RAD

FYI--

After a few phone calls with my sales guy, including giving him the phone numbers of other MB dealers that have done the "t-bone" Sirius install that I found here (thanks for those), he ultimately called Sirius. Sirius said they will only advocate the "top of the trunk" method--hence, that is the only method MB Manhattan is willing to do. Said they've done about 15 to date on both Es and Ss. I'm picking up my E500 4MATIC tomorrow in midnight blue, so I'm going to have the usual install done. If it were a lighter color, I might not.

kyee

Well, of course Sirius is going to say that they don't support an under the rear deck antenna install. This doesn't mean that it won't work in certain areas.

kort677

While at the dealership this morning, dropping off the car for a sirius installation I spotted an SL with te antenna mounted on the trunk, what he did was he sprayed the antenna the color of the car, it didn't look that bad. So that is another option.
I asked them to do a T-Bone install, but I didn't speak to the tech so the instructions were to either do the T-bone install or don't install the antenna.

I'll report back after picking it up

scorchie

As reported here and discussed earlier... spraying the antenna the color of the car works as long as you use a paint without any metallic content.

Remember that house paint used to have lead in it. Even white. Although lead content is not a problem anymore (thanks EPA), other metals are often used in many colors (not just metallics).

-s-

Barry45RPM

I live on Long Island, and have found that driving thru heavily tree lined streets, the TREES can block & interrupt Sirius's signal. If you live in such an area, or an area where there are narrow streets with tall builtings, your signal will be blocked. Satellite is NOT FM...Trunk mounting assures you of getting the strongest, most uninterrupted signal. It may work under the package shelf elsewhere, or it may not.

Sirius's satellites are in a different orbit than XM's. XM's satellites are high overhead, while Sirius's scientists elected to have them orbit lower in the sky. Sirius has 3 satellite transmitters, XM has 2.

Why? I dunno.

Whatever you decide, you will LOVE commercial free music & dirty comedy, even though they don't rotate the comedy bits as often as they should. Comedy is NOT good when you have a car full of people because it stops ALL conversation!

S55inPA

hi guys,

i have an 05 E500 sport on order and have been following
these posts pretty closely.

XM is really great. it came
installed in my 03 GMC2500HD pickup. only cuts out once
in a while and when it does it's not out for long. sound is terrific. the antenna is on the top of
the cab opposite the onstar antenna. looks good to me.

as for the MB method....i talked to my dealer yesterday
about it and they are perplexed at how idiotic MB is in
placing the antenna on the trunk. as much as i like XM i
will never drill a hole and place an antenna in the middle
of my trunk. that is an *** backwards way of installing
anything. i've got to believe that if the antenna was placed
on top of the rear deck behind the rear seats as close
to the rear window as possible that the antenna
would work fine. before i would ever drill my trunk i would at
least try this first. if it doesn't work....i would rethink if i really
wanted satellite radio at all. just my 2 cents.

Barry45RPM

You DO realize your truck's roof is drilled in 2 places, not one, because you have 2 antennas on the roof over the sun visors don't you? The wire for the Sirius antenna is less than 1/8 inch away from the bottom of the M-B Sirius antenna's location just under the trunk lid's skin. There is NO difference to the value of the car that is determined by who or which location the person holding the drill makes the actual hole, whether it be on the assembly line or at the dealership. If the antenna had been installed at the factory, it would be no more absurd than having 2 non matching antennas on your rooftop. C'mon stand in front of your truck & look at what that non symetrical mess looks like!

Its just that this is the state of the art at this time. In 5 years there will be a single integrated antenna factory mounted for the best reception. It will never be designed to look great, rather than to receive well.

DavidNJ

I've been reading these posts...and I now chime in.

First, trunk mounting is no panacea. The antenna should be on the roof. That is where every factory install (BMW, Acura) I know of puts it. There are some angles that the trunk can still be obscured by the roof.

Second, the t-bone install uses the metal package shelf frame as a ground plane and works because there is just cardboard and glass above it. Given the antenna's position under the sloping rear window, and with the side and front windows, it is a relatively small obstructed angle.

