Yes it is bike related: Hatchback or estate?
Muztard
Posts: 160
The family saloon is getting tired and should have been changed yrs ago. A recent visit to the garage suggests the outstanding work is greater than the value of the car so I might need a replacement.
Based on the experience of those who already transporting their bike(s) can you recommend a particular small hatchback or family estate? As for budget approx £10k but the less I spend on the car the more I have for bike stuff
Ideally I'd like to avoid a rack on the boot when the combined value of my bikes approach £4k....... more than my car is worth!! :shock:
That said I have no experience of car mounted bike racks, who know they may be ideal.
Based on the experience of those who already transporting their bike(s) can you recommend a particular small hatchback or family estate? As for budget approx £10k but the less I spend on the car the more I have for bike stuff
Ideally I'd like to avoid a rack on the boot when the combined value of my bikes approach £4k....... more than my car is worth!! :shock:
That said I have no experience of car mounted bike racks, who know they may be ideal.
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I (we) have an Audi A4 Avant... Very good family estate, but a Ford Focus Est. is slightly bigger in the back. The Audi build is in another league though.
Got a VW Touareg, too. Again, a very nice family vehicle... And great in the snow!
Oh, you don't state a budget.Start with a budget, finish with a mortgage!0 -
Subaru legacy, safe, rapid, reliable is a little expensive though. 4 WD system is only second to the landrover range.
A decent tow bar bike rack is the way forward!0 -
we have got a Saab 95 estate & a Passat Estate - both perfect for the bike. Also can fit 2 bikes & childs trailer and all the rubbish for a holiday - perfect!0
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Ford Mondeo estate. With the back seats down can easily get two fully assembled bikes in the back.0
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Muztard wrote:solsurf wrote:Subaru legacy, safe, rapid, reliable is a little expensive though.
Test drove one for 36hrs last Autumn didn't like it..... as you say safe and rapid but far too much cheap plastic
I was going to suggest a Subaru too. Failing that a Ford Focus Estate, which is outstanding value secondhand and has lots of room in the back. But if you think the Subaru has lots of cheap plastic, then you clearly haven't sat in a Focus before...! Anyway, a decent low mileage focus estate can be had for around the 7-8k mark. I don't think anything else quite comes close in the value stakes, particularly when you factor in reliability (excellent), fuel burn (excellent again), and servicing costs (low).
(Seriously, the Subaru is an truly oustanding car, nothing poor quality about it, and it really grows on you plus is superb to drive - I've done about 3000miles in one).0 -
TJA wrote:Ford Mondeo estate. With the back seats down can easily get two fully assembled bikes in the back.
I don't bother putting the seats down. I take the wheels off the bike and it all goes in the boot. I reckon it's quicker and then you can then pull the "cover" over the top and it's not obvious you've got an expensive bike in the car.
Oh and I have a Passat, which is great car, but the boot on the Mondeo is bigger...0 -
Anyone got experience of a Jaguar X-Type estate?0
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see the post above about the mondeo.................:)0
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Got new shape Hyundai Santa Fe, now good deals on 2nd hand ones couple years old and have 5 year warranty. Enough about car but suffice to say took me, 2 mates and 3 nice road bikes in boot with room to spare to Etape Caledonia last year.
Oh and the very dark glass in rear windows conceals all back there.0 -
thinking about a new Skoda Yeti, looks big enough for two bikes with the back seats rolled away. Or a Volvo V50 estate, but the Skoda would probably be better on fuel.0
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Saab 900 turbo - I just got a 1985 example with 55000 miles on the clock. Far more reliable than any modern car and much more fun to drive, cost less than £3000, leaving 7k+ to spend on bikes. Enormous boot space - can fit at least a couple of bikes in the back and you can sit on the bumper/flat boot surface to change quite easily. Vastly superior to pretty much any modern car and safe with it. Also cool 8)
Faster than a tent.......0 -
Got an A4 avant. Can't get a bike in the boot without putting half the back seat down - not even with both wheels off.0
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In terms of what you get for the money and practicality I would think a Mondeo is hard to beat...0
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:roll:hopper1 wrote:Ands wrote:Got an A4 avant. Can't get a bike in the boot without putting half the back seat down - not even with both wheels off.
