I sure most members have seen the different option for the center console of the Factory Navigation or a 3 gauge instrument cluster. I know the navigation software can't be upgraded, but some people still prefer this because it is "original". Others like the look of the 3 gauge cluster as it has more of a sports car appeal.

If you were purchasing an XKR/XK8, which would you prefer?

 

I like the Nav. Gives me ideas for projects I'll never see through.

 

Triple Guage looks much better...
Here's my conversion
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...n-done-161431/


Then I went a little further
https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...e-cars-163561/

 

I bought mine with an upgraded sat nav, still got rid of it as the triple gauge layout looks far better and to be fair, with crap fuel consumption, I dont travel that far to need sat nav

 

I think Nav in cars is silly. We always use our phones, more up to date it seems. Cars I have owned you have to pay big bucks for updated info for the nav. Plus the Jag just has to have that triple layout, looks more sports car like.

 

I like having the Nav. I know I can't trust it absolutely for actual navigation, but sometimes it's nice just for a positional reference on cross countries. Someday I'll use its space on the dash for a modern, touch-screen, Nav installation. Then I'll have it all. I too like gauges, but I can live without Jag's "Idiot Gauges" just fine. My radar detector has a volt meter on it, so all I'm really missing is oil pressure (which to be honest, I "would" like to have).

 

All else being equal, I do prefer the triple gauge to the nav display and I was lucky enough to have gauges in my car. But it would not be a show stopper if the condition of the car was otherwise what I was looking for.

All the built in nav displays in any vehicle do tend to become out-dated long before the rest of the car ages and they are universally over-priced to update the data bases, so given the choice, I would never select that option in any new car. But, again, in a used car if the only issue was an outdated nav system I can live with that.


Interestingly, despite what others say, the voltmeter in my Jag is not an on-off thing, it does report actual voltage. The oil pressure goes from zero to mid, as does the temperature gauge, which presumably might then leap to an over temp, although thankfully I have yet to see that, but the voltmeter actually works.

And in contrast to phanc's experience I have been pleasantly surprised by the fuel consumption on long range trips. In drives of 400 km/250 miles back and forth to my summer house at 128 km/h or 80 mph, I get 9.2 litres per 100 km or about 30 miles per imperial gallon, exactly the same as my 6 cyl Honda Accord. In city driving, however, the consumption is much higher than that and definitely more than the Honda, but nonetheless a much nicer experience!

Andy

 

you cant gauge fuel consumption on one kind of trip. I can get 30 to the gallon on a motorway, but as I dont live on a motorway and my destination isn't on a motorway, 18-20 is more representative. I can get 50 to the gallon for the same journey in my diesel vauxhall

 

But then you are driving a diesel Vauxhall aren't you?

Probably worth mentioning that you can transform the idiot gauges with WhiteXKR's Realgauge XK8 / XKR / XJ RealGauge - TheJagWrangler

 

Not my choice, its a company car but to be fair, the road holding (not the ride quality) especially the cornering is better than the Jag so dont knock it, and I can put my foot to the floor without getting single digit consumption figures

 

Well I have flirted with both and more!
I voted for the sat nav but it's not really what I'm using - really need a third option on the poll form.

TBH I prefer the look of the sat nav centre panel but even though I really like to keep things original it's useless in 2016.

I fitted the 3-gauge cluster - it's OK but the gauges are not much short of dummies - I actually only really used the clock!

So I've settled on a Garmin Nuvi 2569 LMT-D unit installed instead of the OEM satnav which works brilliantly and I use an Ultragauge to tell me what is actually happening.
I mounted the Nuvi on an old original satnav screen surround so I still have all the buttons in place to give the OEM look - they just don't do anything. The unit powers on and off with the ignition being fed from the auxiliary power socket in the glove box. It takes about 10 minutes to remove it to install map/software updates from my iMac.
I use the Garmin SmartLink app on my iPhone 6s to update the Nuvi with traffic, weather etc. You can even set your journey details on the iPhone and transfer them to the Nuvi. Very elegant system IMO.

I like the fact that the Nuvi gives me real time traffic alerts and speed camera warnings as well as other POI's even if I'm not actually using it to navigate.

 

Actually I can and do gauge my motorway consumption based on motorway driving!

Maybe your employment requires you to drive the diesel and I do recognize fuel is more expensive in Britain, but in my opinion the XK8 is at its best when cruising smoothly and quietly at speed, Grand Turisimo fashion, so it is a shame to leave the Jag in the driveway for these kinds of trips. And as I said, it burns no more than my Honda.

Sorry, all, for the thread drift.

Andy

 

Seems like it doesn't matter we all love them.
yes, high speed quiet interstate driving is just lovely.

 

Thanks Norri.

If you scroll down on this page: http://www.thejagwrangler.com/xk8--x...onversion.html, I also offer discounted packages combining the Nav to 3-Gauge conversion with RealGauge. These have proven to be popular.

 

Like Worrasf, I got rid of the OEM satnav and went for the Garmin 2599 LMT-D, plus a Garmin reversing camera in place of the trunk release button. But I also added a custom analogue clock to replace the one lost with the OEM satnav and a real oil pressure gauge instead of the trip meter buttons (They're now in the sunglasses stowage box). Just a voltmeter to go for a full house.

 

That is such a sweet mod, astro. Nice job.