JMJ3rd

Has anyone thought about a replacement for the stubby whip to a shark fin style? Does anyone know of any?

WantRDX

Can the RDX go through a normal car wash with that antenna? I asked the dealer and they said "don't use a commerical car wash". Is that true? It does seem to stick out quite a bit.

VeNeNo

iTrader: (1)

the antenna is works perfectly fine, it is not in the way for any carwash... a shark fin alla BMW would be sharp though...

ACURascal

You know, the Owners' Manual (2008 Tech) says:

"Your vehicle is equipped with an antenna at the rear of the roof . Before using a ‘‘drive-through’’ car wash, remove the antenna by unscrewing it by hand. This prevents the antenna from being damaged by the car wash brushes."

I can see some top rollers for some drive-thru car washes having some trouble with the little whip.

-AR

bialkoni

I go thru my car wash once a week since February, I have had no problems with the antenna yet. It is actually pretty small. The car wash I go thru does not have the rotating brushes though. It is mostly brushless with a few cloths that go over the top of the car, I do have a roof rack so that may deflect part of it though.
If you want to be on the safe side you can always remove it.

MMike1981

I have always unscrewed the antenna...you never know, if something gets a hold of that

XIS

Wash your own car people.....
Those machines are not good for wheels or paint...

MMike1981

Id love to wash it year round, except you cant do that when its 20 degrees out =( Winter leaves you few options

XIS

I know - I hate winter!!! It gets down to about 65 degrees here....


Brrrrrr Brrrrrrr

ShadowGirl

You must have to get out your parka and toque for that chilly temperature...how do you handle it?!

XIS

Well the heated seats, of course!!

mau108

wow i didnt know the antennas came off. I work downtown and they are building condos next door soo that company has to cover our cars (cement droppings = no no) and that cover really puts a strain on the antenna.

If the rubber piece can come off, im pretty sure someone can fabricate a body color fin to screw on top

mau108

something like this but isnt a stick on type

http://cgi.ebay.ca/EURO-SHARK-FIN-AN...QQcmdZViewItem

JMJ3rd

Yeah, just like th at but that works. I went to the dealer to look at the RL's antenna, but the wiring is completely different.

I just like the look of the shark fin over the whip. I've had no problems with it.

sasair

The reason we have a whip is because our antenna is for XM/AM/FM. In the RL and TL, the shark fin type antenna is only for XM and the AM/FM antennas are in the rear glass. The AM/FM antenna needs some length to be effective. If you replace the whip with a shark fin expect your AM/FM reception to take a good hit.

JMJ3rd

I'll live with it then. Thanks for the info.

turboted

I've never had a problem with my stubby whip antenna, I can always keep it up the a car wash.

I have had more problems with rear window wiper arm in car washes. I had one ripped off in car wash. Now I mostly hand wash my RDX. When I do go to a car wash, I go to one that tapes down my rear wiper.

JMJ3rd

This is from a Toyota post. Would this address the AM/FM reception? It would look good too, if it would work. Looks like this would replace the mast and cover the base.

Scroll down to pix.

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/sh...=208385&page=2

mau108

looks like it will help.

sasair

Hard to say how useful it would be. It would need to be big enough to fit over the antenna base that is already on the roof. This contains the satellite antenna I believe. The little stick on antenna inside the fin may help with radio reception, but it obviously won't be as good, but maybe good enough. In order to make it really work, I think you'd need to modify the antenna base that is currently on the roof. Extracting the XM antenna from it in order for it to fit under that fin. A new antenna base would cost about $70 if you wanted to play around with that idea...

brizey

I never take it off for the car wash.

BTW: Wash with towel dry = $2.99 at a place here in Frisco, TX on Wednesdays. Screw washing it myself. I'll deal with a few swirls and spend Saturday morning playing with my daughter. They do a wash and hand wax for $35.

SwampGas

That type of antenna is not very effective. The AM is usually in the headunit (it's a ferrite core with wire wrapped around it...about the size of your pinky). The FM should be a long stick with the metal of the car underneath it (whip) or a T shape folded over itself in the window (folded dipole). These new fangled designs look nicer, but have poor reception.

The manufacturers of those type of devices can say whatever they want....proof is in the pudding

rdx2008

Can you please share the location where you get $2.99 wash with towel dry?

imlou

My sales guy friend told me they took a RDX through a car wash with brushes and the rear spoiler flew off. So I would only use touchless car washes.

Blingin

He is right I've tried to fit the antenna on top of the base of the RDX is too big for the shark fin antenna to cover, we have to remove the base if you want to to get it to fit. And it only replaces radio reception.
Here's the link.
http://www.visualgarage.com/home.html
I actually help painted some of these in the weekend as a part time.

mav238

since you live in the desert, i presume you don't have issues with cold temps, like some of us do.

Try washing your car at below 32 F right through winter, guaranteed way to get arthritis in your old age.

I have used the touchless car wash all through winter, it's not ideal in properly cleaning the car, but to just remove the salt, grit and grime, it's okay.

vrflyer

^^^ Look weak, IMO.

J3diMast3r

The antenna is not an issue for me since I live in Southern California and I get my RDX hand washed at my local car wash. There's no spinners or automated car washes around here.

BleuM&M

Dude, come by here when it's ZERO, lay down on frozen concrete and let me drive over you while you hose off the salt and crud on the bottom of my RDX. Oh, and wash it too, then dry, and don't you dare leave a scratch anywhere. I'll pay you $50 so you can do it by hand. And please, in 4 minutes, I have someplace I need to be.

I pay $17 for a brushless warm soapy wash (with tire shine & Miracle! Spray! Wax!), that underbody wash and a blow dry. All I have to do is get out and take off the baggie they put on my rear wiper if it didn't blow off already. After 6 months, no scratches, no swirl marks, no haze on NBP.

When it's warmer I'll do it myself, do a better job everywhere except underneath and drink at least $2.99 worth of beer.

R*D*X*

I got free life time car wash from my dealer!!

BleuM&M

Me too, but they run it through something from the 70s and follow it up with gravel-encrusted towels. No thanks, even tho they have free Starbux coffee. The 2 other dealers I used (FL and MI) washed my rides by hand and did an excellent job. Just show up on Sats between 9 and 12, free coffee and nosh. The MI guys must have spent a fortune on pastries - top drawer.