Hi everyone.

I'm new to the forums and just bought an 04 XJ8 with 48Kmi. It was a corporate lease return and has all the service records from Jag dealership.... even tire rotations! It's a car for the wife and she really wants the factory installed bluetooth option added. It supposedly is bluetooth ready and has some/all pre-wiring in place? Has anyone done this and how painfull was it? Any pointers or gotchas? Plano Jag dealer said it would be $1600 installed!

We also need more keys since we only received one switchblade key with the car. I saw the threads about Ebay sellers and how to program them so I guess we are alright there. I do have one small issue since I'm 6'3" my knee is just a hair away from the SB key and I'm afraid I could snap it off. Any recs on getting a seperate key and fob so I don't have that problem. Her rec is "You just don't need to drive my car"

Any special recs on what to do right now regarding service/fluids and such?

Thanks in advance for you help.

 

Hello MBary. My wife and I just purchased a new 2004 Vanden Plas also about 6 weeks ago with 37k miles. We're in the North Dallas area too.

I purchased a new electronic fob off ebay and just plan to hook the 'valet' key onto it since the switchblade key is already cut to some other car. I found a place in Waco that says he can replace the switchblade part, but he was almost as expensive as the Jag dealer.

I'm interested in turning on the bluetooth also, so I'll be watching this thread to see if anyone else chimes in on how to do it a little less expensive than the dealership.

 

Do a search (if you haven't already) re: bluetooth. The jury's out on whether to do this or not as the bluetooth setup in the Jags is, in some folks opinions, not good. Others have bitten the bullet and done it. There's even some threads on how to put it in yourself. Too many threads to link here.

As for the key, I got the remote form ebay and programmed it myself (instructions on here somewhere). It's not complicated, but can be tedious and you ahve to be patient and try it a few times before it works. I had to repeat the process three times before mine worked. For the blade, I went to the local dealer and they cut me a new one for about $50. All in all, cost me about $75 since I programmed it myself.

 

My first recommendation for you is to stay as far away from that place in Plano as you can! They have been sued by Jag for fraud and other dishonest practices concerning maintenance - not too hard to find the info if you search.

http://www.dallasdancemusic.com/awar...ued-fraud.html

My personal choice in this area is JagMac. They are an independent shop, reasonably priced, very good, and very honest.

 

Yeah that was Millennium Motorcars who was sued and out of business and where all the service for our new XJ was done. I wouldn't say they overcharged (too bad) because since 2003 the only true repair was suspension compressor in 1/08. Their phones are now forwarded to Park Place Jag on Plano Pkwy who gave me a sight unseen quote of $1600 for the Bluetooth install. I will check out JagMac. Thanks for the rec.

We just picked up the car yesterday and I discovered the forums last night so I'm still learning. I'll do more research when we get serious about doing it which according to my wife is right NOW . I'm just wondering if a car is pre-wired, would it be a plug and play thing? I guess I'm just being lazy and looking for an easy way out.

I saw the programming instructions on here too. So you got a used switchblade fob that was already cut for another car on eBay and the dealer cut and replaced the blade for $50? That's a deal I guess when you are talking about Jag parts

Congrats to you. Sounds sweet! I looked at a Red 04 VDP at Dallas Roadster but it had more miles and showed much more wear that the one we bought. Here it our new ride: Jaguar : XJ8 - eBay (item 350444849245 end time Mar-19-11 12:34:41 PDT)

That's what I need (I think), a valet key.... isn't that a short one with no fob attached? Maybe my knee wouldn't hit it


SO I'M NOT HAVING GOOD LUCK WITH THE JAG INTEGRATION. Tonight I tried to reprogram the Home Link system to my wife's GDO. It's a Chamberlain Security + system and it was manufactured 6/05. Possibly the Jag can't learn it's codes since it was before it's time. I can reset/clear the XJ, no problem, flashes fast after about 20 sec of holding button 1&3. But when I set the GDO to learn and press the XJ button it doesn't control the door. Tried all 3 buttons. Tried to repeat the process about 6-7 times and nothing but a flashing led on the XJ button being pressed. Has anyone had this problem?

Mike

 

Program the remote door opener to the Jaguar HomeLink, then program the Jaguar HomeLink to the garage door motor. I have had to do that with every vehicle I buy with HomeLink.

 

I don't understand what you mean in the first step. How do I program the remote door opener (I'm assuming you mean the clicker) to the Jaguar Homelink?

 

1. Erase all the codes in the Jaguar Home Link by holding the outside buttons down until the red light blinks rapidly...

2. Program your "clicker" aka remote door opener to the Jaguar Home Link by holding down the button on the home link and the button on your "clicker" simultaneously until the red light on the Jaguar Home Link blinks.

3. Push the program button on the side/front of your garage door motor (typically center of garage door on the ceiling with the light on it) until it is in programming mode.. (check your garage door motor instructions)

4. Push the button on the Jaguar Home Link you programmed earlier until the Garage door motor signals it has learned the code.

Depending on how fast you are, the last step typically takes two people to accomplish.

 

Hey, that did the trick for the GDO!


I saw in the GDO instructions sticky that you do one step OR the other. It worked once I did both steps. Now if I can get the ignition key and bluetooth thing going. I know I tackled the easiest first.

Is there anyone selling the valet key blanks anywhere on flea bay? I would just will feel better without my knee being an inch away. What about the one made by Street Keys with transponder in it? 03 04 JAGUAR XJ8 TRANSPONDER CHIP IGNITION KEY BLANK - eBay (item 200588257322 end time Mar-25-11 17:27:07 PDT) will it work and then I just get a keyfob that is cut for someone elses car and don't use the blade. Would this be the cheapest route to go? What does the transponder do?

 

"I would just will feel better without my knee being an inch away."

You can always just do what I have done which is to seperate the swithcblade key from the rest of the FOB, there is a little notch in the back where you can pry them apart.

Of course this means you have to have two things floating about in your pocket but for me it is much less of a nuisance than constantly kneeing the key, almost certainly I was eventually going to snap the thing in half.

 

Yes, good idea but since we only rec'd 1 key with the car I have to get more anyway and that one key is my wife's since it's her car. She is vertically challenged so she has no problems hitting the key.

Has anyone bought one of the XJ8 keys advertised from Street Keys?