SIRIUS Sportster in my 2004 Maxima SE
09-08-2004, 02:35 PM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 30
SIRIUS Sportster in my 2004 Maxima SE
I had to post this because I am extremely happy! I went and purchased the new Sirius Sportster for my new Maxima. I placed the antenna inside the car in the back window right below my passenger rear window. I then ran the antenna wire down the passenger side door and underneath the passenger seat right into the glove box. I then plugged the cigarette adapter in the glove box and snaked it through the hole which is available. It has an FM Modulator and WOW how cool did this mount go! You cant even tell I have Satellite radio in the car!
09-08-2004, 04:00 PM
#4
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 292
I did something similar in my Elite with an XM Roady - here is a pic - installed the head unit and FM modulator in the rear console (no one ever sits back there anyway) and control the head unit with a remote from the front - snaked the antenna wire between the back console and rear seat, and mounted the antenna in the back window. Overall install time = 15 minutes, and you can't tell that the car has satellite radio from the outside, and the reception / sound is terriffic! Easy to do and by-passes the Nissan VIN number with XM when you do an OEM install...
What do you all think??
What do you all think??
09-08-2004, 06:19 PM
#7
Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 951
I have my XM Roady in the center front console. Tried the FM modulator.....alot of bass signal loss. Ended up using the casette adapter which worked alot better and less sound degredation. Easy to unplug the radio from my center console, I can still change channels when I want, and no permanent mount drilled in the car. I am real happy with the results.
09-08-2004, 06:22 PM
#8
Banned
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 376
Originally Posted by 04SEelite
I did something similar in my Elite with an XM Roady - here is a pic - installed the head unit and FM modulator in the rear console (no one ever sits back there anyway) and control the head unit with a remote from the front - snaked the antenna wire between the back console and rear seat, and mounted the antenna in the back window. Overall install time = 15 minutes, and you can't tell that the car has satellite radio from the outside, and the reception / sound is terriffic! Easy to do and by-passes the Nissan VIN number with XM when you do an OEM install...
What do you all think??
What do you all think??
Last thing... 04SEelite, what did you mean by, "Easy to do and by-passes the Nissan VIN number with XM when you do an OEM install..." from your post?
09-08-2004, 07:36 PM
#9
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 292
I was told by my dealer that the agreement that Nissan has with XM/Sirius is only valid for certain VIN numbers, and if you install an OEM unit in a car that is not pre-wired from Nissan for the service, XM/Sirius will not activate the head-unit with service due to the licensing agreement with Nissan. This said, I decided to go the XM head-unit-Roady direction to avoid any possible refusal for service. Plus, as my car was not pre-wired, I would have had to rip out the interior to run the wiring harness to mount the OEM unit in the trunk. Lots of $$$, and not much gain. Like I said, I don't do a lot of channel surfing with the XM radio, and pretty much leave it on one channel (or two).
One other note, the reception does not seem to degrade with the rear sunscreen up in my car. The XM techs told me that as long as the antenna has a 45-degree in all directions to the sky from the mounting location, that whether it is inside or outside should not make a lot of difference.
Mine seems to work fine where it is - still get the normal high-rise shadow from buildings, etc., but am sure that that would occur whether the antenna is inside or outside, and I like the fact that you can't see the antenna when you look at the car outside. Cleaner IMHO, and I am willing to live with the "sometimes lost signal from trees" because I like the look.
I am sure that outside is probably "ideal" but it's all in the eyes of the beholder I guess...
One other note, the reception does not seem to degrade with the rear sunscreen up in my car. The XM techs told me that as long as the antenna has a 45-degree in all directions to the sky from the mounting location, that whether it is inside or outside should not make a lot of difference.
Mine seems to work fine where it is - still get the normal high-rise shadow from buildings, etc., but am sure that that would occur whether the antenna is inside or outside, and I like the fact that you can't see the antenna when you look at the car outside. Cleaner IMHO, and I am willing to live with the "sometimes lost signal from trees" because I like the look.
I am sure that outside is probably "ideal" but it's all in the eyes of the beholder I guess...
09-08-2004, 08:42 PM
#10
Member
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 34
Originally Posted by davesipaq
I had to post this because I am extremely happy! I went and purchased the new Sirius Sportster for my new Maxima. I placed the antenna inside the car in the back window right below my passenger rear window. I then ran the antenna wire down the passenger side door and underneath the passenger seat right into the glove box. I then plugged the cigarette adapter in the glove box and snaked it through the hole which is available. It has an FM Modulator and WOW how cool did this mount go! You cant even tell I have Satellite radio in the car!
As far as the antenna goes, I have mine on the roof. Due to the orbits of the SIRIUS satellites, you are better off having it on top. No issues what so ever with either vehicle. My 2 cents on that issue.
09-08-2004, 09:32 PM
#11
Banned
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 376
Originally Posted by mikey0120
The SIRIUS Sportster is efinitely the latest and greatest unit. I have a factory Sirius unit in the 04, but have the Sportster in my Titan. Great unit, loaded with features and affordable. Glad I got it. Plus I am a huge football fan (NFL and College)
As far as the antenna goes, I have mine on the roof. Due to the orbits of the SIRIUS satellites, you are better off having it on top. No issues what so ever with either vehicle. My 2 cents on that issue.
