I'd say the were easier in some respects, water pump for example , east to get at and if you had a few spanners with you, you could almost change it while waiting for the lights to change at the traffic lights.....I went for a late '97 with the R380 box and Borg Warner Transfer box which has the chain drive making it quieter ( but that's my preference )..If you can get one with no sun roofs then all the better as they all seem to leak. The water outlet is siliconed in at the factory and it eventually gives up the ghost so then needs to be taken to bits , cleande and araldited back in