[Roma]

When I bought my XF I wasn't able to change the order as the car had already been built and was on its way to the dealer. It was originally intended to be a demonstrator for the dealer so they offered it to me and I bought it as I didn't want to wait for a new build. It was missing a few options that I would have liked but nothing that I couldn't live with...until now!

My all-time favourite radio station is finally back on the air: Jazz FM. It's available online, on Sky, on Freeview and on DAB. But not on FM. Listening to it at home is no problem as i've got all the possible media that it broadcasts on. But, I don't have DAB in the XF so I don't know how to listen to it in the car. Is there an aftermarket DAB receiver that I can plug into the external source socket (3.5mm input socket for the music system)? There must be lots of people in a similar position who want DAB now as the radio station they listen to is no longer on FM.

I'm also hoping that Jaguar will offer a DAB upgrade as it's likely just to be a software upgrade.

 

[pekem]

I don't think DAB is wortwhile in the XF.Too many areas with no reception.

 

[Steamdreamer]

Fair enough, pekem - probably not too much help to Roma, though!

 

[Steve Willo]

There is the PURE Highway in car DAB Digital Radio kit which works through the FM Radio. I've had one since it came out and it work great in my Murano. I'll try it in the XF and let you know.

Try
http://www.Simplyradios.com

 

[pekem]

Roma,
The Pure offering will work very well indeed in an XF.
Talk to users in the area that you are mostly wanting to hear your favorite station. It simply is the case that DAB reception is very fragile in many areas.

 

[Roma]

Thanks all. I'll look into the PURE Highway radio. I have several PURE radios at home already (mains-powered ones) so I know they produce good kit.

 

[craig]

Contact a decent Jaguar dealer Roma and see if it can be retro-fitted. Most stuff can be but many dealers are unwilling to do it. Also, if you know of any decent Jaguar specialists you could ask them. Would cost you more than an aftermarket but would be much better.

 

[Roma]

Contact a decent Jaguar dealer

Hmm...therein lies the problem. I am surrounded by indecent Jag dealers! I sent three of them emails last week and didn't receive a single reply. I wasn't expecting a reply, mind you, so wasn't surprised by the lack of response.

Can yo find out from your contacts at Jaguar whether DAB is a retro-fit option? It's only £250 factory-fitted so sounds like just a software update to enable DAB as an audio source.

 

[pekem]

Contact a decent Jaguar dealer

Hmm...therein lies the problem. I am surrounded by indecent Jag dealers! I sent three of them emails last week and didn't receive a single reply. I wasn't expecting a reply, mind you, so wasn't surprised by the lack of response.

Can yo find out from your contacts at Jaguar whether DAB is a retro-fit option? It's only £250 factory-fitted so sounds like just a software update to enable DAB as an audio source.

It may only be £250 but do you not then have to have the B&W set up :?:

 

[Roma]

Contact a decent Jaguar dealer

Hmm...therein lies the problem. I am surrounded by indecent Jag dealers! I sent three of them emails last week and didn't receive a single reply. I wasn't expecting a reply, mind you, so wasn't surprised by the lack of response.

Can yo find out from your contacts at Jaguar whether DAB is a retro-fit option? It's only £250 factory-fitted so sounds like just a software update to enable DAB as an audio source.

It may only be £250 but do you not then have to have the B&W set up :?:

No. I went to the Jag XF Configurator last night and DAB is a standalone option now. I would imagine this is a fairly recent change to the options list. I think this option just enables you to select DAB in the Audio screen. It is £250 as a factory-fit option and I suspect it is simply enabled in the software. I would surprised if it required the fitting of another antenna specifically for DAB.

It is also still part of the B&W option separately.

 

[penultimateblack]

I agree with Roma. I still have a copy of an original spec/price list which quotes £250 for stand alone DAB. When I was ordering my car in September 2007 the salesman did not recommend adding DAB because he reckoned reception was too flakey.

