ok , so one of these newer Xj's is in the running for a future purchase. one thing has been urking me like a hornet stuck in the car while driving. WHAT IS THE BLUE / PURPLE CENTER CONSOLE TRIM BEZEL ALL ABOUT!!!. does it light up or something? why is it in such contrast with the interior? why would the radio surround be piano black , and put that purple thing in there that looks like one of those awful aftermarket stick on trim sets. can it be changed? please somebody tell me

 

domer94, unfortunately, when the car was new, that piece was not purple. Whether it is bad plastic or just the wrong dyes used in the plastic, it has a habit of fading and turning that purplish color. Short of getting a new trim piece or taking the piece off and wrapping it in something, not much that you can really do about it.

 

wow! i would have NEVER guessed that was the case. its on so many examples, it looks like it was on purpose .. which is why i was left scratching my head i guess. thanks very much for clarifying... knowing it can be replaced makes me feel so much better. also , i see some , not many, with a hood leaper.. im assuming that was a custom addition? or was it some option ?

 

domer94, that is a custom addition. Jaguar was "forced" to remove it via british law. It is seen as an impaling hazard to pedestrians. Can't say I have heard of it happening, but I can see how it could happen though too. This is why if you look at some of the high-high end cars that keep their hood ornaments, they have some pretty trick ways of making them disappear in an accident.

 

Yeah I wrapped my blue bezel soon after I got my 2011 XJL. More about that here in my working thread.

At some point I am also going to address all the blinding chrome in the console that reflects the sun way too much.

 

regarding the leaper ... it doesnt look right IMO on this shape body anyhow. laws are funny arent they. some states will arrest a woman for showing a nipple in public, but you can strap a desert eagle 44 to your waiste and walk into a store.

that console trim looks fantastic , im assuming you were able to match the other grain ?. did you feel the need to do the radio surround? i would have to see it in the full context of the whole interior. - just checked out your thread... very nice work. agree %100 should have been that way from the get go. i , like you, I will have this top of the list if i decide to go with one of these XJ

im going to look at a 2011 XJ today... first time i have even considered this generation. i will know when i sit in it if i love it or hate it... i sat in an XF for the first time yesterday and was extremely disappointed that the view over the bonnet was completely obstructed by the wiper arm! even with the seat full up. one of the joys of Jags , for me at least, is the view over the bonnet.. the transition from dash to bonnet.. and the view of the "power bulge" plus seeing the paint shine in the sun. i know im not alone

 

That’s definitely on my to do list. Mine hasn’t achieve full purple yet though. This looks like a good matcor formy interior: VViViD Knotty Maple Wood Grain Architect
https://www.amazon.com/VViViD-Knotty-Maple-Grain-Architectural/dp/B00YLFTMT0?ref_=ast_sto_dp&th=1&psc=1#

 

I think it matches well enough. I have considered printing my own wrap to match exactly. Thinking that the striped wood would be a bit to much for the console. I found that vinyl and thought it was a good compromise.

The piece of wrap that I bought was not large enough to do the upper console. The black on that piece seems to be slowly going blue as well. I might try wrapping that one at some point to see how it would look.




After I did my wrap I ran across this on ebay. Appears to be an overlay that sticks to the original. Kinda pricey but might work well.

Also shows the upper console in wood, though they went an odd direction with the grain. Seems like it should all flow in same direction.
Not sure I like that much wood look in the upper console area.

 

One of the small, but important, features of the X351 is the wiper/washer system. Most of us don't test drive cars in the rain, so we discover the good or poor design of this system following our purchase.

I suspect it must rain once in a while in the UK as the system on this car is flawless! It's almost as if the designers sized the windshield after determining the placement of the wipers; they sweep more of the glass than any car I've ever owned. And of course they had to configure it for RHD, too. I wonder if the mounting points of the wiper arm are identical in LHD and RHD? If so, that would really be elegant.

Furthermore, the passenger wiper doesn't change direction (and dump rain) directly in front of the driver's view. All without articulating or asymmetric tricks.
If you buy this car, you'll also marvel at the washing system. One pull of the lever initiates three wash sweeps. Hey, how come the system is out of fluid; I don't see any? Look closer, the nozzle is atop each arm, and squirts AHEAD of the blade only, so the fluid is swept away from your field of view on every stroke. Just when you think you've seen it all, the system pauses for a few seconds, then makes one final, dry sweep to catch any stray droplets. How cool is that! And .... if you are operating the wipers with the headlights on, every fifth use of the windshield washer protocol initiates a headlight washing squirt, from high-pressure nozzles otherwise nested in the bumper cover. Really, really slick. Oh yeah, the bottle holds 5 quarts, too.

