dvap

Hi, does anyone have a picture of the Satellite Antenna on a 2005 230 sport sedan? I am told it goes on the trunk, but wanted to see what it looks like.

Thanks in advance for any help!
David

kort677

do a search on t bones install, do not install that thing on your trunk!

dvap

Hi, did a search on 'bones install' and didn't find any pics or text.... please advise!

anal

David,
I'm sorry, I don't have a picture of the Sirius antenna...but when you see one, I predict that you'll throw up!

I was ordering my C320 SS last week, all hopped up on the Sirius accessory, and asked the sales lady what the antenna looked like. She was kind enough to run back to the parts dept. and grab one to show me. The base of it is about 5 in. by 3 or 4in. and it's about 3in. high. In other words, a real "handful". It's black plastic with a grainy finish and a big black rubber(?) gasket around the edge. The base plate is gold-irridited steel, which would be hidden under the cover and gasket. The whole thing is quite heavy and has a "military" feel to it, but it is, well, I guess "UUUGGGLLLYYY!!!" would be the word to describe it.

The whole thing was disconcerting, to say the least, as the car I ordered is Alabaster White! I suppose you could paint the cover to match your car color, but if the paint had any metallic content it would probably end up shielding the signal from the antenna and killing reception. Not to mention the fact that Mercedes busted their hump developing that beautiful new "ceramic" paint process, and now I'm supposed to drill a hole (by the look of the anchoring device I'm guessing the hole will be about 3/8" or 7/16" dia.) through my new paint and deck lid to mount this obscene lump of crap!

I told the sales lady that I had read somewhere on here that someone out west had ordered a car and been told that Mercedes was working on a new antenna design that would mount inside on the parcel shelf, under the rear window glass, and so was waiting to have their system installed until the new antenna design was released. She asked their parts guy about it and they hadn't heard anything about it so I told them to forget the Sirius.

dvap

I think I need to call my dealer first thing in the morning! They are supposed to install it tomorrow!

If anyone has any confirmation on the availability of a new antenna, please let me know asap!

Thanks, david

Tariq

Here you go.. I hope this will help you...

Satellite Radio Install Bulletins

http://phdwebsite.powerpulse.cc/Sate...stallation.pdf


Regards

Buellwinkle

Wooweee, that looks as bad as the one I saw at C-Spot. The guy there told me that it was just a prototype and it won't look as bad in real life. Guess what, it looks as bad in real life. Trust me, it's really bad and the fact that they drill into your trunklid makes it permanently ugly.

I got my XM Roady (or you can get the equivalently tiny Sirius Clarion PnP) and shoved the tiny antena between the dash pad and instrument cluster for a clean install. Some mounted it in their ashtray but I put it in the cubby below the 2004 radio. Under $200 and you can use it in any car. Or maybe you can find a way to convince the dealer to install it under the dash pad (not near the vent screen, it blocks the signal). At worst, put it on the rear shelf in front of the rear window.

dvap

Well, for those who care... here is what I have done with my satellite radio antenna.

1. I asked the dealer to install everything for the satellite radio EXCEPT for the antenna. Of course, the dealer hesitated saying that it was a leading edge integrated solution that mere mortals should not mess with, but in the end they did as I asked.
2. Ordered the Terk Sir-Mini antenna from Crutchfield
3. Ordered the Terk Sir-SP 2 connector to 1 connector adapter. The Mercedes solution requires two connectors for the antenna and is prewired for two wires. The newer antenna such as the Terk Sir-Mini only require one wire, thus the adapter.
4. I opened the passenger side rear tail-light access panel, which also gives you access to the satellite radio box.
5. I disconnected the stock wires for the antenna and hooked up the 2-1 adapter.
6. I routed the antenna through the trunk and up onto the rear-deck of my car (note I have the split fold rear seat which made this easy.
7. I now get fairly good reception even from the antenna on the rear deck of my car. I will see if I am satisified with this and if not, I will route the antenna up onto the roof of the car.

Don't hesitate to contact me with questions as this was easy to do and didn't require the stock military looking antenna and drilling of holes in the car!

david

scorchie

I install the stock Mercedes antenna for people in a hidden location.

I originally tried the method of getting a splitter and then an aftermarket (e.g. Terk) small antenna. I found this less than satisfactory... for a few reasons:

1) to attach the Terk splitter, you need to fit an ACL. That is why the splitter has different colored connectors than the Mercedes receiver. The ACL has blue/white in and curry/green out. The Terk splitter uses a "zero" white connector, which is universal... that is so that the other connector can be forced on to the improper color. Using the ACL is the "correct" fitment.

2) With the ACL and the splitter and then the antenna, there are several connectors in the system. If you do research on these connectors, you will find that at the frequencies used for satellite radio, the FAKRA SMB connectors have quite a bit of loss. Several connectors multiplied by this loss equals significant signal degradation. This leads to higher rates of dropouts.

So, if you can live with the possibly higher levels of dropouts, then using a different antenna might work for you. Remember, it also has a lot to do with where you live and the type of view you have of the sky... people living in Maine or Washington will have a worse "picture" than someone in Texas).

Using the OEM antenna fitted to a different location than the trunk is probably a superior solution.

-s-

dvap

scorchie brings up some good points. The 2 to 1 wire connector from terk isn't a clean fit. I was unaware of the ACL connector scorchie mentions (scorchie send us a link as to where we can order an ACL!) and instead, used a bit of electrical tape to hold the terk connector to the sirius box. Not exactly sophisticated, but it appears to do the job.

