Yes- basically think of leaving a piece of furniture with fine veneers that are lacquered in the traditional French style out in the baking heat indiscriminately.

I guess this is why Jaguar now fills their cars with plastic. (I am being sarcastic, I know there is wood in the new cars, it’s just hidden in the most secret places)

 

The plastic is cracking as much as the wood veneer. As mentioned, This is a California car and the climate is pretty mild in general. The Range rover we have is a year older and full of wood. Not a crack anywhere. Neither car has been garaged so..

 

I quite believe you...but the only reason that plastic and the wood veneer finish cracks is prolonged and repeated exposure to heat and sun. And a closed car left in the sun, even in ambient temperatures of 70 degrees F can become like an oven very quickly. The result is what you have described PLUS dried leather and falling headliner in extreme cases. The condition of the wood and plastic in your car is not caused by substandard materials; it is caused by the treatment (or lack of care) by the previous owner. I say this as having owned 3 X-Types, one of which sits outside 24 hours a day in sun and rain - but with shades in the windshield - and there is no sign whatever of deterioration in the wood, plastic or leather - and as a JCNA judge who has closely examined hundreds of Jaguars. As much as we would like to blame the conditon of our cars, either mechanical or cosmetic, on the manufacturer, the fault most often lies with an owner's pattern of use, neglect, or abuse. I am not in any way accusing you in this - quite the contrary; I am simply stating that the person who owned this car before you did not look after it ikn a way which woruld prevent the stated damage..