nick Sunn]

City Beef,
You may want to check locally with your independent service/garages that service and sometimes sell the Mercedes 450SL/560 SL models and other old Mercedes models, 1980's - 2000 BMW's like 3 series, 5 series, 6 series, 7 series, e.g 320, 318i, 325, 733 etc...
These service/garages will likely usually service old Jaguars like the Series III XJ-6 of '79 - '86 , the late seventies/eighties XJS and eighties and nineties XJ series, XJ-6, XJ-8 etc....

What you will likely find is that these independent service/garages that cater to the still very popular ancient affordable "upscale" Europeans is that they have a long standing clientele that sometimes has owned the car since new or since it was two or three years old. Quite often you get an elderly owner age 75 or above that often wants to sell their vehicle, but it still has a top of the line cassette deck that they had installed in 1987 or whenever. Typically the new, thirty year old that buys such a ride....well....you know the first thing that they do is ditch that ancient POS (their opinion) of a fine , perfectly operational tape deck. They care nothing about that old stuff, much like my generation cared nothing for Lawrence Welk, polka music, choosing RockNRoll etc...
Just ask around, nobody wants those cassette decks, except of course those owners that are aging and installed them decades ago and are perfectly happy with them after all these years.
Typically these decks get thrown in the garbage can, sadly when removed and don't even go to Craigs/Ebay as their is no perceived value from the people removing them. What you find on Ebay & Craigs is junk that poverty sellers, e.g. ala Fred Sanford , that try to make ends meet hawking trash that they purchased for twenty five cents at flea mkt or found at the dump. These Fred Sanford ebay sellers will say powers on or powers up but have no knowledge typically of the operational condition, and you usually end up buying overpriced crap that is non functional, or severely deteriorated.

Sadly, you can't just go and take the '86 Merc and get up to 88MPH and travel back to 1990 and order from 1990 Crutchfield catalog!
My Advice is To Go Modern and Buy A NEW 2011 Quality In-Dash Unit from the likes of Crutchfield that has AUX Input. Then Use a Sony WM-D6c or TC-D5M or Marantz PMD-430 to play your tapes.
You're gonna need to spend wisely because that ancient '86 Merc is gonna cost much more than a 2008 Honda Accord to keep operational.*reelspin**bigthumbup*

Nick

[TheCityBeef]

City Beef,
You may want to check locally with your independent service/garages that service and sometimes sell the Mercedes 450SL/560 SL models and other old Mercedes models, 1980's - 2000 BMW's like 3 series, 5 series, 6 series, 7 series, e.g 320, 318i, 325, 733 etc...
These service/garages will likely usually service old Jaguars like the Series III XJ-6 of '79 - '86 , the late seventies/eighties XJS and eighties and nineties XJ series, XJ-6, XJ-8 etc....

What you will likely find is that these independent service/garages that cater to the still very popular ancient affordable "upscale" Europeans is that they have a long standing clientele that sometimes has owned the car since new or since it was two or three years old. Quite often you get an elderly owner age 75 or above that often wants to sell their vehicle, but it still has a top of the line cassette deck that they had installed in 1987 or whenever. Typically the new, thirty year old that buys such a ride....well....you know the first thing that they do is ditch that ancient POS (their opinion) of a fine , perfectly operational tape deck. They care nothing about that old stuff, much like my generation cared nothing for Lawrence Welk, polka music, choosing RockNRoll etc...
Just ask around, nobody wants those cassette decks, except of course those owners that are aging and installed them decades ago and are perfectly happy with them after all these years.
Typically these decks get thrown in the garbage can, sadly when removed and don't even go to Craigs/Ebay as their is no perceived value from the people removing them. What you find on Ebay & Craigs is junk that poverty sellers, e.g. ala Fred Sanford , that try to make ends meet hawking trash that they purchased for twenty five cents at flea mkt or found at the dump. These Fred Sanford ebay sellers will say powers on or powers up but have no knowledge typically of the operational condition, and you usually end up buying overpriced crap that is non functional, or severely deteriorated.

Sadly, you can't just go and take the '86 Merc and get up to 88MPH and travel back to 1990 and order from 1990 Crutchfield catalog!
My Advice is To Go Modern and Buy A NEW 2011 Quality In-Dash Unit from the likes of Crutchfield that has AUX Input. Then Use a Sony WM-D6c or TC-D5M or Marantz PMD-430 to play your tapes.
You're gonna need to spend wisely because that ancient '86 Merc is gonna cost much more than a 2008 Honda Accord to keep operational.*reelspin**bigthumbup*

Nick

There was a typo on my part its a 1989 260e, w124. Anyways, interesting read. Locally seems like the way to go just like you said. I kind of like the looks of the becker grand prix that came with it originally but i'm Still not sure about them access codes. I might go with a new aux I just gotta look around. about keeping it operational, Luckily i got a good friend who knows w124 Mercedes in and out, maintenance and repair wise. I'm liking the Sony WM-D6c or TC-D5M or Marantz PMD-430 idea, never thought of that, Thanks

[Socal Sam]

Go with the stock look. The code is not a problem, any independent Mercedes mechanic will have the code. I imagine MB forums will have this info as well. However, the Becker is a fiddly radio and not so easy to master.

BTW, I used to drive a 1992 400E.

[Nakdoc]

I repair Beckers and Blaupunkts, BTW.

[TheCityBeef]

Haha I talked to a guy today about some Mercedes parts, He deals with them, Mercedes Mechanic...... I asked him about old stock Beckers and his response was, "Wtf do you want with one of those POS, Worse Piece a Junk radio ever made"

So what do you guys think about this comment

I have been Looking at Marantz pdm-430, Sony TC-d5 And other gear. There are some neat portable Field recorders floating around. Once again, thanks for the tip Nick.

