Stupid me I put the car through an Auto Car wash last night. Before I drove in I put a Fleetwood Mac CD in thinking the antenna would go down. I always thought it did... but this time it didn't and now it's broken.

Remember mines a wagon, is it a hard job to replace the antenna?

nah pretty easy
pic up a replacment from autobarn
$100 ish

straight swap

or maybe u could whip some guys to do it for ya.

lol

Is wagon the same aerial part as sedans?

Have been snooping around Repcos & Autobarns today, didn't see any differentiation.


...and now it's broken.

Remember mines a wagon, is it a hard job to replace the antenna?
Just need to take off the LHS plastic panel in the cargo area.

If its only the metal antenna that's broken (ie mechanism is still ok)
you can buy just the metal mast and replace that. Bit fiddly but not impossible.

Just get a new stem. You can buy them from mitsubishi. not very expensive and very easy to install. You just unscrew top part of antenna, turn the radio on and it will spit out the old antenna. Get someone to turn the radio off while inserting the new antenna and it will suck it down into the hole. All there is too it.

The shaft is broken, a flexible middle bit is showing. I have the antenna inside the cargo area to stop it flopping around on the body work. Can't get the antenna done until the weekend and was thinking of cuting it off.

If you cut it all off you wont be able to do what Fam.Wag. Said

These might help. Hope you can see them. They were fine when first scanned, but after reducing the size to upload, even I have to squint.

Anyone got any hints on how I can improve my methods? pm please.:)

To improve resolution without making the file too big, see if your scanner will either save directly as a pdf; or scan as tif and then save that as a pdf (use a "low file size" setting). It's easy on a Mac, no idea for PC.

The middle bit broke today. Looks like a full antenna for me.

What you mean the middle bit broke? The plastic runner with teeth?

You can easily pull out the antenna from inside the boot lining, and you can easily take it apart where it spools in the bottom and pull out the old plastic runner. It is easy to do. Just common sence. Then put it all back together, re-install it in car and then take the top ring off and install new insert (new antenna shaft) and all done.

For memory new antennas are worth a few hunderd dollars and the inserts are only worth $50 - $80 for memory.

The Magna/Verada electric areal is a fairly reliable unit if looked after correctly.

People make the mistake of trying to lubricate the shaft. This is usually the cause of antenna failure because dust and grit sticks to the lubrication and gets sucked down into shaft and motor.
Best thing to do to keep it running well is when washing your car, have the antenna up and just wash it with the sponge and then just rinse it off. Thats all. The motor has its own lubrication greese and the shaft doesnt need any additional lubrication.
Just remember to wash the antenna last because you can usually get greese and grit off it and you dont want to put that on your paintwork.

$95 for an entire elec antenna assembely inc mast, when you go to mitsu ask for a TL auto antenna as they are priced lower for the same product, easy enough to install yourself, just undo the top of the old one with some pliers then remove it from inside under the carpet or plastic in wagon, plug cables in the same spots on new one and remount.

People make the mistake of trying to lubricate the shaft. This is usually the cause of antenna failure because dust and grit sticks to the lubrication and gets sucked down into shaft and motor.
I clean mine with WD40 - spray it on then wipe it off.

Helps conductivity between segments too; sometimes they can lose contact.

a fleetwood mac CD??? that's the problem there!!!

a fleetwood mac CD??? that's the problem there!!!

It was either that or a choice between Bee Gee's and ABBA!

I just wanted some music so play loud that I can sing along to while the Car is washed.

Mind you the poor old thing was so dirty I'm gunna have to get down and dirty on the front lawn and do it by hand. The Auto wash makes it look clean, but it's not.

I saw an auto ant at KMart today for about $40.

Seemed to be OK.

I saw an auto ant at KMart today for about $40.

Seemed to be OK.
Does it fit??

$95 for an entire elec antenna assembely inc mast, when you go to mitsu ask for a TL auto antenna as they are priced lower for the same product.

$95 is okay, i always thought they where twice that price.... So i take it they have differant part numbers.. If they didnt the computer will always refer to the same part regardless what car it comes off. therefore the price wouldnt varey..

Have you got a part number..??:)