NB Mk2 Stereo & Aerial Questions

[GC8]

Before I take the fitted unit out, does an NB have ISO standard wiring and also, do they have an electric aerial?

[Richyvrlimited]

GC8 said:

Before I take the fitted unit out, does an NB have ISO standard wiring and also, do they have an electric aerial?

Not sure on the former, but there are plenty of conversion harnesses available on eBay so I'd hazzard not?

As for the electric aerial, does it go up when you turn the radio on? :-P

Some do some don't, depends on model/trim level, easy enough to spot though, (working), electric ones will be down when the ignition is off...

[GC8]

I suspect that the currently fitted radio has been bodged in without the use of an ISO-Mazda adapter. The car is poverty spec and the aerial stays up and wont slide down.

[MX-5 Lazza]

If it's a poverty spec it won't have an electric aerial unless someone has fitted one.

[GC8]

Id assumed this - the specification is so low that I was surprised to find a steering wheel.

It was something that the last owner said about the aerial that made me wonder. It was either electric and stuck or manual and stuck, and I didnt want to force it down if it was an OEM powered type.

[Richyvrlimited]

MX-5 Lazza said:

If it's a poverty spec it won't have an electric aerial unless someone has fitted one.

Pretty sure my MK2.5 is poverty spec and it has an electric aerial, dunno of that's normal with mk2 facelifts tho.

Non electric aerials are easy to spot, they're one piece rather than a progressively smaller rod that can slide into its self

[GC8]

I wonder if mines aftermarket then, as its a conventional sectional antennae.

[gd49]

I needed an Iso adapter when changed radios in my car - think it was only a couple of quid off MX5parts. Mines a Mk2.5.

It's pretty easy to remove the trim in the boot to have a look at the aerial, if it's electric there should be a white casing around the motor. It sounds like yours in aftermarket one, it's not uncommon for the motors to fail so the previous owner may have chosen not to replace it.

[GC8]

Thanks. Ive been out to my garage and had a proper look and I was mistaken. Its a one piece aerial which suggests that its original and manual.

I realise that this is a lame question, but can it be retracted, because I cant see how?

[MX-5 Lazza]

No but you can unscrew it

[biper]

So that means you can't go through a car wash.

[GC8]

Now that Ive got a hard top fitted, I want to go through a car wash.

So: I can unscrew the single piece antennae and then bung the hole with blutac?

[Richyvrlimited]

GC8 said:

Now that Ive got a hard top fitted, I want to go through a car wash.

So: I can unscrew the single piece antennae and then bung the hole with blutac?

Yes and you could, but it's pointless, the hole isn't 'bottomless'

Car washes are the work of the devil btw, evil on your paintwork,

[GC8]

Youre meaning that the whole assembly will unscrew, rather than that the single piece antennae will unscrew from the assembly?

Car washes arent great, but theyre about 100x better than the Fonzie-type hand car washes that seem to have appeared everywhere; which people seem happy to a fiver at for a wipe over with a mangled gritty cloth....

An aquaintance of mine had an IMO in Newcastle and it filtered and re-used the water and used special split filament brushes which were designed not to thrash your paint - not bad for £1:50 a go.

[MX-5 Lazza]

Assuming it is the standard Mazda one piece stainless whip aerial then the mast should unscrew from the base.
I'd avoid car washes though. The previous owner of my Mini obviously used car washes all the time and the whole body is just covered in scratches. It looks like it's been washed using a brillo pad. I'll get it looking decent eventually but it's going to take a lot of work!