Installed My Sirius Radio!

[SW03ES]

Well with the help of the good people at www.siriusbackstage.com (A very nice Sirius enthusiast board) I bit the bullet and installed my Sirius satellite radio myself. All together it took me 3-4 hours as a good bit of custom work was required, not including all the driving around getting all the parts.

This is the unit I used:

http://www.crutchfield.com/S-ZQoxMT4eziK/c...a=0&cc=01&avf=N

Right now its hard installed in the upper center console, power is run down to the power point in the lower console that conveniently is only hot when the car is on. The antenna is run down the side of the console between it and the passenger seat, under the seat, underneath the lower mouldings, up the side of the backseat, underneath the rear parcel shelf and is placed at the base of the rear window. This seems fine for now, but we'll have to see if I get any dropouts, if I do I will run the antenna up to the roof around the weatherstripping.

Right now its communicating to the radio via a wireless FM modulator. I am very impressed by how this sounds, its only a little flatter than normal radio. I'm going to have either a direct installed modulator put in by a professional or use a Soungate adapter to do a direct line in, we'll see how that goes. For now though, it sounds great!

I'm quite proud of myself. I never do anything on my cars myself, I always pay professionals. This involved removing the armrest and center console tray, and drilling several holes in the console tray, running wires etc. I think it looks awesome, I can't believe I did it myself!

Pics to come ;)

[SW03ES]

First off, I apologize for how dirty my car is, its rained nonstop here for a week. And I apologize for the picture quality, rainy and dismal does not a good picture make.

Here it is:

On top, notice how the backlight and the buttons match the rest of the car. The other little box isn't part of the unit, its a pen.

Antenna:

The interior when the armrest is closed, you'd never know it was there.

So whats everyone think?

[byohzrd]

Looks great! Cheers to you for doing it yourself! :) Enjoy your satellite radio.

[SW03ES]

Thank you, thank you.

[blake918]

It looks great Steve! Placing the controller in the console was extremely clever. ;) I always thought they had to be mounted to the dash...I guess not! Enjoy the stereo, and it looks very, very nice! :D

[93LSOwner]

[NeiLtYmE]

nice, looks like a real clean well done job!! :)

[steviej]

I can't wait to sit in your car and listen to it.

DISCO station here we come. Wooooo whhhhooooo, toot toot beep beep toot toot beep beep!!!!! :D

steviej

[SW03ES]

Oh yeah!

I just found the gain setting on the tuner and turned up the sound level, now it sounds GREAT! What an improvement.

I can't wait to hear it with the direct FM modulator.

[99lsguy]

No commercials and only $12.95 a month!!!! 100+channels

I think this is a good deal!

Great job on the install - now you can move in to the maintenance services

So the wireless transmitter allow you to use the tuner on the radio???

99

[HubJunky1]

Congratulations on going with Sirius!!! I think you'll be pleased with how good their programming stacks up against XM, better by leaps and bounds. The install looks great too! I also wired my plug and play unit's power into the armrest power supply. You should check out the "Derek and romaine" show on 149 from 6pm eastern-10, they're smart, funny, and smutty. Enjoy your new setup!

[HubJunky1]

And also check out around channels 150-160, they have specific traffic/weather channels for each major traffic-plagued part of the country. If anyone else is interested, Sirius is running a "Friends and Fans" promotion right now where you can get a new plug-and-play unit (either the kenwood or the audiovox one that has the boombox with it) for only $50 bucks with a docking kit of your choice, pm me if you're interested!

[SW03ES]

Yeah I've been playing around with the stations, PLENTY to listen to!

[amf1932]

Hey Steve-

Nice job! Now you'll have to sleep in your car to get your moneys worth.

What are you going to do with the CD changer? You'll probably never use it again. :P

[SW03ES]

Probably not LOL

[WVMyLex]

Hey HubJunky, curious as to what the "Friends and Family" promo is all about.

I can't pm you, probably because I haven't posted before.

Forgive me. How can I reach ya?

Thanks.

[HubJunky1]

http://www.sirius.com/servlet/ContentServe...d=1077744929995

That page details the $49.99 Fans and Family promotion, email me at seancy@optonline.net if you're interested in it!

[jeff c]

SWES03-

I really would like to get satellite installed on my '04 ES.

The idea that my '04 is XM compatible is preventing me from getting the Sirius service. Having the XM service compatible with my NAV is just way too attractive.

That being said, you wouldn't know the ES is compatible from calling the Lexus or Toyota dealers and if I have to do an install, I'm getting the Sirius.

So I have 2 questions:

1. If you had the '04 ES, would you have gone with the XM?

2. How do I convince a Lexus dealer to do the XM install with the "LS430" kit?

Thanks.

Jeff

[SW03ES]

You're probably not going to be able to get a Lexus tech to do it, you'd have to buy the kit and get an audio installer to do it. I'd still have gotten the Sirius and installed it like I did out of sheer cost effectiveness. The sound is great, and it only cost me around $200 installed, the part from Lexus is $500 itself...

[jeff c]

Wow! Thanks for the fast reply. Couldn't agree more about the cost savings.

Your Sirius install looks terrific and is entirely responsible for me even looking into Sirius in the first place, so thanks again.

Did you ever get the direct FM modulator installed and has it made a difference? Happy with the hardware you chose? Do you know if I can use the same hardware having a different model year?

I trust your answers more than I would at an installer.

Thanks,

Jeff

[SW03ES]

Yes I had an Audiovox SIRS-WB swithcbox installed. Its not an FM modulator it uses the one built into the car cradle for the tuner but it provides a direct connection into the antenna jack filtering out all radio interferance. Sound is a tad better but it really helps by keeping FM stations from braking in. Its a universal plug and should work the same with your 04.

Check out www.siriusbackstage.com

[rkahn]

Probably not LOL

←

After seeing your installation photos, I had a Sirius Sportster installed in the armrest console yesterday . It looks much like yours except the unit is turned so passager and driver can see it.

My wife (it's her car) says the unit gets quite warm and she's concerned it will fizzle out from the excess heat. How's yours doing in there after a year ?

-rkahn

[spoochmlb52]

Great job on the install, i plan on doing the same things as i just purchased my sirius clarion unit

[SW03ES]

It does get VERY hot in there, but mine still works fine. The Sportster will run cooler than my Clarion unit because its a 2.5 gen unit.

My plans are to replace the antenna this summer with a painted one that can be mounted on the roof and to add an AUX in instead of the SIRS-WB switchbox to improve the sound.

[rkahn]

It does get VERY hot in there, but mine still works fine. The Sportster will run cooler than my Clarion unit because its a 2.5 gen unit.

My plans are to replace the antenna this summer with a painted one that can be mounted on the roof and to add an AUX in instead of the SIRS-WB switchbox to improve the sound.

←

Like you (and in my three series BMW), we mounted the antenna in the car. This time we put it in the passenger side corner of the windshield instead of the rear parcel shelf. It works great and I doubt we'll ever move it. We saw a new ES330 in the showroom with a LARGE, black boxy XM antenna on the middle right edge of the trunk deck. It looked like a few steps backward, to us.

How do you add an AUX in? Everyone we've talked to says it isn't possible on a 2002 ES300.

-rkahn