Easy to make stock electric antenna manual?

[Stanley]

The radio antenna quit working last month. I'm getting a new radio as soon as I have time and they'll put a new antenna that works with the radio. So don't  want to spend time and money to fix the stock one. Just want to be able to pull it up and push it down by hand for now. Seems  like it should be easy but maybe not, so asking since it's not so easy removing and reinstalling that interior plastic panel. It's stuck in the down position, don't want to force it and break something.

Edited May 19, 2017 by Stanley

[Mark Maras]

Two tips. Remove the strut bracket and heat the panel with a hair dryer to make it more flexible.

[ramsesosirus]

Mine had a screw on "flexible black" antenna when I bought it.  I swiftly removed it, as I do with all of my cars.  I think antennas ruin the aesthetics.  I covered the "base" with a small vacuum tube cap.  Never had trouble with reception in the city.  Also, if you use an mp3 player with the proper wiring (not the Fm transmitter, where you have to select a station) that plugs into your "Aux", you don't need an antenna.  FYIi

[Stanley]

A good radio wouldn't need as much antenna. Hitachi made some nice receivers back in the day, but maybe Nissan thought it would add too much to the price.