Drilling holes in a leased vehicle?

[CoolCat]

I have been considering drilling NMO holes in my 2011 Jeep Patriot, but it is a lease.

Assuming your Patriot has roof racks, just drill the holes and install the antennas inside the roof rack area (in the middle or towards the rear). With the rain cap installed in the hole, you wouldn't even know there was a hole there unless you looked for it.

When it comes time to turn the vehicle in, chances are they wouldn't even see the hole/cap as long as they are inside the roof rack area (drill a 3/4" hole anywhere else on the roof and it will stick out like a sore thumb).

 

[newsphotog]

Interior holes, I've always hid or kept to a minimum. Better yet, try keeping your interior holes in the carpet.

Everything will be hidden away. The speakers will be mounted under the seat, with the radio also under the seat and a remote head for the radio above the rearview mirror, and the scanner itself mounted in the glove compartment.

Holes in the interior are generally easy to fix by simply replacing the bezel/panel you drilled a hole in. Most vehicles have an easily removable center/console bezel that surrounds the factory radio, HVAC controls, etc (many bezels just 'pop' off by hand, no tools needed). You can modify this panel all you want and all you have to do to fix it is simply replace it with a new one. You can buy this bezel (or any other interior panel) from the dealer parts counter.

I originally wanted to mount the scanner to the passenger's side of the shifter, and just buy a new panel, but then that would require extra $$ and might be intrusive to my passenger's space while on long trips.

Assuming your Patriot has roof racks, just drill the holes and install the antennas inside the roof rack area (in the middle or towards the rear). With the rain cap installed in the hole, you wouldn't even know there was a hole there unless you looked for it.

When it comes time to turn the vehicle in, chances are they wouldn't even see the hole/cap as long as they are inside the roof rack area (drill a 3/4" hole anywhere else on the roof and it will stick out like a sore thumb).

If I end up drilling, that's probably what I'll do. I'm about 5'10" and when I look at the roof from the side of the vehicle you can't really see much of the roof with the roof rack and the roof ridges either. But I'd still rather fill those holes instead of leaving the rain caps on.

 

[W9WSS]

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I've owned several cars in my years of driving (40+), and have had up to 10 NMO hole-mounts. I have NEVER had negative results from a dealer on a trade-in, lease, or private sale to another person. Matter of fact, the last guy I sold a car to wanted to know when I was ready to dispose of my present CVPI, with the 10 NMO mounts, all currently connected to working radios in the mobile install.

 

[newsphotog]

I left all 4 of my NMO mounts on my Impala AND left the Jotto console in with all wiring when I traded it in... I'd love to see someone cruising that around town making use of all of those mounts!

A lot of good info in this thread so far. Still sitting on the fence, teetering back and forth. The install is happening on August 3, drill or no-drill.

 

[jparks29]

Get some low profile antennas (pucks, fins) to put on at the end of the lease. They might not even notice they're not factory
Most people think the 800 MHz "fin" on my vehicle is satellite radio.

Like my 'on-star' antenna?

lol (to the left)


and what it actually does....

 

[RBFD415]

microwave mast hole in roof!

I know of someone who cut a hole in the roof of a leased SUV for a microwave mast. When he turned it in he had the hole welded up again. I can't imagine doing this but- I've drilled NMO holes in leased trucks and never had an issue. Look at it this way- how much damage does a mag mount and flopping lead-in do to the paint?

 

[VO1XH]

Bondo

Hmm, Bondo. I didn't even know about that until you guys brought this up. It seems like it wouldn't be that hard to use Bondo to fill a 3/4" hole. I think the difficulty would be matching the body paint since it is a bright metallic silver, and I've never been very good with spray paints.

You can have the exact paint for your vehicle mixed and put in a spray can so it is ready to use.Just find the paint code for your vehicle,you can go to an automotive parts jobber that also custom mixes paint and they can obtain the code for you.They will then mix the paint as per the formula and package the paint in a spray can. As for antenna holes in a leased vehicle,the dealer usually overlooks the holes and has their body shop make the repair and they just add it into the price of the vehicle when they offer it up for resale.
Hope this info is a help for you.73,Don, VO1XH

 

[mayidunk]

Since this thread has been resurrected, I'll just ask an obvious question...

Is the title in your name? If not, then you don't own it. If you don't own it, don't drill holes in it.

How can that be difficult?

 

[ipfd320]

READ the LEASE AGREEMENT carefully-my suggestion would be to get like others posted a trunk lip antenna or the z-type nmo mount bracket that can bolt up on the inner side of the fender/hood area

 

[cwb212001]

As an installer I've drilled many holes in vehicles for NMO mounts. Most of my federal clients who lease their vehicles from GSA are afraid of the penalties for permanent mount, performance based installations. Those clients who have chosen to 'risk' it... I used the 3/8" NMO, which in my opinion are better than a standard NMO... and when removed I used a small push in trim keeper and some silicone. No one ever notices. A normal lease company who doesn't expect to see holes in the roof probably wont notice either. That being said... read your agreement and weigh the risk. If you did get 'caught' and had to pay someone to bondo that size off hole and color match it... I would do it.

