Hello!

Brand new member, first ever post (well 2nd!)

So as mentioned in my intro post, we're looking into either a new 90 stationwagon or hardtop. Trying to choose between the two.

It's a second car - we have 4 children, so need to transport them around, together with all their stuff - so we have a vehicle for that purpose. This would effectively be 'my' car, for everyday use, and the kind of rougher business - lugging hay, moving sheep around, pulling heavy stuff etc.

The current decision is between waiting 2-3 months for a factory order hardtop, or getting a new SW on a tasty deal. The monthly payments are pretty much identical, but at the end of the paying period, the price to buy the vehicle outright is about 6K more with the SW.

Personally, my heart is with the SW - I like the fact I could take more people, I like how light and airy it is, and how good the visibility is, and with the seats folded to the side, the capacity in the back is pretty much the same. Additionally, I can have it right away! The main drawback is that there's no bulkhead protection, so animals in the back could get through to the front. Likewise, a big load of hay / stuff could come through. The other thing is that 6K is a ton of money extra.

One downside is I've not been able to see a new hardtop - the dealership doesn't seem to have any, so I've not been able to compare what they're like when driving - visibiity, noise etc.

So: I throw it to the forum! Any experiences? Questions? Comments etc?

Thanks!

With 4 kids think seriously about a 110 - trust me ...there's never enough room in a 90 . Speaking as someone with 5 kids, a 110 gives you room for pushchairs, school bags, wet dogs, coats, bags of shopping, friends of kids, suitcases etc etc. - plus when they're in the back , it's just that little bit quieter as they're further away from you

Hehe - a 110 was on the menu, but we already have an XC90 for the whole family. When we want to take a load of people we use that.

I guess a 110 with 1 row of seats might be an option, but I'm not sure how much more expensive that'd be.

Have to agree with 110woman, once you start loading up the 90 you find there is not really a lot of room in them.

especially a hardtop, as when you get in to move or load stuff like a bale of hay you find yourself fighting for space, add a decent size toolbox and other stuff, is quite tight.

Can you not get side windows in the hard top, or do you mean a pickup with a hard ( ifor Williams ) rear cover?

I gather that as an optional extra you can get the skylights at the top, and little windows at the top and the back. There's a window in the back, above the spare wheel, so no, not completely enclosed, aiui.

Crikey... a quick look on the approved used section of the landrover website shows I can get a 1 yr old equivalent for about £10K less than a new one. Depreciation FTW?!

I remember hearing once,

you drive it one foot off the forecourt and that is 20% of the cost gone.

I have never seen the point of looking at a brand spanking new motor, rather someone else took the brunt of the depreciation and if you can buy with a land rover warranty.

can you not have a look at the used ones and take one of them for a test ride to see if you like the hard top? as the dealer does not have a new one for you to test drive.

Cheers

If your worried about animals getting though to the front, you can fit Mesh guards that would be where the bulkhead used to be,

As for price,

its up to you really, but I'd try and make my money go further !

Decision made: hardtop is a commercial vehicle - 100% VAT back.

Easy!

Have located a dealer with a few 2nd hand ones available - will checkout!

That takes away the 'bubble' issue - £X per month, and job done.

+1 on a 110. I've got a 90 and I find it very tight for space at times. And I don't even have any kids!! As an example I've got 5 wheels in the back at the moment as well as 2 15kg bags of dog food. And that's it pretty much full. I've then got more dog food on the front passenger seat so the only place for a passenger to sit is in the front middle seat. Cosy as hell. I'd definitely buy a 110 if I got another but I'm not fussed and I'd get a hardtop and just fit seats or benches in the rear

+1 again on the 110. Wife, dog and 2 semi grown up kids fill mine with all their crap every journey, but it is nice being able to get it all in and the second row seats can be your bulkhead!!

110 utility station wagon.

Best of both worlds then