Focus Fanatics Forum banner

broken antenna

10K views 40 replies 19 participants last post by  JBotone 
#1 ·
So get this all. I was at my cousins house and an a painting company was doing some painting on the outside of the apartments. No big deal. I go with my cousin someplace and leave my car parked in front of the building. Later that afternoon her and I returned to the house with my wife aswell. I look over at my car and see, no you won't guess. no paint on the car. They actually covered the car with a cover, and really nice one at that. Totally cool. So we go in the house. come out a few hours later and we are getting ready to leave when I notice my shorty billet antena gone. At a closer inspection, I notice the entire metal post broken. the tarp was pulled agianst the antena and it broke. I'm a little pissed, not really pissed,just a little. Go to the dealer the next day for a quote on the fix. they tell me part plus laber. Cool, right. WRONG. 238.00 plus tax. Well screw this. I bought the piece for 8.88 plus tax to bring the total to 9.88 or some shit like that. I take the piece home and preceed to look into fixing on my own. I remove the plastic plate covering the sunroof motor and pull the dome light down to reveal a set screw holding the antena in place. get my star wrench set out and replace the mast in 6 Minutes flat. The dealer says it is a 2 to 2.5 hour install @ say around 90 bucks an hour plus taxes. This really burns my ass. I know that these dealers are there to make profit, Hell I owned a construction company back in michigan for years,we Did fire,wind, and water damage. I never beat or extorted people out of there hard earned money. FORD CAN KISS MY ASS>[?|] [?|] [?|] [?|] [?|] [?|] [}:)] [8] Freaking extortion I tell you.
 
See less See more
#3 ·
thats the whole point. they said that the head liner would have to come down. At 90 an hour to complete, thats still to much. scew ford. I don't trust many of the ford dealers to do my frigin air filter. The head liner does not need to come down.....
 
#4 ·
THIS JUST HAPPENED TO ME THIS MORNING!! I was brushing off the snow from my car and for some reason I got too close to the antenna and I snapped it off. Can you PLEASE give me some more info on how to replace the whole thing?

Apparantly the antenna wire passes through the passenger side of the car and then comes back into the radio unit. Maybe you can confirm this?!
 
#5 ·
My billet shorty snapped off one winter, there was like 8" of snow on my roof and I was brushing it off, forgot about the metal shorty and snap it went. Oops. But then when I found out how cheap the base was I didn't feel as dumb, and then I made a shorty out of my stock antenna later.

Surg, you don't have to worry about the wire, if you just need to replace the base it's Very simple. I'll look up how to do it in a sec here, I think there's a how-to (maybe with pics) but it's Really really simple.

Medic, that was nice of the painting crew to cover your car, too bad about the shorty antenna. But holy crap, I can't believe the dealer would charge so much? Is it possible there was a misunderstanding in what you wanted done? Seriously, I did this in less than 10 minutes, and that included time to go find a tool that would loosen the screw. Take down the headliner, what kind of drugs are they on?!

Ok so the pics aren't awesome, but they give you a little clue. You pop the dome light off with a flat-head/butterknife, on the edge facing the windshield (you see a little niche for it), then the light hung with enough leeway to work up there, and I don't think you even need to remove the plastic bezel. Very straightforward, once you pop the domelight cover off you're golden.

http://www.teamfocus.us/antenna.htm
 
#6 ·
Thanks Amanda! My antenna snapped off basically right at the thickest part>> the very begining of the antenna. I've also read up before and after my post and it does seem like a very easy fix.

My biggest concern was the wiring but if you say it's not because you have experience than I can breathe a bit easier! I'm over taxed here in Canada and to go out an pay $250 on top of that I just finished being a student! Time to save up not spend on antennas!!!

I'd actually like to put a FUNCTIONAL shark fin antenna like the Audis, BMWs and BENZs have if it's possible.


P.S. The province of Quebec is the highest taxed province/(state) in North America!!!!!!!
 
#7 ·
Surgeo1919 where are you at in Montreal, and sorry hi everyone,
This antenna thing just happened to me this week getting some snow of. Really these antennas are cheap stuff. Tried to fix it and guess what, now I'm in for a complete new kit 'cause I "slightly ruined it all". Well, have been looking to get other kit but they are rare as ....
Surgeo1919 give me a buzz, it's allways nice to see a fella citizen on here.
Cheers all, Paul.
 
#8 ·
Hi Paul. I live in Kirkland (West Island). Where are you located?!!!

I never thought I'd see the day where this would happen to me! I usually stay away from the antenna but I also had no previous knowledge that they broke easily.

How did you mess up yours?
 
#9 ·
same thing happened to me am onth ago. I made a thread on here on how to get the part off and boom like you said bout 6 minutes. I was quoted like 150 or something. $9.00 later and a total of 15 minutes of my time inclusing driving to the dealer and back.
 
#11 ·
Has anybody been able to install a functional shark fin? I've read that people have put them on but cut part of the antenna or something like that.

I'd like to take the antenna wire and directly connect it to the fin if that's even possible providing there is a piece that fits our cars.
 
#12 ·
If you can get a shark fin to work, let me know. I think a shark fin would look awesome on the hatches especially.
 
#13 ·
Okay well I e-mailed a company called visual garage about shark fins on focuses around 1:15pm today and we'll see what they say.

They work out of Vancouver, BC, Canada so at leat they're not too far if they can sell any of us the piece.

http://www.visualgarage.com/Product_What_Is_It.html

I found them through one of the threads in this forum.

I just called Ford and the base costs $12.00 CAD and the actual antenna costs $46 CAD all before taxes>> grand total with taxes>> 12.00+46.00 +13.95% fed(6%) and prov(7.5%) taxes together>> $66.09
 
#14 ·
I'm not sure how that would look placed at the front of the roofline. Most of those are placed at the rear of the roof.

Maybe someone could photoshop one on and see what it looks like.
 
#17 ·
Hi Andrew and all other guys, I've been looking at the same site at work (had to kill some time LOL). One of my colleagues has some connections with Spinelli and a few other dealers and will look in to this for me. As soon I have a reply from him and I find one available I let you all know 'cause I'm going for this. I've been trying to visualize the fin on the roof and even if its all upfront, the space is there and it would just look different than all other fin equipped cars. I'll keep in touch with you all and as soon I have a pic I'll post it for sure.
See ya'll later,
Paul.
 
#19 ·
Still no word from that company. I don't think I can trust them even if they did reply.

All I asked was if it's possible to put one of their antennas on our cars! If not, do they know if some other company does.
 
#22 ·
Well at least your Ford Dealer didn't steal your shorty antenna, MINE DID. Hey, they replaced it with a long one. I say whatever the radio reception is better.
 
#24 ·
Well the bad word is in. I was e-mailed back with this ;

Hi Andrew,

Thanks for your inquiry.

We've had other Focus owners email us in the past, and unfortunately, at this time we aren't able to fit our antenna to the Focus as a replacement antenna because of the roofline in the front of the car and the placement of the antenna base near the front windshield. But you are right, we have had some Focus owners use our sharkfin as a decorative piece only, and mount it on the rear of the roof where the sharkfins are normally located.

Any other questions, please feel free to ask.

Regards,
Arthur
 
#26 ·
Hi all,
Got a email back also from that company and it is the same BS that they wrote to surgeo1919. I'm still looking for one 'cause there's no BS holding me back, and I'll make the damn thing stick on there. I'm off these next two days and I'll be shopping around for this sharky. Let you all know how it works out.
Paul.
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top