XM or Sirius.
 

Hey gang. I have two issues on this subject that I need help with.

1) What do the stock Bose radio inputs look like, so that the SAT button works? I've read a lot about people installing iPod adapters and so forth. Even if I'm able to get an XM tuner, I need to know what wire I need to plug into the radio head. Anybody got pics?

2) The satellite antenna. Does anybody have any info or photos of a good place to put the antenna on the outside of the car. Can anybody with dealer installed Sirius post a pic of where their antenna is.

Thanks!

I installed the Mazda accessory Sirius last weekend. I've installed three (2004 Mazda MPV ES, 2006 Mazda 6s GS, and now Mercury) and even at $300+, I think it is the best way to get satellite radio into a late-model Mazda.

For the RX-8 and the 6, the Mazda instructions have you putting the sticky-bottom antenna on the trunk lid. On my Mazda 6, I modified the antenna so the coax exited the bottom of the antenna, removed the existing roof-mounted whip antenna and replaced it with the modified sat antenna. Modifying the sat antenna was risky but the install looks so clean, it was worth it. Besides, I always thought the whip antenna made the 6 look like a Lancer or something cheaper than the 6 should look.

But this about RX-8s. :)

On Mercury, I mounted the sat antenna just inside the rear window, on the plastic hump that covers the amplifier, as far aft as possible. In the Sirius kit is an alcohol wipe that is necessary to use on that plastic surface or the sticky-bottomed antenna won't stick very well. For coax routing I had to remove one of the rear deck speaker grilles, which seemed like it wanted to break before finally popping out, and from there I followed the fairly well-detailed instructions.
As for the head unit connection, the kit includes a long wire bundle that runs to the trunk-mount receiver from a multi-pin connector on the back of the head unit. The instructions do not have a drawing of this connector, nor a pin function list.

I have not yet purchased a wiring manual for this car since I bought it just five weeks ago. The DIY posts here on RX8club.com have been so complete and accurate that I've been able to mod my car without it. But even as a newbie, I have learned the value of the Search feature. It requires more time and patience than it should, but it is how I found answers to questions similar to yours.

How well did this setup work for you? I am considering purchasing the Sirius kit for my '05 and I was wondering if you had any reception problems due to the antenna being just inside the rear window.

"How well did this setup work for you? I am considering purchasing the Sirius kit for my '05 and I was wondering if you had any reception problems due to the antenna being just inside the rear window."

After six months of daily commuting while listening to Sirius, I think putting the antenna inside the window was a smart move. I have the factory Sirius in my other two Mazdas and on the same commuting route, I get temporary silence of one or two seconds after passing under the same bridges & overpasses no matter which car I am driving. The other two cars have the antenna mounted on the roof.

Interesting point about those interruptions in the satellite signal - they occur most often in the morning, as if there were fewer satellites or poor geometry at that time. In any case, I experience this in all three vehicles and I think it is unavoidable with any satellite radio setup.

My biggest worry when installing the sat system in my RX-8 was if the rear window tinting was a metallic film, that could cause a weak signal.

I put my Sirius antenna inside the car on the rear deck also. That was back in 2005. Except for when I drive under a bridge, I get no interruption in the signal.

Choosing that location was a good decision as it's almost unnoticable there.