John @jmeirhofer , I can appreciate that you are taking time to make a decision on how to proceed. I was in your situation in 2024 after purchasing my 2009 XKR. Originally, I wanted to go the Mr12Volt route but, after disassembling the head unit, I discovered I had the 30-pin ribbon instead of 40-pin. Back then, Mr12Volt did not support the 30-pin ribbon but now do.

So my decision was to enable AUX and buy a JagAux Bluetooth adapter and then to activate the park-assist camera and install a backup camera. I am truly happy with results of these decisions. The JagAux has exceptional sound quality and allows me to use the steering-wheel buttons for pause, track forward, and track backward when streaming from my phone. And my vehicle's original factory head unit facilitates activating and using a backup camera. So, I'm happy to have performed upgrades that keep the OEM look and functionality of the vehicle.

To help with your Bluetooth adapter decision, here are links that might be useful.

• JagAux Bluetooth adapter for Jaguar XK/XKR (LINK)
• JagAux instructions for enabling Aux and installing Bluetooth adapter (LINK)

And for the backup camera, after installing mine I wrote up a DIY set of instructions that fully describe the work involved.

• Activation and Installation of Rear Park Assist Camera in 2009 Jaguar XKR (LINK)

After reading what you did with NavTool, it seems you would be quite capable of doing both the Bluetooth adapter and backup camera upgrades.

 

Thanks for all of the detailed instruction here, especially for the camera part. All of this is very helpful. I think the months may drag on until I get back and can start to do some of these things, haha.

 

Thanks to everyone for their input here. After much debating and going back and forth on what I want to do here, the final consensus was, nothing.

I only drive this car when we are not traveling, which is only about 2k miles a year. While having the modern conveniences of carplay and more, it just seems like a flailing attempt to modernize something that perhaps doesn't need it. My DW pointed out that I rarely listen to music while driving and really only use the connectivity for map direction and phone calls. Given that and the fact that at nearly 20years old, the head unit may or may not keep working for the foreseeable future, I find myself not really wanting to do anything with it right now.

So a simple, BT/FM modulator will suit me fine. So if/when the head unit does fail, I will decide then what I want to do. Thanks for everyone's help and especially for the detailed instruction from Kurt C for the back up camera.

 

There is no value for me to change it up either. And despite the common theme, the nav around any city works just fine for the streets.
And as I prefer old winding roads as opposed to expressways, it works for that too. I think my nav is upgraded to 2017.

Many have shared failures in their systems. Mine works just fine. I do wonder if my preference of turning everything off, before engine shutdown has anything to do with it.

 

I wish I could update my nav to 2017, then I might keep it. But we live in an area that has grown exponentially since we left here in the mid-80s and even more since we came back in 2019. Even the Nav in my wife's Cadillac is useless now and it is a 2021. But it is not really needed with the phone, even though it does not display on the OEM screen.

Amazing how far we have come in 30ish years with cars and convenience. Never had a map system until around 2005ish so always used paper and seemed to get around just fine, lol. Same goes for hands free calling and back up cameras. 2005 was around when I got my first smart phone and even later before having a back up camera. I added an aftermarket stereo and back up camera on my 2006 Corvette back in the day and thought I was special, haha.

 

Nothing harder than obtaining a volvo dvd disc for your area of the country and replacing your current one.
In my area of Texas the farm to market roads are not shown. Not an issue for me, when I really need directions my GF has her phone or ipad with waze.
wj

 

I kinda like my XK JUST the way she is.....

All original..

The variety of Sirius radio suits me fine....

Sound is fine..

Then..so again is my 1969 Wurlitzer juke box..

Classic Vinyl...can't beat it!

 

Luddites united.

 

i hear you. My goto is always the dealer first. They know it. Thus, I get all the privileges and special treatment.