For those bothered (mine was torn off in a "touchless" car wash...) by the awkwardly long rooftop antenna, I've found a quick, cheap and much smaller solution. For a whopping $26US you can order a stubby "Mini" antenna(as in designed for a Mini Cooper) from "Out Motoring". Direct and quick screw-in fit to the OEM AMV rooftop antenna/nav pod. Not a perfect colour/texture match to the pod/base, but it still looks correct and stock.

Find the link and pictures below;
http://www.outmotoring.com/mini-cooper/out-motoring-mini_cooper_stubby-antenna.html

 

[quote=M13;2820180] (mine was torn off in a "touchless" car wash...)


Those chemicals in the touchless carwashes are quite nasty. The new antenna looks great!

 

Ahhhh...you took your AM through a car wash?!??

I ordered a smaller antenna, tried it. The reception was not as good, so I ended up putting the OEM back on. No one says anything about the antenna, and I never really notice.

 

I KNOW, I KNOW...immediately felt like a schmo! The AM dealership recommended them, wash was fine, it was the giant blow-dryer that got me! Back to manual labour.

 

Somehow the reception on this one seems marginally better

 

On the issue of reception, anyone else notice poor reception with the AM stereo? It's not terrible, but it seems to toggle between stereo and mono sound as I drive around. Not a huge problem though because there isn't anything good on the radio anyway.

 

I didn't even know the Vantage handled AM stereo. There are so few AM stereo stations, I'm very surprised they went to the effort.

Reception, on either band is of little concern to me as well... I can't remember the last time I listened to terrestrial radio... tis music for people who don't like music.

 

By "AM stereo," I meant Aston Martin stereo (not talking about am radio).

 

M13, do you think you could try a real A:B comparison between your new and standard antennas? e.g. tune in a marginal radio station on the new one, then switch antennas and see if the standard one sounds better or worse. Repeat with a few different stations. Aesthetics aside, the new antenna would be worth it if it improves the crappy reception with the standard one.

Tia,
-Keith