steven1888

I search but I didnt get a direct answer to this. So how do you take the antenna off? Does anyone have diy with pictures somewhere?

Bunkx9

Not sure why you'd want to?

NewtwoMB

Probably to paint it I'd guess. I'd like to do mine - beats me why MB left it in the tacky black plastic instead of body colour or even hi-gloss black.

steven1888

Want to wrap the roof, dont want to have the vinyl go over the antenna..

aznmode

Nice. I got quoted $225 for mine since they have to remove the antenna. Is it fairly easy to wrap nowadays? I hate getting bubbles so I was gonna have it professionally done.

NewtwoMB

Only help I can offer is that I was told the antenna can possibly be reached by removing the rear interior light cluster. I did that and it still didn't look very easy. My local approved MB bodyshop said that the headliner needs to be removed!

I've seen fake covers that could cover the antenna after your wrap job but don't know what this would do to the GPS / radio signals....

Good luck!

w204_Generic

Can't you just go around the antenna? With the vinyl.

JPc300

The only way to remove the antenna is to remove the headliner. I know it's not what you want to hear but it's the only way.

JPc300

djejglk

With all the intricate curves and small areas that people get wrapped it seams crazy they can't "wrap around" the antennae.

Mikephinney

I removed mine just fine to repair it after a high speed buffer incident.

Remove the light in the rear with the MB specialty tool (MasterCard in this case) just push in up and in from the front. Move it left or right and pull down gently. Unplug it. Now the macguyver stuff starts. I forget if it's a torx head or an Allen. Either way, I had a socket with that on it. Held it in place with two fingers and a small vice grip plier on the base of the socket. About two turns (8th of a turn at a time with the vice grip) and it was finger loose. Once you get the bolt removed, it is still attached by the wires which you will not get removed with out removing the headliner. I imagine if you loosened it about 4 or 5 turns it would suffice for the installer. Just do it on site, don't drive down the road with it loose, it won't be there when you arrive!

FFM

Hey,

So there are NO connectors at the antenna that are removable at all?

When the service instructions specifies leads are those not at the antenna?

W57thNY

I'm confused, since when were the shark-fin covers just black plastic? I just checked my car a moment ago, and it's body-colored.

Mikephinney

Under the antenna there is a circuit board. You can remove that from the sharkfin. The leads connect under the head liner a couple of feet in.

The color keyed fin comes with a certain package or something. However I don't think I've seen a C class that had the sharkfin match the body.

xjaymzzx

I just got my first buffer, what was your high speed buffer incident? So i can avoid the same mistake

FFM

Good to know. I will investigate before I take the car down there. Long as the fin is removed the circuitboard can just dangle while they are wrapping.

Mikephinney

Exactly.

Mikephinney

I was working the roof and the edge of the pad hit the fin, and it melted that area. It was a bit of a project the fix it. You can't just buy the fin, as with other parts from MBZ, you have to but the internals as well. About $300. Looks great now and was worth the effort. Just polish that area around it by hand is my recommendation. However I never used the high speed buffer again. Went and picked up a nice orbital from Griots Garage. No more worries.

Good luck and have fun.

FFM

Yeah, I don't think people realize how easy it is to burn your paint with a high speed buffer. Even just sitting on a radius too long can cause damage.

Orbital is the way to go.

Mikephinney

Literally, I hit it for 1 second.

This was a pain in the butt lesson.

C300CA

I have some package and heated seats, but my shark fin is shiny black not matching the palladium silver. The best people can do is to buy black body color.

W57thNY

My 2013 C250 has the sharkfin painted the same color as the car - Iridium Silver. I think I've seen other colors match, so you may just be able to buy the color for your car from the parts department.