You don't realize how much this lessens the tension of driving in the rain until you drive a car with a poor system. There are a few design flaws in the X351 (including the absence of a pass-thru in the rear seat), but they sure got the wipers and washers right.

 

its not bad, but would look much better if both grains ran the same direction

 

agree with the comments... just wish the wiper arms were tucked into the cowl when stowed

 

I agree 100%. I hate that the arms block the view of the bonnet.

And re the wiper system in general, I must have gotten a bad one or something because no matter what I do, I get nothing but streaks which impair visibility in the rain. New blades, new arms, new windshield and still can't get it to not streak.

 

just went to look at this gorgeous lady. ive been to probably every used dealer in the state of NJ over the years . firs time for this one. ive never see such a collection of clean quality hi-enders in one place! 71k miles asking $24,900. the maroon metallic was stunning in the sun. So , feedback on my first time inside one of these.... all the reviews were spot on. great seating position and view. was VERY happy the wiper issue didnt carry over to this model. there was a nice view over the bonnet. now the little "niggles" , the C-pillar exterior trim was very faded in relation to the rest. can this be brought out again? or is it past it and to be replaced. the leather was good , just needs some cleaning attention. i did wish it had the wood wheel , the black leather was a tad worn on the front edge most likely from being "palmed" in turns. i did wish the sunroof opened wider but in the grand scheme not a huge deal.

 

Looks a beauty! What year and engine? Are you talking about the internal or external trim on the C-Pillar?

wombat

 

domer94, one of the other trick features of the wipers I use periodically is to simply leave them ON in the intermittent setting. If it is sunny out, they will never wipe. You drive through a sprinkler, the wipers come on automatically for you. No need to have to do anything.

XJ8JR, here is something for you to try. Get yourself a bottle of ceramic car polish. Now, spray some on the windshield and wipe in good. I use "Shine-On" and it works just like RainX. You get driving about 30ish MPH, the wind is enough to keep blowing the drops right up the windshield, so, you don't even need the wipers for a light mist. I tend to apply a coating like once a year to keep things working like I want. If you are worried about build up, then get some "Perfect-It III (Stage 2)" and use that on the windshield with either a rougher terry cloth or "gasp" 0000 steel wool. I know you think I am nuts right about now (who would use steel wool on the windshield of a car?). Trust me. It will remove the tiny scratches from the windshield and makes the windshield almost like new. takes some elbow grease, but it is wonderful. Then apply some more of the ceramic wax that you spray on and all is good.

 

2011 / v8 supercharged.
yes the external trim... i spec'd it out on an oem jag parts site and they are about $245 / side. just not sure how they install. i know im getting ahead of myself.. im still in the process of selling my mustang vert, so until thats gone , another cant come in.
the other thing i noticed was the steering column adjust was not operating. dont know if a fuse or something more sinister

 

domer,

I haven't done the C-Pillars but, the B's were quite easy...30-45 mins per side.Mine were cracked so I had no choice, if they were just discolored I'd have wrapped them.

The steering column has 2 settings, Auto and Manual, maybe it was in the 'wrong' position?

wombat

 

yes i saw the two modes.. tried both. thanks
i just wonder how the wrap would last in the sun. is the trim "plastic chrome" ? or actual metal. i know i tried polishing the trim on my past super V8 , but it didnt really react to it. i would almost be tempted to fine steel wool it all and make a satin look which would at least make it all look uniform

 

The black trim is plastic...and very brittle if you try to take it off. The silver trim is extruded alloy. A light wipe with something like brasso should remove all the surface contamination and return it to normal.

wombat

 

Avoid washer fluids that contain "Rain X" or other repellents. Ditto any type of coating, including waxes. Clean the windshield and wiper blade edges thoroughly with isopropyl alcohol. No more streaks or chatter.

The coatings work great until the first time you use the washers. Then the streaks never stop. We use the blue washer fluid with antifreeze up here year-round. If you aren't subject to below-freezing weather, ask your local auto parts retailer.