surteco

How did you run the wire since the trunk hinges both ways? With the Intergration Technologies unit there is no unit to put in the ashtray just 2 very small modules that are hidden behind the dash or under the seat. Surt

surteco

Johnnycake, I called Vias and they said they only make the interface not the XM or Sirius part. Aparently the seller on Ebay has put the whole package together. Surt

Habious

Surt,

Mag-mounted antenna about 4 inches from the 3rd brake light. Antenna comes with a plastic "track" that sticks to the trunk lid and holds/hides the wire.

I removed the 3rd brake light assembly (have to partially remove the trunk lid liner to get to it) and ran the wire inside.

Wire runs under the trunk lid liner over to the driver's side hinge. Wire comes out right by the hinge mechanism.

From there, wire runs straight down and gets tucked under the truck liner and then heads forward into the passenger compartment.

When the trunk opens like a trunk, the wire doesn't move at all. It's only when the trunk goes backwards (when the top mechanism is doing its dance). I have just enough slack between the trunk lid and the trunk so that, when the trunk is open all the way backwards, the wire is (almost) tight...straight up and down.

When the trunk closes back down the wire just goes down with it. The antenna line is not "floppy" like a speaker wire. It tends to keep its shape.

When I first started to run it and was trying to figure this out, I was really worried about the wire getting jammed up or "eaten" by the hinge mechanism. Nope, it stays neatly out of the way. Like I said, there's just enough slack so the trunk can open back so, there's not enough extra wire (when the lid's going down) to get in the way.

I've had this installed for 9 months. Drop and raise the top twice a day (on the nice days). Zero problems with it.

I considered some kind of little cable retractor, to keep the wire coiled up when slack but, it wasn't necessary.

I don't have any pics of where the wire meets the hinge but, if anyone's really curious, I can take one or two and post them.

surteco

Thanks for the description. I am going to leave my antenna on the windshield for now. The reception is great. However, I am now having the LOADING signal more often so I wonder if I have a defective interface. I sent a mail to intergrated solutions, hopefully they will have a solution. I will report back. Surteco

moose66

guitarmike. . . . .where are you located? I have a 2006 SC430 that I would love to have XM installed. Would be major brownie points with the Mrs.! By the way, is there a shark fin antenna that would work where you suggest mounting the antenna?

dseag2

I don't think I would classify the plug & play system as "not good". I have the Delphi Sky-Fi system in my console playing through a cassette adapter and it sounds great. It gets power inside the console and it automatically shuts off when the car shuts off, so it doesn't drain the battery. I have the antenna wire running out the back of the console, under the back seat and up behind one rear headrest, double-stick taped to the "package shelf". It isn't affected there when the top goes up/down and I get none of the "loading" issues that have been described. I get almost as few dropouts as I do with my M35 that has the sharkfin antenna. When I want to listen to my I-Pod, I also use a cassette adapter and it sounds better than it does through the actual L/R inputs in my M35. The only wire that shows in either case is the one to the cassette player.

I have to reach inside the console to change channels or songs, but it is still a viable solution for someone that doesn't want to go with the VAIS system. I'd say that's not ideal, but it still works.

surteco

Thanks for the input on the antenna location. The back shelf was my first choice but everyone I talked to said to put it outside.

I agree about the plug and play. However I just came out of a Z4 that I put one in and I was fed up with changing the channels on a seperate unit.

Bottom line it is inexcusable to have a $65 to $70K car and have to be looking for solutions to the Sat issue. If we can find solutions Lexus can also. Surt

JohnnyCake

That seems like just an IDEAL location -- did you center it on the package self or is it behind the headrest? Did you leave the "tail" exposed and how much?

Can you be any more specific about reception there? Do different enviornments (city/country) affect the reception? Is there any way you can better quantify the dropout issue -- are we talking "rare, almost no problem at all" or "once an hour, but the antenna looks really good there."

Anyone else install there and have experiences to report?

NexVision

I actually installed it on mine not a direct to headunit but using a roady 2 and a tape deck I put the antenna on the front of the car above the windshield on the little strip between where the roof meets. Never had a reception problem or wiring problem.

gekisai29

Great product & support.

SC430Sam

I just ordered the Vais Technology unit along with the XMD-1000. It should arrive Tuesday, so later next week I will hopefully have time to have it installed by my local high-end audio installers, Ultimate Audio. To those who have had it installed, how long did it take. Also, if you got it installed, how long. This place is $95 an hour and he said it would not take more then 2 hours, he even guessed 1. Is this about right?

Would some of you with antennas installed send me some pictures? I know I want it to be on the dash. I am debating between the front corner or in the dead center. Also, the antenna this one has is magnetic, how did you guys get it to stick to the dash? Thank you a bunch.

surteco

I Think you may be unhappy with the antenna on the dash. I tried this and then put it low in the corner of the windshield on the drivers side. Next I put it in the top center of the windshield, outside. I worked the wire into the grove with the windshield gasket across the top and down the drivers side. The antenna wire goes thru the firewall and across to the console.

I glued the antenna with sylicone adhesive instead of the double stick tape. With this placement you have to have the smallest possible antenna since it will clear the windshield wiper by only 2 or 3 mm. If you move it off center to the pasenger side, clerance is no problem, however I think it looks beter centered.

The antenna hardly shows since the windshield is heavily tinted in this area. Reception is as good as my suv with roof mounted antenna.

Regarding the install, My shop charged $60 per hour and I think I paid about $150. (sorry, forgot exactly). The biggest problem is removing the factory radio. You should probably figure 2 to 3 hours.

I ended up moving the antenna myself, but I would not try the instalation.

As a side note, I had trouble with the Sirius tuner. It kept reloading the channels and this could take as much as 15 min. Verry annoying.

After talking with intigerated solutions (where I ordered it on E bay) and as well direct conversation with Vais, Integrated sent me a complete new system no charge. I will have the components replaced this week. I have been told the shop will charge me 1 hr to do this.

I think this faulty tuner was a fluke, and not typical.

This unit is great and performes flawlesly (except for the loading issue) and I could not ask for more from intergration solutions.

Regards Surt

SC430Sam

Can I get some pictures of the install of the antenna?

moose66

surteco,

Where are you located in NC? I just purchased the VAIS unit for my car and am in the process of searching for a place to have it installed.

Thanks.

surteco

Iwill try to figure out how to post photos tonight.

I am in Greensboro, I had it done at DeDonna on Market St. Bruce DeDonna is the owner. They do a lot of work on Mercedes, Lambo's, Ferrrari, Porsch, etc, etc, I just bought a G500 Mercedes and the Mercedes dealer actually told me to go to this place.

Their phone is 336 851 1300. Tell Bruce you want the same thing done that he did for Mike in the white SC with red interior.

Regards,