The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / SXM in Vehicle

**Posted by turkeytop** September 16, 2024 3:30 pm

I've been considering trading in my 2020 Chevy Equinox for something new. My current vehicle is equipped with SXM. I only need the basic vehicle but I expected that, to get the satellite radio, I would have to upgrade to a higher priced package that would include a lot of fancy things I don't need. Things like oversized wheels, leather seats, sun roof, blue teeth connectivity (I don't even know what that means). But I'm having difficulty finding any vehicle that even offers satellite radio. Not even as an option.

**Posted by pinto** September 16, 2024 3:42 pm

My 2008 Santa Fe has SXM!!!

**Posted by turkeytop** September 16, 2024 4:27 pm

pinto wrote:
My 2008 Santa Fe has SXM!!!

So does my 2020 Equinox. A lot of vehicles now have HD radio. I don't even know if there is HD radio in London.

I suppose I should check out the new Equinox. Maybe they still have it.

My last 3 vehicles have been Equinox. I bought them because they were built locally. We have neighbours who work at the plant. But GM has moved production of the vehicle to Mexico. So I thought, if I have to buy an import, there are lots of other brands to choose from. I checked with Mazda, Nissan and Mitsubishi. But none of them have SXM available.

Last edited by turkeytop (September 16, 2024 4:28 pm)

**Posted by leafs67** September 16, 2024 4:45 pm

My 2023 Kia does not have SXM, however I use Android Auto and stream it. Works great.

**Posted by turkeytop** September 16, 2024 4:48 pm

leafs67 wrote:
My 2023 Kia does not have SXM, however I use Android Auto and stream it. Works great.

I don't even know what that means.

**Posted by pinto** September 16, 2024 5:25 pm

Last "new" car we bought was a 2017 Elantra Limited.. has SXM but no HD and it was Korean built according to the VIN. As far as streaming SXM, you subscribe and get the app on your phone, plug into the car and it connects via Android Auto or Apple Car play. Play the SXM in the car! I got a 2 year deal for 4.99/month for 2 years. Streaming in the car uses hardly any data at all.

**Posted by RadioAaron** September 16, 2024 5:52 pm

Last time I was in the market for a vehicle (a couple years ago) some of the models that didn't advertise as having SXM did, in fact, have it. Many sales people and dealerships just see it as an extension of AM/FM and not noteworthy. Best to check yourself if you can.

**Posted by turkeytop** September 16, 2024 6:54 pm

pinto wrote:
Last "new" car we bought was a 2017 Elantra Limited.. has SXM but no HD and it was Korean built according to the VIN. As far as streaming SXM, you subscribe and get the app on your phone, plug into the car and it connects via Android Auto or Apple Car play. Play the SXM in the car! I got a 2 year deal for 4.99/month for 2 years. Streaming in the car uses hardly any data at all.

My phone is on the kitchen wall. I can't take it in the car.

**Posted by turkeytop** September 17, 2024 9:09 am

So, it looks like my next vehicle won't have satellite radio. I'll have to to either drive my existing vehicle into the ground and hope I go into the gound before it does, or I'll have to accept the fact that satellite radio is an obsolete technology and has gone the way of short wave radio, pay phones, film photograpphy, and pay toilets.

My boomer generation was once sought after and catered to by busines and industry. Now, we're dinosaurs.

Note to self. Get over it.

Last edited by turkeytop (September 17, 2024 9:13 am)

**Posted by paterson1** September 17, 2024 9:21 am

I have been sniffing around for a new vehicle too. I took out the newly restyled Chevy Trax and this car has satellite radio. Not an expensive vehicle and a good looking compact SUV for the money, but doesn't come in AWD. You need to move up to a Buick or Chevy Blazer for that. Strangely I have never owned a GM vehicle in all of my long driving history. I may get a another Tucson which has been a good car for me. Some dump on Hyundai's but I have owned three and none of them caused me any grief. And I didn't necessarily take very good care of them...

**Posted by John D** September 17, 2024 9:28 am

So does my 2017 Buick Encore.

turkeystop, I understand you can buy SXM as an aftermarket product. Not really sure; but that's what I've heard.

Last edited by John D (September 17, 2024 9:30 am)

**Posted by Johnny B** September 17, 2024 9:44 am

When you shop for a new vehicle the specifications sheets on the OEM/company's websites should tell you which model/trim comes with SXM...or you can call any dealer and speak with a salesperson....just make sure you know the exact model and trim you are looking for to make things easier.

