Member Since: 05 Nov 2005
Location: Mobile, AL
Posts: 45
Alpaca vs. Ebony on Silver HSE
Dear Gang,
I know that this is something that has been discussed before, but I'm struggling with which kind of interior to put in a Silver LR3. In fact, I've already ordered a Silver truck with Ebony interior which I'm waiting on, but I'm having second thoughts now. When I ordered my truck, I ordered the heavy duty package (with rear diff and full size spare) and was told that this would need to be ordered as there weren't as many of those vehicles sent stateside. The wait for me is about 3 to 4 months.
I've always had green exteriors with beige interiors on the Land Rovers that I've owned or leased (the one exception being a Range Rover years ago that was Epson Green with a grey leather interior - I loved it). However, I don't like the one exterior green offered here in the USA on the LR3, so I ordered the silver. At the time, black just seemed like a more appropriate color combo with the silver. But now I'm wondering if the Alpaca beige wouldn't look more traditional and make the interior look more roomy. I live in south Alabama so it tends to stay relatively warm around here. I also spend a lot of time in the woods. Thoughts?
Incidentally, I have already done a search and read the prior threads where this has been touched on, but I wanted further discussion from those of you who either faced a similar decision or for whom this was a similar dilemna.
TIA,
Mark D
25th Feb 2006 8:41 am
Jenko
Member Since: 03 Jan 2006
Location: northwest
Posts: 25
Re: Alpaca vs. Ebony on Silver HSE
Mark D wrote:
Dear Gang,
I know that this is something that has been discussed before, but I'm struggling with which kind of interior to put in a Silver LR3. In fact, I've already ordered a Silver truck with Ebony interior which I'm waiting on, but I'm having second thoughts now. When I ordered my truck, I ordered the heavy duty package (with rear diff and full size spare) and was told that this would need to be ordered as there weren't as many of those vehicles sent stateside. The wait for me is about 3 to 4 months.
I've always had green exteriors with beige interiors on the Land Rovers that I've owned or leased (the one exception being a Range Rover years ago that was Epson Green with a grey leather interior - I loved it). However, I don't like the one exterior green offered here in the USA on the LR3, so I ordered the silver. At the time, black just seemed like a more appropriate color combo with the silver. But now I'm wondering if the Alpaca beige wouldn't look more traditional and make the interior look more roomy. I live in south Alabama so it tends to stay relatively warm around here. I also spend a lot of time in the woods. Thoughts?
Incidentally, I have already done a search and read the prior threads where this has been touched on, but I wanted further discussion from those of you who either faced a similar decision or for whom this was a similar dilemna.
TIA,
Mark D
Mark - Got a silver d3 myself with Ebony interior and looks fab - cant imagine alpacca instead!!! Just a personal preference!!!
25th Feb 2006 9:42 am
Gurvan
Member Since: 02 Jan 2005
Location: Germany... Not far from both the US and Hard German rock...
Posts: 1089
Hello,
I went for an Ebony interior with white outside... I love it !
You can check some pictures in my gallery (Which I just created... )...
Have fun !
25th Feb 2006 1:29 pm
Nickhearne
Member Since: 28 May 2005
Location: Beaconsfield Bucks
Posts: 992
I went for silver & black as well, very pleased!Range Rover Sport Estate 2.0 P400e Hse Dynamic Black
D4 HSE Santorini Black
Almond Arabica hide & Walnut trim Now sold
Discovery 3 TDV6 SE
Zambezi Silver Ebony leather Now sold
25th Feb 2006 1:34 pm
adam
Member Since: 20 Sep 2005
Location: Home and Happy
Posts: 6917
Also silver & black
All the alpaca trims I have seen seem to get grubby leather driver seats
Silver looks better (in my opinion) with privacy glassNow Golf GTI PP, 7 speed DSG.
Ex D3 and D4
25th Feb 2006 2:28 pm
Gareth Site Moderator
Member Since: 07 Dec 2004
Location: Bramhall
Posts: 26705
Me too.
25th Feb 2006 6:41 pm
SN
Member Since: 03 Jan 2006
Location: Romiley
Posts: 13710
Ebony is the recommended choice for silver D3's on the LR configuratorSteve N | 21MY Defender | 08MY Discovery 3 (history) | 06MY Discovery 3 (ancient history)
25th Feb 2006 6:47 pm
zebadee
Member Since: 15 Feb 2006
Location: The Magic Roundabout
Posts: 1392
There are TV ads running on Sky TV here in the Uk & Ireland showing a D3 in Silver with the beige interior & it looks very nice indeed.
Also I've seen a Range Rover Sport in silver with beige in reality & it looked fab !!
My own D3 is silver with black & I consider it to be a bit bland & utilitarian inside.
So my vote would have to be Beige with the silver.
