I have been asked many times about this...is it for design only or is there a practical reason for it?

agarg

The 'Shark Fin" on the roof is the antenna for the radio, same as for the e46 body styles.

so, what about the bmw's that don't have them???

WRONG WRONG WRONG....idiots "gosh.." Its obvious that its for control/aerodynamic/handling characteristics....

^^^ retard...don't listen to him.

so, what about the bmw's that don't have them???

BMW used to integrate the antenna in the rear window, E36 body styles and very early e46's had this (like 1999's and some 2000 models), and before that they used normal electric antennas, which are found on the e30 chassis.

I always thought the shark fin was for Sirius. I never looked into it though, but I just assumed that's what it was for.

WRONG WRONG WRONG....idiots "gosh.." Its obvious that its for control/aerodynamic/handling characteristics....

NO - it is in case you flip you car off a bridge into water. It's a rudder!! :D

OH, I get it.....

It's for BMW Assist according to the 2005 5er brochure

airbag. in case the car flips upside down.

it's an attachment for the BMW propeller

Ok now lets answer the question at hand. The antenna, or "shark fin", is used to connect with BMW assist, GPS, and satellite radio. If you don't have any of these options, it's purely cosmetic. Also from what I've been told, it does not have anything to do with regular AM/FM radio operation. Not sure where that antenna lives now though as I don't see it in the rear window of the 5 series next to my desk.

so, what about the bmw's that don't have them???

All new BMW's have them.

Not sure where that antenna lives now though as I don't see it in the rear window of the 5 series next to my desk.

The AM/FM antenna in the e36 is up inside the roof between the headliner and the metal. :confused

The AM/FM antenna in the e36 is up inside the roof between the headliner and the metal. :confused

I'm assuming that they are like that in the E90's as well.

WRONG WRONG WRONG....idiots "gosh.." Its obvious that its for control/aerodynamic/handling characteristics....

:lol

The AM/FM antenna in the e36 is up inside the roof between the headliner and the metal. :confused


Actually that would be the antenna amplifier, the antenna itself is intigrated into the rear glass as has already been stated. All of the AM/FM antennas on current cars are this way.

Ok now lets answer the question at hand. The antenna, or "shark fin", is used to connect with BMW assist, GPS, and satellite radio. If you don't have any of these options, it's purely cosmetic. Also from what I've been told, it does not have anything to do with regular AM/FM radio operation. Not sure where that antenna lives now though as I don't see it in the rear window of the 5 series next to my desk.


^ From what I've read, this is exactly right.

All new BMW's have them.

Not correct either. It is solely for BMW assist. I have Nav and no fin, which is why I advoided the premium package and only bought the options I wanted.

Not correct either. It is solely for BMW assist. I have Nav and no fin, which is why I advoided the premium package and only bought the options I wanted.

Well let me be a little more specific...

All E90 3 series, E60 5 series, 745/750/760, and X3's. Not sure about the X5's (never looked), not on the convertibles obviously or 2005 M3's. But the cars I mentioned that do have it, get it no matter what options you buy.

The AM/FM antenna in the e36 is up inside the roof between the headliner and the metal. :confused
I thought it was common knowledge that the AM/FM antenna for an E3 is in the rear windshield. There are two boxes, one on each C pillar, one box for the defroster, another box for the antenna.