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Hello all, I absolutely love my ‘96 xj6 but unfortunately the speaker system is nearly unusable. I know by looking on the forums that these radio heads specifically have lots of problems. Mine constantly just refuses to work and I need to use the old pop the cassette in and out trick that has worked well in the past but my speakers are blown and I’m just getting really tired of listening to music that sounds like I’m in an elevator. No matter what kind of music I listen to there are rattles within my speakers. I have gotten a few estimates of how expensive it will be to fix the sound system from SoundFX and an aftermarket vehicle shop, they both told me it would cost $1400 on the cheap end, which I am just frankly not willing to pay for. I am by no means an audiophile and this is my first car so I’m not exactly sure how to change out parts or put in sound systems or anything like that so I have recruited a family friend to help me. I have popped open the panel near the shifter and saw a very intimidating clump of wires which I’m not sure if I’m ready to tackle. Has anyone replaced their sound system in their x300? Does anyone know what size speakers the x300 has or what din to use or even how to get the new radio head into that strangely shaped panel? Any feedback is appreciated. Thank you. Just for fun I have attached a photo of me and my beloved Jaguar, Chelsea.
A great head unit should cost you about $200.
A pair of speakers should be less than $100, times two for the back, and you should be all set!
I would strongly recommend buying a Class D amp as well. Im not into rattling windows, but it really makes all the difference.
I use Alpine NTP-445U
It's tiny, inexpensive and super simple to plug in.
Get yourself a good set of wire crimpers, as well as some 18-22g butt connectors, and you'll be all set!
Let us know if you decide to do it. There will be plenty of people here who can tell you how to do this.
As Vee already observed, you needn't spend anywhere NEAR $1400 to enjoy pleasing strains of music as engage in stimulating motoring adventures.
You do need to determine whether or not your X300 is fitted with the premium sound system or not. Take a look at the rear shelf, behind back seat and under the rear glass. If you have a raised speaker grill there, off center to the left side, then your car was likely originally fitted with premium sound. If so, you should find both a cd changer and an amplifier mounted in the boot, above the fuel tank. Absence of the amp is not a sure-fire method of declaring the car non-premium sound as a PO may have removed it.
Several threads here with pics showing the methods others have employed. Round 6.5" speakers will fit fine in the doors, and can be had such that you don't need to cut/splice wiring at the speakers. The fascia panel Vee linked to will make an aftermarket head look a bit more like it is supposed to be there. I bought one in the states a couple years ago, but may have seen a poster saying they were out of stock, recently. You can probably find them on eBay if nothing else.
While you won't "Need" one, per se, you should consider purchasing an ISO wiring harness which will allow you to adapt most aftermarket head units to your car's existing wiring without cutting the connectors off the car and splicing. I can't remember the part number specifically, but it is listed with links to suppliers in the threads mentioned above. From memory, I believe they are on the order of $20. It is at this point that it becomes important to determine whether or not you have the premium sound package - the wiring hookup is somewhat different between the two, even if you are fitting the exact same aftermarket components.
Just in case, I should also mention that kits are available that will allow you to repair your existing speakers if you need to keep a very tight budget.
Best of luck, and keep us posted.
Last edited by aholbro1; Jul 26, 2019 at 07:29 AM.
The eBay link I sent you seems to include the wiring harness.
I drive an XJS, so I’m not going to be familiar with the details of the X300, but once you figure out what it is you have and the tools and parts necessary to swap the radio out, it’ll end up being a fun Sunday afternoon project for you.
Pick out a head unit you like....make sure it does everything you want. Accessible USB port? Satellite Radio ready? HD Radio?
Then find the speakers. To do this you’ll need to
know what size will fit in the door, the rear, and anything else you might have. The XJS doors were fitted with 5-1/4” speakers, but I learned (here, on these forums), that some 6-1/2” speakers fit, so I bought those.
Lastly, you can decide on an amp or not. At this stage, you probably want to skip this step, as it may lead to needless complexity. If you decide to do this, you can always revisit this thread some other time.
After that, get yourself a good crimper from amazon. Preferably a ratcheting type. Make it dummy proof. A good wire crimper is really worth the money. They go for about $25.
Then you’ll need some butt splices. 18-22awg. If you buy the right crimper, they may include an assortment of splices!
rod-f, Thanks for the video, one of the best most detailed I have seen. I liked at the end of the video when his mom and dad wandered into the video to ask if he was done!
Replacing entire xj6 sound system
