Hello from Australia, ive searched and searched and searched, does anybody know where on this planet i can get a dash mat for my 2003 x350, even if it has to be custom made and shipped from Timbuctoo!! and costs a fortune, i need one to protect the dashboard and stop the glare of the Aussie sun, any seriouse suggetions i would be most grateful, Thanks Guys.

 

Only things i have ever seen are reflector type that fold up when not in use.

Not very attractive, but functional.

 

Hello setter,

Better start from here: https://parts.jaguarlandroverclassic.../brand/jaguar/
and there are many other manufacturers on the web as well as 2nd hand, lambswool etc.

FYI.

 

The dash top on the XJ is leather. Unlike vinyl you can treat it to add the moisture back in to prevent cracking. I would do that vs a dash topper, and get a sunshade to help with UV protection on the entire interior.

Dave

 

Sorry to disagree, but the dashtop, even on VDP and Super V8 models is molded vinyl. Not Leather. Even when they went to the trouble of putting stitching in it. I have had an XJ8L and a VDP. There is lots more leather pieces in the VDP. Including the center console except for the top piece and the last bottom piece in the back over the driveshaft tunnel. But not the dash top. My brother owns a leather restoration shop and confirmed all this.

 

Rub the whole plastic interior with several coats of 303 protectant.
It will make the plastic look like new and prevent sun damage.
I use Leather CPR on the leather. It is good stuff too.

 

setter;

"Dash Mat" is what I have on my XJR. It has protected the dash through the Arizona and Texas summers.
I'm specifically recommending the material in the Limited Edition version.

https://www.carcoverusa.com/dashmat-...ard-covers.php

Best Regards, William

 

Those dash mat covers look excellent, but as the OP is in Australia, he will need a Right Hand Drive version, which I don't see mentioned.

 

Well, it appears you are correct. I did read in one of the period reviews somewhere that it was leather, but sure enough, in the 2008 sales brochure, it calls out "Leatherette-wrapped dash top" for the VDP, XJR, and Super V8. One of the many synonyms or brand names for vinyl, along with Naugahyde, Ambla, etc.

Dave

 

Hey setter, you posted the same question over on the Pommy Jaginfo forum and I replied as follows (and you never replied):

"Maybe this one?: https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Black-Da...QAAOSwb7Rca3-8
Described as "for Jaguar XRJ8 1997 on" and as I have never heard of a Jaguar XRJ (8 or otherwise) maybe it's just a typo in the ad.

Edit - yep, looks like the right one, the Shevron site shows the same model number DM803 see here: https://www.shevron.com.au/our-produ...sh-mate/dm803/

Edit 2 - and if that one is right for you, please return the favour and find me one for a RHD F-Type!
Shevron don't make one for the F-Type and although I have looked and looked and looked for over three years now no-one else does either as far as I can tell. Plenty of LHD versions but so such thing in RHD!"

And yes this is an Aussie made RHD dash mat.

 

Hi OzXFR
It's great that Shevron are making dash top mats, but the description for the DM803 is for 1997-on XJ8s. That would be great for the X308, but probably wouldn't fit the X350 (2003-on) that the OP (setter) was wanting to fit it to. If Shevron do do one for the X350, I would be interested too, being just across the water in NZ.

 

Yep, you are correct, I stupidly mixed up the X350 with the X308. Mainly coz I don't know a helluva lot about XJs of any vintage!
A quick search of the Shevron site comes up with this one, DM1573, which looks right for the X350: https://www.shevron.com.au/our-produ.../dm1547d-copy/

 

Thanks very much for finding that, I couldn't find it when I looked. The car finder on the site doesn't have a year tab, just description, and the 'XJ' model spans 50 years. I wonder what the difference is between 'black' and 'coal'? I guess coal is dark grey? I'd like one in 'mocha' to match my dash top, but black would match the paint. This should be the answer for the OP too!

 

Any opinion on this:
http://www.aliexpress.com/item/3256802953449983.html

Has anyone seen one installed? Is it worth it if you don't have the VDP package?

 

This is such an old thread that all their dashboards will have disintegrated by now? And perhaps check your post after posting, since the link didn't work for me.

I happened to be checking yesterday on floor mats. There were also BUNCH of dashmats, I mean it's hardly critical. Whereas floor mats are important
And gear knobs.

 

I hope that I fixed the link.

 

The holes suggest permanent install, which seems a bit excessive for a dashmat.

It is true that I have a seat cover on my drivers seat, thereby negating the leather. But that's because I wear dirty jeans.
Not just 7 jeans (Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday...) but 12 jeans!
January, February, March...

 

Speaking of leather seats. I highly recommend seat doctors leather dye and crack filler. They restored my seats to like new condition again and perfect color match

 

Hi Chris,
Interesting to see this thread revived. This time I have managed to find the Shevron dashmat, and the AliExpress one too. I like the AliExpress one, as it's available in brown. In between 2019 and now, I used an old table protector and created a paper pattern to make my own dash mat. It doesn't have cutouts for the speakers or air, so it is just for protection while parked in the hot sun. The material is here:
https://www.spotlightstores.com/nz/s...30429001-brown or the one I had was:
https://www.spotlightstores.com/nz/k...29880001-brown
I think a metre would be enough for two dashmats. It's close enough to the mocha colour of my dash top to look ok.

Pete M

Home made dash mat

 

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I need to fix my floormats, at the moment OCD(Obsessive Car Detailing) seems a possibility.
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