Whats the best car for transporting bikes?

Old Pedaller

It may not be everyone's cup of tea visually but the Berlingo takes a lot of beating for practicality. Two bikes straight in with one back seat out but I'm sure it would be possible to get 3 people and 3 MTBs (or other bikes without mudguards) in. With both seats out I can fit in two motorcycles or two solos and a tandem. Try that with a conventional estate!

Old Pedaller

Old Pedaller wrote:

It may not be everyone's cup of tea visually but the Berlingo takes a lot of beating for practicality. Two bikes straight in with one back seat out but I'm sure it would be possible to get 3 people and 3 MTBs (or other bikes without mudguards) in. With both seats out I can fit in two motorcycles or two solos and a tandem. Try that with a conventional estate!

PS

That includes the camping equipment etc for the annual holiday too.

balthazar

In my Mercedes W123, a tattier and golder version of the one above, 2 bikes (wheels off) plus kit, go in the boot comfortably. Doesn't sound like what you're after, but anyway... it surprised me.

mercsport

I've made a problem for myself by just getting a Mercedes CLK and selling my 'C' class estate , which was brilliant to drive and swallowed two bikes easily enough - with the seats down . Although I flinch at the idea , am now contemplating a detachable tow-bar and a decent bike-carrier for the CLK

As the 'C' was relatively small I'd suppose any estate would be O.K. for carrying bikes although I haven't investigated them at all .

Lagavulin

balthazar wrote:

In my Mercedes W123, a tattier and golder version of the one above, 2 bikes (wheels off) plus kit, go in the boot comfortably. Doesn't sound like what you're after, but anyway... it surprised me.

That's a lovely motor. 8)

BMX Bear

VW Sharan / Ford Galaxy / Seat Alhambra - very practical cars, diesel's are economic, never need to fit bars or rack, can get 2 mtb & 2 kids bikes in the back and still seat 5.

It'd be difficult to manage without one now.

guinea

I bought my renault scenic for a couple of reasons.

1. It does 60mpg.
2. The rear seats fold away or come out completely.

Going away is easy and only takes a few seconds.

Remove the rear seats from the car and the front wheels from the bike. Open the rear passenger door and place the bikes behind the front seats sideways.

Fill up the car with gear, clothes, tents and tools. There is huge amounts of available space.

Add a GB sticker on the back of the car and drive to the Alps very cheaply with all your gear.

A 3yr old Scenic 106 with full keyless system, air con, automatic lights, wiper etc will cost £5-6k and is in the lower tax brackets. It was a no-brainer for me.

warrior4life

the scenic does sound good!
ill take a closer look!

Monty Dog

I can get my bike in my Smart ForTwo - remove front wheel and the seatpost and it fits - that doesn't mean I'd recommend it for carrying bikes though!

fnb1

Skoda Superb Saloon , comfortably takes 2 bikes (wheels off) plus luggage for week away in the Pyrenees with the back seats still in place, 48mpg average, cheap to buy, cheap to run, comfortable (actually very comfortable), well equipped, cheap to maintain etc etc,

Of course you will need a different badge if you need to compensate for any personal inadequacy elsewhere, then maybe a Passat, but it is more expensive and not as well equipped or spacious.


Or, seats folded, takes the bike complete (wheels on) handy for time-trials after work or taking the commuter bike in to bike home later etc. and easy to get the bike in and out because it can change itself into a hatchback when needed.

Then there is a very cavernous estate version due sometime soon which will be my next car. Other than that, Saab 95 estate (that I had previously) always coped well.

I think key is having sufficient ‘width’ in the luggage compartment, ‘ahem’

RedAende

warrior4life wrote:

And everday use as a cyclist, im fed up of trashing the inside of my golf, i cant be bothered putting a rack on and off everday.... and roof bars are ok but i want to be able to leave the bikes on the car.

I need a good sized car that i can put the bikes in.. but it also has to be a decent drive, i dont want a van...people carrier size maybe, or 4wd.

I have a Focus hatchback which guess is similar sized. By folding rear seats I can get bike in flat (53cm frame) without removing wheels. Can also get a 2nd bike on top (49cm frame) by removing front wheel. But if the frames were bigger we would be struggling. Will probably go for a Focus estate next time.

nwallace

fnb1 wrote:

Then there is a very cavernous estate version due sometime soon which will be my next car. Other than that, Saab 95 estate (that I had previously) always coped well.

