Picked up my Pepper White/Black Mini Cooper yesterday and it is such a beautiful car. But when I stood back to look when it was parked in the garage, one thing seemed to be wrong--the antenna. How could a company that has paid so much attention to so many details put an 18" antenna on the back of this car? The more I looked, the more wrong it seemed. I ordered an Alta antenna today to replace the hideous antenna that came with my Cooper. It is the first time I have ever replaced an antenna on a car, but the one supplied is wrong for this car. The four inch Alta will be money well spent to correct an aesthetic aberration.

Ditto for the visor warnings. I saw no way of removing these without destroying the visor. I know others have posted that denatured alcohol will remove the warning decal on the visor. I discussed this with my MA and he told me lots of luck in removing the decals without leaving some sort of ghost on the visor. I have worked with denatured alcohol before and I do not see a way of removing that decal without leaving some sort of impression still on the visor. I therefore decided to order decals from Aesthetic Creations that could be placed over the warning decals on the visors. Can't wait for them to arrive.

So, I will replace the antenna with a 4" Alta and conceal the airbag warnings on the visors with Mini Wings. At that point the car will seem complete to me. No eyesores.

Snow has started to gently fall here in Denver again, the wait will not be long.

Jakemini

 

I love the long antenna. In fact, I want mine longer. . . .

 

I like my long antenna, I have a parking lot locator on it, which makes the car easy to find when parked. My locator is a Union Jack, there are others, check out www.ameircanminimates.com to see what I am talking about.

 

the antenna -- had to go. Got a short stubby antenna online and the car looks right. Doesn't look like an RC toy any more.

 

I like the long rc antenna haha

 

The long attena is very popular amongst European cars.

 

yep, valeo has these on just about every european car made these days!

I love them.

 

i love my stubby... antenna. my dealer automatically puts them on all their MINIs on the lot (not for free of course), so I grew used to seeing the MINI that way. i've never even had the other antenna on the car, but I did keep it as a backup antenna just in case

 

I love the long antenna! The Radio Controled look. IF you want something smaller go with the Alta!

 

Major issue with the shorty antenna is that its impossible to decorate it at christmas

 

Think you got enough antennas on your roof?

 

I love my stock antenae also! But I do have factory NAV so its shark fin style (no vertical wire) haha. I dont like conventional antenaes myself either...

 

Yeah - its out of control - I need to fix it, but I have not had the time to sort it.

Oddly enough, I never, ever, use the FM radio its either XM or iPod. I fancy replacing the GPS and XM with a shark-style all-in-one, but have not found one yet....

 

Yup, that's how it is with me...I never use FM/AM. It's either XM or iPod. However, since I have the factory NAV my third antenna (NAV) is built in to the FM/AM .

 

Stock antenna + pair of scissors = shorty antenna. Cost $0.00

 

Hey great antenna story for sure. I have been playing around with the idea of a stubby one but I also use it for a beacon sometimes when locating her in the parking garage. Happy Motoring!

 

The first thing my wife said when I got the car home: "Where's the rest of it?"

The second thing she said: "I HATE the antenna - you gotta do something about that." To which I replied "Yes, Ma'am!" and ran inside and ordered one from Outmotoring - which I love.

The RC car look is amplified on the cabrios with the stock antenna. Some like it. They're good people, too. But I don't...

 

Anyone try the sharkfin style antenna? If anyone has please post a picture.

 

Do you want pics of the stock NAV sharkfin antenae to?

 

Sure I just want to see how it looks on the Mini.

 

Ok I am bored at work so give me a lil bit, it just snowed here, camera is in the car though...

 

To each his own but I love the antenna that came with my Mini. To me it is the perfect length & I especially love the fact that it is a dragonfly magnet

 

Heya jeffc, all the spots under the parking lot lights are taken so I cant get a good pic where you can see it... I will take some tomorrow morning while I have sunlight and I will PM you the links to the images. Not gonna get my tripod out right now to set up for a shot of it haha... My co-workers would think im crazy or something.

 

I have a GP and like the way the OEM antenna looks. Unfortunately, if the hatch is opened briskly the expen$ive CF wing can contact the antenna. My solution was to cut the OEM antenna in half with a dremel, reattach the rubber tip, and the problem was solved. Reception is indistinguishable from the 18" length.

 

I just posted my pictures of my Alta shorty and the Sirius I had installed 2 days ago on my web log...I wish all that stuff was integrated into one antenna...