[Warped Bezel]

I have enough stock car radios and no CAR!

(Delcos, Mopar and Ford)

[Warped Bezel]

Just got a Mercedes 260e 1989, and boy, The radio they stuck in this thing is a horrible new age plastic piece a Junk. I want a new stereo but I want something from the late 80's for it, I'm fine with cassettes *bigthumbsup* I'm young and 80's car audio isnt my forte, If anyone would like to sway me in the right direction or show off some cool tape decks i'd really appreciate it.

The 260e came with a becker grand prix radio, I'm also thinking about going back to the original but the anti theft code is making me wonder, and i'm not sure if they were any good in the first place.

Here are some pics of some marantz car audio I found, Like the looks of the stuff but seems like there rare as can be.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2009-3/1337585/carmarantz1.jpg

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2009-3/1337585/carmarantz3.jpg

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/355/image00022xi.jpg

http://img406.imageshack.us/img406/623/p1000249i.jpg

http://img202.imageshack.us/img202/2113/p1000248v.jpg

I wish I had kept my Pioneer Supertuner II analog w cassette and search...I've never seen Marantz car gear but I once had NOS Muntz car speakers, including the red cone ones! Sold them on eBay, the last thing I ever sold there.

[Nick Sunn]

*reelspin**reelspin*

JUST WHEN YOU THOUGHT THAT THERE WERE NOT ANY NEW CASSETTE IN-DASH AUTOMOBILE DECKS, take a look at two new models from PIONEER that are just now appearing in the J.C. WHITNEY & CO. AUTO ACCESSORIES & PARTS BOOK - CATALOG NUMBER 742J-04
(all orders from this catalog FREE SHIPPING & HANDLING on orders of $75 or more//You MUST request this offer and provide promotion code SJGN742
internet orders: Enter the promotion code during checkout
Offer Expires AUGUST 31, 2011 )


Enough of the mumbo-jumbo about the catalog # & free shipping, etc...
Hey, J.C. Whitney, known typically for carrying alot of junk automotive electronics/cheap chinese radios etc, has 2 NEW PIONEER models:

PIONEER model KEH-P2030 (jc whitney item # QM952037F
this is $99.99 AM/FM Cassette Receiver with Satellite Radio Controls 40W x 4



PIONEER model KEH-P4020 (jc whitney item # QM952038F
this is $129.99 AM/FM CASSETTE RECEIVER WITH MULTICOLR DISPLAY AND CD CHANGER CONTROLS 45W X 4


Both of these are seen on PAGE 109 of catalog 742J-04
go to jcwhitney.com or call 800-529-4486




Anyway, I don't know anything about these cassette in-dash units.
I just happened to look through the new JC Whitney catalog I received in the mail. I usually throw them in the trash. I've ordered various stuff for auto projects, over the past forty years from them, nothing though in about ten years. Never ordered any indash radios/car stereo/electronics from them as they typically were known for carrying the crummiest no-name brands of stuff in that department, way back in the day.
This info on these New Pioneer models is just that: INFO that these are available! I DO NOT KNOW IF THESE ARE ANY GOOD! I HAVE NO RECOMMENDATION, EITHER GOOD OR BAD ON THESE. I don't have any indash cassettes in any of my cars. (haven't since '91/'92 and no plans to go retro)
JUST GIVING THIS INFO THAT THESE EXIST TO THOSE WHO MAY BE SEEKING CASSETTE IN-DASH UNITS SO THEY CAN INVESTIGATE FURTHER IF THEY WISH. JC Whitney is a most reputable catalog retailer! The quality of some of their product offerings varies greatly, some extreme junk and some really good stuff for the price. I have no specific recommendation on their electronics though, as I have no specific 1st hand experience with such. I do know others that purchased NO-NAME electronics stuff from them decades ago, who found the components to be nothing but garbage. *bigthumbup*

[Nick Sunn]

*reelspin**reelspin*
the PIONEER KEH-P2030 actually is JUST 17 watts RMS per channel
the figures JC Whit. listed are peak numbers


here is Crutchfield link to this product (other web sources/stores carry this and it appears to have been around for at least several years)
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-l4R9Z1zpFig/p_130KEHP203/Pioneer-KEH-P2030.html




the PIONEER KEH-P4020 actually is JUST 20 watts RMS per channel
the figures JC Whit. listed are peak numbers

Crutchfield link to this product:
http://www.crutchfield.com/S-ENsIpKKfdHb/p_130KEHP402/Pioneer-KEH-P4020.html?tp=5684


*bigthumbup*GOOGLE these products and you will find plenty of web sources for them at possibly even better pricing. You can also read the reviews of these that purchasers have left at various sites.
Sorry, if I got anyone's hopes up that New in-dash AM/FM Cassette car stereos have been recently released by Pioneer. It Seems that these have been commonly available for at least a few years.
Like I mentioned previously, I haven't kept up with Cassette car stereos in about twenty years, and have no plans to go back.
I was only attempting to let others know what I saw listed. I hadn't seen or noticed cassette car stereos available anywhere new since the nineties, but I wasn't looking and didn't notice any in reality.
For what it is worth, I was only trying to provide info that these are available new and thought they were actually recent product developments but I now see that they have been on the market for several years now.
Sorry about that.

[ke4mcl]

get a becker grand prix flat face and use a line converter to be able to feed an amp with it. they are amazingly well built.