25th Feb 2006 7:45 pm
Mark D
Member Since: 05 Nov 2005
Location: Mobile, AL
Posts: 45
I've seen the Eskimo commercials as well as most of the other commercials here in the US (the "splitting" commercial and the commercial where the guy drives to the "edge" of the earth). In all these commercials, as well as LR's own instructional videos on their websites, they always depict the Silver Disco 3s with a beige interior. And, to some degree, this is what got me to thinking that maybe I was too quick to discount beige as not matching the silver well. Also, beige just seems like a more traditional LR color to me. Thoughts?
The beige to me makes the interior look a little roomier, too. However, I do have young kids and I spend a significant amount of time in the woods - so the vehicle will get dirty - and it appears that the ebony is more resilent in these regards.
For those of you with Ebony interiors (apparently most of you guys across the pond), how hot does the ebony interior get in the summer?
TIA,
Mark
25th Feb 2006 8:37 pm
Mark D
Member Since: 05 Nov 2005
Location: Mobile, AL
Posts: 45
oh, one other thing - here in the US, I think the beige interior comes with beige carpet. i sure wish we got the black carpet with the beige interior like you guys do in Europe.
Mark D
25th Feb 2006 8:39 pm
Mark D
Member Since: 05 Nov 2005
Location: Mobile, AL
Posts: 45
Gurvan,
Thank you for your response. I looked at your pics and it looks like you have the alpaca / beige interior rather than the ebony, though.
Mark D
25th Feb 2006 8:52 pm
Gurvan
Member Since: 02 Jan 2005
Location: Germany... Not far from both the US and Hard German rock...
Posts: 1089
Yes, I do have alpaca/beige with a white and not silver external color... (Told myself that I did not want to spoil the paint with scratches... ) Sorry that I said Ebony before ! Oops...
It does tend to darken a bit with time and use, but then it is still quite easy to wash...
Sorry, but I don't have any other pictures of the interior...
25th Feb 2006 9:04 pm
Husky
Member Since: 29 Jan 2006
Location: Lake Macquarie
Posts: 109
Ended up choosing ebony because we did not like the seat brackets (black) at the base and side of the seats being highlighted. With ebony they vanish into the dark void and we liked that
Plus our feeling was that children and balack seats work together better particualarly with dirty feet/hands etc. Only time will tell however and the car does not arrive till May
25th Feb 2006 9:18 pm
WOODY179
Member Since: 01 Jun 2005
Location: Chesterfield
Posts: 3637
I have had the Alpaca leather trim in my previous D3 but I decided to change to the Ebony when LR replaced it. I have not been dissapointed the silver exterior and black interior do look superb - I don't think the black makes the car dark inside either. The Alpaca in my previous D3 did seem to mark very easily. For the first few months of ownership it looked and cleaned up fine - after that It started to look shabby and filthy no matter how many times I cleaned it.1996 Discovery 1 300TDI ES Biarritz Blue, sold
1999 Discovery 2 TD5 ES Rioja Red, sold
2002 Discovery 2 TD5 ES Buckingham Blue, sold
2005 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Adriatic Blue, sold
2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 HSE Zambezi Silver, sold
2011 Discovery 4 SDV6 HSE Nara Bronze, sold
2016 Volvo XC60 D5 AWD Lux Nav Twilight Bronze, sold
2020 Range Rover Evoque P250 First Edition, Nolita grey, sold
2023 Range Rover Evoque P300e Autobiography, Carpathian grey
25th Feb 2006 9:35 pm
Mark D
Member Since: 05 Nov 2005
Location: Mobile, AL
Posts: 45
Thank you all for your responses. A part of me really likes the traditional-ness of the beige interior with any Land Rover. However, after reading your responses and visiting my LR dealership this afternoon, I decided to keep my order as is (i.e. with the Ebony interior). Quite frankly, I would prefer the beige and if we could get the black carpet here in the USA with the beige interior, I would have changed the order to silver/alpaca. However, our alpaca interiors have beige carpet and with my young kids and penchant for all things outdoors, the black interior will probably be more practical. You Europeans not only get the good exterior greens, but you also get the beige interiors with black carpets (said in a very jealous manner)!
The LR manager here in Mobile, Alabama is an avid hunter. He and I spoke for over an hour this afternoon and he shares my sentiments and likes. Though he'd prefer the beige interior himself, he always orders an ebony interior on his LR3s as the beige interiors are too unforgiving about stains. Interestingly enough, he can get any LR product he wants and he drives it for about 4 or 5 months before replacing it with another (do your dealers in Europe get to do this?). He consistantly chooses the LR3 over the RR as he feels that it drives better on and off-road! He has some great stories about things he's done at his hunting camp.
Thank you all for your responses. If I can ever return the favor, let me know. I'm an eye specialist (as a retinal surgeon I typically handle pretty serious eye problems) so if you have an eye related question (particularly if it's related to more serious eye problems), drop me an email and I'll try and answer your questions.
Sincerely,
Mark D
P.S. I don't treat my LRs like most of the "soccer Moms" around here. Their Range Rovers never see dirt where as I beat the stink out of my trucks! When I get this LR3, I'd be happy to post pics of what rednecks do with trucks in the Southeast USA (if y'all would like). Somewhat akin to what "freeflytim" shows in his pics.
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