Ok, first off....I am an idiot. Went to an unknown car wash and completely forget to turn off the radio to retract the power antenna. The flaps on this horrible car wash snapped it like a twig.
Second, the situation. I have a 1997 Outback Limited. The antenna is a powered retractable factory install (original). It mounts on the back left body panel just below the window. The current motor still appears to work fine. The mast was broken near the very bottom and the "chain" (for lack of a better term) came completely out.
Now, I tried using the "universal antennas" but they don't work in two ways. The first is that Subaru uses a different type of adaptor than the universal standard. I haven't found an exact convertor (Subaru to universal), but I hope they exist. None of Crutchfield's adaptors look quite right. The second way in which they don't fit is that they are built to fit a round hole. My car has an oval slot in which to fit the antenna (rubber grommet piece goes in to fill the hole, and the antenna fits vertically through that).
Circuit City and Best Buy both told me "tough luck." Ugh. So, I called Subaru and they said I could buy a new mast for $62 or the whole thing for $159. I think I only need the mast but it appears as though I would have to drill through the rivets on the motor to get the "chain" back in.....and uhhhhh.....no. I don't have a rivet gun and am not interested in that level of work. As for the whole thing, $159 seem outrageous.
Has anybody been through this before?!?! Do you know of an antenna and/or adaptor that works? Any help would be greatly appreciated.