Hello Gents, my first post!
Got a 1989 V12 UK car bought from Japan & need a stereo for it. Although would really like an original working(radio is enough) AJ8700, this is proving very difficult. If anyone has one, or any info how to get one?
Alternatively, would like to hear what members have fitted that looks like factory & is period correct.
Cheers.
Welcome Maurice.
Where are you located?
Better put all the info on your profile so we know, makes things easier for all.
There are a couple of AJ8700 radios on eBay for 250$ - 350$…
Ridiculous price, as these radios are absolute garbage IMOHO, at least with todays standards.
I was recently looking for a head unit for my vintage Mercedes and I run into this:
With something like 100$ you can get a very nice VDO radio, USB and all, and I think it fits very well with our cars, simple, understated and very good quality.
https://vdo-webshop.nl/en/250-radio-s/s-2/operating_voltage-24_volt_dc
In my car I have a 90’s Blaupunkt and it’s superb.
But being a serious audiophile my standards might be different than yours.
Many thanks for your prompt response.
Car & I reside in Malta.
Yes, the AJ8700s I’ve seen on ebay are in the US, so even worse as radio tuner does not match Europe, as they are with odd number tuning. Apart from that, will cost even more to ship over etc.
The car is rarely used & stereo will be used even less, V12 is the music for me. But, would like either the original, or at least a working stereo that looks like Jaguar had put it there.
Maurice,
As mentioned by Aristo, genuine radio is absolute toss and should be avoided. No reason to follow genuine disease even if it hurts…
Correct, Blaupunkt is your best option, if you need something less advanced that Aristo’s USS Enterprise-D configuration - go for Blaupunkt Bremen SQR 46 DAB Car Stereo. Best thing in it apart from all obvious - you can adjust colour of the buttons and screen in RGB to fit precisely your Jag dash lights.
Surely you’re lucky to reside in Malta, maybe not now, but generally excellent weather. And those joy rides in the traffic, with your arms wide open and middle fingers deployed…
Apart from car stereo, I would think about pair of spare bumpers, unless your’re actually on Gozo 
Janusz,
Thanks for suggestion & will look this up. But will also wait for other suggestions, as not really important on the quality, as mentioned will not really be used. Just intended to be part of the functioning dash & as close to OE as possible.
Not entirely sure what to make of your second paragraph! The car is mostly used on Sunday meets & the very rare(especially now) occasion we pop over to Sicily with other club members.
I have a period Blaupunkt in my 1968 Alfa Spider. The door speakers are rubbish, but it has a nice sound when tested out of the car, although I’ve not found much on the short-wave frequency. It has an AUX input through a DIN plug which I think may have been for an 8-track system. I have been able to re-purpose this for bluetooth connectivity.
I fit a $120 JVC. I upgraded speakers too, $150 for four. So nothing expensive. Sounds so much better than original setup.
The main thing i wanted, exterior aux in. Must have to plug smart phone in.
What model is the Blaupunkt?
I don’t have access to the car right now to say for sure, but looking at similar images on Google, I think it was a 1960’s Frankfurt, with a ribbed bezel. I had to weld up the rectangular hole abomination that the PO had hacked in to the dashboard to install a DIN sized device.
Together with the Becker Grand Prix were the absolute legends of the 80’s.
A friend of mine had it on his 2.5lt Alfa Romeo GTV6 (Alfetta)… What a nice car and what a nice sound! Quite expensive even today, but worth every penny.
But talking about rust was forbidden!.
Clarion M508 in mine. I wanted something that had Bluetooth, Aux, USB and SiriusXM. Also it NOT looking like a disco party was high on the priority list.
But that Blaupunkt Bremen, if I’d known about it at the time I might have gone that route, just for the cool retro aesthetics.
Cheers,
Paul
89 XJ-S V12
I have an original radio that I took out of my 89 xjs it work’s and iI have the code for it if you are interested let me know.
Oh yes welcome . 
just to make 20
Yes, interested. Picture & price please.
Hi Bigrob, don’t know how to PM, maybe you can PM price? Are you in the UK?
If this is a US stereo, it does not match European frequency as Tuner only has odd numbers!?
No US sorry. Good luck.
I love these audio threads.
Since I have old helicopter pilot ears, and usually listen to talk radio, I can’t get excited about replacing my stock radio and speakers…as long as they are working. If and when they stop, I will probably resort to using satellite radio on my smart phone fed into either my bluetooth hearing aids or most likely a Bluetooth standalone speaker sitting on backseat.
But I do enjoy the threads and the various approaches of you folks with discerning ears
I swapped my old radio for a JVC with a CD player & USB port - I wanted one that actually worked. I hated to give up the original, but the shop spent 2 hours on it and suggested it wasn’t worth my time. I kept it, of course, but it’s just…sitting in my basement.
