seige25

Some History:

Ok, so my wonderful girlfriend gets me the sportster for Xmas from BB. The only gift she's ever gotten me that she knew I would love. I am a bit of a picky/**** freak bout my stuff. Immediately we take it back because I know BB & CC are always overpriced. So I search a bit find a deal for the Sportster and 1 year subs. for $50 (the unit) and like $140 for the subs. We order from Sirius direct on December 29. I get a conf email stating within 48 hrs should ship. One week later I call, well it takes 1-2 weeks sir....ok. Gives me time to search for install ideas etc...here and elsewhere. Flash forward 2 weeks from order....Nothing in site. Call back, please give me straight answer. They tell me it's gonna be another 1-2 weeks as they are now back ordered. OK. One week later I call again, nothing and the guy tells me he'll take off $20. OK! Soooo this past week nothing and I call and they have a UPS tracking #!? No shipping email but it went out and I rec'd it yesterday! Woohoo!

Possible Problem:
The box says Sportster PRO model number SP-CK1. My heart drops. What the hell! After four weeks! I open it and the unit and cradle seem the same. Fabulous. The mount though is a LARGE suction mount. I guess this model is for TRUCKERS specifically for their vertical windshields. Great. Luckily I bought an aftermarket mount from Bracketron. www.bracketron.com. Search for the car manufacturer in the upper right hand corner of the front page. This was they only after market VSM for the 2004 Maxima that I found that mounts to the console. Pro-fit has "clip" type mounts that actually looked ok too. This was metal, pro-fit is hardened plastic.

Temp install:
1. MOUNT: VSM mount from Bracketron as stated above. This involves removing the center console. Time required, 10-15 minutes. Depending on how much TLC you use. See the following link to maxima.org for a good picture on how to do this: http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=365438. For the mount you need not take out the LCD information center. Only the first console panel. Follow the directions that come with the bracket. ONE MAJOR ISSUE: If you order the bracket alone w/o the swivel mount, you will run into a problem. The locking mechanism from the sportster cradle is too big and will prevent you from mounting the cradle to the VSM mount. Huh? nice eh? Two options. Get the VSM mount with the swivel option. $36.99 shipped from GSX. One of the online Etailers for bracketron. You're in the clear. OR two, use a dremmel(sp?) tool to trim the locking switch down a good 1/4-3/8". Still leaving a little nub to switch the lock. I chose option #1, swivel mount.

2. INPUT: I am using the oem FM modulator for now until i install the PAC AAI-NIS auxiliary audio input. I tucked it back in between the console trim and the dash to hide it. Sound quality: 5/10. Like terrestrial radio I would say. Not good. I did buy a direct hardwire SATSWB from CC at first and was planning on using it until I found the PAC product. Again look to here for the PAC install: http://forums.maxima.org/showthread.php?t=365438. Cost for the PAC AAI-NIS was $76.49 shipped from X-10. They have em in stock. Some places are out.

3. POWER: For now again I am using the power cord as provided. But I did snake it through the same trim point I stuck the FM cord. It's pretty obvious once you start where to stick it. Then drop the power cord down and out the bottom of the panel just below the socket and plug it in. Put on the panel and hide it away. I will repost when I install the hardwire option. You can search and you will find many options.

4. ANTENNA: So this is where it gets really sloppy. Basically again I snaked the wire in the same point and ran it in the center console that has the shifter and cup holder and brought it out on the passenger side and then just laid the wire on the back seat and tossed the antenna on the back deck by the third brake light. This is totally temp I swear. I hate the look, but the antenna gets great reception. Three bars at all times for now. And yesterday when i installed it as well as today we are in the middle of a blizzard in Chicago. 12" snow by the end of it. So the sky is not clear. I will most likely do a roof mount under all the trim and out through the trunk like a typical set up.

5. WRAP UP: In the end it looks very clean, except for the antenna wire. Sound is fine for now. PAC install will solve that. Bracket keeps the unit away from the passengers knees and the position of the mount is basically like looking at the regular radio. When I get time I will post pics of the install for others to ponder. Hope this help all that have a Maxima and missed out on the factory SAT radio as I stupidly said no to as well!

6. Pictures:

OK so I started the post at this website below, so the write up is exactly the same, I just added the pics to the site tonight. Check em out:

http://www.siriusbackstage.com/foru...pic.php?t=19071

Sorry for the redundancy.