Scandalous prices!
The window does not have to come out!
The is a DIY kit for approx $60 which seems to work well.
Check the boards it's not a difficult job.

 

So how did you get the headliner out? My 04 needs one too. XJ8 not a KJ8L.

 

I removed my headliner for a temporary fix, and if it is possible to do so without bending it, I'd like to learn about it. You can remove the headliner through one of the rear doors. You will bend it, but from my experience, the bending doesn't result in any noticeable deformation upon reinstallation. I just got a quote this week to fully repace the headliner material at $650 (including removal and reinstallation). To do the sunroof was an extra $75. You can buy a new headliner from Jaguar for $850 retail, probably $650 discounted. I'm leaning toward buying a new one from Jaguar and doing it myself. At least I know the color will be right, and I now know how to do it (with a bend). I am convinced that the original installation was done before the windshield was installed. It's the only way to get the rigid headliner into the car without bending it. But bending it, doesn't appear to affect the appearance, once reinstalled.

 

If you go the route of replacing the material youself, it doesn't appear to be terribly difficult, but it will be a bit time consuming. You will need to remove the headlner board, strip the existing material, clean the board so the new material will have a good contact base, spray new adhesive and fold the new material onto the board smoothly. Color match of the material is important, as there are a wide array of aftermarket material colors that may or may not match the original.

Here's a link that shows how to remove the headliner:
http://www.wlsheadliners.com/tutoria...ID=18875447021

 

If you replace the material yourself, make sure you use a heat resistant adhesive. Permatex Heavy Duty Headliner and Carpet Adhesive is one of the heat resistant spray adhesives readily available at an auto parts store.

 

I paid a trim shop $400 in Charlotte NC to do the trim in my 2000 VdP a couple of months back. They did a great job and didn't need to get the glass out. The stretched rear door on the VdP helps with manipulating the liner in and out of the car. $1375 is a rip-off. Good luck.

Cheers,

Steve.

 

I should have added, I have a 04 XJ8 not a Vdp. How much difference is there in the rear door. The dealer gave a download instruction that has the headliner coming out the rear door of the XJ8L, and out the rear window for the short wheelbase. I measured the door and headliner, there is an inch difference. I guess the trim removal will make it less than that. Does it have an inch of bend? My son in law has a bodyshop business and was going to take it out for me to take to an uppholser. He wanted to know the best way to get it out. His experence with headliners is usually wrecked and they come out of a broken window. I suppose I could get the dealer to look up the Vdp instructions and compare. Thanks for the post

 

Just finished doing my head liner about a week ago and it is a easy job, also rebuilt the sun roof while it was out and that was a little harder but went well. The head liner will easily come out through the driver side rear door with the seat back forward, a little bending will not hurt the board as it is very resilient material. Lowes sales the 3M heavy duty spray adhesive and get two cans if you have a sun roof. After removing the old fabric use a dry scrub brush to get all the old foam off the top as this will hinder the adhesion.There is another post that covers this very well, the only trick that I found was when you remove the trim edge piece around the sun roof it will not go back on as tight and when I would close the unit it would pull of the back side loose so to help the molding hold tighter I bought some trim tape at Advance auto and cut into about 3/4 inch strips and folded them about 3 inches apart before installing the molding works very well and can be used else were in the car were loose molding comes up.Good luck with the work.
Bill
1998 XJ8 VDP

 

Well I just got my headliner done on my 2008 Jag XJ8 Vanden Plas. The dealer and the independent shop both advised me that front windshield has to come out. After much back and forth I was also advised that there's a high chance of the windshield cracking. I approved the job to the independent shop for $800. The windshield guy showed up to take it off and sure it cracked. To replace it the windshield $700. The whole process cost me $1500 combined. If you are ever going to do this make sure you don't agree for the windshield to be removed. It was a hard lesson learned.

 

I have not replaced the headliner in my X308 yet, but I am currently right in the middle of replacing it on my latest X-type.
However, the idea of having to remove the windscreen on any car to be able to do the headliner up sounds ridiculous to me.

 

I successfully removed and reinstalled it through the rear door of my 1999 XJ8. You will have to carefully fold it to get it out and back in. The fold did not impact the look of the reinstalled headliner.

 

I bought my new headliner from Myrtle and that wanted to fold only one direction and went in quite easily from the rear door opening. I have swb car.