If scorchie can install the OEM antenna on the roof or somewhere for you, I AGREE that it would probably be a better and more professional solution..... I personally don't have the skills to be drilling holes in the roof of my car so I opted for a 'hack' solution!

David

CitronC230K_03

yes the sirius sat antenna dont compliment the lines of the car IMO. i wish they were mounted underneath the trunk like the CL.

scorchie

Actually, I install them the "T-Bone method" which Steve and I have used for some GPS antennas... it goes under the rear deck, the center towards the back so it has the best view of the sky!

This all came about originally on the W211 because of the issue with drilling into the EXPENSIVE aluminum trunk. Search for "sirius" in the W211 section.

Oh, and the ACLs... very scarce. The two connector receivers (blue/white, like Mercedes uses) have been discontinued by just about all Sirius manufacturers... along with that, dual-input antennas and the ACLs are pretty difficult to find!

-s-

Vader13

Just don't get the mod, the dealers charge up the A$$ for it I bet, and XM owns anyway, heres my custom install, usually they put em up high on the window, or on the trunk, The C32 has the tele-aid antena high on the rear window, so the shop said they usually put them on the trunk.. I said . no way time for custom mod time..
I put it right here, lower rear window..badazzzz, works great and XM is all I listen too..


blends in nice with the factory blue tint

jmartinacevedo

WHat's so special about the MB antenna that it MUST be installed on the trunk? I'll guarantee you should be able to get decent reception with the antenna sitting on top of the rear parcel shelf, against the rear glass. Personally, I've done this with XM in my car and with Sirius in my wife's car and the reception is flawless...
Martin-

scorchie

Nothing is so special about the MB antenna that is MUST be installed on the trunk. Where did you get this idea? And if you thought this, why would you guarantee that it would work not on the trunk, because that's already been stated in this thread?

I am sorry, I am not understanding...

-s-

kort677

search for "T-bones install"

LovinMercedes

Can you please tell me where you think the factory antenna can be installed?

CL600forMe

I got my antenna painted from www.colormatchantenna.com and they used my car in the gallery for their site. I guess I was one of their first customers the paint matches my car exactly. But still thankful I don't have the factory antenna.

mctwin2kman

For my coupe I have the Antennae on the center channel speaker grill nearest the windshield. Works great, used radio unit with the FM Transmitter built in and installed the unit in the center console top section so it was hidden and did not detract from the interior look. Plus no screw holes!

In my 190E the antennae is mounted on the rear deck inside the car and that works great as well. That was not a magnet mount antennae like my new one in the C and had been on another car and still needs to be prettied up, since the double sided tape was ripped off and I have yet to go out and get new tape. May end up mounting that on the trunk lid at some point but not sure yet. The 190E has a Clarion head unit with the Sirius capability and the Sat Receiver in the trunk. That uses one of those two wire hook-ups so I would be interested in finding a was to get a new antennae with single wire and the splitter, so I can have a smaller one and magnetic mount.

Inside the car mounting seems to work just fine and drops out the same areas it did when I had it on the roof of the other car it was in, so I am pleased with the inside mounting!

rockintunes23

The transmitter looks like almost the same place where Mazda installed mine. They put it in the middle of trunk lid just under my spoiler.

tyro

Are you the re-incarnation of niecedeboy?

I KOMPRZ

that thing looks ugly

mikefl52

Has anyone had a car delivered with the factory satellte install, which actually means the install is done at the VPC (preparation center - Jacksonville in my case) not at the factory? Are they still using the large antenna in the middle of the trunk or have the found a way of making it more discrete or even using the "sigma" antenna I have seen in other posts?

mikefl52

I sent an enquiry to mbusa and received this response:


Thank you for your recent internet inquiry.

The antenna for the Satellite Radio is still mounted on the trunk but it is
now smaller and will be body color. Since you ordered the SIRIUS Satellite
Radio with the vehicle, the unit will be installed at the Vehicle
Preparation Center (VPC.)

If we can be of any further assistance, please feel free to e-mail us again
or call us at
1-800-FOR-MERCedes (1-800-367-6372).

Sincerely,

Mark Sluscavage
Consumer Promotions
Mercedes-Benz USA, LLC


No indication of just how much smaller it is though!!

tonewheel

There is a reason that the magnetic antennas should be mounted on either the trunk or roof. And frankly, your best reception with ANY sat. antenna will be realized by doing so.

Think of a satellite dish, with the large round concave dish surrounding the centrally located collecter, whereby the metal body of your car acts as the dish, and the radio's trunk or roof-mounted antenna is the collector. That is how they are designed to work. Without the metal collection surface surrounding the antenna, reception will suffer.

No doubt you get reasonable reception with your antenna mounted elsewhere, such as the non-magnetic rear deck or other hidden location. But I guarantee you that while you may be satisfied with your reception, it is not as clear or as strong as it could/should be when it is magnetically mounted to a large metal surface.

Today's antenna options are so varied that there is no reason not to mount externally. My XM TERK antenna (tiny) is mounted on the roof of my 04 C230KSS, about 4 inches about the rear glass. The offset channel between the glass and body made for an ideal track to run the wire, and you truly cannot even see it. To get the wire into the trunk, the installer lifted the trunk molding, drilled out (and reprimed) a small groove to accommodate the wire, siliconed it in place and put the molding back. Fabulous install job. (These guys do all of the satellite radio installs in the western 'burbs of Chicago for the local MB, Audi and Porsche dealers.

I got the XM Commander, and the controller (coincidentally) has a perfect press-fit in the shelf underneath the radio.