**Posted by markow202** September 17, 2024 10:37 am

The sound quality is garbage - if you are gonna use Sirius XM its better to use it on your phone and connect to the car.

**Posted by RadioActive** September 17, 2024 10:39 am

My friend, who has a U.S. satellite dish, gets about 30 or 40 SiriusXM channels on his receiver as part of his package. He listens very occasionally, but really - what good is it if you're stuck in your living room?

**Posted by RadioAaron** September 17, 2024 10:39 am

markow202 wrote:
The sound quality is garbage - if you are gonna use Sirius XM its better to use it on your phone and connect to the car.

Agree; it's what we do.

I will say though on some newer radios I think they're using a new codec and it's a vast improvement.

Last edited by RadioAaron (September 17, 2024 11:27 am)

**Posted by pinto** September 17, 2024 10:43 am

RadioActive wrote:
My friend, who has a U.S. satellite dish, gets about 30 or 40 SiriusXM channels on his receiver as part of his package. He listens very occasionally, but really - what good is it if you're stuck in your living room?

I have an old Audio Chromecast dongle, I plugged it in to my home receiver and cast SXM to it via the phone

**Posted by turkeytop** September 17, 2024 11:15 am

markow202 wrote:
The sound quality is garbage - if you are gonna use Sirius XM its better to use it on your phone and connect to the car.

My old ears are incapable of appreciating good quality audio. I use hearing aids. Classical music on short wave sounds as good to me as classiclal music on FM.

**Posted by dmcjeff** September 17, 2024 1:50 pm

I used to enjoy the 80's on 8 channel until my BMW 4 year lease expired in spring 2022 with SXM on it. New car Model Y didn't have SXM and while I could stream via my phone over BT Audio, I just paid TESLA $10/mo for unlimited streaming, unlimited browsing and unlimited Theatre (apps include Netflix, Disney, Youtube, Spotify and Tune in) and all of it is available on demand for as long as I want. This alone lead me to understand that eventually all cars will have this option and even FM is on the way out. Who wants to sit through ads on FM radio when you can just listen to podcasts or music unlimited?

**Posted by turkeytop** September 17, 2024 3:27 pm

John D wrote:
So does my 2017 Buick Encore.

turkeystop, I understand you can buy SXM as an aftermarket product. Not really sure; but that's what I've heard.

I already have one of those, but I don't want it cluttering up the dash in my car. The display and the keys are so tiny it would be distracted driving just to operate it.

I use mine in the house. I feed the audio output into a low power FM transmitter I've illegally modified to boost the power. It provides reception all over the house and yard and up to about a half block away.

**Posted by Dial Twister** September 17, 2024 3:57 pm

turkeytop wrote:
I use mine in the house. I feed the audio output into a low power FM transmitter I've illegally modified to boost the power. It provides reception all over the house and yard and up to about a half block away.

I think we're going to need some details on that upgrade...purely for research purposes, of course. 😉

**Posted by turkeytop** September 17, 2024 4:33 pm

Dial Twister wrote:
turkeytop wrote:
I use mine in the house. I feed the audio output into a low power FM transmitter I've illegally modified to boost the power. It provides reception all over the house and yard and up to about a half block away.
I think we're going to need some details on that upgrade...purely for research purposes, of course. 😉

The details are right in the user manual. It shows an image of the circuit board and warns the user not to adjust the variable resistor fully clockwise. Doing so will cause the transmitter to emit a signal at an illegally high level.

**Posted by RadioActive** September 18, 2024 6:58 am

I doubt this will help, but maybe it's worth a read.

The Best Way to Add Satellite Radio to Your Car

**Posted by turkeytop** September 18, 2024 9:20 am

It seems lke satellite radio is going the way of AM stereo. The Automakers aren't putting in vehicles. It's only a matter of time until SXM stops broadcasting via satellite and makes it a streaming service.

**Posted by turkeytop** September 27, 2024 7:36 pm

So today, in the car, I turned off the SXM and used regular radio, just to see how life would be without SXM. In a big city like Toronto or Montreal I wouldn't miss it. But London is a radio wasteland.

London has about a dozen FMs and the only one that's even listenable is Radio I. CBC Music can be OK for the few hours in the day when they aren't playing garage band.

When we first came to London in 1996 there were 3 AM stations. Now we're down to one.

The only one I heard today that was even slightly tolerable was Light FM 92.1 from Brantford, and I don't think I would want a steady diet of that.

Last edited by turkeytop (September 27, 2024 8:37 pm)