Replacing/Fixing Antenna

I recently bought a 94 Honda Civic that has a manual retractable antenna. The radio reception is utterly horrible - I can't even listen to my favorite station anymore. So, I decided to go and buy an aftermarket antenna, or as the package says, amplified replacement mast. It says it fits all vehicles. So, I start taking apart the old antenna, and while doing so noticed that there was no hole to screw the new antenna into. Thinking that antenna systems were simple, I figured I could just take the antenna wire and attach it to the post on the new antenna and all would be well. But that doesn't work. I actually get almost no reception with the new antenna attached to the antenna wire. Is there something I'm missing here? What can I do with now just an antenna cable with naked wire on the end so that I can have reception again? Is there a particular type of antenna to buy? All the ones I have seen have are antennas with posts that screw in to a contraption that the wire is hooked into. But I basically destroyed the contraption on mine and am just left with naked wire.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I'm going nuts without the radio in my car during my long daily commute.