Killing Time

While the car has been in the garage, waiting for the engine rebuild, it's been possible to continue the center console project. I first started working on it soon after the corner light switch.

Interior - Starting Point

Tasks there were:

• Remove embarassing AMG sticker installed by a PO
• Replace aircon switch
• Replace air recirculation switch
• Replace bulb in roller switch for passenger side temperature
• Replace bulb in air direction switch
• Get rid of crappy JVC head unit and buy something good instead
• Install a switch for disabling the electric antenna for winter use

Ash tray and head unit removed

 The radio was a real bitch to remove. Turns out the previous installer had extended the little protruding things in the case and needless to say I didn't have the remove tool for that particular head unit. However, with patience I got the POS off.

There were some wires running behind the radio, to nowhere, which I figure were originally the front speakers (the car is now running Infinitys or something like that, OK sounding) and a phone / hands free system of some sort which has been removed.

The last one to touch the wires was a Swedish shop. The car's a Swedish import.

New switches and bulbs in

While I had the ashtray out I cleaned and polished it, and changed the bulb in it.

Antenna control switch I soldered together; its purpose is to prevent the automatic antenna from operating when it has frozen solid in the winter, when I am listening to MP3s and an antenna is not necessary. Operating the antenna in those conditions would be harmful to the electric motor.

To replace the crappy JVC I bought a... new JVC. Oh well. In my defense, I looked at the competing Sonys, Pioneers, Kenwoods etc. and they were all rubbish. Ugly and really barebones compared to a similarly priced JVC. The only real contender was Alpine which was also pretty low on features, and felt like a really rubbish plastic toy, which is saying a lot when the JVC is already pretty plasticky.

Anyway, this JVC solved all the problems I had with the previous one:

• No stupid "screensaver" animations
• No stupid animations anywhere else, or at least they're toggleable
• No beep every time you push a button on it
• Has front USB and can interface with my iPhone from there
• Can control the iPhone
• Works instantaneously on shuffle instead of reading a CD for 10 seconds while switching songs
• Can be set to any color, like nearly the Mercedes amber, instead of being "light up my car" white and "rip the hair off your head" red all the time
• Lowest volume setting is actually pretty quiet, unlike before where it was still pretty high

In addition, the new JVC has a multi-row display which can actually display some useful information about the song being played, and for a modern head unit, it's surprisingly understated in design.

Also, it's got a software EQ which is nice.

New head unit installed and center console assembled

The antenna control is visible in this picture, tucked inside the driver's footwell