My rear seats fold forward, do yours? D4 is massive with all the seats folded if you are looking to change cars.

Click image to enlarge

Thanks Bora 20, I have thought about changing, but having become so used to Range Rovers, and particularly the Autobiography, I think I'd find it difficult to move away.

Thanks for the suggestion and image though

As a dog car the D4 commercial would be about as good as you can get, and you can find one which is basically specced as an HSE with all the toys.

Failing that and if you want something newer have a look at the D5, which they do as a commercial and the new defender which comes as a “hardtop” and is basically a replacement for the D4 commercial, this too can be specced to daft levels for a van both of which are nicer places to sit than the D4 and if you blink the inside of a D5 is nigh on structurally identical to a 405......

Click image to enlarge

Thanks northern monkey jones...... To be fair, those seats do look really comfortable. However, the purpose of this car is to transport myself, my wife and the dogs all the way down to Portugal, where we plan to buy a holiday home (as soon as Covid allows). So it really does need to be as quiet and comfortable as possible, as this will be a 3,000 mile round trip.

With this in mind, I'm thinking that the LWB Autobiography, 5.0 litre supercharged petrol will be the best bet. I'm also extremely fortunate not to be too limited by budget.

This car will be replacing a Rolls-Royce Cullinan, so I kind of want to stay with similar leathers and finish. Also, as ridiculous as I know it sounds, by comparison (and I stress the words, "by comparison") the 5.0 litre AB LWB is still a significantly cheaper option.

Which leads me on to my next dilemma. Please see the post I'm just about to add, "Which to order, discounted Mk4 L405, or MK5 RR at full price"

Why not have a large mobile home, you can drive in luxury to Portugal stop where you want for the night.
Travelling in the EU planning where to stay over, with dog friendly hoteliers can be challenging especially as your dogs are the size of miniature horses lol.

Or get a Horse box trailer and get it fitted out with padded walls and beds, with internal cctv to keep an eye on them.

In Portugal have a new discovery waiting for you, and another waiting for you in the `uk.
Sorted  2018 SE SDV8 4.4 Byron Blue

If you are spending that much money on a dog van then it might be worth a word with the Special vehicles team (if you can find a way of getting in touch with them..... the commercial D4s used to come out of the SV shed, and they have a proper deck inside and rear bulkhead cage. Maybe they could do a conversion for you, retaining the front seats but replacing the rears with a deck and bulkhead.

Do you restrain the dogs in the back? That is a lot of weight to have rattling about in the back without a bulkhead, if you come to a sudden stop in an accident etc I dread to think of the consequences. Similar to having 2 full sized men in the back seat with no seatbelts on. Not a problem with dogs in the “boot” as the seat backs offer some restraint There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
KIA E-Niro 4+
2021 Discovery 5 D300 MHEV commercial

Mr Tee wrote:

Ask them politely??

As Northern Monkey suggests I’d speak to SVO and see what they come up with. I’m sure they could create a properly lined flat floor area with a structural bulkhead/divider between the front seats and the rear area. Maybe even a fold out ramp giving easy access for the dogs? You’d be paying a premium but I’d wager this would still be a considerable amount less than a Rolls Royce. Tom

2013 Causeway Grey 4.4 AB
2017 Ford Ranger 3.2 Limited
2016 Ford Focus RS

Or if you cant get a suitable Landrover solution for you, just import an American top of the Range SUV, with huge engines.

The 2021 Chevrolet Suburban is primetime when it comes to SUVs that are ideal for large breed dogs.
Its power-fold-flat back row…well, it folds entirely flat, and its power-release middle row follows suit, creating a perfect 121.7-cubic-foot living space for even the biggest dog. With its 35-inch ground-to-floor clearance, the Suburban is also a great option for giant, elderly dogs.
The 2020 Suburban is also equipped with a handful of essential tools for large-dog owners. For instance, owners of Newfies may have difficulty reversing or checking blind spots – because when Newfoundland dogs want to stand up and peer out the window, good luck looking through all their hair – which can obviously be a safety concern. Features like Rear Park Assist, Rear Vision Camera, and Side Blind Zone Alert help reduce or even eliminate those safety concerns.
Add on tri-zone automatic climate control to keep the furball cool in the summer.

