XM antenna install

[ckf102]

Hey everyone,
Can you please post a few pictures of your xm antenna installs? I have mine currently run to under the rear deck, but the reception is so so. Also any issues with car washes or anything else?????

Thanks
Clay

[ga93sle]

My antenna is also on the rear deck, and I hate it lol. I usually stick mine to the inside of the deck lid before I go through washes.

[human]

When I had Sirius a few years ago, I always kept the antenna on the rear shelf. I didn't want to scratch the paint on the deck lid, plus My Aurora's deck lid was aluminum, so it wouldn't have stuck, anyway. The rear window was sufficiently raked so that I got decent reception, unless I was driving on a tree-lined street. I got rid of it after a year because I had lost my job and couldn't justify the expense.

[00Beast]

My OEM XM antenna is on the roof, but that doesn't help you much, lol.

[sethjamesrimrodt]

This is where I put mine



I leave it on when I wash the car and it has rubber feet so it won't scratch the paint. I ran the wire under the rear glass trim then up to the front of the car under that rubber molding on the roof then down the windshield trim and into the car.

[ckf102]

Awesome...thanks. Question.........did your antenna come with that stiff plastic piece? Is that available to buy or do i need a new antenna for that?

Appreciate the help!

[sethjamesrimrodt]

This is like the one that came with my antenna
http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-pcs-Genuine-S ... 41618d30aa

[ckf102]

Thanks! How does this fair when you run through a car wash?

[sethjamesrimrodt]

I always wash my car by hand so I have never had an issue. The wire cover uses 3m body tape and the antenna uses a magnet with a rubber bottom so none of it goes anywhere.

[cooljoe51]

This may be rehashing an old thread, but so far I've been trying to find a place to put the antenna on my car without having to deal with it being on the outside. So far the best reception I got is tied to the radiator support behind the grill. I still have a lot of loss, I was thinking about maybe trying to put it on the front bumper right behind the grill maybe raised up so that way it could get some reception. Any other ideas? I'm open to them.

-Kris

[00Beast]

It needs to be open to the sky...

[cooljoe51]

Hmm...well the thing with it is right now, I actually don't get horrible reception, but it does cut out often. I keep hoping that someone may have come up with a "solution" for this. The cars lines are too beautiful to mess up with an extra antenna.

[sethjamesrimrodt]

You could drill 2 holes in your roof and do an oem one like I did. I think it shows off the lines if the car.

[cooljoe51]

Hmm...that's not a bad idea, I'll have to wait till I take the roof line off for that though...but definitely something to think about. Will it work for aftermarket? Mine's a 2000.

[00Beast]

I don't think any of the 3 factory styles of XM antennae hurt the Bonneville one bit, IMHO they break up the roof a little bit, especially on a light color car. The stock location is good, versus some other GM cars (ALA Grand Am) where it's in a stupid place, like dead center on the leading edge of the roof...

[sethjamesrimrodt]

If you are really good at soldering it will work with an aftermarket xm radio like mine.
I agree the antenna helps the look of the roof.

[cooljoe51]

Lol, I'm not gonna say I'm a guru with soldering, but have successfully not broken stuff before I may have to go that route, I'm going to still try to mess around with alternatives too.

[sethjamesrimrodt]

I wonder if you put it under the plastic hood cowl, the piece under the windshield wipes, if it would get reception there.

[cooljoe51]

Hmm, I'll try that tomorrow. I don't see it working though because there is no view of the outside from there at all. The way I have it now, I'm getting to the outside from my grills. Which a lot of the time works. I'd probably say >65%, but that's still not good enough.

[sethjamesrimrodt]

I'm just thinking on the drives side there are vents and I think the signal has a better shot of making it through plastic over an aluminum hood. Just a thought