02 batmobile

Heard it my friend's H2. It sounds nice and is very clear, as good as a CD. Anyone have it in their vette? Cost? Do you have to make alterations to the car?

ylwZ06

I was just at Best Buy the other night and came across the XM add on modules. There were several brands/models that ranged from $150 - $180. One was a cigarette lighter plug in only, the other was hard wired to 12 volts. The receiver portion is not a hard wire but just a receiver keyed to your receiver. I have not purchased one, but will definitely look into it in the near future, as I hate listening to commercials to and from work. Looks like a nice way to go since we did not have an XM radio factory option.

QuikZilver

I have the XM Commander installed where the ashtray goes, like a lot of other members here. Installation is VERY easy and takes about 1 hour or so.

Here is what I typed up on installation (I have this in a word doc I can email, but no pictures. I typed this up after I did the install):
Installation of XM Commander in C5 Corvette
Note: Directions below are for C5 Corvettes without CD Changer and hooking XM up through AUX input.
Installation below is for 1999 – 2003 Corvettes

Parts needed:
XM Commander (purchased mine from overstock.com: $150)
Factory CD Changer Harness (purchased mine from Litewarehouse.com: $68.99)
PIE Auxiliary Input Connector, GM10-AUX (purchased mine from Litewarehouse.com: $66.99)
Short RCA cable
Double sided tape
3 Electrical Butt Connectors

Tools needed:
Common Screwdriver
Electrical Crimping Tool

How to do it:

1. Prep-Work: Remove passenger side floor mat and passenger side fuse panel cover. Remove passenger side plastic threshold (plastic part that covers the edge of the carpet at the door). Remove passenger side kick panel. Remove ash tray. All of this is just pulled off, no tools necessary.
2. Mount antenna at rear of car. Because the Corvette is fiberglass, it is not necessary to have it mounted on the outside of the vehicle. A couple of good places to mount it: Behind the taillights on the passenger side, Inner fender wheel well behind carpet (I chose this place to mount with double sided tape). After a suitable location is decided on, mount antenna and run antenna wire up on the passenger side, hiding the wiring as you go. Bring it up to the passenger side kick panel.
3. Wiring Harness: Use the auxiliary power source located in the passenger side fuse panel area to get power and ground. Route harness over to passenger side kick panel.
4. Controller: You do not need to remove the center console trim panel to install. Simply fish wire down through rear of ash tray location where you can see light. When you can grab the wire, pull through, leaving a little slack. Using Velcro included with XM Commander, mount controller in the upper area. You should be able to close the outer door. Run controller wire over to passenger side kick panel.
5. CD Changer cable: At the lower right hand corner of the fuse panel area, you should see a plug that looks like one of the two plugs on the CD Changer cable (directions included with the factory harness have a picture of this area). Taped to that wire or taped right near it is another plug that looks like the second plug on the cable. Cut the tape and plug both harnesses into the CD Changer harness. Route CD Changer harness under carpet at passenger side foot well (I used a zigzag pattern so it laid flat under the carpet. Leave enough to bring wire harness up passenger side kick panel.
6. XM Commander Control Box: Plug in the power wire harness, antenna, controller harness and RCA cables into control box. Put double sided tape on back of control box and find a suitable area up on the passenger side kick panel area. You may want to pull the lower dash trim loose to gain more access.
7. AUX Input Connector: Plug RCA cable and CD Changer harness to AUX Input Connector. Place AUX Input Connector up near XM Commander Control Box.
8. Reinstall trim that was removed during installation.
9. Test: Turn on car and turn on XM Commander. Press CD button on deck twice to access CD Changer. You should hear their test broadcast. If you don’t, go back to AUX adaptor and unplug CD Changer harness and plug back in.
10. Call XM Radio to sign up for service.
11. Enjoy cruising with your new XM Commander!

jwg2

QuickZilver's directions are spot on. I put Sirius in mine and absolutely love it. Both services are great and you'll never go back to am/fm

QuikZilver

Yeah, I have yet to use the radio or CD's since I installed my XM in August.

xilr8n

Sirus here.

Check the home pages of both XM and Sirus, lots of times they have deals on receivers.

