I know there has been a lot of posts about this but if anyone is wanting to do it and has an 05-06 with a sunroof, let me tell you it is quite easy. I had the magnetic mount antenna but wanted a cleaner look. I had read the instructions and some had specified that you needed to cut and solder the antenna wire to fit through the factory antenna wire hole. This was not necessary with mine. Here are the steps I used. Remeber, this is with the sunroof and makes for easy access to the antenna.

1. Open the boot. Pull of the rubber trim around the back to expose the headliner.
2. Pull off the cover under the antenna (I believe this is for a motion sensor?). Just put your fingernails in the gap and pull down. It will just snap back in when done.
3. Optional - I pulled off the sunroof trim around the back sunroof. I had to do this as the stock antenna cable fastener was too short to access from the motion sensor access area.
4. Look at the opening in the headliner, you will see a nut holding the antenna on. Just take a pair of needle nose pliers to loosen it. It is not on very tight but just enough to not do by hand.
5. Undo the bolt and unhook the stock antenna connectors (2). Note - one was very hard for me to undo (the smaller one). This took the wife holding a flashlight and me trying to pull with both hands while inserting a small flathead to undo the connection. A few swear words were said during this process.
6. Take the stock antenna apart with VERY small torx screws. I had to buy a new kit for this as I didn't have this size. You may have to pry it a little.
7. Take apart the Terk antenna. Take off the magnet and rubber boot around the antenna. Be careful to not cut the speaker wire.
8. Take apart the other end of the XM wire (the connector) so it is just a round connector and wire. This is to fit through the factory antenna hole.
7. There is a mount for a satellite antenna here. Just attach the antenna to this part (I used silicone but I hear double sided tape works). TEST before going any further!!!!
8. Run the antenna wire through the hole.
9. Put the antenna back together again and reattach to the vehicle.
10. Attach stock antenna wires.
11. Run the satellite wire to the back of the headliner then down the passenger side to the head unit. This is where I mounted my Blitzsafe adapter.
12. Reattach the connector piece to the XM wire and attach.
13. Put the rubber trim back around the headliner.
14. Snap the cover back on the headliner for the motion detector. And insert the rear sunroof headliner trim if removed.

Sorry I don't have any pictures as I didn't think about it. Some people have done a great job in taking pictures of their own install. If you are in the Seattle area and want help, I would be happy to help save you a few minutes on this process and I have the Torx kit you will need.

All in all it took about an hour (not including the trip to Home Depot).

 

Don't know if I am just misunderstanding your description, but on the R56 there is a circuit board under the shark fin. There does not appear to be any way to run the XM antenna lead under this and through the roof. I ended up mounting the XM antenna behind the shark fin and feeding the lead underneath for a reasonably clean install.

BTW, if anyone wants to attempt the shark fin disassembly a T6 torx driver is required.

rob and the Blue Shifted MINI

 

Wrong forum. Don't feel bad though, I was just reading the "parcel shelf woofer install" thread in the 1st gen forum, and couldn't figure out why the parcel shelf looked odd... DOH!

 

I had an external Sirius antenna, until OPossum posted that the Shark Fin Sirius antenna lead terminated under the passenger seat. I tapped into it, and it works perfectly...no more Sirius external antenna!

 

I saw that you said 05-06, however the original post was in the second generation audio forum. Just wanted to let people know that the antenna is different in the R56.

That's almost enough to get me to switch to Sirius. I wonder if anyone makes an adapter (is it even possible?) to connect a Sirius antenna to an XM tuner?

rob and the Blue Shifted MINI

 

Sirius antennas usually work fine with XM. The most common antenna connector for both is SMB. Sometimes with a pink FARKA shell. There are adapter cables for the portable XM units that use a smaller connector.

 

hey guys and girls on the 2007 how do you tap into the antenna wire under the seat and what is needed to do that???

 

You will need a male SMB connector, cable, and whatever type of connector your sat. radio accepts.

 

I didn't say 05-06. I quoted the OP, who referred to an 05-06, which is why the post should go in the 1st generation forum.

 

Sorry, I wasn't paying attention to who was replying. Either way, I thought it was worthwhile to let people know that the procedure in the original post probably wouldn't work wit the R56.

rob and the Blue Shifted MINI

 

I looked under the passenger seat but was unable to find the antenna wire. I would like to try this instead of using the magnetic mount for my XM. Also, where might I find the male SMB connector and any cables/adaptors I might need.

 

You have to remove the two screws that hold the plastic floor cover.(in front of the seat) Then, lift up the cover, and you will find the antenna cable with a SMB connector. You can find matching connectors & cable on e-bay.

 

I am tired of waiting for the dealer installed Sirius option - getting the run around from all parties as to when available.

