I completed installation of the Alpine INA-W900 navigation receiver in my 2005 S-type. Installation was smooth with no surprises and it looks great. I originally had the regular Jaguar stereo (no Alpine and no navigation).

Verdict: I like it and recommend it to others. Don’t let my long Cons/Comments section convince you otherwise. They are only long, because I’m giving you the details.

Pros:

- Gorgeous 7 inch screen.
- Easy to use.
- Motorized screen tilt makes it easier to see the screen.
- Feels solid. No cheap feeling external buttons as on some other systems.
- Smooth and clean installation using all of the parts shown below. No extra holes to drill.
- The Metra 99-9501b (Black) fascia matches the dash nicely and gives a factory clean look. The Alpine slides right in to the Metra for a perfect fit.

Cons/Comments:

- A couple of wire color errors in the Alpine manual.
- Shoving all of the wires back into the dash upon final installation was probably the most difficult part of the installation. Feels like a tight fit. However, the dash in the S-type has some space below and to the sides of the head unit, where you can place the chunkier parts of the wiring, such as the connectors, steering wheel control adapter box, and fuse.
- When searching for songs on the iPhone or iPod, the system doesn’t leave off at your last search. You have to start over to do another search. This may be the case with other brand head-units as well- not sure.
- Motorized screen will hit the shift knob if you open the screen (while you are in park) to insert a DVD or access the SD slot. However, you can pull back about ¾ of an inch on the shift knob, while remaining in park, and the screen will open without hitting the shift knob.
- No built-in Bluetooth. Must purchase as an accessory.
- Unless you can figure out how to get a head unit (applies to all brands, not just Alpine) properly wired to the brake and parking brake, you cannot access navigation system settings or play DVDs. Crutchfield did not know how to do this on the S-type. Many people install a PAC TR7 Universal Trigger Module to get around this problem. They are inexpensive and pre-programmed for the Alpine if you decide to go that route.

Parts used:
- Alpine INA-W900 head unit
- Autoleads PC99-X47 Stalk Steering Control Adapter (includes the wiring harness, so don’t buy a separate wiring harness) and Alpine Stereo Patch Lead. Don’t forget to order the patch lead. The programming sequence didn’t seem to be necessary. Have to order these parts from the UK, but widely available on the Internet.
- Metra 99-9501B fascia
- Antenna adapter (Crutchfield supplied this to me at no charge)
- Butt connectors and crimping tool for splicing and connecting the various wires.

 

Have any pics of the final install? I have a Pioneer D3 in my car, with the first Metra 9501b dash kit they sold, but I've never been 100% happy with the way it sits in the car.

George

 

Here are four images. I think the flash from the camera over-accentuates the slight difference in texture between the black Metra fascia and the black around the climate controls. It is not as noticeable in person.

The last photo shows the screen flush against the unit. In the first and third photos, I have the screen tilted a couple of clicks. In order to fully open the screen in the second picture, I had to slightly pull back the shift knob (but it is still in park).

 

Looks good.

Yeah I know about the texture match, my car has a black interior so it all matches up pretty well.

With my pioneer Avic D3, I can't get that metra trim ring around the face of the unit to sit in there properly flush. It hits the sides of the pioneer unit, and the bottom edges end up sticking out a bit.

I see you, like me, left a mark on the kit when you cut the pin off that was designed for use in the X-Type (where it snaps into the climate controls). If I were to do it again, I would use a wire cutter or something on that pin.

George

 

The fit was good with the ring. I used an exacto knife on the first pin and a wire cutter on the second pin.

 

Looks pretty good. The main complain with my x710BT is the viewing angle. Pioneer x710BT doesn't tilt. So it's bit hard to see the screen during daytime (especially the sunny day).

 

You make it sound so easy, but for me, I probably could never install that on my own..

 

Can you not get a plate that is color coded to match?

 

The plate is the right color however the texture isn't a particularly perfect match to the hvac control. Personally what I'm thinking about doing is actually molding the dash kit to the ac control (eliminating the gap between them) and them either using the 3m textured carbon fiber vynil to wrap both pieces, or texture paint and a color match. Ideally I'd love to do all the wood, and the dash center stack piano black like the newer xj's.

George

 

I have a 2005 Jag S and just bought a Clarion NX500 ( similar to the Alpine unit) but have run into a problem with the electonic brake...can you tell me how you wired your Alpine unit to the electronic brake? Or did you bypass that, and if so how did you by pass the brake?

 

Does changing out the head unit disable the steering wheel controls? I wasn't sure if there is any after market systems that support these controls.

 

Legally, a wire has to be tied in with the parking brake to disable certain features while driving, it's a safety thing. All you need to do is tie that wire into something that's always on, unless you absolutely want the features turned off while driving. In my case, I had a Clarion vrx755vd in my Grand Prix and a vrx765vd in my 300m. Both I hooked up the wire to the same I would for an amp turn-on. Now the DVD players think the parking brake is always on.

 

Do any head units work with the connectors in the s type premium sound package?