Getting ready to install the XM radio kit I bought from the XM online store. I tried searching the forums to get the good information I know is there . . . and I'll be able to find it. Too bad you need at least three letters for a search!

I'd like to ask for good stories about successful XM installs.

As a cabrio driver, I'm wondering if I can't just mount the anteana on a little trailer I tow behind.

I'll do whatever temporary install I need to do to have the radio for MITM. But then I'd like to do something tidy.

I'd also like responses about XM programming if anyone wants to share. I had a good trip to California in our Saab with XM. I listened to a lot of blues and jazz when I drove out by myself and a lot of old time radio and books on cd driving back with kids.

 

Here is my install:


It is using the kuda mount (kudausa.com). My ant. is on the boot (I have a hardtop). Most of my extra wires are zip tied up behind my glovebox. I hard-wired the power by adding an add-a-fuse and that is wired behind my parcel shelf. My AUX port is installed underneath the toggle bank (on the plastic door) I am going to try put my ant. inside the factory one.

Before I installed mine permanently, I had the ant. on the dash - can use a command strip to hold it down. Belkin (and a few others) make a foam-like thing that sits in the cupholder which can hold your XM (or ipod), I bought mine from Radio Shack. Worked nicely for the short term - but the perm. install is a lot better.

Good luck and update the thread with what you end up doing!

 

Thanks Works. I'm a little intimidated. I've not done a thing to the MINI but rotate the tires and add a little oil (besides caressing her various parts). Its going to be tough to drill holes and find a way for the wiring to do its magic. Still, I'm hoping to get it done early enough on Saturday to take it for a meaningful test drive. I'm not sure of the meaning, but Keb Mo will let me know.

I've a notion to get the anteana into the stock housing as the final solution as well. I'm hoping to learn enough about the mirror to get rid of it somehow . . . relying on the center rearview mirror on the MINI cabriolet is like getting investment advice from your ex-wife.

 

Installed XM Blitzsafe in boot where the cd exchanger hooks in. Very clean install, and simple 30 minutes at most. Total cost $200 and works with original radio. If you would like pictures let me know and I will snap a few and post.

Stan

 

You didn't say what XM kit you bought, but I'll assume it's the XM direct with a blitzsafe. Here's a link to a nice install write up.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ad.php?t=31985

 

It is a Sirius unit, but here is how I installed mine. I bought a MINI-specific mount for it and was able to hide all the wires very nicely.

 

Thanks everyone. It looks like it is going to be pretty simple except for the antenna on the convertible. I did find some good instructions on putting it into the existing convertible antenna but the amount of taking things apart and making them fit makes me a little nervous. I might find a temporary location for the antenna just so I can have it working by MITM.

 

I'm glad we've helped. The write up about placing the satellite antenna in the OEM antenna base was for a coupe. That may or may not work on your convertible. I talked with a fellow that had his satellite antenna on the dash of his convertble. He reported no problems with reception. Have fun at MITM. I was trying to make that, but it just wouldn't work out. Maybe next year.

 

Hi all,
I pretty much spent all day on the job yesterday . . . a short day, 10 to 4 . . . a lot of the time with convertible and convertible top issues (reassembling parts to put the top up and down to get access and deal with rain showers). The good news is the XM works and I love it. The bad news is, since the write up was ambiguous about the word "antenna" (meaning either XM antenna, MINI antenna or combined XM Mini antenna) I put the XM antenna next to the MINI antenna, running the wire into the MINI antenna under the base. That way I can do the second part of the job and have the XM antenna wire already in place.
There are a few things I"m dissatisfied with on my job. I didn't cut enough of the foam liner away and the fit of the finish panels in the trunk is too tight . . . a little distortion. I'll have to go back in and trim away more foam. Second, the MINI antenna is raised off the roof due to it having a flush base . . . the rubber gasket isn't enough. I plan to go in tomorrow and put a coating of silicon seal all across the base of the MINI antenna to raise it, evenly, at least the height of the XM antenna wire thickness. If this doesn't look good because the rubber gasket around the MINI antenna is off the roof surface I'll try a bead of black silicon around the gasket . . . a sort of caulking thing. The third thing is my driver's door was sticky today. I'm hoping this is unrelated to the electronics within this job. The circuit board in the overhead light panel looked way more complicated than anything necessary to run lights. We had storms overnight and I'm a little worried that moisture has already gotten into the unit.
Still, the XM is wonderful. I'm too lazy to deal with CDs and regular radio sucks.
Any further comments would be appreciated. I'll post some photos when I have the chance. Right now I"m going to search the boards and see if I can figure out how to separate the MINI antenna cover from the base. The write up shows the XM and MINI guts without the cover on . . . obviously the cover came off so the XM could be taped in . . . but how does it come off?
Sidenote, while dealing with the two sided tape my wife came out and told me Floyd was fired from his team. First zee head butt, then the naturally high level of testosterone. . . I'm going to become skeptical if this stuff keeps up.

 

Sorry I didn't see this thread earlier. Here is a link to a write up I did a while back on how to install the XM antenna into the Convertible antenna base. XM Install Directions.

If you had the antenna off already to install the XM antenna next to it, you had already done the hard part. Installing the XM antenna in the FM antenna base if about a 15 minute job. Once you remove the FM antenna, there are four torx screws on the bottom side, remove the screws and the mast and the base cover pops right off. I had to trim a little of the internal structure of the base to get the cover to fit over the XM antenna.

The bad news here I think is that you routed the XM antenna wire under the FM antenna base. To get it mounted inside the base, you will need to pull the XM antenna lead back out and then through the hole in the FM antenna mounting plate.

PM me or post if you have any questions, I'd be glad to help out.

Phil

 

I saw those torx bolts but the heads are far smaller than any of the wrenches I have. I decided I don't mind having the XM antenna next to the MINI antenna so rerouted the wire today so that it goes under the gasket between the convertible roof and the black roofette above the windshield. I took some pictures and will try to get them downloaded and onto this thread. Since I had to get the antenna lead back I cut more foam so the body trim fits correctly now.

Coincidentally the driver's door inside handle quit working. I don't see any way this could be related to the work I did (other than I climbed in and out of the car 100 times). I'll take that in for warrenty work next week.

The only incomplete part of the job is I can no longer get the strings of the parcel-tray/rear window-rest to slip over their funny little tabs on the body. This may be something like the wind deflector because I used to be able to do it easily . . . then forgot and had to find directions on a post. So my strings aren't hooked and the ridiculous ***** are pendulously swinging about on every turn.

The radio works great. The display works great except it only has so many letters and I don't get all the information I'd like to . . . is there a way to scroll right through the text. The steering wheel buttons work . . . the only problem is that they are opposite those on my Saab. I already find myself speeding up when I want the radio louder or turning down the radio when I'm trying to slow.

 

Had the same problem with the torx screws - what size are they, so I can buy the right thing. Thanks!

 

I don't recall the exact size but I found a set at Home Depot that has a T4, T5, T6, T7, T8, T9, T10 and T15 in it. There are four double sided bits of which three fit in the handle while the fourth is in the driver. I think it was a T6 as that is the bit that is currently in my driver.

 

I can't figure out posting pictures (yet). Visit my gallery for pictures of my install. I guess its just BlueBonnet's gallery.

Bluesville for my commute Tuesday. Drove my 83 diesel Toyota today . . . perfect for the 12 sheriff speedtrap at the bottom of the Hill. No speed and a cloud of smoke if I needed it.