90 vs 110 for a family of 3

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jimmy23

New Member
Posts
9
Location
Hertfordshire
Hi All,

First time poster here.

We are a family of 3 with myself, my wife and our son who is 13 , I'm looking to buy either a 90 or a 110 as my next project and use it in our family trips which will give us option of some green laning.

I prefer a 90 over a 110 (ones with forward facing rear seats) since it's smaller and I can manage it easily inside my garage to do the work, but main worry is number of seats.

I only need to be able fit us three comfortably so Is the middle seat on a 90 a practical option for longer drives? Or I can go down the route of fitting one forward facing seat in the back which leaves enough space for storage on a road trip, are there any issues with this regards to comfort or when it comes to insurance?

Alternative is to go with a 110 with front facing rear seats as the last option. Plus side is I read 110 has a less bumpy ride compared to 90? pls correct if I'm wrong here.

With regards to the purchase I'm debating weather to spend bit extra and buy something decent or buy a rotten one and start with a galvanized chassis, I can do all the work myself including basic welding. Since I'm after a long term project I'm leaning towards the second option. Any advice on this at all?

Many thanks.
 
Sorry couple of things to add to first post

It wont be a daily driver ,and will be used as a three people car only a few times a year.

Thanks
 
I dont know about the 90 but in a series, there is only a lap belt for the middle seat. A teenager will feel a.bit.cramped and there is a.problem with leg room and gearshift. 90's are more manouverable than their bigger brothers but les comfy, although comfy is a relative term. I bought a 109 over a 88 cos I figured the extra room would be useful, which it undoubtedly is but when I have to park in a tight spot, I sometimes wish I had a.shorter wheelbase. As for buying a goodun or a.project, only you can answer that but projects tend to cost 5 times what you originaly think and take 5 times longer to finish.

Col
 
In your original post you mentioned working on a 90 in your garage. I hope you have a taller garage than me cos you cant get a landy in a standard house garage without raising the top of the entrance.

Col
 
They're not as "cool" but your child would survive a crash better in a disco.

I have a 110. Having had it apart and realising that they're made of tinfoil, I'm kind of amazed anyone carries children in them. Obviously people do. But then maybe they've not had them apart in the same way and think they're somthing other than a take away dish on wheels?

Cages for the 90 are easy enough to come by. Much harder for the 110, unless you're buying new.
 
jimmy23 said:
Hi All,

First time poster here.

We are a family of 3 with myself, my wife and our son who is 13 , I'm looking to buy either a 90 or a 110 as my next project and use it in our family trips which will give us option of some green laning.

I prefer a 90 over a 110 (ones with forward facing rear seats) since it's smaller and I can manage it easily inside my garage to do the work, but main worry is number of seats.

I only need to be able fit us three comfortably so Is the middle seat on a 90 a practical option for longer drives? Or I can go down the route of fitting one forward facing seat in the back which leaves enough space for storage on a road trip, are there any issues with this regards to comfort or when it comes to insurance?

Alternative is to go with a 110 with front facing rear seats as the last option. Plus side is I read 110 has a less bumpy ride compared to 90? pls correct if I'm wrong here.

With regards to the purchase I'm debating weather to spend bit extra and buy something decent or buy a rotten one and start with a galvanized chassis, I can do all the work myself including basic welding. Since I'm after a long term project I'm leaning towards the second option. Any advice on this at all?

Many thanks.
Click to expand...
Defenders are ridiculously overpriced, thirsty, uncomfortable, and not ULEZ compliant.
A 110 is marginally more comfortable, but at the cost of not being able to get into so many parking spaces.

A Disco or a Freelander is much better value, and more practical for what you want.

If you need to go inside the M25, make sure you have another car that can do this, as I don't think any of them can go in ULEZ, and it will be extended to the M25 next year.
 
Thanks for your reply

I did actually research about this issue and we have a roller shutter garage doors so that gives a bit extra room compared to a up and over garage so from what I read older defenders should be able get in , apparently they are 1972cm high compared to later ones which is over 2m? Or I can lower the height by taking air off tyres as I've seen some have tried that.
 
julianf said:
They're not as "cool" but your child would survive a crash better in a disco.

I have a 110. Having had it apart and realising that they're made of tinfoil, I'm kind of amazed anyone carries children in them. Obviously people do. But then maybe they've not had them apart in the same way and think they're somthing other than a take away dish on wheels?

Cages for the 90 are easy enough to come by. Much harder for the 110, unless you're buying new.
Click to expand...

Discovery vs Defender is actually something I've been arguing myself all this time tbh, as you said defender is 'cool' but then again I will be ever worrying about it's security plus it's costly so I was wondering why not buy a cheep disco and mod it up. But I hear they too suffer from rust issues badly?
 
Turboman said:
Defenders are ridiculously overpriced, thirsty, uncomfortable, and not ULEZ compliant.
A 110 is marginally more comfortable, but at the cost of not being able to get into so many parking spaces.

A Disco or a Freelander is much better value, and more practical for what you want.

If you need to go inside the M25, make sure you have another car that can do this, as I don't think any of them can go in ULEZ, and it will be extended to the M25 next year.
Click to expand...

Thanks for you reply

We do have another car as a daily driver so ULEZ isn't an issue.

Not a fan of Freelanders but Disco 2 is an option I've been considering all this time.
 
jimmy23 said:
Discovery vs Defender is actually something I've been arguing myself all this time tbh, as you said defender is 'cool' but then again I will be ever worrying about it's security plus it's costly so I was wondering why not buy a cheep disco and mod it up. But I hear they too suffer from rust issues badly?
Click to expand...

