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While doing research on this site on getting Sirius in a 2001 9-5, I noticed quite a bit of postings concerning antenna placement. So I decided to post this information on my recent experience.
I recently purchased a Starmate 3 plug and play as a replacement for an old Kenwood Plug and Play that was in my wife's Jeep. She is only driving three miles to work and graciously told me I could hook up the new unit in my 9-5 for my 40 mile commute.
First off there is no good place to put the unit except the window using the included window mounting kit. I was hoping to avoid the clutter of wires going up over the dash from the cig lighter to the unit. If anyone has any ideas for that or how I can fish them up through the dash that would be great. I don't have a Haynes manual yet so the prospect of trying to get at the guts of the dash is a little difficult at this point.
As for the antenna, I placed it on the rear interior deck, as close to the rear window as it will go. I then snaked the wire along the back window, around the door and window trims and in the gap between the dash and windshield. It was a 5 - 10 minute job with no exposed wire except at the unit. I did have to double up the wire in the front.
The antenna pickup is every bit as good as my Sirius antenna placement on the rear exterior deck/trunklid on my '90 900 convertible. I still have issues with trees. Overhanging trees on a street will hinder the Sirius signal. It does it in the convertible, although it isn't as sensitive as with the 9-5. On the highway the signal is at least 2 bars if not 3 with a good clean signal.
I would imagine that it might be better with an exterior placement. But as long as it remains as good as it is, I see not reason to take a 5 minute job and turn it into an hour or more trying to get a clean exterior antenna placement.
Hope this information is useful.
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