s3 aerial

[pete]

Had a look on LEW at how to replace aerial on my 85 turbo and have four questions

1 As mine has always been in the up position did not realise it was electric or is it . Were they all electric as standard

2 Can i still get one or can the original be repaired

3 Is it as difficult to fit as it looked in the article or is this a job for sparky and wookie

4 should i just leave it as it is as radio seems to work fine

[Goose]

Hi

I can't answer all your qustions but I can tell you that mine (electric) was a nightmare to get to. Luckily I was taking the drivers door off anyway so it came out through the gap in the door jamb. Having just stripped the interior, including removing the dash, I can't see how else you would get it out.

Not sure if they were all eletric but I think it would be fairly easy to spot which yours is: if you peer through the hole in door jamb into the front wing you should be able to see it - I think electric ones have the motor in a circular unit at the base (I assume that is what it is!).

I have removed mine and covered the hole, quite like not having it on the wing.

Good luck!

[slewthy]

I removed my original ('86 NA) aerial - seems water had leaked into the casing and corroded everything. Absolutely irrepairable.

I sourced a reasonable aftermarket one and got it to fit (just) but it was not a nice job.

My car is having front end work done, and I'm seriously considering filling the hole and look into alternatives, bearing in mind DAB is on the horizon.

[FRANTIC FRANC]

My 84 S3 was electric on the n/s and reachable through the passenger footwell. My 83 S3 was manual & on the o/s and reachable by removing the door!

[andydclements]

I'd go with the option of, it works so don't try and fix it.

[pete]

think i had already come to that conclusion Andy

[slewthy]

There was a topic a while ago where someone bought a new item from ebay because the old Lotus one was obsolete. Anybody know what ones will fit/work?

Buddsy

You need a fully automatic one. I bought a semi first (CA1500), couldnt get it to work - using the original relays might have done it but.....etc. Doesnt mean its not possible, I just didnt do it.

You need to be sure the overall length is the same. Space is tight!!

I use an Elpico one (Ca 5000)- the relay box which is integral gets in the way and must be 'adapted' to fit but other than that, its the business. Still a hideous job. I wouldnt repeat it.

Details

[Choppa]

I replaced the electric aerial on my S3 with one I got from Maplins. Fortunately I didn't have to take the door off on mine to do the job.

I found the key measurement on any replacement is the distance from underneath the wing mount to the bottom of the motor as most of the currently available new electric aerials I looked at seemed to have motor units that are thinner than the original. Relatively easy once the glove box is removed.

They seem to fail in 2 ways either the rat tail that extends the mast snaps and the aerial motor just wizzes away, or like mine the motor fails with the mast extended.

If anyone in the quest for originality wants an S3 aerial with a burnt out motor to help repair an aerial with a snapped rat tail just drop me a PM, it's yours for the cost of the postage.

[ian4455]

My Electric Aerial is Broken, can anyone advise how to take the drivers door off. Is it just a matter of unbolting the hinge brackets to Body?

[andydclements]

Pretty much. You need to undo the electrics first, but after that it's just a matter of marking where the hinges go on the body and undoing the bolts.

[red vtec]

Pete I see yours is an 85 does it mount from inside? I did the one on my stevens last year I got a generic one of ebay, it is a pain to do as the space is so tight but it can be done, you have to get the body just right as the space will only take it one way.

Good luck