This is a brief write up of my XM install in my week 34 MCSa. I purchased a Sportcaster from "myradio" for $20 and the direct wire fused link for $19.95. I got around to installing it today. The only item I don't have yet is the antenna extender to plug into the oem link below the passenger seat, but I ran the supplied antenna to the dash and it it mounted on the right hand corner by the windscreen where it gets good reception and is hardly noticeable.

It took me some time to decide where exactly I was going to install the mount. I initially was going to mount it on the angled portion of the center just below the aux plug in, but the angle was too hard to drill holes and it is also flexes alot (making me wonder about vibrational stability of the XM. I wound up drilling holes in the flat portion that is vertical. I used two plastic trim inserts and then trim screws to attach the mount-seemed pretty secure.

One thing that I learned in particular with the Sportscaster is that it is ~4.5" long and the space for mounting is ~5.25" wide. So, right angle miniplugs (or adapters) are necessary. The power plug is right angle as well as the supplied XM antenna (I am a little worried that the antenna lead extender for using the factory antenna might not fit).

Another issue is the lack of any significant metal in the cockpit for running a ground. After several attempts to find something, I drilled a 3/16 hole in the metal brace visible in the fuse area and attached a ground screw there-works very well. I used the "add a fuse" at fuse #21 (I don't have nav, so no joy stick).

All wires were run in a loom and everything zip-tied to make it look good and stay hidden.

The display of the unit is as close to the color of the instrument display as it can be and it looks like it is supposed to be there.

I will keep this until the merger and everything is sorted out and then I will consider the sat radio, but this is pretty good now.

See the pix attached. If there are questions, let me know.

 

Thanks for the details!

 

One of the best, and most informative posts I've read in here in the short time I've been a member.

I've come very close to pulling the trigger on an add-on XM radio, but I've wondered how I would mount it. I'm still a bit hestitant, but that's due to the proposed XM/Sirius merger - once they work out the details, then I'll do the dastardly deed.

Thanks - great post.

 

Sweet. Looks very nice there.
You are right about the cable extension. I got mine off of Ebay, too. It has a straight connector which will make it a very snug fit that deep in the cubbyhole. I think it can be done, but the wire will need to be colored black to hide it.
Very nice. Thanks for the post.

 

Thanks for the write-up! Where did you locate the antenna?

 

Excellent and informative. Very clean look. Is it hard to see the display and control the device while driving?

 

The antenna is at the far right hand of the dash next to the front window and the "cut line" in the dash. Lead wire is hidden and the reception is good. The display is really egonomically low, but it has a remote and I just toggle btw my favorites (it is amazing that you get a radio, antenna, mounting kit, and remote for only $20-clearly underwritten by XM).

 

As for a place to ground, I used the screw seen to the left of the glovebox when opened for hardwiring my Nuvi GPS.

 

AsI tried to do that (it is a grounding source as it is metal to metal), but I couldn't hide a wire to my satisfaction, so I used the brace. It keeps all the wiring in one location (easy for removal).

 

Yeah, it does look a little ghetto, but it was quick and dirty for me. I just used a add-a-fuse to hide cig adapters under the center console. Pseudo-hard-wiring.

Anyway, congrats on the nice install again. I'm still debating between sirius and XM.

 

No need to debate much longer, Congress just approved the merger so it will be pretty much Sirius running the show.