Cabin air filter by blokes

"ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com" (ita97)
04/25/2020 at 23:29 • Filed to: jaag

I decided to start getting to know the Jag by turning some wrenches on it for this first time this evening via a new cabin air filter.

This turns out to be the first thing I’ve run into on it suggesting it really is a car built by blokes. Instead of the common five minute cabin air filter change on most modern cars that involves some variation of lowering the glove box (maybe via removing a clip or two), and then having access, the Jag requires you to remove the entire glove box assembly. Actually, you have to remove two other trim panels and then you can remove the glove box assembly via seven torx head bolts.

It’s nice glove box; felt lined and with a nice rotary spring damper for smooth and controlled opening and closing, but it allows no access to the blower motor or cabin air filter without removing the whole thing. I thought it was curious the factory shop manual calls it a .8 in labor to change a cabin air filter, but I know I know why.

All this, for a cabin air filter.

The fsm also calls for a combination of certain climate control modes and holding the re circulation button for three seconds to put the re circulation flap motor in a service position to avoid the risk of damaging the flap or motor in a cabin air filter service. I don’t know it’s actually necessary , but I followed the directions like a good boy.

Once you get it out reveals some neat touches. There’s some expensive looking structural aluminum under there, lots of sound insulation on things and some nice touches like felt lined wiring harness as an NVH measure. Neat.

I gave it a new Wix charcoal activated cabin air filter. It had an OEM Jag/LR filter in it that while ready to be changed shows that had clearly been changed in the past. The service records confirm this, but it was nice to see that it had actually been done. Given that it is a fiddly , slightly time consuming job, this is the kind of job that a less scrupulous dealer tech might be tempted to charge the .8 for, but not actually do knowing the likelihood of it causing them an issue to be very low.

Nothing was hard about this, just a bit time consuming . It feels like the blokes might have taken a slightly longer away around to get this solution. Grading this, I’d have to knock a few points off for overall design concept , but they earned nearly full marks for build quality here. I’d only dock a point for wire ties cut with regular side cutters instead of flush cut side cutters, but to be honest that’s a pretty minor nit to pick. I might put it up on jack stands for an oil change tomorrow and continue getting to know it better. I’m still a very satisfied Jag owner with this car.

DISCUSSION (10)

Rufant > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
04/25/2020 at 23:38

XF? Hard to tell from that photo.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Rufant
04/25/2020 at 23:44

2017 XE, 25T. The baby Jag is my driving to work car.

Rufant > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
04/26/2020 at 00:04

Ah yes, I see now. I had kind of forgotten about the XE. How do you find it?

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Rufant
04/26/2020 at 00:15

Its fantastically interesting car to drive to work, and the torque vectoring rear differential does the good magic around corners at speed. Being mostly aluminium and weighing in at only 3300lbs helps, too. It also has the best steering feel and feedback of any modern, electric power steering equipped car I’ve driven. Even with only the turbo 4, paired with the 8-speed ZF auto the car is still legitimately quick.

I think the reviews of them generally track with my experience . Of the RWD compact-luxury class, they’re best handling and most intere sting to drive of the bunch. They’re not the outright fastest, and if you care about rear seat legroom they’re not the car for you. There are also some quarks like a curious ( but still perfectly usable) infotainment system that remind you that JLR doesn’t have the same resources as a larger automaker. Overall, I really like the car. It is a supremely good highway cruiser and driving to work car. Given the magic of luxury car depreciation, I picked it up 3 years old, with 50K and years of factory warranty left for less than the price of a new base model civic. Some more wrenching time should more fully develop my feelings about owning a car built by blokes.

Rufant > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
04/26/2020 at 00:52

Good reply. Thanks.

My friend has an Evo with an early torque vectoring rear diff. I’ve driven it a few times in hillclimbs and stuff, it took me a while to get used to it, after mostly just driving stuff with mech LSD’s. Once you adapt though they are pretty impressive.

ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com > Rufant
04/26/2020 at 01:08

There are also some interior design and materials choices that aren’t up to what the Germans do in the class. The interior is... fine, but decidedly lacking the sex appeal of an XF of XJ inside.

I wasn’t really looking for a car when I bought it. I just happened to see it parked with a for sale sign and thought it might be interesting to test drive. I took a corner with some speed, and then it turned into the most spirited test drive I’ve ever taken in a car I didn’t own. Next thing you know I own a Jag.

Rufant > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
04/26/2020 at 01:24

Yeah cool. I love the modern XJ design (I love pretty much all the XJ designs) and would have a used XJR in an instant. Luxury car depreciation is one of the few things I miss about living in the UK. In Australia cars just don’t depreciate like they do in the bigger economies.

FSI > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
04/26/2020 at 03:23

5 minutes on a modern car for the cabin air filter? Haha. The Ford Mondeo/Fusion requires you to remove the accelerator... those damn assholes

zipfuel > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
04/26/2020 at 08:16

Glad to hear JLR engineers are still looking out for the livelihoods of the working men in their service depts...

dtg11 - is probably on an adventure with Clifford > ITA97, now with more Jag @ opposite-lock.com
04/26/2020 at 16:41

yep, that’s exactly what I had to do on my Infiniti. Took me over an hour because one of the trim panels refused to fit correctly.