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etyu
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Aftermarket remote vario roof modules - pic now included within
bclark - 5/14/2006 5:23 PM
Awfully good of you to take the time and trouble.
Can we award a pointedthree star of commendation
to Shinigami?
I second that.  |
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jbanks15
Date registered: Dec 1899
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Vehicle(s):
| Re: Aftermarket remote vario roof modules - pic now included within
Congrats to all that have it working and the excellent pictures. I have not ordered yet but have some questions:
1. what is the warranty/guarantee on the unit?
2. is the ir somehow switched off so only rf works?
Edited by jbanks15 5/18/2006 7:30 PM
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etyu
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Aftermarket remote vario roof modules - pic now included within
I don't think there is a warranty but if the unit is found to be defective on the initial install, Marcus Piecha has stated that it will be replaced and he'll even pay for the second shipping (personal email message). I've counted at least nine successful install in the US, not counting Germany or Switzerland. There were 4 SLK 55's, 3 SLK 350's and 2 SLK 280's.
I don't have a smart key that uses infrared but other members have IR. Who would want to use IR when RF is so much more convenient with a much greater radius of use? 
Edited by etyu 5/18/2006 8:15 PM
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OrionBluSLKGuy
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Opinions on XTC as a module supplier?
Anyone have any opinions on the alternate supplier of this module, XTC Automotive? Their price is considerably lower and it's apparently exactly the same unit. Never done business with them and was hoping that someone one this forum might be familiar with them.
Jerry |
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etyu
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| RE: Opinions on XTC as a module supplier?
OrionBluSLKGuy - 5/18/2006 7:43 PM
Anyone have any opinions on the alternate supplier of this module, XTC Automotive? Their price is considerably lower and it's apparently exactly the same unit. Never done business with them and was hoping that someone one this forum might be familiar with them.
Jerry
I believe it is the same unit and have read only good things from a couple of members at BW forum. The owner's first name is Werner and I read he also provides good service and speaks English well. |
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GG AD 600
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| RE: Just Installed
@Jerry
Just two pages back you´ll find this...
bradmg - 5/6/2006 1:26 PM
After following this thread for a while and seeing the two sources talked about here in Germany, I went to X-T-C yesterday to see about it. I chose them because they are only 45 km from my house and Marcus is almost 300 km. Marcus and Werner get the modules from the same source. Werner demonstrated it with his own car and everything worked as advertised. I am military so we have a form allowing us to be exempt from the VAT and Werner was glad to accept the form, something that many small business will turn down. I made an appointment for 1100 today and went up and had them install it while I watched. Werner has installed several so I figured for 29 euro, it was worth it. A few minutes later, my top was working perfectly.
Without the VAT, the price was 251 euro for the module and 29 for the install. He had just gotten another shipment of modules and has about 25 left right now. The price will be going back up soon as will Marcus'. Werner speaks very good English and welcomes e-mail and phone calls for questions. I asked about sales to the US guys and he said to e-mail him and he will e-mail back with the price without the VAT and the price of shipping to US.
I have to say, great shop and great guy, I will be going back there for suspension work and possibly wheels and tires when I decide what I want to get. After seeing a questionable post about X-T-C from ianx, I took the time to check the place out and am glad that I did. :)
Cheers
Andy
P.S. Has anyone from UK successfully installed the module in a right hand drive car by now ?
Edited by GG AD 600 5/19/2006 6:47 AM
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Ynot
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Aftermarket remote vario roof modules - pic now included within
jbanks15 - 5/18/2006 5:06 PM Congrats to all that have it working and the excellent pictures. I have not ordered yet but have some questions: 1. what is the warranty/guarantee on the unit? 2. is the ir somehow switched off so only rf works? 1. Marcus will send you a new one if it doesn't work 2. No both work simultaneously, although you would never want to used the ir again, rf is so much better and more convenient. |
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Ynot
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| RE: Just Installed
GG AD 600 - 5/19/2006 4:43 AM Cheers Andy P.S. Has anyone from UK successfully installed the module in a right hand drive car by now ? Yes, somebody from BW got it to work although he doesn't recommend it b/c it was difficult to install, Marcus says he has a new solution for RHD. |
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Andy747
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Aftermarket remote vario roof modules - pic now included within
Yes I've been in contstant contact with Marcus about a solution for RHD cars. He said several days ago that he would have the instructions very soon but, as of today, none have been forthcoming. If I get anything from Marcus I'll let everyone know.