<Pedant> The 95 only came in Estate form, the 96 was the Saloon model. Unless of course you mean the 9-5</pedant>

Fold the back seats down in a 96 and you can get a bike in with wheels or 2 without.
Quick Release wheels and seat post mean it's easy to fit a bike in a small saloon.

I've got taking apart, sliding into boot, sliding out and rebuilding my MTB down to an art so it takes not much longer than dragging a fully assembled bike out of an estate, or off a towbar bracket. (So much so that I rarely use my tow bar mounted carrier)

bompington

fnb1:
Of course you will need a different badge if you need to compensate for any personal inadequacy elsewhere

Mmmm, wonder how many cyclists choose their bikes on that basis?

Good to see fnb1flying the flag for skoda, I couldn't agree more, the brand is so uncool that it shouts "my image does not need artificial enhancement", therefore it is cool.
I now have the Octavia estate, nice big estate car, it's the 4X4 which is handy sometimes if you like to go to rough places (and I don't mean downtown Dundee on a Friday night) and it still does 45+mpg, I can actually get the kids' bikes (24" MTBs) in the boot without folding seats.

I might just be lazy but I really don't rate any way of carrying a bike that requires you to dismantle it, I mean you can get a bike in a suitcase if you really want. I also prefer not to put my bike in the car after it's been out, a combination of my MTB heritage and the usual state of the roads round here.

beverick

Red Rock wrote:

One of my friends has a Volvo V50 which takes the bike with both wheels attached. She just folds down the back seats first. Much more practical than my MG.

http://www.volvocars.com/uk/All-Cars-MY09/Volvo-V50/Pages/default.aspx

Red Rock

You're not trying. I can get the bike in my 'B'....

Bob

Stewie Griffin

What about a Peugeot 605? Willhub is selling one if Im not mistaken.

Chaz.Harding

Hmm... I seriously considering a BMW 530d or 330d estate sooner or later. My current car, a 13 year old Nissan Micra (in gold!!) is small, but it eats all my kit, my road bike, my big off road play bike, with room for another bike (across the rear seats) and another adult in the front.

It's engine, however, is a joke. A 996cc petrol engine. I think I may have more gusto accelerating (especially up hills!)



Oh, any serious reasons not to get a BMW diesel estate? Anyone?? :roll: :shock:

Chaz.Harding

Oh, and the fuel consumption is BADDDD too. I get around 30mpg if I drive carefully around and about. If I go on a longer run, it's about 35. Shocking from a 1 litre!! :twisted:

Stewie Griffin

bigchazrocks wrote:

Hmm... I seriously considering a BMW 530d or 330d estate sooner or later. My current car, a 13 year old Nissan Micra (in gold!!) is small, but it eats all my kit, my road bike, my big off road play bike, with room for another bike (across the rear seats) and another adult in the front.

It's engine, however, is a joke. A 996cc petrol engine. I think I may have more gusto accelerating (especially up hills!)



Oh, any serious reasons not to get a BMW diesel estate? Anyone?? :roll: :shock:

The badge on the front should put you off. You are aware that even if you dont want to you WILL turn into a bellend once you turn the key in the ignition. Indicate? Me?

I had a purple Micra when my car was in a body shop (fell into a pot hole, not my driving) not as much fun as a ford ka which I had when my car was in another bodyshop (got hit while parked, not my driving) which was much better than the Yaris I had when my car was in a bodyshop (car pulled out through a give way and into the side of my car, not my driving). Havent tried to put bikes in any of them.

SERIOUSLY none of those bumps were my fault.

gkerr4

bigchazrocks wrote:

Hmm... I seriously considering a BMW 530d or 330d estate sooner or later. My current car, a 13 year old Nissan Micra (in gold!!) is small, but it eats all my kit, my road bike, my big off road play bike, with room for another bike (across the rear seats) and another adult in the front.

It's engine, however, is a joke. A 996cc petrol engine. I think I may have more gusto accelerating (especially up hills!)



Oh, any serious reasons not to get a BMW diesel estate? Anyone?? :roll: :shock:

the 3-series estate is really quite small - much smaller than you would imagine. the 5 series estate is very sizeable though!

oh - and that 3litre 6-cyl diesel engine is a corker - 200+bhp AND 40+mpg - awesome engine

it even makes a half decent noise for a diesel!

the 2.0 4-cyl is even more light on fuel, but a bit less power and actually I find it quite harsh on vibration. My experience is only on courtesy cars though (120d and 320d) so perhaps they were "rough-ones".

