Land Rover Defender 90 as family car?
Discussion
Considering a Land Rover defender 90 2.4 (with the forward facing rear seats).
Just wondering how practical this option is as a family car for 2 adults and 2 children ages 11 and 8, and how much space is left for cargo when the back seats are occupied?
If anyone has experience of this, please let me know!
Thanks!
Just wondering how practical this option is as a family car for 2 adults and 2 children ages 11 and 8, and how much space is left for cargo when the back seats are occupied?
If anyone has experience of this, please let me know!
Thanks!
I've not owned a 90, but I have plenty of friends who do.
From what I gather, you take kids and fit the luggage around them or you buy a roof rack or a trailer.
My own experience with owning a 110 for nearly 10 years (and having two children) suggests this is by far the more practicable option.
From what I gather, you take kids and fit the luggage around them or you buy a roof rack or a trailer.
My own experience with owning a 110 for nearly 10 years (and having two children) suggests this is by far the more practicable option.
Think long and hard about what you plan to do with it and how often you'll actually fill the car before going down the 110 route.
The 90 + trailer/roof rack option might make more sense depending how often you plan to take everything and the kitchen sink with you, versus hauling a 110 about the place with the rear load area empty a lot of the time. Turning circle for example - Saturn moves in a tighter orbit. If it's gonna be just you and the kids cutting about locally I'd go with the little 'un.
The 90 + trailer/roof rack option might make more sense depending how often you plan to take everything and the kitchen sink with you, versus hauling a 110 about the place with the rear load area empty a lot of the time. Turning circle for example - Saturn moves in a tighter orbit. If it's gonna be just you and the kids cutting about locally I'd go with the little 'un.
I have a 90 with the 2.4 puma, forward facing seats. Basically you can either take people or luggage. There really isn't much room at all when you have rear passengers... you may literally have room for a few carrier bags stuffed behind the seats, but then you'll have to remove them before the passengers get out as that is where the door is.
We have a 110 as our family bus. A 90 would be ok most of the time for 3 to 4 plus dog, but no good when you want to take a friend, bikes, beach stuff or luggage. That rules one out for us and it's actually useful to be able to drop all the seats and fill it with garden waste when you need to.
My top tip would be not to get one with carpets. My son's friend dropped a large coke in the back a couple of weeks ago and was horrified. No problem, as most of it just ran out under the door, but the rest was hosed out once home.
The turning circle is bad, but you get used to it. You do have to really want a Defender though as realistically it's going to do 25-26mpg, need expensive servicing with more care and attention than a regular car and is not remotely quiet or comfortable on a long trip.
My top tip would be not to get one with carpets. My son's friend dropped a large coke in the back a couple of weeks ago and was horrified. No problem, as most of it just ran out under the door, but the rest was hosed out once home.
The turning circle is bad, but you get used to it. You do have to really want a Defender though as realistically it's going to do 25-26mpg, need expensive servicing with more care and attention than a regular car and is not remotely quiet or comfortable on a long trip.
Crossflow Kid said:
Turning circle for example - Saturn moves in a tighter orbit. If it's gonna be just you and the kids cutting about locally I'd go with the little 'un.
Genuine lol at that comment. We have recently had gates installed and its pretty much knackered any plans I had of getting a 110 purley because it would take an 22 point turn to get it out of my driveway! Another option is to get a slightly older one with the 6 seat configuration. I have a 56 reg and 3 kids, you can fit a fair bit of stuff in the back, especially if there are only 2 of the seats being used and you fold the others up.
The downside is that usable top speed is about 60mph and you need kids who are not prone to travel sickness....
The downside is that usable top speed is about 60mph and you need kids who are not prone to travel sickness....
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