Or

The Lincoln Navigator has been one of the favorite large luxury SUVs ever since its redesign in 2018. Offering a luxurious interior, excellent passenger comfort, many upmarket features and a monstrous 8,700-pound maximum towing capacity, the Navigator can do just about anything you ask of it, and do it in style.

So impressive is the Navigator that we don't shy away from comparing it to more expensive SUVs from Mercedes-Benz and Land Rover. Then there's the Navigator's longtime rival, the Escalade. Redesigned for 2021, the Escalade boasts improved comfort and new technology features. With the revamp, these two domestic luxury utes are more closely matched than they've been in a while. 2018 SE SDV8 4.4 Byron Blue

Firstly, thank you to all for your comments:

Kot, thank you for your suggestions. Oddly enough, my wife mentioned about American trucks, as she has friends in the States with the seem breed of dog as us (Pyrenean Mountain Dogs), so we did consider that. The motor home has been considered and is also still on the table, for the exact reasons you mention, in particular finding accommodation in between countries / homes.

Tom T, I have contacted SVO this afternoon and will await there reply, although I'm beginning to wonder, would a company like "Urban" be cheaper.

Northern monkey jones, unfortunately, like many other dogs, they're not fastened in in the car. They like to move about and have occasional head out of widow action. But you're absolutely right, it is a huge worry having the dogs in the back, and it's something I try not to think about, instead I'm extra careful, but as we both know, there's always a risk and I also dread to think what the consequences would be. It is something we need to try and find a solution to, and you raising it today has brought the subject up again. A solution does need to be found.

These guys might also be worth a shout.

https://www.neneoverland.co.uk/commercial/ There is nothing that can't be fixed with a hammer😜😜
FFRR 4.4 SDV8 Autobiography Santorini Black.
KIA E-Niro 4+
2021 Discovery 5 D300 MHEV commercial

Will take a look - Many thanks

My rear seats wouldn’t fold all the way back today due to things falling behind the seats from the cargo area. I popped the bottoms off by disengaging the four clips under her front of the seats. Large white tabs with quarter turn clips that you push towards the left side of the suv. Twist and lift the fronts to pull the entire seat bottom out.

The seat backs then fold flat into the space where the seat base was. This may solve your issue simply and cost effectively. The seat base goes back into place in seconds if you needed them again or for resale.

Firstly, apologies for dragging this up.
Secondly, hi from the D3/4 sister forum.

The above post intrigues me as I'm one of the many D4 owners wondering what the hell I'm going to do next as the D5 is not for me plus the 'new' defender is too small and has a stupid side opening tailgate amongst other things.

When I upgraded to a D4 from my D3 I did seriously consider an L322, it had almost everything I need/want but for various reasons I can't live with a car that doesn't have a completely flat load surface with the second row seats folded flat.
It's a common topic of conversation over on the D3/4 forum as I'm sure some of you know.

I'm at the point where i will need to move on from my 65plate D4 HSE lux soon, and would like to be able to consider an L405 as it's replacement, but again not having a completely flat load surface with the rear seats folded means I can't consider it.

But the above post from Bora20 suggests the rear seat squab comes out really quickly and easily and allows a fully flat load surface, albeit with the complication of what to do with the squab. I'm thinking perhaps it could be stored upright just behind the front seats just losing a little load bed length.

Obviously I don't have easy access to an L405 to investigate what Bora20 has posted, and it would be an odd thing to ask somebody I catch in a car park

Does anyone have any more info on the above solution?
Is my solution for storing the squab feasible?
Does the Bora20 solution only apply to some trim levels?
etc
etc

Any insight would be appreciated

Thanks.

Last edited by Nasher on 20th Apr 2023 10:31am. Edited 11 times in total

aja500 wrote:

No rear "heads out the window experience" with a van

I’d heard that vets do not recommend allowing your dogs to do this, for risk of eye problems.

Talk to your vet.  “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” -where’s the fun in that?