or if you in New Orleans cause it never feeezes doew here

 

Ok well what about if say you live in new mexico and it does'nt get to cold and the it goes up but I still can't get radio reception for ****. And it's connected and working. like that in my old 3rd gen to. I hate max's antena's. My friend's old crap ranger get's reception like 50 miles farther than my car.

 

4 years old and zero degrees and mine goes up and down just fine.




The antanna that is...

 

Even if they are giving you trouble they are like 15 bucks to replace at Pep Boys.. 10 minute instalation time and your on top of the game. I just replaced mine last week, without incident or futher issue at all.

 

I'm the original owner of my car, and I've had it 70 months. No problems with the power antenna. I've tried lithium before, but I just use WD 40 and make sure I don't spray or drip it onto the car. I also use a rag to wipe the mast and get the lubricant onto each section. It's not rocket science fellas.

 

Like someone else said: the antenna is not bad, it just needs to be cleaned and lubed every so often. Mine stuck at 6" when I parked this morning, so I think I'm going to clean it again. Actually, WD40 might not be a bad thing to use to CLEAN the antenna (WD is a better cleaner than lubricant). I was also thinking some acetone or something equally nasty to get the old grease off. Last time I did mine i didn't clean it and used white lithium grease, but I think that it might tend to thicken up too much in cold weather so I'm going to look for the tri-flow or something similar...or maybe silicone...thanks for the tips.

 

They do suck bad, but they were at their worse on the 89-94's. I dunno why Nissan waited until 2000 to incorporate the Back window antenna when Honda started doing it in 96 on the Accord. they could have made some changes for 96 or 97 to do that.

 

Mine on my 2nd gen maxima went this summer. It seems on the 2nd gens they always get stuck in the up position so I still have a radio to listen to. I havent found time to fix it yet. I love auto antenni. Of course when I get my 4th gen. Im going to shave it off and install the functional oogli antenna on the back of the top of the car.

 

I agree.

If you guys really need to know why a mast antenna is better than a concealed one, what was explained to me is that FM band gain is deficient with the concealed antenna. That doesn't mean that it wont work, it means that it cannot perform as well as a mast antenna. BUT, if the broadcast is sufficient, one can get by with the concealed antenna. The actual numbers are -5db for the former, and -12db for the latter. All the mumbo jumbo in the end affects reception. That also affects the seek/scan functions. Those of you who listen to AM radio, WFAN etc., it shouldn't affect the upper band of AM. But you should see better performance at the low part of the band with the mast.

If you keep the mast clean, it's fine.

ps--anyone know why the mast was moved to the back of the vehicle? easier to eliminate noise caused by the ignition, motor, etc.

 

My antenna seems to work great, I just hate listening to it collapse down when I turn the car off.

 

With a decent headunit we get ILL radio reception off that antenna. Yu should hear how the radio sounds in my car...NASTY.

I always thought the rear mounted/raked antenna looked kinda dope actually. I wouldn't ever shave mine.

 

Try using a light teflon-based on it, like they use on guns. DONT use WD-40. It displaces moisture, but also causes ice to form.

 

Maybe this is why there are 2 antennas: One in rear window also.

 

Do you all really want that long antenna sticking out the back of your car??? I'm glad mine only goes up about a quarter than it should normally go. Looks sportier. Mine friend's look like a fishing pole, when he turns on the radio. But am glad mine works,

 

uhhhhh......my 99 has it incorporated into the rear window.........

 

I did the exact same thing! I haven't gotten the new mast yet though. Where did you get yours from? Is it working okay?

 

Yeah, I just think it's funny what the original subject of the post was. In life, the most beautiful thing in business is when you can give customers less, and charge them more. But that's business, not what's right. So to say that Nissan made a mistake giving you better reception for the same money is well, not too informed. Doing the concealed antenna is much cheaper than having a complicated power antenna. It's good for Nissan, but not the best for reception. Thing is, head units have excellent sensitivity these days so there are many cases in an urban environment, from a practical standpoint, that there is no harm or foul.

 

You can always shave it and get a Fuba/Zendar.

 

That's what I'm doing. Who installed yours, body shop, you, stereo shop?

Oh yeah how's the reception?

 

Don't bother sending in your application to MIT, or Penn State Engineering for that matter.

Um.....not as good as the factory power antenna. Ya think?

 

Well I dont know about the 3rd and fourth gen maximas. But There is a second AM antenna at the top of the 2nd gen maximas back window. It squiggles here and there. But when I do turn it to the AM station just to try it out it works fine. At first I thought I had a broken defrosting area when I first got the car, but later found out its the AM antenna.

 

Well, in the picture, I have a Fuba. I have since purchased (and installed) a Zendar. For no other reason than I wanted to be able to adjust the angle (the Fuba is fixed at 45^, the Zendat can go from 15^ to 85^). Oh, I take that back, the Fuba wasn't taking body color paint too well (rubber base) so I thought I might have better luck with the all-plastic Zendar (haven't painted it yet). The Fuba is amplified, the Zendar is not. But here's the deal with reception. If you have a Bose system like I do, your FM antenna is in the rear windshield. So you can take off your power 'tenna and you won't notice a thing. But you'll lose AM. So I was lazy to hook-up the AM for a while. But I finally did and it is fine. I would say if stock reception is an 8 (B), the Zendar is an 8 and the Fuba is an 8.5 (B+). Oh, and I installed it myself. Let me know if I can help.

 

The radio sucks anyway..

 

Let me know if I can help.[/QUOTE]

Hey, if you did a how 2 write up with pics I'm positive it would be well received on the org! Too bad I'll have to wait for spring at the earliest to do this mod. It's absolutely arctic freeze in Albany, NY right now. I need to get out west!!!

-R

 

Hey, if you did a how 2 write up with pics I'm positive it would be well received on the org! Too bad I'll have to wait for spring at the earliest to do this mod. It's absolutely arctic freeze in Albany, NY right now. I need to get out west!!!

-R[/QUOTE]


Well, no I didn't. I didn't think about it. Sorry. But I can talk (write) you through it whenever you are ready. You basically just drill whole in your hood (I know, easier said (written) than done) and then tap your new antenna wiring into the wiring of the stock antenna so that you don't have to run the new wires all the way to the radio. You just need to pull down enough headliner in the back to work and remove the back passenger C pillar.

 

how about just getting one of these:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...&category=1498

 

Yesterday was the first time it ever happened to me. When I get the dent in my rear quarter panel fixed I will shave the antenae.

 

Hehehe Move to Florida and quit *****ing, its hot here in January