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110SW v DC

dragonfly

dragonfly

Shifting Up
Hi,

I've been lurking for a while now (and learning loads from you all), but am now overcoming my shyness...

I'm planning to get a TD5 110 this summer, but I'm undecided whether it should be a station wagon or double cab. Can anyone offer advice about how practical the DC loadbay is? It looks pretty small.

I'll carry mountain bikes, but also use it for work, towing boats etc. A DC with truckman top would keep tools/muddy bikes out of sight and I've heard the heater is more effective in the smaller cab. Do bikes fit in a DC without removing wheels etc?

Alternatively, would the SW be more practical, as you can carry longer items inside?

I drove a TD5 SW on a LR experience in Morocco last year, but I haven't tried a DC yet

All advice welcome...

Dragonfly
 
meself got a DC, and to be honest, there ain't much room for mountain-bikes in the back, you will have to remove the tyres and getting them in is awkward...you could aways fit a bike carrying towbar and do it that way...as for the truckman top, no idea, i just have the Mohair roof on mine at the back and thats more than enough....as for the heater, cus its more enclosed, it does get hot in here...ADA
 

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mtb's will fit in a SW with the front wheel off,fold the middle row of seats and they'll go in as is. you could fit a dog guard and sheet it to make a solid bulkhead and replace all the side windows and rear windscreen if security is an issue.(i did) you'll then have a secure load area thats larger than the DC.
 
Nick666 said:
One poss alternative I guess might be a 130 CC - just an idea anyway.
Click to expand...

Thanks for your replies.
I briefly thought about a 130, but I've heard the turning circle resembles an oil tanker, and they're not as good offroad as a result.

I don't like "privacy" glazing, but that's a thought in a 110 SW. Perhaps the best compromise

Dragonfly
 
You could make yourself a Snagger 110 hard top and the bikes would fit straight in without any messing about! Have a look at the seating layout on my blog ("only a few jobs left" - interior section) - it's not quite as practical as the 5 door for everyday use, but it has 6 (could have 7) seats and would not loose the rears for carrying bikes internally. www.nickslandrover.co.uk
 
dragonfly said:
Thanks for your replies.
I briefly thought about a 130, but I've heard the turning circle resembles an oil tanker, and they're not as good offroad as a result.

I don't like "privacy" glazing, but that's a thought in a 110 SW. Perhaps the best compromise

Dragonfly
Click to expand...

Cripes having driven a 110 DCPU for a week I thought that had the turning circle of a super tanker! Glad to get my 90 back on the road with all lights shinning bright!!! :)

How about a roof rack for the bikes? There is a mighty nice patriot one for the 110 DCPU!!! ;)
 
Snagger said:
You could make yourself a Snagger 110 hard top and the bikes would fit straight in without any messing about! Have a look at the seating layout on my blog ("only a few jobs left" - interior section) - it's not quite as practical as the 5 door for everyday use, but it has 6 (could have 7) seats and would not loose the rears for carrying bikes internally. www.nickslandrover.co.uk
Click to expand...

Hi Snagger,

I had a quick look on your (excellent!) site, and guess you mean having 2 forward-facing seats in each row, so the bike goes down the middle - good thinking. this could be done with a SW as well, as I think I'll need the 4 side doors. Cheers
 
Dc only if you can claim back the Vat if not get the csw

i have a td5 xs spec it very good with the brown church roof rack can get
all the ikea and bike stuff on top

this is my one last year on the way back from plymouth 23 thousand miles
now and it seems to be ok

dan
 

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I have had both and there are good points about both.

Station Wagon allows you to carry longe items and is probably more secure for tools and stuff and drier environment, modern heaters will probably heat it fine.
Double Cab has plenty space for what we need in load area, have removed spare wheel to roof rack. We like them because we farm and are always feeding animals and carting them around so it keeps all the damp feed and animal smell out of the people bit.
You can always get some kind of external rack for bikes I would say. Thye will not fit well in a station wagon anyway.
 
dragonfly said:
Thanks for your replies.
I briefly thought about a 130, but I've heard the turning circle resembles an oil tanker, and they're not as good offroad as a result.

Dragonfly
Click to expand...

Don't discount the 130 without taking one for a drive. They are a fantastic load carrier and still excellent offroad. U-turns are definitely not their strong point but I get around the city in mine without any problems. Main problem in the city is parallel car parks which are squeezy for such a long vehicle.
 
I have a DC. I have taken three MB's in the pick up with the front wheels removed. Loaded fore/aft and with the tailgate left down. (At that time I had the spare mounted on the seat box).

As with Highlander2 above I chose the DC to keep horse feed/hay/logs etc out of the people area and it is my ideal vehicle. The only drawback is transporting longer items, but using roof bars etc is not too troublesome.

(incidently I may be having to sell mine, so if you are interested, pm me!:D )

Chris
 
Only trouble with a hard rear top like the truckman or an IFW is that you really need 2 people to take them off. Also, if you are out and need to shift something it can be a right royal pain - not to mention looking a bit silly with this huge vehicle and planks of wood sticking out the back.
I'd keep the soft top.
 
Thanks for all your input. As expected, there is no right answer!

As Dan brought it up, does anyone have any good sources of regs regarding company cars? I thought of buying through my VAT reg'd company, but my accountant is saying I'll be stung for tax on the new value of it if I do ANY private mileage. How would they know if someone did? (My company address is also home, so it'd be parked here legitimately).

Is a DC easier to put through the company because it is more of a commercial style vehicle?
 
I have a full height dog guard permanently bolted into my CSW to protect the passengers from heavy things in the back. I also have high back second row seats which can't be folded much anyway, so I make do with what space is in the back. I've fitted 4 mtbs and their riders in the vehicle, only having to take the front wheels out. It probably works out cheaper to run than loading your mates in a Euro box and then ruining the aerodynamics with the bikes on the roof.
 
rooster said:
My folks did a trip with Land rover in Morocco last year also. Was hoping it might convert then and they would swap the shogun, but no. :(
Click to expand...

I was out there in March, stayed in Richard Branson's place and spent a few days driving the LR range in the Altas Mountains - maybe I met them?
The trip certainly made me want one!
 
dragonfly said:
I was out there in March, stayed in Richard Branson's place and spent a few days driving the LR range in the Altas Mountains - maybe I met them?
The trip certainly made me want one!
Click to expand...

They also stayed in Branson's place.

They got back they day i was told i had a new job, i think it was the 11th of March.

you have a PM.
 
If you're determined to carry the bikes within the vehicle, and will do so frequently, I really think a hard top is probably the best bet.

I fitted forward facing fold-ups at the very rear to act as occasional third row seats. They fold entirely out of the load area, but aren't very supportive laterally and so are uncomfortable when cornering (fine the rest of the time, if a little narrow for larger men).

I fitted a pair of front seats as a second row to get around this for my kids. It was a simple task and just needed the fabrication of the mounts. I set the seats in a bit from the sides to give a bit of elbow room, but you could fit them about 2" further outboard to ensure easy transport of two or three bikes in the middle. If you omitted the cubby box, access to the second row could easily be via the space between the front seats while the bikes are in place (easier if you remove the bulkhead like I did). Normal access via the back door is simple. Fitting four forward facing folding seats is what Liveridge 4x4 do in their conversions and is a viable alternative to the premanent second row that I have.

Fitting windows, headlining and interior trim is simple enough. You can get some ideas for that from the same blog.

http://www.nickslandrover.co.uk/2006/12/23/only-a-few-jobs-left-to-do/
 
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