[Simon Templar]

I just took delivery of my fully-loaded 300C AWD this Friday evening past. My dealer, being the fine professional and upstanding gentlemen (for legal reasons) that they are, didn't bother to notice a few things. For one...the UConnect system which they swore was there...isn't.

For a number of reasons, I reluctantly have decided to go ahead and keep the car instead of refusing and waiting for weeks/months/longer for another one. So, I am faced with the prospect of the dealer add-on UConnect kit. After negotiations with the dealer, they have agreed to put this in at their cost and no labour. But....do I want it?

Hopefully, somoene who has had exposure to both the factory and add-on units can tell me: how close do the features of the two match?

My understanding is that the Factory unit communicates with the LCD screen of the nav system for caller ID and contol information. Does the add-on do this?

The illustration I have seen of the add-on unit claims a control module, control panel, a microphone, and a speaker. Apparently, therefore, the add-on does not feed to the car audio speakers as the factory unit does. Is this true? And do all of these pieces parts integrate acceptably with the interior of the car? I do not want to get into some "Kraco-looking" piece of BS. I'd rather just wave off the whole thing if it is going to look (and operate) as badly as I am getting the feeling it will.

Can someone tell me...am I worrying for nothing, or is this the wrong road to go down?


Thanks,

....sT

 

[eagle2]

Uconnect

I have the dealer installed uconnect in my 300C. I do not have the nav but reading other posts in here it does not go thru the nav. On in-coming calls it will mute the stereo, but the incoming voice goes thru a speaker down near the pedals. I have no problem hearing the people I am talking to at all, it is very acceptable. I am having a small problem with the mic tho. Some people have difficulty hearing me. I got no documention or manual from the dealer and believe it is an adjustment problem since others in here say that the people they are talking to do not even know they are on a hands free. The mic goes on the roof near the sunroof controls. The controller goes by the a/c-radio controls. If you look thru here there are some posts with pictures where they go. I am taking mine back to have the dealer adjust the mic. Other than that, I am completely satisfied with it.

 

[Cdnhemi]

I have the dealer installed uconnect in my 300C. I do not have the nav but reading other posts in here it does not go thru the nav. On in-coming calls it will mute the stereo, but the incoming voice goes thru a speaker down near the pedals. I have no problem hearing the people I am talking to at all, it is very acceptable. I am having a small problem with the mic tho. Some people have difficulty hearing me. I got no documention or manual from the dealer and believe it is an adjustment problem since others in here say that the people they are talking to do not even know they are on a hands free. The mic goes on the roof near the sunroof controls. The controller goes by the a/c-radio controls. If you look thru here there are some posts with pictures where they go. I am taking mine back to have the dealer adjust the mic. Other than that, I am completely satisfied with it.

Eagle, when you take it back why not have the dealer move the controller down onto the center hump near to where your right knee sits when driving. It's out of sight and out of mind. It's real easy to get at.

 

[Alsmag]

Better than me....I had to take the UConnect and I don't even know what in the hell it is! lol

 

[kidcoastal]

I have uconn from man. with the nav. Here is how it works.
Call comes in, the sound goes off, then the voice (from the full stereo system tells me I have an incoming call and on the nav screen it tells me who the call is from (numbers only), the battery signal, and signal strength. When I hit the uconn button in the rear view mirror I begin talking. When I'm done, it hangs up automatically and music starts again.
For outgoing call, hit the button on RV mirror and say for example, "call" it asks me "what name please?" I say the name and it connects through the speaker system.
If I have navigation going while in a call, it will put the phone call on all the righ front speaker while the navigation informs me of a turn on the front left speaker. (you'd think this is disturbing but it actually works quite well.
In my oppinion only: I absolutely love the uconnect with the nav. It works seemlessly and is REALLY easy to pay attention while driving.
I dont know anything about hooking it up to the nav aftermarket but if there is a way, i'd do it.

 

[eagle2]

Thanks MikeyJohn. Do you know anything about the mic adjustment? How does yours sound?

 

[Alsmag]

I have uconn from man. with the nav. Here is how it works.
Call comes in, the sound goes off, then the voice (from the full stereo system tells me I have an incoming call and on the nav screen it tells me who the call is from (numbers only), the battery signal, and signal strength. When I hit the uconn button in the rear view mirror I begin talking. When I'm done, it hangs up automatically and music starts again.
For outgoing call, hit the button on RV mirror and say for example, "call" it asks me "what name please?" I say the name and it connects through the speaker system.
If I have navigation going while in a call, it will put the phone call on all the righ front speaker while the navigation informs me of a turn on the front left speaker. (you'd think this is disturbing but it actually works quite well.
In my oppinion only: I absolutely love the uconnect with the nav. It works seemlessly and is REALLY easy to pay attention while driving.
I dont know anything about hooking it up to the nav aftermarket but if there is a way, i'd do it.

