Yeah, it works, but I installed the antenna wire through the rubber gromit at the to of the boot. I am worried that it might leak water. I did install it at the bottom of the rubber piece though and left a small drip loop. I'm gonna keep an eye on it.

 

Just did this install ... Thanks to all of the groundbreakers out there for the install information. The install took me about 30 minutes and once enrolled on the XM website, activation took about 15 minutes. I bought all the supplies at http://enfigpics.com/shopsite_sc/sto...l/mini_xm.html and got great shipping and service from them. Total price was just over 200 bucks. I used the Blitzsafe unit with the CD changer pass through in the event I want to add the changer later.

No issues on the install. I have the H-K unit, so the boot compartment is a bit crowded, but after some jiggling, every fit in.

My only issue is the lousy looking antenna. I would prefer an antenna that is more permanent, without an exposed cable. I'm sure something will come along in the future and I'll swap it then.

 

Hey all – Did the XM installation this weekend, with mixed success. I’ve added some details of the installation below to help the next person who tries to do this. Also, I’ll add some pics as soon as I’m able.

The success is that it is installed and works great. I used the XMD1000 and Blitzsafe SLD BMW/MINI 00. Listened to it on the way to work this morning and loved it. Not only does it have better sound quality, but the music/talk/news selections are great.

The unsuccessful part was putting the antenna next to the OEM antenna at the top of the windshield on my ’05 MCSC. I removed the OEM antenna and successfully threaded the antenna wire through that opening, but couldn’t find a channel from the OEM antenna to the A pillar. So I had to settle for my antenna placement above the passenger-side tail light. It works fine, but I really don’t care for the look. I’m thinking of trying some placements inside the car with the notion that the cloth top won’t interfere with the signal. I’ll let you know if I’m successful with other placements.

A couple of hopefully helpful hints for someone attempting this installation:

In the boot, on the passenger side, there is only one screw that needs to be removed (it’s in plain sight), then the cloth covered plastic piece can be removed with a bit of tugging and pulling. Note: If you have a convertible, the top must be in the up position.

Once the cloth/plastic is removed, some soft foam rubber is easily removed, revealing the wire bundle with the CD changer connections (2) easily spotted. These connections fit into the Blitzsafe converter without any choice as to which connection in which slot and which way it is inserted. The Blitzsafe converter likewise connects to the XM Direct without compromise as to what goes where.

I put the Blitzsafe converter underneath the seatbelt recoil mechanism. It fit nicely under there without interfering with the recoil mechanism. This caused me to have to cut a small slice (the depth of the Blitzsafe box) out of the thickest part of the soft foam rubber piece. With that surgery, it fit like a glove. I put the XMD 1000, wrapped in cloth to prevent rattling, on the upper shelf (resting just below the tail light). This placement allowed the XMD 1000 to fit in to a cavity in the combined soft foam rubber/cloth-plastic.

I ran the antenna wire out of the trunk, and, per CC’s suggestion, I added a drip loop to make sure that none of the water that might trickle down the antenna wire would make it into the trunk.

One item I’ll note on my attempt to mount the antenna by the OEM antenna. The light assembly in the center of the top of the windshield does, as Rev. Limiter noted, just pop out. There are no screws. There are three clips (so to speak) along the front (front of the car) length of the assembly -- two toward the end and one in the center. Once these are “unclipped” through a combination of wiggling and prying with a screwdriver (be careful not to mar the plastic) the front edge will drop down and the back edge (with two clips on the back edge that apply pressure so that the front clips stay in place) will slide out as well with minimal effort. Unhook the light connector and it is easily moved out of place.

Per suggestions from Rev. Limiter, I removed the passenger side sun visor, as well as a “door” on a panel that contacts the passenger door when it is closed. I’m certain that if I could have gotten the antenna to the sun visor hole, I could have “easily” gotten it back to the boot. Alas, no such luck. Perhaps someone else can come up with another suggestion for getting the antenna from the light assembly to the top of the A pillar.

Good luck and hope this was helpful. Pictures to follow soon.

 

There appear to be all kind of bracing and strange obstacles in the way of trying to fish or route the XM antenna wire inside of the windshield header between the OEM antenna hole and the "A" pillar. That is why I wasn't sure a coat hanger would work - it really isn't flexible enough. The safety wire I used is merely .032 stainless steel wire that is used to safety bolt heads in place on aircraft. (Every freaking bolt and nut on a UH-1H is torqued and most are safetied.) Even when using the safety wire to fish the XM antenna wire - it takes a lot of patience.

And I myself really don't like the look of the exposed wire between the little XM antenna and the OEM antenna (but it isn't all that noticable unless you are looking for it). Wish someone would incorporate both into one unit...

 

the ability to tie in to an existing antenna would be wonderful. I think I spent at least twice as much time trying to mount the antenna above the windshield than I spent installing the units from start to finish.

One question for you RL. Once you got the wire from A pillar to light assembly, did you have any problems getting the antenna back? One of my biggest concerns was that while I might get the coat hanger (and yes, that was my tool of choice/necessity) from the A pillar to the light assembly, with the plastic connector at the end of the antenna (1/4" x 1/4" profile), I was certain I'd never get the antenna pulled through.

I appreciate all your assistance in my project, as wall as all the other NAM contributors.

 

The plastic end can be removed from the antenna wire. If you look closely at it you can see where a springy plastic bit can pushed in. I Can't describe it any better...and don't have pictures of it. But I was able to figure it out pretty easily when I installed mine.

