Wife put some XM gift cards in my stocking this year for xmas so finally going to have a received installed this weekend. Have read quite a few past threads and wanted to get some updates on where folks have recently placed XM antennas. Prefer not to have it on the roof and have heard from some who had it either on the dash or on the side of the sway bar in the trunk.

Liked the Audiovox Xpress unit the most when I went to look at it. Problem now will be finding a place to install it as I already have a nav unit in the cubby. Thinking of seeing if theres a way to drop it in the coin holder/ashtray slot. Any thoughts?

 

I got XM for Christmas too. I installed the antenna/tuner box/adapter yesterday and mounted the antenna on the dash, right above the oil pressure guage. No problems with reception, even in my garage.

 

+1

 

Cool. What receivers did you guys get?

 

I got an XM2go radio for Christmas too. Right now I have a temp install with the radio and cradle setting perfectly in the in-dash cup holder. I have the antenna sitting on the right side of the strut bar. I'll get it installed properly soon, I was too excited to see it work:-) It's very nice and has a lot of features like rechargeable battery, ability to record 5 hours of content and built-in/internal antenna and FM transmitter. Amazing how they fit all that into one small package.

 

My antenna is mounted on my dash:

 

Just bought the Delphi Roady XT for XM Sat radio with my $100 gift cars I got. $39 after mail-in $30 rebate. Anyhow I'll be installing it on the 1st. I'll try to remember to take pics and post a DIY Thread.

 

Hoping to get it installed this week if I can find a place that will take appointments.

That antenna looks just like where my NAV antenna is installed. Is there any difference in reception between having it there or the strut bar? Not sure where exactly to mount the receiver though, played around with it a bit at the store, still thinking about between the ashtray and shifter somewhere.

Also, if anyone has compared the Xpress to the SkyFI2 would love to hear about it.

 

I thought by placing it on the strut bar I'd have more open area for signal reception. I haven't any issues so far, but I'll try the dashboard too to see if there's any difference.

 

I haven't had any reception issues with it there whatsoever. My wifes truck has a rear window mounted XM antenna and I drove it to work last week and got singal loss in the same places I lose it with my Z.

 

assuming you have a low profile antenna

Check this thread

Link

 

Cool, is that actually installed inside the bar? Probably will go with the dash install for now, just for ease of install, but that is a great idea. Again wondering if there is any reception difference. Still having trouble deciding between the two receivers, but cant wait for it to get hooked up.

 

AFAIK, as long as there is no metal (e.g. metallic window tint), you can place the antenna under the plastic trim piece. I think it may still work better than placing it on the dash given it has a better direct line of sight to the sat. Good luck with the install!!

 

If you take a drill and use a drill bit that is slightly larger than the antenna wire, you can bevil a tiny notch in the center dash big enough to allow the wire to pass without having any issues with proper dash fitment.

 

Well, I did not like the look of the Xpress in the car, so I went with the SkyFi2. Mounted the antenna on the center of the dash, right next to the one that was there for my nav system. Took out the ashtray, the SF2 in its cradle sits very nicely in that hole. Tucked antenna wire down the side of the console to unit. Now here's where it gets funky. The book says that the tape connector is by far the best way to go, so I popped it in, ran the wire out stage left, tucked it on the left side of the console and across the dash. Ran the DC converter to the back. Considering I have never installed a radio in my life, in any car, I'm pretty damn happy with how it turned out, took less than an hour to get everything installed and registered and running. I'm sure a professional or most guys on here that have done a number of real installs with custom work and who know how to run wires would barf at it, but again, not bad for a first timer. I would have paid Best Buy to hard wire it and do a real install, but they were booked for 3 weeks and I have a long road trip coming up next week - which is why I got this in the first place.

Should note that I am hoping this will be a 6 month or so temporary install - so again, very please with it for the time being. Next Spring I would really like the Kenwood head unit or similar installed that intigrates the xm/nav/radio/6cd all in one in place of the bose unit. But for now, I am more than pleased.