Third, as pointed out, buildings will block the signal. Trees block the signal? I'm pretty sure it won't work in the Holland Tunnel no matter where it is installed. However, for the suburban, highway commutes most of us have, it should work fairly well, getting better reception that the sometimes weak urban radio stations.

Fourth, as also pointed out, drilling a hole in the top of the trunk can lead to leaks. And the MB instructions, which highlight the importance of priming the bare metal however are a little weak on pre-paint surface prep, indicate a potential rust problem.

I am hoping by the time my car arrives at the dealer from ED in October, MB will either have or have announced an nice, body colored fin antenna. If not, I will be there when we do a t-bone install.

David

scorchie

The decklid is aluminum.

I leave it as an excercise for the reader to determine if the oxidization of this aluminum is going to be a problem for each individual.

-s-

Eddie Knopp

Also realize for those of us in large cities (at least here in NY) Sirius has a very large number of repeaters - hence no satellite problems.

Also I know that Sirius is looking into the "T-bone" method as I have discussed it at leangth with the Sirius rep who was at the Pocono AMG event.

Md_Benz

I asked my dealer about sat radio yesterday. They said they mount the antennea on the roof (near the back), that's where its prewired for my car (e500, build 3/04). They also said wait about 6 months before getting it installed, there have been lots of complaints about where the antennea is, and mercedes will probably have a different antennea configuration soon that will not require drilling a hole in the roof.

kort677

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Barry45RPM
[B]I live on Long Island, and have found that driving thru heavily tree lined streets, the TREES can block & interrupt Sirius's signal. If you live in such an area, or an area where there are narrow streets with tall builtings, your signal will be blocked. Satellite is NOT FM...Trunk mounting assures you of getting the strongest, most uninterrupted signal. It may work under the package shelf elsewhere, or it may not.

FWIW:

I have an after market sirius in my '95 e 300 d with the antenna mounted on the roof, and in places with weavy tree cover I also lose the signal, so I don't think that t-bones method will produce any worse performance.

still waiting for my car to be completed, I will report back about how t-bones install works for me

kort677

My dealer gave me the same 6 month story, but I don't care to wait

DavidNJ

Is the antenna wired in the roof? The roof and the rear deck?

I heard a rumor about a new antenna, but then nothing. I would wait 6 months to get it right. The new kit would probably also have a smaller electronics package.

David

P.S.
I didn't realize the deck lid was aluminum. Actually that would be rather unusual. Usually the hood/bonnet is aluminum since it is larger and over the heavier part of the car. An aluminum trunk/boot lid is also prone to denting from cargo inside, however the MBs would be protected by the liner.

The instructions do make a big deal about the primer though.

Barry45RPM

Drilling a hole in the roof can lead to leaks, and to rust as the roof is steel, not aluminum as is the trunk lid. That said, Satellite and its antenna is an emerging technology in its infancy. It will evolve, and where a person puts his antenna is up to the individual right now. I guess if it works for you, and you are happy, its OK.

As for the many repeaters located in NY...wait till its installed, then let me know how many surprising drop outs you get... a large tractor trailer can block the signal if you are in its "shadow", and the satelite is on its "sunny side"... (The satellites are NOT high in the sky, but rather low in the sky, towards the horizon.) If it remains blocked for 6 seconds, you get silence. We are so used to perfect FM reception, you WILL be surprised by the number of surprising momentary drop outs. Its not a "deal breaker" but surprising to the ears in this era of perfect FM, once again because of how far away the tranmitter is in outer space, and the inability for the signal to "radiate" around objects.

The next owner of your used Benz, will not care where the antenna is but rather, will be thrilled that you provided the installation! When cars are new, we tend to look microscopically at them as a shrine. Its really simple. There's no "righter" place for the antenna, like there is no right color combination or option list...

Whatever pleases you.

Barry45RPM

An explanation of Sirius's satellites' orbit...

