Antenna replacement

B

BeesonBeemer

Regular Member
American Zeds
Joined
Aug 1, 2019
Points
19
Location
Kanagawa, Japan
Model of Z
Z3 Roadster 1.9L
Hey everyone. I know this is probably covered in a old post, but I couldn't find it in the first couple pages of search results. If you know of a write-up already, please share the URL. Thanks!

My car has a retractable antenna, that doesn't go up when I turn the radio on. I would prefer to replace it with a 'bee sting'-style antenna - preferably 5" or shorter. Any links to products compatible with '97 1.9L Roadsters, DIYs, write-ups are appreciated. Thanks!!!
 
Sounds like the oem aerial was replaced before with what you have now, the stock one has an amplifier, they are costly even secondhand. You could try ebay for a replacement that would suit the hole in the wing, when I looked getting something to sit right with the mast at a decent handle was a problem. Oem grommet sets the oem aerial at the correct angle and you wouldn't be able to use the grommet on any replacement.
Oem details here https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=CM12-EUR-12-1999-Z3-BMW-Z3_19&diagId=65_0284
 
We’re now changing our antenna to the bee sting one , :p
Ours is quite long , hopefully by the weekend we will have it on :)
 
A word of warning to those that want to put one of the stiff bee sting aerials on their Z3, one careless knock and it'll be a new base unit that you need. I am on my third unit now, both of the others were broken in car parks, I like to think by people carelessly knocking the aerial as they went between cars. The original unit had survived for 17 years before I put a bee sting aerial on it!

I do still have a bee sting size aerial but it is also a flexible one.
 
My antenna has been changed , it was only a screw fitting :p
 
So with regards to the antenna currently installed, it looks pretty OEM. I have included pictures below. Only questions are:

- Is the rubber bit inside the hole in the fender *supposed* to be that far below the surface of the fender, or is it supposed to come up through the fender? There was just the tip of the antenna coming through the hole before I took it out of the car.

- Will I be able to install a bee sting, now seeing what I am working with? If yes, please let me know what make/model will work.

Thank you so much for your help, guys!

BB
Antenna Bracket.webp
Fender Hole.webp
Retractable Antenna.webp
 
Yes you have a stock aerial, the inner larger bellows just fits up into the lower part of the outer grommet when put all together.
Be careful with the wires it is easy to cause a short against the body when working with the componants.
The rounded tip of the aerial sits inside the outer grommet, the inside is shaped to hold the rounded end so only the srew thread is visible inside the grommet when on the wing. Its a tight fit to get it in the grommet when its fitted to the wingm you need to push it faily hard to get it to pop in, I used a threaded bolt same thread as the aerial to help pull it upwards as well as pushing the unit up to get it to pop in. a little vaseline will assist it to slip in.
https://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=CM12-EUR-09-1999-Z3-BMW-Z3_19&diagId=65_0284
Show the set of parts.

The usual fault is that the black plastic rounded end gets snapped off, repair may be possible if this happens using epoxy glue but if the small internal wire inside the black plastic is damaged you may have a problem repairing that.
 
Take my warning, if you put a solid bee sting aerial on a Z3 wing it is very vulnerable to people knocking it when walking past, particularly in car parks, this can, and does result in the aerial base snapping. Neither time could the wire be repaired, meaning a replacement aerial base, which if you have to buy new can be costly, even second hand it's not cheap. This has happened to me twice in two years, I now have a shorter flexible aerial rather than the solid bee sting. You have been warned.
 
Thanks to all. I'll see what I can find and keep posted with pics. Warning heeded! :)
 
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