Audio Systems: Car stereo dilemma, mercedes slk 2002, factory stereo

Question
First of all, I’d like to thank you very much for volunteering on this site!  You seem to have an incredible background and education and I really appreciate you spending your time help those of us "technically-challenged" folks!  
My daughter has a Mercedes SLK 2002.  It has a factory stereo.   The handless/speaker phone is built into the stereo.  She doesn’t want to lose that capability, but she’d like to I'd like to upgrade for an MP3/iPOD hook-up.   
The stereo in those models are notorious for acting up and not being reliable and is very expensive to repair.  Currently it is not functioning and may cost 4-5 hundred dollars to get it repaired.    
If you’d face the same situation, what do you would be the best solution?

Thank you very much!

Sincerely,
Pablo Durissimo


Answer
Thank you. I am not so familiar with this auto or its Becker installed system. Another colleague on this expert panel is very much more experienced with this radio and I recommend you to ask him.  He is at:

http://www.allexperts.com/ep/835-69262/Audio-Systems/Ernesto-R.htm

I think Ernesto can recommend to you the right interface module to connect up the MP3.  Maybe, you can find the right one at installer.com for example.

http://www.installer.com/cars/by_car.php?carid=3730

As to its not functioning we would need to know more about the symptoms or what is not working.

These units are notoriously expensive also.  I doubt it you can get it going and iPOD capable for less than the amounts you suggested!  Sorry to say.  Please contact with Ernesto for more precise information on this one.