In your shoes, I would test drive both - the right car will find you. So much depends on your driving style and how you will use the car, it is very difficult to offer advice on choice.
Main points are:
- A 2011 car will have a galvanised chassis, a stainless steel bulkhead and superform wings / inner wings which all became standard around 1999.
- A post 1999 car will also be a "long door" car - which makes entry and exit easier - especially with the hood up.
- Cuprinol treating of the ash frame started to be standard from around 1986 ( we used to own a 1985 car that had been Cuprinol treated as an option).
- The 1.6 Kent and CVH engined cars go really well when properly set up and can be great fun - and you can get parts easily.
- Early 1.6 Sigma engined cars had a Ford gearbox and a different rear axle ratio. I cannot remember when the Mazda gearbox came in but it was accompanied by an axle ratio change. Not everyone gets on with the Sigma/Ford gearbox combination.
- The 4/4 Sport onwards was built on the standardised chassis and offers slightly wider interior space than the earlier cars.
- If you get a 4/4 sport without a spare wheel, you may find it difficult to change the rear leaf springs - but not impossible.
- There was a period when the 1.8 engined 4/4 had the exhaust routed through a hole in the chassis rail - it is not unknown for the chassis to crack in this area - check for cracks or poor quality repairs.
I may be biased - we have owned a 2014 4/4 bespoke since it was new and find it really good. It is economical, easy to look after, and an easy drive.