1997 NAS 90 vs. 1993 NAS 110

[LRNAD90]

I've mentioned before that in Spring 1994, the local dealer had 3x NAS110s in the used lineup - right when the 90 was introduced. They were priced at $27,990... the same price as a stripper 90 (recall, they were $39,990 new). My belief has always been that Range Rover owners went from a RRC (SWB) to an NAS110, then very quickly back to a RRC (likely LWB) because the LT77 was a bit of a bear. A $12k + hit (after all, the dealer had to make some money in the transaction) after 6 months of ownership suggests discontentment.

I was living in Southern California when the D90 came to America. Experienced much the same phenomenon. For a while every other oceanfront home's driveway in Malibu had a D90 in it. 6 months to a year later, they were all gone, when the 'it looks cool' wore off and the reality that it was a tractor that was street legal became the reality. I bought my D90 (used) in '97 for less than the msrp of a new one..

 

[gerken]

All fair points. To me, the biggest advantage on trail of a vehicle with a shorter wheelbase and corresponding tighter turning circle is not the breakover angle, but simply that if I encounter an unsurmountable obstacle (e.g. locked gate on a fire road) or--more likely--simply chicken-out, there is a much higher likelihood that I can find somewhere to *turn around* on the trail, instead of having to back out however many feet / kilomters / miles until there is a larger space.

Yeah, totally, fair as you put it. And that's happened to me as well. The D90 looks cooler, in my opinion than the D110, but unpopular opinion - the 110's are at least just as capable off-road.

 

[jymmiejamz]

When we lived in LA, I thought it was the perfect environment to DD and Defender. I rarely used my ac and only used the heat in the mornings. Southern California is the perfect place to drive a classic car every day.

 

[LRNAD90]

When we lived in LA, I thought it was the perfect environment to DD and Defender. I rarely used my ac and only used the heat in the mornings. Southern California is the perfect place to drive a classic car every day.

Maybe until you are no longer allowed to..

Report: California Looking To Restrict Travel For Classic Cars - The Auto Wire

A new report says California has been surveying classic car owners ahead of instituting zero-emission zones in the state.

theautowire.com

 

[the_eaze]

Guys…picked up the 110. #414 with 58,000 miles from the original owner who bought it off the lot in San Diego in 1993. Got all the service records and drove it home 7 hours north to Carmel, CA.

Needs some work, but it will be a fun project to get cleaned up. Interior is near perfect, exterior and mechanical needs some work.

I’ll try and post a comparison between the two trucks after I have a little time with the 110. But, so far the 110 is quite a bit different but in a good way.

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread, it was helpful.

 

[LRNAD90]

Now that's a Driveway..

 

[vtlandrover]

Good show! I am super jealous... on two accounts.

 

[volleymdut]

congratulations! be sure to update us on your future comparisons!

 

[WeBeCinYa]

I’m looking to exit my 97 station wagon and go into a 110. I would like to have a TD5 as they continue to come in, but would be open to an NAS

 

[1of40]

On the trail, the 90's are really only superior for - again - tighter turns, and extremely acute breakover on rocks. If it's sharp breakover on dirt, clay, grass, the 110 is fine. Few people are actually rock crawling in old Defenders of any model.

Off-road, the 110's have a lot of advantages on the trails too that 90's don't have due to their shorter WB. I'd even go so far as to say if you're truly crawling uphill, the 110 is superior. The longer wheelbase allows your front tires to truly clear an obstacle before your rears engage it. The 90's require more momentum, which is at odds with their lighter duty axles.

IME, downhill and off-camber in a longer wheel base is gets sketchier than SWB on comparable trails. I wouldn’t do Black Bear in a 110 for example.

 

[jymmiejamz]

IME, downhill and off-camber in a longer wheel base is gets sketchier than SWB on comparable trails. I wouldn’t do Black Bear in a 110 for example.

That is the opposite of my experience wheeling my D90 and 110 on the west coast where there are a ton of off camber hills.

 

[mitherial]

From physics/geometry alone, a SWB vehicle will have a greater degree of tilt than an LWB vehicle when going over an depression in the road, so I'm not sure of the exact argument here. But off-camber trail sections are certainly where I feel the least "in control" of my truck.