 

[pekem]

I agree with Roma. I still have a copy of an original spec/price list which quotes £250 for stand alone DAB. When I was ordering my car in September 2007 the salesman did not recommend adding DAB because he reckoned reception was too flakey.

I ordered my car at the same time and ordered the DAB for £250. However, when the car was delivered it had the B&W system incorporated. I pointed out that I did not order the B&W. I was told that it was not a standalone item. Dealers mistake so they gave the B&W free of charge. Now I am delighted with the B&W but rarely bother with the DAB when in motion because of the inconsistent reception.

 

[Roma]

Okay, here is the current status of this enquiry.

I contacted Jaguar's most respected dealership in the UK and asked them to find out if DAB can be retro-fitted to my XF. They were very polite and courteous on the phone. The dealership called me back within an hour with an update (I was acutally quite speechless that they had bothered to call me back at all!) and updated me with the information that they had contacted someone at Jaguar HQ and were told that DAB is not available in the UK. The dealership has persisted and asked the same question to another technical person at Jaguar HQ.

I might just buy the PURE Highway to avoid several months of frustration at Jaguar HQ's utter incompetence and inability to answer the simplest of technical enquiries.

Top marks to this dealership, by the way for being responsive and helpful. Nil point to Jaguar HQ who thought that DAB was not available in the UK.

 

[Service]

Hi Roma, I would be interested know who you think is the best dealer in the UK. DAB is not retrofittable. It does not just involve a software update either. New looms and aerials would need to be installed making it a four figure sum due to labour involved. for this reason it is not cost effective for customers so Jaguar do not make a retro fit kit. it frustrates me when people do not get the service they should from some dealers. I hear this all the time from my customers but be assured not all are like this. I for one have never not returned a phone call. such a simple thing.

 

[Roma]

Hi Service, and welcome to the forums. It's great to have someone knowledgeable and someone who can present a dealers point of view. If you read many of my posts you will find that I am not exactly impressed by my local dealer (who shall remain nameless as i'm not mean enough to name and shame on a public forum).

Firstly, a quick update to the DAB question. A different dealer to my local dealer has been very helpful. Jag HQ didn't have a clue - no surprises there. But the dealer researched some service manuals and accessory documents and worked out that the roof fin aerial would need to be changed and a new DAB module would need to be fitted. Including the service charge, this comes to around £750 or so. I'll give that a miss!

 

[Service]

What part of the country are you from I am sure i could guess the dealer. you would need digital cables too which are diffferent to the standard radio cables. The dealer would not have contacted Jaguar directly. There is no technical support for questions like this, only mechanical/electrical failure. I think they may have miss lead you on that point. Anything that is cost effective to the customer Jaguar will bring out as an accessory. Normally if don't it is because it would have a heavy price tag.

 

[craig]

See like I have said many times before ANYTHING which was an option at purchase can be retrofitted if you are happy to pay what they want to do it. The problem is that most dealers wont bother quoting you and just say no because of the costs and time involved.

 

[Service]

I for one will always quote a customer but then we have the chepest labour rate in the country so we often under quote other dealers by a substantial ammount which we like to promote. I also think the competancy of the staff is also very important, if they are not confident with what is involved then they will take the safe line and agree with Jaguar cars on the official line.

 

[Jules]

Service has made a good point there. If the dealership does not contain the technical know how within his service staff, I for one would not be happy with them "training" on my car.

 

[MikeL]

I have the Pure Highway and installed it in the XF. The DAB aerial is stuck to the windscreen next to the Tax disk and the lead is just long enough to trail along the edge of the windcreen down and accross the bottom of the dashboard (through the glove comparment) and then along the wooden central compartment (mainly hidden) to the power socket. Reception in London is pretty good. I originally bought it for my last car as FM reception for Smooth Radio was dodgy but on DAB was OK. The radio in the XF is more sensitive and Smooth Radio on FM is OK. So, I hardly use the DAB now especially as it is mounted magnetically on a flexible column which is stuck on one of the compartment doors on the central unit and is unsightly. But it works well - you tune in it in to a spare FM frequency. I may try it again as Jazz FM is back.