What would you do? (Sirius receiver install)

[JolieCruiser]

I posted previously about having a Sirius receiver installed this past Sunday. I love the music but tonight I washed my car (we've had snow) and noticed where they put the antenna. Its above the center of the lift gate with a wire showing and actually sticking up. Its not laying flat. I am soooo disheartened. It looks so cheap and tacky. I was told no wires would be showing and it would be a professional installation. I know the guy ran over on time as he said the dash gave him fits and he almost broke my dash (I don't see outside damage and only hope internally there is none) and he had an 11 o'clock customer and didn't finish mine til 11:30. So I don't know if it was rush to get it done or that is how the antenna needs to be, but the wire sticking up is sooooo tacky. If I had known it would look like that I think I would have went back to the dealer to see about a factory radio that included sirius.
What do you think? I've got a call into Best Buy and a manager is going to call me back.

[CREWZIN]

Go back to the installer and politely tell and show him the part your not happy with. Tell him you were promised that no wires would show and you know he was in a rush but you'd like to have it finished as they said it would be.

Depending on his answer, go from there. Any decent shop would make good on what they said.

[JolieCruiser]

Thank you for the quick response. I've calmed down and then got a call back from Best Buy who said they would like to make it right. I bring it back tomorrow so a senior installer can look at it. I know there has to be some wire show but I would think it would lay flat on the roof. What is sticking up is just inviting someone to grab ahold and yank it. I looked to see the wire running along the area at the top and can actually pull it back taut (and duct tape it if I could lol) and I don't see where it needs to be loose and standing up so as not to interfere with the tailgate. Hopefully they can make it look neater.
Thanks again for your opinion! I wish I knew more about the "workings" of things. I did call the dealer and a guy there said "Oh its expensive to get a factory radio with Sirius installed"...around $1000!

[CREWZIN]

Dealer prices are always high. Hopefully Best Buy will make it right for you, after all, they carry the best brand of duck tape available ...the same kind that NASCAR uses to hold the fenders on at 100 miles per hour.

[lakersfan1]

Unless you're willing to let some schmuck drill into the roof of the car, there is no avoiding some wire exposure. About all you can control is how far from the liftgate it is, thus controlling how much wire is showing. However, the recommended placement of a XM or Sirius receiver is about 6" from the rearmost part of the roof. The antenna should only be mounted by magnet, so you should be able to easily be able to move it further back and drive like that a few days to see if the reception suffers. I know when I had XM in Chicago, there was a difference in my reception depending on where on the roof I put the receiver.

[JolieCruiser]

I'm out in the boonies, in the middle of nowhere. The antenna is sitting about 4-5 inches from the roof meeting the tailgate and the wire is not laying flat it is arched up about 3 or 4 inches off the roof, enough I can get my hand under it and give a yank if I wanted. To me its just inviting someone to do it. I'm just hoping they can get the wire to lay down. Maybe my expectations are too high? *sigh*
Ok, I'm going to add to my wish list for my next guy....he has to be handy around the house and he has to be handy with cars. LOL

[lakersfan1]

If it's 3-4 inches off the roof, then that is crazy. The placement sounds right though. All you can expect is for the installer to find a way to cinch the wire down at some point in the hatch seam to keep it taught. The wire will show some though. It might look to tacky to other women, but men will think you're cool because you have satelite radio .... and most men will know what that little black bump on your roof is.

[JolieCruiser]

Ok, then I'm not crazy thinking that much wire sticking up is not suppose to be! Whew! I know some will show but hopefully laying flat. I just don't want to go in and them thinking....ahhh, she won't know the difference whatever we tell her. I hate when that happens.

[terball]

Hi,
I live in Canada and had a Sirius Sportster 5 installed in my 2003 PT Cruiser by Future Shop. Their tech guys are awesome and it was installed with no problems. I do have an aftermarket Pioneer stereo in my car, but the factory unit should have all necessary connections for Sirius. The antenna installed on mine is just near the front of the roof on the driver side and is a flat unit. The wiring fits neatly inside the door moulding. Your installer should be able to set it so there is no excess. My wiring for the antenna also came with a short 3-4" coverplate to place over any exposed wiring on the roof. This coverplate has a groove on the underside to securely hold the wire and also has 2 sided 3M tape to keep it securely fastened to the roof. Ask about such a cover at the installers, they should have something.
Cheers.

[JolieCruiser]

Thank you! I'm printing that out and taking it with me. My appointment is in about 2 hours. I'm sure hoping they can make it look lots better!

Update: I'm a happy camper. They put the antenna just like Terball's is installed and same location and it looks fantastic!

Thanks everyone!