Edited by Andy747 5/19/2006 12:31 PM
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OrionBluSLKGuy
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| RE: Just Installed
GG AD 600 - 5/19/2006 3:43 AM
@Jerry
Just two pages back you´ll find this...
bradmg - 5/6/2006 1:26 PM
After following this thread for a while and seeing the two sources talked about here in Germany, I went to X-T-C yesterday to see about it. I chose them because they are only 45 km from my house and Marcus is almost 300 km. Marcus and Werner get the modules from the same source. Werner demonstrated it with his own car and everything worked as advertised. I am military so we have a form allowing us to be exempt from the VAT and Werner was glad to accept the form, something that many small business will turn down. I made an appointment for 1100 today and went up and had them install it while I watched. Werner has installed several so I figured for 29 euro, it was worth it. A few minutes later, my top was working perfectly.
Without the VAT, the price was 251 euro for the module and 29 for the install. He had just gotten another shipment of modules and has about 25 left right now. The price will be going back up soon as will Marcus'. Werner speaks very good English and welcomes e-mail and phone calls for questions. I asked about sales to the US guys and he said to e-mail him and he will e-mail back with the price without the VAT and the price of shipping to US.
I have to say, great shop and great guy, I will be going back there for suspension work and possibly wheels and tires when I decide what I want to get. After seeing a questionable post about X-T-C from ianx, I took the time to check the place out and am glad that I did. :)
Cheers
Andy
P.S. Has anyone from UK successfully installed the module in a right hand drive car by now ?
Thanks, that's VERY helpful. This thread is getting pretty long and I just missed that message. Tried searching on XTC, which didn't yield anything. My bad for using the wrong search string. Anyway, very good to hear. The price difference is pretty significant.
Jerry |
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etyu
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Aftermarket remote vario roof modules - pic now included within
I just checked the x-t-c.com website. The module for R171 is 289 Euros. My guess is shipping is extra. To do it in English go into the website in German and then click SHOP on the top row menu, click English on the left hand column.
You should check out the thread at BW on the comfort varioroof module, which is 27 pages long and growing, albeit slowly. |
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etyu
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Aftermarket remote vario roof modules - pic now included within
SUCCESSFUL INSTALL WITH POWER DRAWN FROM FUSE BOX. WOOHOO!
It took me 3 hours instead of 30-45 minutes because of some snags at 2 points:
A. Wrong fuse holder from MB. The correct part no. is 003 545 15 01. ( INCORRECT PART NO. IS 003 545 19 01). It looks almost identical, but there is a square tab on the rectangular slot that is supposed to slide unto the fuse box assembly. I had to use a mini router bit on my Dremel motor tool (low speed, or you'll burn the plastic) to take out the square tab. Afterwhich, it slides like a glove unto the fuse holder. PICTURES 1 & 2. This cost me about 60 minutes.
B. CANBUS cover was difficult to open. I followed the suggestion from tho_schmitz but it was still difficult to pry off. I believe sliding 2 flat wooden match sticks on the side (where the tabs are) at the lateral face and prying with a small flat head screwdriver would work as suggested (there are actually 2 small slots at the cover, if you look closely, where's my bifocals?) but it still took some force. Cost me 30 minutes trying to figure it out. After removing the cover, I examined closely the side tabs that were giving me pain and decided to take out the ridges on each side tab(looks like a T, with leg of the T facing inward) with the motor tool. in the process of prying, I did some minor damage to the CANBUS casing that would be a telltale sign of tampering. I sanded these down with 400 grit wet-n-dry sandpaper (use dry, NO WATER PLEASE). I also scratched some of the white marker paint that they run across the CANBUS (probably to detect tampering) and its cover. These I touched up with flat white model paint (since my hobby is 1/53 scale armor models, that's why I also own a battery operated Dremel motor tool). The cover now clicks in easy (after attaching the male and female plugs from PIECHA) and should be easier to remove if and when we have to remove the RF module.
The wiring harness is ONE big bundle in my SLK 280 with no sub-bundles. PICTURE 3. TIP: I used blue masking tape around the no. 3 position (counting from the back, no.9 counting from the front) before removing the male plug. When I removed the no. 3 plug, no.2 also came out, if I hadn't put the blue tape, I would have been in deep doo doo. All the brown wires look alike.
No problem. I'd decided to draw power from the fuse box anyway before receiving the RF module. (see prior narrative and pictures on page 18, entry #109). After fixing the fuseholder, it slid like a glove and it was pure joy to hear that gentle click of the side tab engaging. PICTURE 4 shows the fuse holder in place without a fuse and the red power line has not been threaded yet.