 

I guess I'm a little confused (stay that way most of the time anyway). AFTER I removed the r/sunvisor, I fed the safety wire thru the hole left by the visor to the windshield (pulled the plastic cover over the windshield header down to gain access). Then back into the car and to the hole left by the light assembly, then up thru the OEM antenna hole. I attached the XM antenna clip (pink?) that plugs into the Blitzsafe to the safety wire using electrical tape, and fed it in the reverse direction back to the sunvisor hole. Pulled all of the excess XM wire thru and let it hang. I then ran the safety wire to the "A" pillar (pulled IT loose to gain access) and down into the cabin of the car. Replacing both of the plastic panels (windshield header and "A" pillar) is a "snap". They snap back into place. - You DON'T have to remove them, just loosen. Once you get the antenna wire in the car, running it to the boot is no problem - along the passenger door sill.

I didn't run the XM antenna the other way. You will never get the square XM antenna itself UP the "A" pillar, across the windshield header, and up the OEM antenna hole.

 

. . . I think my lengthy explanation just confused things. After I had loosened the OEM antenna boot, I placed the magnetic XM antenna near the OEM antenna, and dropped the antenna wire ("AW") down into the car cabin through the hole left by the light assembly removal. Then, I too, was running my wire (coat hanger) from the hole left by the vacant sun visor back to the light assembly hole. My thought was, as you suggested, tape the pink clip on the AW to the coat hanger and pull it back through to the sun visor hole, then essentially do the same thing to get it down the A pillar. (Now I know I can remove the pink clip in this process.) My problem was that I was never able to get the coat hanger from the sun visor hole to the light assembly hole. BUT, I did not try to expand the travel space in the windshield header while I was doing this. So, with the expected rain this weekend, I just might find myself in my garage for Proper Antenna Placement Part Deux.

I'll keep everyone posted. Plus, now that I'm back in town, I'll have some time to get some pictures uploaded.

 

Whew! Good thing XM is worth all that work, eh? I'd have to say this has been the best addition I've ever had to any vehicle. Good luck with the antenna project...

 

Sorry for the delay, but photos are now available on My Gallery. I hope they're helpful.

So you don't have to go to the beginning of the thread, I've installed XM Radio via the CD connections on my '05 MCSC. Included in this thread is a description of the installation with some hopefully helpful hints.

I still haven't had a chance to try (for the second time) to route the antenna from the windscreen header to the boot. Will post when I try again.

Good luck!

 

If you're considering attempting the XM install, please feel free to PM me. I'm more than happy to be of help, if I can.

 

Finally got my XM Direct yesterday and will try to do the install this weekend. I am thinking I will put my antenna on the passenger side dash (I had it on the dash in my '02 and it worked just fine) - does anyone have advice on how to get the antenna cable from the boot to the dash? Or, more accurately, how do I do it so that the cable is hidden?

Cheers

Paul

 

MINImis or Rev.,

When you had your OEM antenna off, could you tell if the XM antenna guts might fit in the base of the antenna as shown in this post. I installed XM Direct with Blitzsafe this last weekend but I'm having some issues with the XM antenna on the dash. I was going to try your method next but wouldn't it be great if we could hide the antenna in the OEM base.

Phil

 

Ordered the XM / Bltzsafe kit from Myradiostore... now $184 including shipping. Plan to use the methods and photos posted here to install into my new 06 PW MCSC. Any other women out there who've installed their own? I don't know why I'm think that a guy might be better at this type of thing than me....

 

It's pretty easy Westernwallflower - you didn't indicate if you have the MINI headunit with or without HK - if without HK you should have no problems locating the XM box in your passenger side hatch cubbyhole. As far as the XM antenna - you will have to route this through your car - the best location for your antenna is most likely going to be on your dash - front center in front of the auto ac temp sensor.

 

Yep, I do have HK. Will that affect anything? I was thinking of putting the XM antenna on right corner of dash. That's where I had one in my old Infiniti SUV and I had no static.

 

Westernwallflower,

I've posted an installation guide for the 06 Convertible here. The hardest part is removing the boot liner to access the CD changer wiring and even that isn't to bad. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions as the whole installation is still pretty fresh in my mind.

Phil

 

Phil,
Thank you. I printed out your instructions with photos. I will keep you posted... the kit should arrive early next week. Boy, do I miss satellite!
The HK is awesome though.

 

Westernwalflower,

Just as a note, if you have Nav in your Mini, you may not be able to mount the XM antenna under the FM antenna base cover as I believe that is where the Nav antenna is. This is unconfirmed as I don't know anyone with Nav who has tried this.

Good Luck,

Phil

 

Any pictures? I'm having trouble visualizing what it should look like.

Would running the wire out the top as others have but adding some silicone sealant work just as well?

 

Correct, you CANNOT do this mod if you have Nav. Placing the XM antenna on top of the Nav antenna and there is simply no room for the cover to go on. I trimmed the inside of the cover several places and it's just too tall to get back on flush. The screws will not hold it down if you force it shut, there will be a gap somewhere around the base edge of the cover.

Also, don't do what I did and wedge that poor little XM antenna into the hole and gouge the wire coating on one of the wires. I guess with the Nav, you have two computer boards and two thick wires opposed to one. I tried every which way to get it to work and got very creative, but it just wasn't going to. I now have some nice purple electrical tape around the one wire.


No MINI....I didn't mess with my antenna....*whistling* what in the world are you talking about???