Wow...thanks Kid! Now I'm glad that I have it. (I know...kinda stupid I am getting something that I don't know how to use, but it was take it or wait 4 months)

 

[Cdnhemi]

Thanks MikeyJohn. Do you know anything about the mic adjustment? How does yours sound?

I have no problems with mine, as a matter of fact I had to turn it down on my controller because it was too loud and I am hard of hearing. I would have ordered the u-connect when I factory ordered my car but it was not available here in Canada so I opted for the second choice and ordered it from one of our sponsors here.

 

[Simon Templar]

Hmmmm.....after reading all of this, I am getting PO'd all over again about their omission of the factory install.



.....sT

 

[DZeckhausen]

Hmmmm.....after reading all of this, I am getting PO'd all over again about their omission of the factory install.

You should be. You should have had a fully integrated unit that works through the car audio system, displays caller ID, dials numbers called up on the NAV screen (like restaurants), has controls fully integrated instead of in a pod, taped to the side of your center console, and has a built in mic instead of one taped to the sunglass holder.

My dealer did the exact same thing to me.

 

[Simon Templar]

You should be. You should have had a fully integrated unit that works through the car audio system, displays caller ID, dials numbers called up on the NAV screen (like restaurants), has controls fully integrated instead of in a pod, taped to the side of your center console, and has a built in mic instead of one taped to the sunglass holder.

My dealer did the exact same thing to me.

Oh ...C'mon Dave!!!!

Don't sugar coat it. Tell us what you REALLY think!



Actually, I agree. And it does bother me quite a bit. I do not like being lied to. I will most likely carry this as a grudge for a great while yet to come. But, at the end of the day, there isn't much of a choice for me. I have what I have. And, I have to decide how to move on from here.

Eagle2...and anyone else who has the dealer install....Do you still get all of the same voice prompting as the Factory unit? How does the system look to you? I mean, is everything hidden well enough away ....and those parts which can't be hidden, do they integrate well with the look of the interior?

My experience with dealer mechanics has not been good n the past. Most impress me as barely trained monkeys. Barely trained to use hammers, that is. All other tools are usually safely locked away. Did anyone have problems with installer-caused damage?


Anyone with the dealer install.....can you take a couple of pics of the visible portions?


Thanks for everything, guys!

....sT

 

[eagle2]

Obviously it is not as good as the factory, but the only things that show are the controller to initiate and answer call and volume, and the mic. Everything else is away where it is not seen. Mine was put in with no problems that I can tell of.

 

[Cdnhemi]

Oh ...C'mon Dave!!!!

Don't sugar coat it. Tell us what you REALLY think!



Actually, I agree. And it does bother me quite a bit. I do not like being lied to. I will most likely carry this as a grudge for a great while yet to come. But, at the end of the day, there isn't much of a choice for me. I have what I have. And, I have to decide how to move on from here.

Eagle2...and anyone else who has the dealer install....Do you still get all of the same voice prompting as the Factory unit? How does the system look to you? I mean, is everything hidden well enough away ....and those parts which can't be hidden, do they integrate well with the look of the interior?

My experience with dealer mechanics has not been good n the past. Most impress me as barely trained monkeys. Barely trained to use hammers, that is. All other tools are usually safely locked away. Did anyone have problems with installer-caused damage?


Anyone with the dealer install.....can you take a couple of pics of the visible portions?


Thanks for everything, guys!

....sT

As far as I know I get all the voice prompts that the factory unit gets, and if you PM me with your e-mail address I will send you a couple of pics. I still can't figure out how to post pictures here.

 

[Simon Templar]

Mikey....

Check your PMs. Also, I thin you can get my email from my profile here.



Best,

.....sT

 

[Cdnhemi]

Mikey....

Check your PMs. Also, I thin you can get my email from my profile here.



Best,

.....sT

It will be on it's way to you in the morning, as I am at work to-night.

 

[LXfreak]

Buy the dealer installed unit from Mopar. It will work just fine. I have it and I am very happy with its operation.

 

[mojo747]

What cellular service do you require to use the u-connect system? I have it in my C but don't know if I can even get the service around here.

 

[eagle2]

I have Sprint. Almost any carrier will work as long as the phone has bluetooth.

 

[DZeckhausen]

What cellular service do you require to use the u-connect system? I have it in my C but don't know if I can even get the service around here.

It makes no difference what cellular service you have. The phone call is made by the hand held cell phone. The UConnnect is merely a wireless network between your phone and your car (Bluetooth technology) that allows your call to be hands free. The only requirement is that your cell phone support the Bluetooth hands free protocol.

 

[Taha24]

Dave said what I was going to say. Doesn't depend on your provider, but on the phone. Mojo, what provider do you have, i'll tell you what phones have bluetooth then.