Have pity - help a newbie please!

Hi all

First post on the forum, although have been lurking for a while.

I'll soon have enough to buy my first landy, and will be going for a 300tdi of some sort. I cant decide which body style to go for however.

I'll be the using the vehicle as a daily drive (albeit not very far during the week) and then at weekends for fun - principally moving mountain bikes around (to and from tracks, and taking bikes back to the top of the hill), and some light off roading. Ideally I dont want to have to be taking the wheels off each time I put the bike in, which makes me think a 110 is the way forward.

I like the idea of being able to seat people in the back, but from what I've seen, if I buy a station wagon I dont think this will leave room for complete bikes - am I right?

Am toying with the idea of a 110 hardtop and then fitting two individual seats (from a disco or similar) in the back for the odd occasion when I have more than one passenger - is this a viable solution or is there a better way forwards?

All help/mocking appreciated!

Cheers

A 110 would suit the job fine, if you buy a van version you could fit some forward facing single seats to accomodate extra pax if needed. They are always for sale from shops in the landy mags. these can fold up when not in use, the only concern would be if the bikes where too tall for the rear door but you could lean it over to get in then stand it up.

Lee

Thanks mate, that confirms what I thought. Is it much of a job to fit single rear seats? Could I simply bolt them to the floor or would I need to put them on rails first? And what would I have to do re. seatbelts?

I think the seats you can get from exmoor trim? can come fitted with a self contained seat belt kit. I believe you just mount them to the top of the wheel arches and should come with spreader bar kit to make them firm and secure..

Lee

How rude of me....

Welcome to the forum..

Lee

I have an ole 1986 90 which I can just about fit my mountain bike in, BUT, I have to drop the front wheel out and sit the forks on one of the front seats. The benches in the back fold up to make extra room, so I could fit about three bikes in if I really needed to and still have enough space to cram someone one one of the sides at the back.

A 110 is your best bet, just for that extra bit of space,
oh, and welcome to the forum

-Pos

welcome

and yeah go for a 110 i just got on at the weekend and it will be pufik
for what you want

I would say the 110 as well. I have one and it would be perfect for your needs.

Cheers fellas, the forum is certainly proving friendly and useful so far!
I think it's going to be a 110 - I have a mate with a 90 and it's easier to get the bikes into my Clio than his landy, so the extra space is definitely needed.
Price and condition wise, is there usually any reason to go for a hardtop over a station wagon or vice versa?

I think Station wagons are more expensive and if you want to leave your bike in the back. It will be harder for people to see it making it less tempting to steal, if its a decent bike, in the hard top.

Yup a station wagon's ok for carting people about but bloody hopeless for carrying stuff like bikes. You need a 110 hardtop which will also be a lot cheaper than a s/w.

I've got a 90 station wagon, and in all honesty I can't help thinking that van sides look nicer (i refuse to call it a fkin hardtop, cos my station wagon does have a very firm metal roof). A 110 on the other hand looks better with windows / station wagon sides in my opinion - it just takes away that longer look.

I would say the 110 station wagon looks better but I still think the hardtop is more suited to carry bikes.

mmm, but none the less, bikes are only really going to be in his landy whilst he's in the car driving them about, or whilst he's sat at the pub for half an hour or so afterwards. Surely he's not going to be stupid enough to keep them stored in there over night? He could always black the windows out!

Yeah I suppose but if he isn't going to be carrying loads of people he would be better of with a hardtop in my opinion. Also there would be less places for it to leak as water ****es in my windows in the back when it rains.

fair enough sir, a hardtop is more practical, but it looks better with windows

I totally agree with you pos, I was just giving my opinion

please excuse one's manor if I did but sound like I was disregarding your opinion.

Is t'under and lightning bugging anyone else's sleep pattern?

I agree, I think the station wagon looks better but the hardtop looks like it's going to be more practical - I'll have three or four bikes at a time, so perhaps a bench seat for the other two riders? (It's not likely to be for long distances and mainly on forest fire roads).

Ideally I'd like the new body style, with the two set of windows then the hard top and sides right at the back (110 Utility?) but I guess I could achieve a similar thing by blacking out the windows at the back of a station wagon

One very important thing to consider:

A 110 station wagon crams two rows of seats into the front, leaving you with no more storage space in the back that you'd find in a 90.

A 110 hardtop / commercial only has one row of front seats and therefore a much bigger space for storage at the back - ideal for 3 or 4 bikes.

You really need to decide whether you want it to look good or serve as more of a practical thing. You will have just about as much trouble fitting 4 bikes and some mates into a 110 station wagon as you would a regular 90, even with front and back wheels dropped out of your bikes (I assume you have quick release skewers?) which is a total bugger. A 110 hardtop will give you that extra storage space and the option to add benches or whatever into the back for your mates to travel on, and to be perfectly honest, they still look pretty cool don't they! Be prepared to clean up gallons of sick when they start feeling really ill because they can't see out though!

-Pos