The exposed end of the wire was taped temporarily. A 10-amp fuse was inserted (I liked the color of the 10-amp fuse, plus there's no technical data to tell me how much power the module draws) 12.5V DC power was confirmed by the voltmeter using the positive (red) end on the exposed wire (tape now removed, and placed on an insulated paper board), and the negative (black end) on the car chassis (I used the front bolt at the footwell after sanding it with sandpaper cut into 2 mm strips and running the sandpaper strip around the threads of the bolt much like when one is drying self with a towel). The fuse was removed, now there is no power to the red wire. The exposed end was taped again for safety. The wire is now threaded into the cavity from where the fuse box assembly was removed and downward towards the now exposed side panel where the tiny speaker is. PICTURE 5. There is also a place to put your ground wire near (if you so choose) the hood release hatch lever above the small speaker. The red power wire is bundled with the wire harness using velcro straps 0.5 inches x 8 inches. Makes it look professional.
After attaching the male and female plugs from the module to the CANBUS and attaching the ground wire (I had to extend this with black wire, meaning negative, to the front bolt on the foot well), I attached an insulated male connector to the red power line from the module. The tape was removed from the red power line that was threaded from the fuse box, and an insulated female connector was attached (crimped actually). Before attaching the two red lines together , I reinserted the 10amp fuse in the fuse holder and verified that there is power at the female connector with the voltmeter. A red rubber tube (the one found on some ball point pens) was inserted at the male end. The male and female connectors were joined and the rubber tube slid over the connection (double insulation). PICTURE 6 & 7.
The SCSI connector was then attached to the RF module. " Houston, we have a red LED lighted, power is on." Wait about one minute, "Houston, we have a green LED light flashing and after a minute it is now a solid GREEN light."
Three clicks on the unlock button, and wallah! I only wish the car would chirp or beep or give out loud music when it opens and closes the retractable roof or perhaps a victory dance.
Thanks to SHINIGAMI for his step by step pictures and deailed instructions, BEVERAGE on how to remove the door sills, EASTY on pulling the hood latch release to make it easier to remove the side kick panel, BLOFLIN for the pin method (although I didn't use this method), an excellent tip nonetheless; THO_SCHMITZ for the tip on drawing power from the fuse box (PLEASE INFORM OTHERS OF THE CORRECTED PART NUMBER AT MBSLK.DE).
Again many thanks to the members of this forum. SHINIGAMI you take first prize.
Edited by etyu 5/20/2006 11:14 PM
 (fuse holder with square tab on left lower corner.jpg)
 (modified fuse holder with square tab routed out.jpg)
 (blue tape on position 3.jpg)
 (corrected fuse holder fits perfectly.jpg)
 (thread power line downward.jpg)
 (final check, power line with detachable connector.jpg)
 (final coonections,Houston, red and green lights are on.jpg)
Attachments
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 fuse holder with square tab on left lower corner.jpg (132KB - 3 downloads)
modified fuse holder with square tab routed out.jpg (152KB - 3 downloads)
blue tape on position 3.jpg (174KB - 3 downloads)
corrected fuse holder fits perfectly.jpg (144KB - 3 downloads)
thread power line downward.jpg (155KB - 3 downloads)
final check, power line with detachable connector.jpg (152KB - 4 downloads)
final coonections,Houston, red and green lights are on.jpg (159KB - 3 downloads)
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Andy747
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Aftermarket remote vario roof modules - pic now included within
Marcus from Piecha.com has just posted on Benzworld. He has dropped the price back to the original 288.79 Euros! I think this is in response to the price difference with x-t-c.
However I'm still waiting on instructions for RHD installation. Know the fuse box method will work but is blatently obvious to any MB technician hence the warranty issue. Grafting the wire on is also a possibility but a few of us have been assured by Marcus that an easy alternative is possible. |
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jbanks15
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Aftermarket remote vario roof modules - pic now included within
Well it came today! Before I tell you of my great adventure, kudos to Shinigami and any others that supplied text and pictures because there is a world of difference between the original set of instructions shipped and the one I received today. Shinigami's pictures and text are all over it! Great job Shin. You should be proud to be an international author!.
So the quest began. I have been reading my printed out instructions and pictures in my sleep. Put on my miner's hat (the one with the flashlight on it) and moved the car for easy door access. pushed seat back and off I went. unfortunately it did not take 20 minutes like the instructions say.
1. removing door sill was easy per instructions (silver lana/shinigami/others from here on in referred to as et al).
2. popped small plastic cover with flathead
3. use torx 20 screwdriver to remove screw
4. pulled out and pushed down and noted locations of rubber/cloth strip and
and plastic part of brake handle
5.pull carpet down and back from inside rear and popping plastic black
cover from 4 clips and then wedging empty box to hold carpet and black cover open.
no problem lifting the terminal block further from the seat.