RedAende

BMW is a 4 letter word = COCK,

try an A4 or X type, people wont hate you. Personally when I upgrade to an estate wouldn't mind a RWD 3 series but the c(a)nts that cut me up on my bike or car with the blue propeller on their grill....... well its a subset of humanity that deserves to be despised and even better exterminated.

zedders

Came across this thread on the search option.

I have been using my Toyota Celica (2 door coupe) to transport my winter hack to a mates for night rides. Been taking the front wheel off (the bike, not car!), taking the parcel shelf off (and leaving it in the garage) and putting the back seats down as well, to fit the bianchi in - just!

& now Amelia is three weeks old (no sleep is seriously effecting my rides) , I'm in the process of selling my car and you guessed it buying an estate car. I have about 10 grand to spend.

My short list is down to a X type Jag, a new shape Mondeo or a Honda Accord. Any thoughts? (A BMW 3 series or an Audi A4 are no no's).

Anonymous

Lagavulin wrote:

balthazar wrote:

In my Mercedes W123, a tattier and golder version of the one above, 2 bikes (wheels off) plus kit, go in the boot comfortably. Doesn't sound like what you're after, but anyway... it surprised me.

That's a lovely motor. 8)

That. Is. Lovely! Have a badge for owning such a beast!

zedders

NapoleonD wrote:

Lagavulin wrote:

balthazar wrote:

In my Mercedes W123, a tattier and golder version of the one above, 2 bikes (wheels off) plus kit, go in the boot comfortably. Doesn't sound like what you're after, but anyway... it surprised me.

That's a lovely motor. 8)

That. Is. Lovely! Have a badge for owning such a beast!

Forgot to add the Merc to the shortlist! Thanks for reminding me!

Bhima

Well, this is my setup:















...and when I don't want to show off and be a little inconspicuous, i'll just go out in this.

bompington

zedders wrote:

My short list is down to a X type Jag, a new shape Mondeo or a Honda Accord. Any thoughts? (A BMW 3 series or an Audi A4 are no no's).

To quote Jeremy Clarkson on the Audi A6 Allroad:
"not as good as a Skoda"
I wouldn't swap my Octavia for any of your shortlist, or pretty much anything else come to that.

garrynolan

Hi, have a Citroen C4 Grand Picasso VTR+ EGS ( I know, I know..). Anyways - car is brilliant, 50mpg+, 7 full-size seats, easy to drive. Can get a bike between front and rear seats. Fold the seats down (very easy) can get at least three in the back plus luggage. All seats are seperate so any 1/2/3 of 2nd row can be folded to leave room for bikes. Had 2 seats up in middle row with 4 bikes plus luggage. Admittedly the bikes were stacked but old duvet zig-zagged between them kept them snug and undamaged. Good deals on them now - should get a new (basic) one for £11,000 or a good specced 18-month-old for less. Worth a look?

andy162

OP, how much dosh have you got to spend??

You want space & a decent drive so....

With £1k get a ratty Pug 406 or with £70k a M5 Touring.

Or anything in between, what one person adores you might not give garage space. Some of the more leftfield choices do look interesting...Accord estate or Saab 93, a bit different from the usual tackle.

For my tuppence worth...Audi A4, s-line with the 150bhp 2.0TDi. Had one a few years ago & it was a well sorted package. 40+ mpg, lively enough, decent image & felt like it was built to last. Tasty in black with leather & toys.

Got a new TT now, drop the back "seats", wheels off the bike & lob it in. 3rd Audi & haven't had any real issues. Service intervals are long( depends on how you drive, mileage etc but reckon on 18 -24 months). + resale values are good too.

At the end of the day it's your dosh.

Ps my mate gets his bike in his 911 RS lightweight! That's gotta be the best way to move yr bike, depends how you define "best" tho!

zedders

Bhima,

For someone who has previously advised me to be prudent with my cash, I can't believe you wasted £3000 grand having your disc calipers painted yellow? Is that something to do with your fetish for bananas?

Anonymous

Zafira.

timb64

The ultimate bike transporter,mobile workshop,soup kitchen and all with a comfortable double bed!

P.s Bit of a money pit when it comes to fuel and maintenance though.