CDH76

I have Xm Satelite radio and think it is a waste of money. I would never recommend it. I find better music on the FM radio. Basically it's just more music that is repeated over and over.

Thinking about removing it from my car and not using it anymore actually.

C66 Racing

I had an XM receiver in my Z06 before I coverted it to SCCA T1. I had the antenna in the right rear fender where it couldn't be seen, and the XM receiver mounted under the passenger seat and a pioneer in dash AM/FM/XM/CD receiver. I loved it and it worked great.

When I got my F350, I had an XM Roadie installed using an FM modulator to the stock factory radio system. The antenna on the F350 is mounted under the wiperblade shield which is plastic and it can't be seen. This setup works just fine.

I do agree with Chad that depending on your local programming, you can find good local stations that are just as good as anything on XM, but that really isn't how I use XM. I love XM on the road and I spend a lot of time on the road. Even with a six CD changer I was frustrated at how fast I got back to CD number 1. With my XM roadie, I have 20 preset stations, about 10 music, 5 news, and 4 sports and 1 weather. If a song comes up I don't like, one button to switch to another of my favorites. Having news, weather and sports on the road is very nice.

But, around town, I don't use it much.

02 batmobile

Anyone have pictures of theirs installed, and anyone wanna get rid of theirs?

Paul4137

I would like to see some pics also.

02 batmobile

Started shopping for one yesterday. What brand has a small enough head that it fits into the ashtray?

Steverino

I have the Kenwood SIRIUS FM modulated unit below and it fits in the ashtray no problem. I have SIRIUS in all four of my cars and LOVE it.

http://sirius.com/servlet/ContentSer...=1028140215544

You can get the entire kit on Ebay - tuner, remote control, modulator, receiver, and antenna.

http://cgi.aol.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI...733225086&rd=1

JoeyNigs

[QUOTE=Steverino]I have the Kenwood SIRIUS FM modulated unit below and it fits in the ashtray no problem. I have SIRIUS in all four of my cars and LOVE it.

http://sirius.com/servlet/ContentSer...=1028140215544

You can get the entire kit on Ebay - tuner, remote control, modulator, receiver, and antenna.

http://cgi.aol.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI...733225086&rd=1
Sirius just hit 800,000 subscribers. Must be doing something right !

QuikZilver

XM Commander fits in the ashtray.

Paul4137

Do you have to cut any of the molded console or just remove ashtray to get it to fit? Is it an easy hook up to stock radio?

Theothergy

http://www.xmradio.com/myfi/index.jsp

This new reciever coming out in December.. It is a true portable.. has a built in antenna..

Plan to get one .. can use it in my daily driver, rental cars, and of course the Z..

Is this too good to be true. ??? WIll let you know.. My only issue is that Howard Stern is going to be on Sirius and this is an XM radio..

Yeah Right.. !!

illmac77

I am getting this XM as a X-mas gift, it the best of both worlds in my opinion...http://www.xmradio.com/myfi/index.jsp

1%r

Alpine 9815 in the Z with XM and factory installed XM in the 05 Porsche Cayenne S. I don't listen to FM anymore since they came out with XM !

Steverino

My Kenwood unit pictured above doesn't even hook to the radio, it is FM modulated through the car antenna. Set the radio to one of about 15 pre-set FM frequencies and it plays crystal clear. You can set the gain and other audio functions with that Kenwood tuner too. The silver tuner display fits in the ashtray compartment behind the flip-down door with no modifications whatsoever.

The FM modulator is mounted behind the passenger seat and the satellite receiver is mounted under the passenger seat no problem. I hooked into the GM antenna right by the antenna cable in the trunk on the passenger side. Mounted the smallest magnetic TERK antenna on my trunk with 3M tape, the antenna is tiny. I did have the antenna mounted inside the car on the underside of the metal trunk hinge but the reception was cutting out because I live 3.5 hours from the largest metropolitan area and SIRIUS only has ground repeater antennas in large metropolitan cities.

I'm buying the Kenwood DVD715 unit after the first of the year so I'll be pulling out the tuner and FM modulator and just keep the receiver under the seat. It's an EASY hook-up though. I wired it into the accessory plug in the passenger footwell.

QuikZilver

You just remove the ashtray and use velcro to attach the unit to the sides where the ashtray fit. No cutting at all!!