Sirius Radio ... Or Not
06-04-2011, 03:56 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 10
Sirius Radio ... Or Not
I just bought a new 2011 Mustang and spent a half hour trying to get my subscription to Sirius switched over. Turns out the car I bought is satelite "capable", but not satelite "functional". You have to buy a satelite module for the radio along with an antenna and pay to have them installed. Dealer says $599, on top of the 25k for the car. I am very disappointed to say the least.
Has anyone had experience with this kit? Is $600 what you paid? Where is the antenna installed and how bad does it look? Is there a less expensive alternative?
Thank you for any suggestions.
DS
Has anyone had experience with this kit? Is $600 what you paid? Where is the antenna installed and how bad does it look? Is there a less expensive alternative?
Thank you for any suggestions.
DS
11-06-2011, 09:39 PM
#3
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Utah
Posts: 4
I am in the same place. I would add Sirius if it were to work EXACTLY like it should. Some of the aftermarket units work in a bizarre manner.
I ready where one person bought a Sirius tuner from a wrecked Ford and added it to his radio. Plug in and add the antenna. I have even see one guy who put the antenna between the back seats and claims it works GREAT!
Reply if you found more info.
Thanks,
Kent
I ready where one person bought a Sirius tuner from a wrecked Ford and added it to his radio. Plug in and add the antenna. I have even see one guy who put the antenna between the back seats and claims it works GREAT!
Reply if you found more info.
Thanks,
Kent
11-07-2011, 03:23 PM
#4
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 10
Hi Kent,
I went back to the dealer and we had a ... discussion ... concerning the lack of Sirius and the expense to provide the capability that had been assumed to be present at time of sale. We agreed to a mutual contribution solution and the Ford kit was installed.
The kit is in two main pieces. The first is electronic and is installed somewhere in the passenger footwell behind panels. I did not see the actual installation and there are no visible components. The second part consists of the wire and antenna. The wire runs under panels and carpet to the trunk and then up over the inside lip and around the rear glass panel. It is tucked under the glass edge and nothing is really visible until it comes out at the top center of the glass and forward to a very small "antenna" that is magnetically mounted to the roof. The antenna is not the old style "hockey puck" but rather a small black block about the size of a Zippo lighter.
The radio function is exactly as it should be. There is no difference that I can tell from what works here and what I had on a factory installed unit in my Dodge. Reception does break up from time to time if I am on a road that has a lot of trees along the edge. I assume they break up the signal. I have taken a number of trips in the NC / SC area and one to PA and back. Excellent reception on all opens roads. I have no reservations concerning recommending this approach. The only negative that I can think of is that I would hesitate to take the car through a car wash as the antenna is magnetically mounted and the brushes might rip it off.
I went back to the dealer and we had a ... discussion ... concerning the lack of Sirius and the expense to provide the capability that had been assumed to be present at time of sale. We agreed to a mutual contribution solution and the Ford kit was installed.
The kit is in two main pieces. The first is electronic and is installed somewhere in the passenger footwell behind panels. I did not see the actual installation and there are no visible components. The second part consists of the wire and antenna. The wire runs under panels and carpet to the trunk and then up over the inside lip and around the rear glass panel. It is tucked under the glass edge and nothing is really visible until it comes out at the top center of the glass and forward to a very small "antenna" that is magnetically mounted to the roof. The antenna is not the old style "hockey puck" but rather a small black block about the size of a Zippo lighter.
The radio function is exactly as it should be. There is no difference that I can tell from what works here and what I had on a factory installed unit in my Dodge. Reception does break up from time to time if I am on a road that has a lot of trees along the edge. I assume they break up the signal. I have taken a number of trips in the NC / SC area and one to PA and back. Excellent reception on all opens roads. I have no reservations concerning recommending this approach. The only negative that I can think of is that I would hesitate to take the car through a car wash as the antenna is magnetically mounted and the brushes might rip it off.
11-08-2011, 06:14 PM
#5
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: May 2010
Location: OR
Posts: 312
I wish I would have replied to this post sooner...
I had the factory satellite with the 'hockey puck' or 'trunk turd' as I like to call it...and replaced the deck lid with a non-satellite version and relocated the antenna under the back window behind the back seat under the felt covered (or faux carpet) cover that's right underneath the window.