6.BUT opening that darn *&^%#^( special cover took an hour. i broke both clips and even the clip that holds the block to the car. it is true that after you get it open, you go, "oh, is that how it opens!"
7. so you separate the clips and rotate the top horizontally, not up.
8. removed the 3rd cable, inserted the module cable (yellow/blue), inserted the removed cable into other end of module (green/white).
9. now came the part of finding the wire. did you know that red and orange look alike? the pictures were handy (thanks et al) and took a chance on one.
10. then the blade fell out of the blue plastic connector amongst all the wires and i had to hunt for it. i found it and selected the lucky wire. i secured the ground wire and still no lights. t checked my blue connector and the red wire to the module was not secure. recrimp and i have a red light!
11. but no green light, so i wait 5 minutes and still no green light so i put car in position 1 and hold 'end call' and lights flash once. since i am a good student i do it again, then blink twice and green comes on.
12. i check the functionality wuth the console button, 1 sec push and it works. i try the key fob and it works!
13. put everything away, secure cover, carpet, side board screw, cover, door sil.
14. start car and get the error 'proble with the roof'
15.$%&*((*&^%$#%^^^
16. undo everything and see that there is no red light to the module. take pliers and give another good hard crimp to it. light comes on. test and it works again
17. put everything back. still works. but i am paranoid now
18. tested backing out of garage and approaching garage at less then 30 mph
19. tested it from about 50 feet outside and from inside the house put top down.
20. will be going to hardware store for another crimper connector soon just in case.
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etyu
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Aftermarket remote vario roof modules - pic now included within
Excellent work, jbanks 15. I would recommend drawing power from the left sided fusebox. Since you're going to the hardware, pass by the automotive store and pick up some fuse adaptors (attached pictures) to connect to the fuse box. You'll also need about 6 feet of red 16 Gauge primary wire from the hardware and butt connectors. If you want to be fancy, some male and female connectors.
You can also order the Mercedez fuse holder (if you have an empty slot in the fuse box) part no. 003 545 15 01 instead of the fuse adaptor from the automotive store.
 (fuse adaptor1.jpg)
 (fuse adaptor 2.jpg)
 (connectors.jpg)
 (fuse holder wire extended.jpg)
 (thread power line downward.jpg)
Attachments
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fuse adaptor1.jpg (92KB - 3 downloads)
fuse adaptor 2.jpg (79KB - 1 downloads)
connectors.jpg (149KB - 1 downloads)
fuse holder wire extended.jpg (127KB - 1 downloads)
thread power line downward.jpg (155KB - 2 downloads)
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Silver_Lana
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Aftermarket remote vario roof modules - pic now included within
I finally got around to installing my module today and it was so much easier than installing the Bipes module for my R170.
The hardest part was removing the door sill as well as the bus cover - had to break the damn thing
Anyway, I am enjoying my module now |
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jbanks15
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Aftermarket remote vario roof modules - pic now included within
silver_lana, did you break it in the same places i did? lol! the 2 clips on the bus cover and i went even further and snapped off one of the retaining clips. the bus cover still snaps in place and there is not enough room for it to move around in my car when the lid is closed. by the picture in etyu's car, his 280 has a lot more room in there. i also have no white paint on mine.
Edited by jbanks15 5/29/2006 8:33 AM
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Silver_Lana
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Aftermarket remote vario roof modules - pic now included within
My car had barely any room in the space underneath - the satellite radio/airscarf/heated seats etc must have added many wires in there.
Anyway, I DID have to break it! :p
What a pain in the arse! |
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jbanks15
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Aftermarket remote vario roof modules - pic now included within
thanks for the reply. now i do not feel like such an klutz! (no offense), when you take it in for service, will you just deactivate it and take a chance it is not found or remove it? if you get a price for a replacement for what we snapped off let me know and we will get 2! |
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etyu
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Aftermarket remote vario roof modules - pic now included within
Silver_Lana - 5/29/2006 8:00 AM
My car had barely any room in the space underneath - the satellite radio/airscarf/heated seats etc must have added many wires in there.
Anyway, I DID have to break it! :p
What a pain in the arse!
Which one did you break?
1. the cover to the wiring harness channel that has 4 tabs? or
2. the cover to the CANBUS connector, where one is supposed to insert two flat matchsticks on the side tabs and slide or push the cover horizontally and not upwards?
Edited by etyu 5/29/2006 4:52 PM
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