As far as the antenna goes, I have mine on the roof. Due to the orbits of the SIRIUS satellites, you are better off having it on top. No issues what so ever with either vehicle. My 2 cents on that issue.
Any XM subscribers like to chime in? Are XM users exclusively able to put their antennas inside w/ little/no signal loss? Are there any SIRIUS users out there who have their antennas installed inside w/ little/no signal loss? INQUIRING MINDS WANT TO KNOW!!!
09-08-2004, 09:40 PM
#12
Banned
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 376
Originally Posted by 04SEelite
I was told by my dealer that the agreement that Nissan has with XM/Sirius is only valid for certain VIN numbers, and if you install an OEM unit in a car that is not pre-wired from Nissan for the service, XM/Sirius will not activate the head-unit with service due to the licensing agreement with Nissan. This said, I decided to go the XM head-unit-Roady direction to avoid any possible refusal for service. Plus, as my car was not pre-wired, I would have had to rip out the interior to run the wiring harness to mount the OEM unit in the trunk. Lots of $$$, and not much gain. Like I said, I don't do a lot of channel surfing with the XM radio, and pretty much leave it on one channel (or two).
One other note, the reception does not seem to degrade with the rear sunscreen up in my car. The XM techs told me that as long as the antenna has a 45-degree in all directions to the sky from the mounting location, that whether it is inside or outside should not make a lot of difference.
Mine seems to work fine where it is - still get the normal high-rise shadow from buildings, etc., but am sure that that would occur whether the antenna is inside or outside, and I like the fact that you can't see the antenna when you look at the car outside. Cleaner IMHO, and I am willing to live with the "sometimes lost signal from trees" because I like the look.
I am sure that outside is probably "ideal" but it's all in the eyes of the beholder I guess...
One other note, the reception does not seem to degrade with the rear sunscreen up in my car. The XM techs told me that as long as the antenna has a 45-degree in all directions to the sky from the mounting location, that whether it is inside or outside should not make a lot of difference.
Mine seems to work fine where it is - still get the normal high-rise shadow from buildings, etc., but am sure that that would occur whether the antenna is inside or outside, and I like the fact that you can't see the antenna when you look at the car outside. Cleaner IMHO, and I am willing to live with the "sometimes lost signal from trees" because I like the look.
I am sure that outside is probably "ideal" but it's all in the eyes of the beholder I guess...
09-09-2004, 04:50 AM
#13
Supporting Maxima.org Member
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 292
It wasn't until the modulated option became available that I had an affordable and "clean" install option (no cords and casettes dangling from the dash) - liked the way it worked and looked so well, that I bought a Roady2 with the built in modulator and installed it in my wife's 2003 Altima SE - she loves it too, and the antenna is on the inside with no issues...could be the Sirius sats are a bit different angle, but both of our XM's are great!
09-09-2004, 06:25 AM
#14
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 143
Originally Posted by hofb99
Man, that's totally unacceptable! I thought that if you didn't have the pre-wire, all you had to worry about was getting that done. Had no idea there was a licensing issue that would prohibit early produced MAXs from being activated via SIRIUS or XM using the OEM tuner. So the only other option is to go "universal". That sucks! I would be totally ****ed!
09-09-2004, 07:51 AM
#15
Member
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 92
The licensing agreement and VIN correlation (in regards to activation requirement) is a bunch of crap. When you call to activate, they don't ask your vehicle vin. All they want is the ID number of your receiver, so as to activate your specific unit.
My tint is 20% in the rear and I had the same problem as HOFB99 when installing my XM-mini on the rear deck. The only way I got a decent signal was when travling in a northerly direction. Going south, it cut out. Ended up putting it on the roof in the normal spot and crystal clear ever since.
My tint is 20% in the rear and I had the same problem as HOFB99 when installing my XM-mini on the rear deck. The only way I got a decent signal was when travling in a northerly direction. Going south, it cut out. Ended up putting it on the roof in the normal spot and crystal clear ever since.
09-09-2004, 08:25 AM
#16
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2003
Posts: 143
Originally Posted by Spunko
My tint is 20% in the rear and I had the same problem as HOFB99 when installing my XM-mini on the rear deck. The only way I got a decent signal was when travling in a northerly direction. Going south, it cut out. Ended up putting it on the roof in the normal spot and crystal clear ever since.
Also remember folks, XM utilizes geostationary (fixed) satellites, while Sirius birds criss-cross each other and are always on the move. I'm reminded of this when I go through the drive through at my bank every day. Many times, my Sirius (roof mount from factory) will work fine under the 15' high roof of the drivethrough, yet sometimes the signal is killed while I'm under there. All depends on where the sats are at the time! This factor would cause the rear deck mount to work more often with Sirius I'd think.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
soon2ownmax
6th Generation Maxima (2004-2008)
0
08-13-2015 02:19 PM