As I understand it installing aftermarket is now relatively wireless:

- go with aux port
- hardwire into fuse box - you posted this elsewhere
- run Sat aentenna extension from Terk to lead under the passenger seat.

Do you recommend this versus waiting and obviously spending more? Any more pics?

 

That covers it. As soon as the Sirius module is available from the dealer, I plan on buying it, and changing out my Starmate 4. I like the integration of the oem unit....but until then I can listen to the Starmate.

 

yep -- the correct long term solution with no regrets would be the dealier install OEM Sirius.

Thanks

 

You can probably save some $$ by installing it yourself. It is just 2 connectors, plug & play. I do believe that the dealer needs to code the MINI, so that it will recognize the presence of the Sirius receiver. Don't know what they will charge for this, but I would assume that it would be less than a complete Sirius install.

 

Can you please explain in a little more detail where this plastic floor cover is located? Maybe include a picture for reference? If I don't have a plastic floor cover under the front passenger seat does it mean I'm not pre-wired with the sat. antenna?

thanks

 

I don't have the MCS with me, and I won't have it till Sunday, but: Look under the passenger seat. You should see a plastic panel about 15" x 15", with two screws in the front, and two in the back.

 

To find the factory satellite antenna connection, I removed the passenger seat and removed the plastic cover. I took photos of the connector and did some research and e-mailing with folks who sell custom cables for satellite radio antennas. I learned that with removal of the pink/purple plastic protective cover over the end of the antenna cable, this can be extended with a standard male by female satellite radio extension cable. I have ordered the shortest one I can find on the internet with a male by female (90 degree connector) cable I could find. It was 15 feet long so will have to leave the majority of it coiled up. I am connecting this to an XM radio so it is somewhat of an experiment if it will work as the factory "shark fin" I believe is set up for connecting to a Sirius radio. If this experiment works, I will share the details of cost, photos, etc. with the forum so others can use the factory antenna easily with "add on" satellite radios.

 

I found this nifty little cable on ebay
http://cgi.ebay.com/SMB-m-to-SMB-f-e...QQcmdZViewItem
It's an smb-m to smb-f 32" extension cable. Plugged right in to the pink connector without doing anything, and just the right length to come out by the left front of the passenger seat and up to the XM receiver.

The pink connector has enough room for the connector on the extension. I'm not sure what is being used that required it to be removed, but this one worked fine without any modification!

Make the installation a lot cleaner and it really is easy to use the built-in antenna! Thanks for passing on the investigative work!

 

You are using this with an XM radio. Will this same cable work with a Sirius radio?

 

It's just an SMB cable end. A couple other's have mentioned a long SMB-SMB extension cable-that's all this is, just shorter. I think oPossum and Coffeeman both have Sirius and the Terk cable is an SMB cable end with a shell, so even the factory Sirius is SMB. You'd need to check your receiver to see what kind of connector it is. If you haven't bought yet, the manufacturer's website might have a user's manual, and that might tell you the connector (my SkyFi3 did).

 

This seemed like a good alternative to a seperate mag-mount antenna, so I went out to the parking lot and had a look under the rear seat.....no antenna termination.

So I pulled the headliner down from the rear hatch opening and hello! The SMB termination is clipped in a retainer above the headliner, waiting for an extension cable.

That'll be a Saturday morning project.

 

Another find I liked-Belkin Tunedok Takes up a cupholder space, but holds it where it doesn't interfere with shifting, legs, switches, etc. I couldn't see how to use one of the included mounts, and a different one I'd gotten was too high and my hand hit it while shifting.

I got a 1' audio cable off ebay and I'm all set!

 

I thought I would pass on my experience with connecting to the factory satellite antenna under the passenger seat. It is a piece of cake, under the seat there is a yellow multi-conductor cable connector to the seat. Slide the black locking clip and remove the plug. Remove 4 torx bolts holding the seat in and carefully place the seat outside the car. Remove the 4 phillips head screws and remove the panel covering the electrical connections. I agree with dwjj on the use of the short smb-male by smb-female cable available from Ebay. Simply plug in the cable at the connector end and then the radio end. Here's where I can save you some humbug. I decided to turn the car on to see if the radio played OK. DO NOT DO THIS with the seat connector unplugged. The computer looks for the seat connections and when it doesn't find them connected it sets off the air bag and seat belt warning lights. I had to go to MINI to get these lights reset. They busted me as their diagnostic equipment is sophisticated enough to lead them to exactly what I had done! Nice folks, didn't charge me but it was a hassle waiting for the car and a little embarrasing admitting I had been monkeying around. So, reinstall everyting and connect the seat prior to turning the car on and you will be OK. Reception is much better than the mag mount antenna that came with the XM radio and of course better looking. Doesn't seem to be any difference between Sirius and XM when it comes to antenna's. Hope that helps save someone from a trip to MINI to reset the airbag light.