Hi, I have a 2007 xj8 with a sagging headliner, does anyone know if it is possible to remove the headliner from the car without removing the windscreen or rear window, My friend helped me do the job in a 1998 vdp, it wasn't too hard on that car but not sure it is doable on a 2007 xj8, appreciate any advice i can get,
Dave
2007 xj8

 

Hi Dave and greetings from bleakest Northumberland
I'm going through the same trauma at the moment and gathering information and courage to do the job. There's loads of info on this and other forums and the consensus seems to be that the headlining and its backing piece ( biscuit ) can be bent slightly and removed through a rear door after removing the rear seat and some say the front passenger seat although others have managed by moving it forward and fully reclining the back rest.
The part of the job that worries me is gluing the material to the biscuit. Apparently the glue sticks on contact and I can envisage a disaster so I'm thinking of farming that bit out to a local upholsterer.
I'll watch this thread with interest and hope that we both reach a successful conclusion.
Cheers
Pete

 

I've read on this forum that the long wheel base can be done by removing it through a rear door. Short body length vehicles must remove one of the front seats and it also comes out through a rear door. You must bend the liner to extract. Search on this forum or online for better instructions, but either way you do not need to remove the windshield.

 

swb officially is out the rear window

nobody does this just bend it till it comes out

 

I have done this job on a 2005 XJR by removing the passenger seat and taking the headliner out the rear passenger door with only slight bending.

Putting the new headliner back on is really a two person job because if you are using the correct glue it sticks on contact so you cannot afford to make a mistake.

It takes a lot of careful pulling and positioning and doing on your own makes it very difficult indeed.

 

Noticed recently that the headlining on my 2006 XJR is sagging in places, been looking for options, I looked at buying the fabric and the glue and doing it myself, but as suggested, messy, and fraught with possible errors, looked at a second hand one, but most won't post it, for obvious reasons, and pick up always seems to be 300 miles the wrong way, best option I have seen so far is a place on Ebay that sells a completely remanufactured headliner, £290 + £50 courier, half the price of a genuine Jag one, not that you can get a new genuine one now anyway, https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/182517206213. Thinking by the time I have wasted a few meters of fabric, several cans of glue, and stuck myself to every piece of furniture in the house, it might be the way to go.

 

If, like me you are considering doing the job yourself, you might want to watch these videos of a BMW alcantara install..
I think this young man's videos are quite good for the do-it-yourselfer.

 

This video is 3 years old. He replied to one of the comments by estimating about $1200 for this work.
One nice thing , with my black leather , I can get rid of all the gray and go to all black.
Hmm. I need one of those neat steamers.

 

Yes you can remove the headliner without removing the rear windshield, but look at this video to see why you may now want to. Again if you want to save money and cut corners, it is you car, but to do it the right way is to remove the rear windshield. See when they built them in the factory they put the headliner in the the windshield. that is how most cars are done. Plus once you have it done, it will take 10 to 12 years before it goes bad again, as long as you do the job right. Hope this helps.

 

Hi Brian
I've finally decided on a course of action for the dreaded saggy headlining saga on my 06 Sovereign. I've ordered a Kit from Martrim which consists of the required amount of material and 2 tins of glue for about £70.(They'll send you samples before you order so you get the right colour) .Then I take out the headliner board and a local upholsterer has quoted me 'Less than £100' to do the sticky bit. All I have to do then is replace the headliner without ripping it or getting it covered in grubby fingermarks. Just waiting for the material to arrive then the fun begins.
Maybe we should form a 'Saggy Headliner Club' There seems to be a lot of us around.

Pete

 

Saving monet does not mean you have to "cut corners". Do not use that as an excuse for paying way over what needs to be paid!

I must have saved thousands on the work that I did on my 2005 XJR without cutting corners.

The other day I found a pin ***** sized hole on a wire loom at the rear of my 2013 Range Rover sport. It allowed the wire to rust completely thru causing a parking break error.

Luckily I knew where to look. Thats a long story.

 

We did the headliner on our 2004 XJR a few years back. The sunroof needed repair as well, so two birds with one stone.
Not technically difficult, Back seat out, think the fronts I unbolted and reclined.
Worst part was believing you could bend the board that much without breaking it to get it out of the back door.
Actually fitting of new material was not to bad, make sure you leave enough around the sunroof hole as you cut it out. Remember to do the sunroof cover too, and consider the sunvisors.

Good luck.

 

Hello folks, thank you all for the many suggestions, experiences and ideas, Have a hard time getting the correct material over here, was told i would pay $240 per yard from the states,sounds an awful lot, I have decided to get a new board with new cover from the uk, Not cheap but in the long run I think it is worth it, Should learn a lot taking the old headboard out which should help installing new one, Waiting for samples to make sure i get the correct colour material, Have been in touch with company in Kent UK they have been very helpful, the company is Headliner world,, good reviews, Not sure when i will do job, maybe Santa will surprise me, lol, anyhow thanks again for your posts, certainly have given me lots of food for thought,
cheers
Dave
2007 x350

 

I just replaced my headliner. Material was $18/yd (2 1/2 yds plus 3 cans spray adhesive was ~$80)

- That youtube clown is a real dick...ignore him

- The headiner board (my car) has a 16 connector wiring harness on top...prob pretty expensive new

- Remove RH front seat and rear seat bottom; cover everything with beach towels so you don't bark up the interior wrestling the board and seat out

- Just loosen sunroof frame and slide cover out the back. Leave front bolt on one side tight to maintain frame alignment

- Use cardboard to keep headliner adhesive from sticking as you work into recesses, etc

 

Super thanks Pete. Yeah, they don’t look too good. Wow, I’m surprise at the aesthetics. Thnx for saving one part of a fight! I’m going check out your diagram & see what they for.
thnx again,
Cino61