"...SIRIUS has three satellites that launched into orbit in 2000 and uses Geosynchronous (Highly Inclined) Orbit. This is a 60-degree orbit as opposed to the 40-degree orbit used by our competitor."

...Just an explanation. I asked them & they responded. I don't know what we will do with the info...

S55inPA

hi guys,

barry45rpm,
i know that my truck has two antenna's on the roof .
keep in mind it's a pickup....not a MB. the appearance of
the antenna is not that big of a deal on a pickup. i'm just glad that my GMC has XM. when it
comes to purchasing a MB my guess is that all of us expect MB to be ahead of the curve when it comes to technology. ....or at least competent in using a technology. if my GMC pickup can have satellite radio installed and working at purchase why can't the dip****s at MB do the same. you would think GM or Ford would be asking us to drill our trunks....not MB

Barry45RPM

Because The MB is a car that is sold in many MANY countries around the world with an incredible number of permutations, language displays, RH drive, LH drive, different wheels, 6 different engines, different fuels, different color wood trims, model names, different navigation head units, an INCREDIBLE number of different builds depending on destinations, etc. etc. etc... GM may make a couple of variations of a very good selling vehicle for use outside of this country & if they are suitable, they can be used in another country. As a matter of fact, my buddy who works on the Cadillac line in Hamtramck MI, tells me they only run the European Spec cars 2 times a year, all to be purchased stock off dealer lots in Eurpoe, no special orders unless you want to wait 6 - 8 months.

The point is Satellite radio is only an American option. There is no Satellite anywhere else in the world. When you consider that MB did not develop satellite radio, (Chrysler & Ford are partial shareholders in Sirius, GM a major shareholder of XM) and is making it available for this market only, it IS almost a retrofit. Satellite radio was non existant before late 2000, and NO ONE even has a receiver to listen to it. It is in its INFANCY, we as its 1st subscribers are PIONEERS. You have no idea how much stuff is installed at the MB ports of entry on cars destined for USA delivery simply because it can't be accomodated on the assembly line. Its a dealer installed option. Like Air Conditioning USED to be on ALL (every) Toyotas that were sold in the late '60s, in this country when Toyota was a new thing here. There was a lot more involved in that procedure than drilling 1 small hole in an outside horizontal surface.

That's NOT how American cars are built/distributed in this country, by American factories, because they are made here to be sold here... but its the only way to distribute a relatively low volume in countries other than Germany/Europe. brand exported all over the world. Don't believe its a "low volume" car here? Compare the number of dealers in the USA of MB vs GMC/Chevy (same truck different trims).

The point is, yes, Satellite antennas ar not small attractive, color matched unobtrusive items. But that's all there is right now. Its just that that's the state of the (Satellite) art at this moment. If it gets better in a year, well hell, if you can repair a whole front end clip thats been hit, you can weld, fill & paint a 1/4 inch hole & install the next new beautifull antenna at that time, & no one will ever know...

Just explaining why it is what it is. Its not an MB incompetance thing...

DavidNJ

I will disagree a little. BMW has it factory installed with the antenna included in the roof sail (with phone, BMW Assist, and sat nav). Acura also has it in a roof sail.

And other manufacturers who have it trunk mounted PAINT a smooth finished unit (no bumps or ledges).

So, while MB may not be way behind other retrofits, it is behind some more advanced competition.

RAD

This has been stated before--and it's not just because I'm in denial! --but the trunk-mounted install really doesn't look as bad as you might think. Of course, I would have preferred the "t-bone" method (as the topic of this thread indicated), but my desire for the satellite radio overrides this one aesthetic issue. My sales guy assured me that since this is a dealer install, leaks etc. will never be an issue.

Tooling around Manhattan today, Sirius reception was great everywhere. Never lost a signal--not even on Park Avenue where it goes underneath the Helmsley building.

Barry45RPM

BINGO!

Eddie Knopp

Rad - thank the repeaters - outside of the city is where folks report dropouts.

S55inPA

barry45rpm,

good explanation.