Van my first was an HSE but it had a lot if optional extras such as sunroof, rear heated seats, heated steering wheel etc. so check yours to see if it has any of these. When the L322 first came out, there was probably a lOng waiting list so some people ordered lower non-vogue spec then just added extras to get their car as Early as poss.

Granted some of the interior leather trim is missing, but I actually found the HSE seats more comfortable than my autobiography spec ones!

If you like it, it feels good and the price is right, go for it.

I've an old price list from 2005 - cloth seats were an option on the SE - Heaven forbid !

 Where do you go after one of these . . . ?

HSE is fine for me although if buying again i would ofor a vogue spec at the very least. Present :2008 TDV8 HSE
Gone Audi A5 2.7TDI
Gone Discovery 3 HSE
Gone Mercedes CLK
Gone Range Rover 2.5 DSE

If you like it and everything works as it should and the price is right then go for it. I have a base model SE and it doesn't bother me in the slightest that I don't have a sunroof or sat-nav or any of the other problematic extras of the higher specced models

^ Thinking about it, SE is probably the perfect spec -
No sunroof to let water in to drown . . .
The satnav !

 Where do you go after one of these . . . ?

TugRR wrote:

Van Diesel - it might assist if you give an idea as to what MY/budget you're thinking of as the specs of HSE's, Vogues etc changed over the car's development.

I'm on my second Vogue. Initially I looked at HSE's, but I wanted a sunroof - which I why I got another Vogue . . . once bitten, twice shy !

If music is important to you, Vogue SE is the way to go as you can plug MP's into them.

I never understood the SE spec, but I wouldn't turn my nose up at an HSE.

Cheers for all the comments
Budget is restricted to 18.5k as the car is for SWMBO (mostly) and I blew the budget on a new Disco last year.
For this money I'm looking up to 07/57 Vogue and have found a 58 HSE. Mrs Van D is more interested in colours than spec. - Black or Stornoway with cream/sand leather. Largely in agreement on colours although finding a lot with charcoal leather which she'd rather not have.

Here is another dilema, Stornoway/Charcoal HSE or Tonga Green/Cream Vogue SE. The HSE is a younger car with 15k more on the clock than the Vogue. Tonga is good enough for Queenie but is it good enough for everyone else when you want to move it on??

It has got to come down to the spec of the HSE, if it has all the toys & gizmos (don't bother with the sunroof, I haven't missed it, or the hassle it can cause), HSE seats are just as comfy. You may lose out on a bit of extra leather trim on the doors and elsewhere inside.

However if it is a bog standard HSE I would go with the Vogue SE.... .
Experience is the only genuine knowledge, but as time passes, I have forgotten more than I can remember
Volvo V70 P2 2006 2.4 Petrol 170bhp Estate SE
MG Midget Mk1 1962

Previous: L322 Range Rover TDV8 3.6 2008; L322 Range Rover TD6 3.0 2002; P38A Range Rover V8 1999

Charcoal is easier to keep clean than sand or cream leather

If the HSE has all the toys you want/need then probably the better one otherwise the VSE is the better bet. 56 TDV8 Vogue SE
9 Freelanders, 2x 2002 TD4ES, 2001 TD4, 2002 1.8GS, 2000 XEDI, 2x 2000 1.8ES, 2004 1.8 & 2000 1.8 GS (rolled)
91 Lotus Carlton (sold)
90 Lotus Elan (BRG)