I currently hold a 300 disco (will never be mot'd again), a 101 fc, a fl2, and a 300tdi defender 110.

The disco and the defender rust. Just the defender is all bolted together so you can replace bits.
I got sick of welding up the disco, so bought the 110, but it came with holes in the bulkhead that you could put your arm through.
Welded up a replacement, got it dipped, etc, so that's good now. But the chassis is still unhealthy. I've replaced 3 of the 5 doors, the roof, bits of the tub (due to aluminium corrosion) etc.

You can buy a defender for big money, and it will (unless its a decent rebuild on galvanised parts) rust, or you can buy one for not-so-big money that will also rust.

Cheapest i seem to see 90 300s for now is about £3.5k with no mot and theyre few and far between. Once youve spent £2k on a chasiss, and got the bulkhead dipped, and fixed all the rest, and got yourself a cage to stop your kid getting crushed, i guess, what, £8 or 9k or so if you only spend on parts, and do all the labour yourself? But then you would have a nice car.

My pricing is all based on 300tdi s as theyre the only ones im interested in. I know when i bought my 110, i could get a td5 cheaper than the 300, but things change about all the time.

I have a 3yr old daughter. She travels in the FL2. She has never been in the 110. One day ill get a cage for it, and some rock sliders, and she can go in the middle at the back, but, until then, its crumple zones and air bags for her in the FL2.
 
julianf said:
I currently hold a 300 disco (will never be mot'd again), a 101 fc, a fl2, and a 300tdi defender 110.

The disco and the defender rust. Just the defender is all bolted together so you can replace bits.
I got sick of welding up the disco, so bought the 110, but it came with holes in the bulkhead that you could put your arm through.
Welded up a replacement, got it dipped, etc, so that's good now. But the chassis is still unhealthy. I've replaced 3 of the 5 doors, the roof, bits of the tub (due to aluminium corrosion) etc.

You can buy a defender for big money, and it will (unless its a decent rebuild on galvanised parts) rust, or you can buy one for not-so-big money that will also rust.

Cheapest i seem to see 90 300s for now is about £3.5k with no mot and theyre few and far between. Once youve spent £2k on a chasiss, and got the bulkhead dipped, and fixed all the rest, and got yourself a cage to stop your kid getting crushed, i guess, what, £8 or 9k or so if you only spend on parts, and do all the labour yourself? But then you would have a nice car.

My pricing is all based on 300tdi s as theyre the only ones im interested in. I know when i bought my 110, i could get a td5 cheaper than the 300, but things change about all the time.

I have a 3yr old daughter. She travels in the FL2. She has never been in the 110. One day ill get a cage for it, and some rock sliders, and she can go in the middle at the back, but, until then, its crumple zones and air bags for her in the FL2.
Click to expand...


Thanks for your reply

Yes I want do all the labour myself and I'm capable, I can handle simple welding atm but looking forward to improve my skill with a project like this. I've done couple of projects (shogun and a new mini) but they didn't need any welding work just mechanical issues.

Your cost breakdown makes sense for what I had in mind, I was thinking £10-12k in the long run with initial cost of £4-6k for the purchase.
 
Last edited:
Hope this ain't a silly question but is not possible to fit a single full side forward facing seat in the back of a 90? Somehow have to sort the seat belt situation. Could use one them van seats which has the seatbelt built in .

It would be ideal for our family and I think there is enough space to either side of the seat for any luggage as well.

What are the legal and insurance issues in a setup like this?
 
Last edited:
Adding seats that were never meant to be there will cause problems legally and with the mot I imagine. Although people have been putting rear seats in the back of small vans for years. If you increase the number of passengers being carried you will have to notify your insurer who may then decline to give you cover. Its all a bit of a minefield really. Have you completey regected the idea of a long wheelbase?

Col
 
Colthebrummie said:
Adding seats that were never meant to be there will cause problems legally and with the mot I imagine. Although people have been putting rear seats in the back of small vans for years. If you increase the number of passengers being carried you will have to notify your insurer who may then decline to give you cover. Its all a bit of a minefield really. Have you completey regected the idea of a long wheelbase?

Col
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply

No It's just that 90 fits comfortably inside the garage with enough space to walk around and do work, 110 will fit as well but it will be a tight squeeze.

Although it seems long wheel base seem like the sensible option going forward.
 
jimmy23 said:
Hope this ain't a silly question but is not possible to fit a single full side forward facing seat in the back of a 90? Somehow have to sort the seat belt situation. Could use one them van seats which has the seatbelt built in .

It would be ideal for our family and I think there is enough space to either side of the seat for any luggage as well.

What are the legal and insurance issues in a setup like this?
Click to expand...
You can get forward facing seats and seatbelts which are legal.
And you can get the vehicle insured, although you may have to ring around, some insurers may treat it as a modification, and load your premiums as such. Others won't.
You can also get the same seats that fold up onto the wheel box, thus saving load space when folded.
Google Search is your friend for such matters.

It isn't a perfect solution, though. Unless there are windows in the back, visibility for the rear passenger is limited, which makes some people feel sick.
And as there is no footwell in the rear, all but the smallest passengers will have their knees up in the air, which isn't comfortable for longer journeys.
 
Cheers for suggestions everyone, I think 110 with proper seats in the back is the best way forward.

What is the right defender term for that type btw? station wagon?
 
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