The reception is fine and if it was centered (it's located off to one side) it would be as good as factory install on the trunk. The only reason I moved it off to one side was that the hockey puck made the cover stick up a little high in the middle and I was too lazy to mod it so it would lay more flat. By putting it off to the side the install is completely stealth and invisible and the felt cover lays flat. If your antenna is a lower profile antenna you could probably stick it in the middle of the seats under the window and get the same quality reception. Like you said, the only problem is when you're between a group of really tall trees or buildings. As a general rule, the Sirius reception seems much worse than my XM radio was regardless of antenna location.
I had the factory satellite with the 'hockey puck' or 'trunk turd' as I like to call it...and replaced the deck lid with a non-satellite version and relocated the antenna under the back window behind the back seat under the felt covered (or faux carpet) cover that's right underneath the window.
The reception is fine and if it was centered (it's located off to one side) it would be as good as factory install on the trunk. The only reason I moved it off to one side was that the hockey puck made the cover stick up a little high in the middle and I was too lazy to mod it so it would lay more flat. By putting it off to the side the install is completely stealth and invisible and the felt cover lays flat. If your antenna is a lower profile antenna you could probably stick it in the middle of the seats under the window and get the same quality reception. Like you said, the only problem is when you're between a group of really tall trees or buildings. As a general rule, the Sirius reception seems much worse than my XM radio was regardless of antenna location.
11-09-2011, 01:19 PM
#7
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 10
Welllllll, kinda sorta, but not. I thought I was getting a car with Sirius haqving been installed at the factory. What the car (2011) came with was a Sirius "Capable" radio. All the buttons and such are on the front of the radio but the actual guts are not there. Ford sells a kit that adds the electronics and the antenna. Now the buttons work, once you have activated the subscription of course.
I was worried that this "after market" (?) kit would have an ugly antenna in the center of the roof, like a taxicab sign. It does not. Second, that if the antenna was small, it would not work well. It does. I have no problem with the antenna being mounted as it is, except I won't go through car washes as it is a magnetic mount. Here are a couple of pictures that show what shows.
- Jay
I was worried that this "after market" (?) kit would have an ugly antenna in the center of the roof, like a taxicab sign. It does not. Second, that if the antenna was small, it would not work well. It does. I have no problem with the antenna being mounted as it is, except I won't go through car washes as it is a magnetic mount. Here are a couple of pictures that show what shows.
- Jay
11-12-2011, 10:48 AM
#10
Thread Starter
Join Date: May 2011
Location: NC
Posts: 10
I hear you. Nothing wrong with either decision. For me, it works just fine. I look at some of the other sat antennas on quality cars and just cringe. Especially bad is the one that looks like a short stick in a hockey puck mounted at the left front of the roof. That is terrible. To me, this isn't bad at all. I don't really notice it or believe that it takes away from the appearance of the car. Well, of course it does, but not a ton like the old style hockey puck on the trunk lid.
I am also concerned with getting maximum performance from it so I wanted it as high and clear to the sky as possible. Under glass might mean that it was screened by the roof at some angles. Don't really know but do not want to chance it. Here in western NC there are not many decent (to me) radio stations and we make road trips back and forth to PA a bunch. Sirius is a life line to me and I want to maximize the experience.
Since it is magnetically mounted I could just move it a bunch of places and see what resulted, but it works for me where it is so I haven't bothered. The real net of this thread is that the kit does make the base radio operate as it should and produces a quality listening experience. If you are ok with the antenna where recommended, no problem. If not, there are other mounting alternatives that you can easily try. The real decision to be made is ... is having Sirius worth the extra expense if the car did not have the full capability at time of purchase. That is an individual's choice. For me it was.
- J
I am also concerned with getting maximum performance from it so I wanted it as high and clear to the sky as possible. Under glass might mean that it was screened by the roof at some angles. Don't really know but do not want to chance it. Here in western NC there are not many decent (to me) radio stations and we make road trips back and forth to PA a bunch. Sirius is a life line to me and I want to maximize the experience.
Since it is magnetically mounted I could just move it a bunch of places and see what resulted, but it works for me where it is so I haven't bothered. The real net of this thread is that the kit does make the base radio operate as it should and produces a quality listening experience. If you are ok with the antenna where recommended, no problem. If not, there are other mounting alternatives that you can easily try. The real decision to be made is ... is having Sirius worth the extra expense if the car did not have the full capability at time of purchase. That is an individual's choice. For me it was.
- J
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