 

[newsphotog]

Since this thread has been resurrected, I'll just ask an obvious question...

Is the title in your name? If not, then you don't own it. If you don't own it, don't drill holes in it.

How can that be difficult?

Gee whiz! Sorry, I guess none of us had thought about that... thanks for your solution, mister!

READ the LEASE AGREEMENT carefully-my suggestion would be to get like others posted a trunk lip antenna or the z-type nmo mount bracket that can bolt up on the inner side of the fender/hood area

The lease agreement is vague and does not specifically address aftermarket installations. Either the aftermarket equipment goes with the vehicle, or you're charged for it.

 

[newsphotog]

The lease has ended and the vehicle was turned in a couple weeks ago... no one said a word about anything. I didn't even have to put rain caps over the NMO mounts.

 

[mmckenna]

Yep, I've never heard of it being a problem.
Just another thing that hams do to convince themselves that mag mounts are OK.

A LOT of municipal vehicles are leases. A lot of ours are, also. It's just easier to do a lease since we can't do loans, and they don't like to pay for things all up front.

 

[W9WSS]

I've been driving for over 50 years, and have owned and leased a plethora of vehicles. I would estimate 20+ cars and trucks between myself, my wife, and children. Every single car had NMO mounts on them, many times multiple antennas were mounted. Not only did I EVER have an issue with NMO mounts left or removed by the dealers/leasing agents, three of my cars I sold to hams because they were "pre-wired" for radio usage. I hate magnetic mount antennas, but do own one or two for my scanner. I think I left them somewhere in the garage, and should I need them, I'll start looking.

A good friend of mine has a magnetic mount on his current car. The roof is so scratched up from the magnetic mount, that I'm sure his car will cost hundreds of dollars to have the roof re-painted. Performance is a compromise at best, and should only be temporary.

These are just observations on my part. If you don't want to drill, then don't expect maximum performance especially if you intend to transmit on your setup.

 

[mmckenna]

Yep. I have two mag mounts. They sit in the garage on top of a cabinet and I use them for testing radios. I haven't plunked a mag mount on a car in 20+ years.

Real men drill the hole.

 

[mkewman]

The company I work for puts full pneumatic masts in leased vehicles. (we're talking holes that are like 6 inches big) When they turn them in at the end of the lease, they put a rain cap in and call it a day. I've not read their leases, but my coworker who deals with the vehicle says they're normal vehicle leases and they've never had a problem. In fact, they have more problems with mag mount created scratches.

 

[newsphotog]

I went back to see if my drilled-into Patriot was still for sale at the dealer, and nope, it's not. That lasted about a week. Wonder if a ham bought it? If so, too bad for them, since I cut all the cables really short when I took everything out...

 

[nexcool]

I just returned my leased Ford and they didn't say anything about it. I was worried it would show up on the inspection report from Ford, but it was only noted on there. It said "two antenna trunk holes, but capped" $0.00 Drill away! if you're scared, call me, I will drill them in to your new car.

 

[KM4WLV]

I've been doing installs on vehicles since 1998, both on my personal vehicles and professionally. I've had 2 vehicles leased that a minimum of 2 holes either on the trunk or on the roof (one car, one truck) and I never got pinged for the holes. I always removed the mounts and put in hole plugs to replace them. I never got pinged on either one when it came time to end the lease.

Also, on a number of the government vehicles I've worked on, local, state, and federal, were leased vehicles and we always drilled 3/4" holes for NMO mounts unless we had an unusual situation where we had to use a 3/8" thick roof mount. Matter of fact 2 different counties that a shop I worked at had contracts with had mandates in the communication SOG's that said we had to do a permanent roof mount on all vehicles unless it was an unmarked/undercover unit. Of course the federal vehicles we did (FBI, DEA, etc) you'd never have known it was an LEO vehicle anyway.

Just my experience, DRILL ON !!! Especially if, just as someone stated previously, you want any kind of decent performance. If it's just a scanner then you can most likely get away with a trunk lip mount or something on an L-Bracket.

 

[W9WSS]

Permanent NMO Mounts

I have driving for 45 years, and have owned numerous vehicles. I have always had permanent NMO mounts for antennas in my mobile installations. I just got my new (to me) 2009 CVPI from the radio shop after a very custom installation. It has TEN NMO mounts, and one trunk-lip mount for a very large Amateur Radio HF "screw-driver" style antenna. Every antenna is used for radios in my car(s). Nothing for decoration, or place setting to "even out" the pattern. My tech took hours to get the antenna mounts lined up symmetrically and operationally. That's why he's a pro at what he does.