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BigJon
14th July 2012, 04:54 PM
I test drove a second hand RRS TDV8 today with the intention of a possible purchase.

I have two issues with the vehicle which someone might have come across and perhaps rectified.

Drivers seat height.
With the seat all the way back and all the way down my head hits the roof (sunroof fitted). I had a quick look to see if it would be feasible to lower the base of the seat somehow (I took factory spacers out from under my RRC seat mounts). I couldn't see anything useful without a torch and removing trim.

Baby seats.
We currently have a rearward facing baby seat fitted to my Dad's Sport. I have fitted it behind the front passenger seat for easy kerbside access. The trouble is the passenger seat has to be almost all the way forwards to fit the baby seat in, which means very little front seat legroom. I have had a baby seat in the rear of my RRC, although fitted in the centre position. Perhaps that is the answer. I will have a look at Dad's Sport tomorrow to see if that works.

Does anyone have any thoughts? Hopefully I can overcome those two issues and park a Sport in my own driveway, although it would mean offloading the wifes 2005 Liberty, which is a very nice car in it's own right.

sniegy
15th July 2012, 04:47 PM
I test drove a second hand RRS TDV8 today with the intention of a possible purchase.

I have two issues with the vehicle which someone might have come across and perhaps rectified.

Drivers seat height.
With the seat all the way back and all the way down my head hits the roof (sunroof fitted). I had a quick look to see if it would be feasible to lower the base of the seat somehow (I took factory spacers out from under my RRC seat mounts). I couldn't see anything useful without a torch and removing trim.

Baby seats.
We currently have a rearward facing baby seat fitted to my Dad's Sport. I have fitted it behind the front passenger seat for easy kerbside access. The trouble is the passenger seat has to be almost all the way forwards to fit the baby seat in, which means very little front seat legroom. I have had a baby seat in the rear of my RRC, although fitted in the centre position. Perhaps that is the answer. I will have a look at Dad's Sport tomorrow to see if that works.

Does anyone have any thoughts? Hopefully I can overcome those two issues and park a Sport in my own driveway, although it would mean offloading the wifes 2005 Liberty, which is a very nice car in it's own right.

Jon,
To be honest there isnt a lot of room in the rear.
If you are tall & I know you are, then you may need to remove trims & have a look, honestly haven't looked at this myself a I am relatively short but know of clients that have done something?

WRT baby seat, it may just have to be mounted in the centre, not much choice really.

Cheers & good luck.

Sent from my iPad using Forum Runner

BigJon
15th July 2012, 05:32 PM
Shifted the seat to the middle today which solves the legroom problem.
The next issue is whether or not a second baby seat would fit. I am sure that if we do buy one of these the problem will arrise.

Drivers seat height is still a concern, further investigation required.

I am facing stiff resistance from the Ministry of War, more battles to be fought!

Lobster
15th July 2012, 06:45 PM
This one doesn't seem to have a sunroof:D

Used Land Rover, Range Rover Sport TDV8 L320 08MY car for sale in Perth (http://www.drive.com.au/used-cars/land+rover/range+rover+sport/perth/detail.aspx?id=36554096&lid=36554096&pg=1&pp=3&d=0&from=53)

Maybe others on here could find a TDV8 without a sunroof for you.

Steve

BigJon
15th July 2012, 08:38 PM
Looks good, but I have neither the time nor the inclination to go to Perth to look at it. It is quite a bit more expensive too, especially when you factor flights and transport into the equation.

Utemad
15th July 2012, 09:09 PM
For the baby seat is it a convertable seat?
We have the same problem in our Corolla so it had to be fitted in the centre position. The answer is to get a proper baby capsule as they take up less space.
The back seat in a RRS must be small though if I'm comparing it to a Corolla.

BigJon
16th July 2012, 08:04 AM
If by convertable seat you mean the ones that face rearwards, then forwards, then yes it is. In fact we have two the same (Safe-N-Sound Platinum, they seemed to be the best ones available). At this stage we only need one in the rear facing position. By the time we need the second one to be in the same vehicle the first one will be forward facing, which should fit behind either the drivers or passengers seat.

The argument SWMBO is putting forward is that it is a lot of money to spend on a vehicle which has little benefit over the current car she drives (2005 Subaru Liberty). A Sport doesn't have a lot more room either in the passenger compartment or in the load space when compared to the Subaru (which is quite small in it's own right).

PKD4
16th July 2012, 08:46 AM
Big Jon,

Depending on your family situation, as you say, by the time the need arises for a second baby seat the older child will probably be facing forward.

Once forward facing, the seat does not require as much space and the kids have short legs for a while so the RRS should be no problem. Keep the centre seat for the backward facing one.

We found width of the back seat far more of an issue with multiple seats - ie with 2 seats - it is nice to have the 3rd seat still usable for an extra passenger. We have an outback and like your liberty space in general is good, but to fit an extra passenger in the 2nd row with 2 seats was very uncomfortable, let alone another seat for a friend. We love the fact that we can carry an extra passenger in the 2nd row in the D4 - even before we count the third row.

Pat

Utemad
16th July 2012, 09:03 AM
I know the Platinum. We have the Meridian which is the same size with only difference at the time being Platinum had different trim and speakers. So I know what you're dealing with.
Best option would be rear face it in the middle. This is my preference anyway due to side collision safety but wife hates it due to access.
Can you fit two convertable seats beside each other?
Best option in hindsight for us would have been proper capsule for rear facing and proper smaller seat for forward facing.
The convertables are just too big.

Dorko
16th July 2012, 03:23 PM
We have this Platinum one in both cars. The baby seat is massive even when I had the D4, but this seat is very similar in size to all the other brands. Within 6 months you will flip it round and then its no bigger than a child in the seat. Put up with it in the middle seat but be careful when lifting the little one as my wife done her back, due to the stretching inside the car.

Another note;
Recently I had a new Sport for a week and the size in the front and rear was so tidy! Coming from a D4 I thought it would be the same, but christ its smaller! If I was having more than one kid no way would buy a Sport. Buy a D4 HSE and it will be such a better solution without a doubt.