You mean a third (ish) of the seat, surely... 60/40 split
Essex bird!
Are you bored Hopper?
Anyone got an A6 avant? We've been looking at changing so we can get bike(s) in the boot.0 -
If you are happy to remove both wheels to get the bike in the car then a lot of cars will accept this - Impreza I had would take a bike in the boot with both wheels removed and a bike on the back seat with front wheel only off. Bike inside car had a cover on the transmission etc so seat wasn't covered in oil, worked fine many times for me.
Citroen Picasso will, with centre seat removed, accept bike with wheels still fitted as it has the height to allow the bike to sit upright. Not many cars allow that. I've had 2 adults (in front) plus 2 kids in back with the centre seat folded and the bike w/full muduards in the rear with the front wheel off.0 -
Mondeo esates are like barges.
uuuuuuge0 -
New shape Mondeo or Skoda Octavia would probably be my short-list, or a T5 kombi if I had a bigger budget.0
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Well I've got a Honda Jazz - extremely reliable and I can get a bike with wheels out in the back without putting the seats down. It also has magic rear seats that fold up so I can get a bike without wheels but with mudguards across the middle.0
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djbarren wrote:
I personally would go for one of these 170BHP diesel, power, style, economy, build quality all in tow.
CHECK HERE
+1 - Skoda have really come up with the VW collaboration in terms of build quality, not so iffy as they once were ie. skip jokes etc.0 -
Mondeo estate - they look so cool and are huge! I have a MK3 and it took 3 bikes and 4 adults along with camping gear from Scotland to Mountain Mayhem last year and back again without any problems.0
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I've got a Volvo V50. It's quite a nice car but the load space isn't that great. I can get one bike in without taking the wheels off at a push, but usually end up taking the front wheel off
My mate has an Audi A6 estate. It's so big a family could live in it. Nice car too.0 -
hugo15 wrote:I've got a Volvo V50. It's quite a nice car but the load space isn't that great. I can get one bike in without taking the wheels off at a push, but usually end up taking the front wheel off
My mate has an Audi A6 estate. It's so big a family could live in it. Nice car too.
V50 here too. Can just get a bike in the back, wheels off, seats up. Easy peasy with 2/3 seat down, front wheel out.
My old SAAB 9-3 hatchback was much bigger, two bikes easily in the boot with wheels out, oceans of room. Nice car too.
If you buy a V50, don't buy a D5. Very fast but drinks diesel at an alaming rate!0 -
You can't get two bikes in side by side in the back of a V50? Good grief!0
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Dont get a V50 too small you need a V70 plenty of room for bikes and the kitchen sink.0
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Well i have an old 740 estate and you can get a LOT of stuff in the back there. As it's getting really old now (21 yrs), what to replace it with?0
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Went through all this not so long back.
1) Estate is *definitely* the way forward. Really can't understand why anybody would even begin to consider a hatch, or especially a 3 box saloon.
2) Used to have an old shape Passat diesel estate. Capacious, economical, reliable, comfortable, but really quite dull to drive. Thoroughly recommended if you drive because you have to, rather than because you enjoy it.
3)X type - basically a mondeo in a fancy dress. 2 things put me off massively - no room for your left foot other than on or under the clutch pedal, and the boot area, although wide and deep isn't very high - to the point you might struggle to get one bike under the load cover, let alone 2 (and the load cover is a big heavy lump to remove)
4) Audi A4 - had a basic trim saloon as a rental for a weekend. DULL to the point of being dangerous. 70mph on the motorway felt like being sat in front of the TV with the sound off. Absolutely no involvement, sense of movement or realisation that your piloting 1.5tons of metal at high speed. 140bhp diesel very peaky (very narrow power band). 7 speed auto suited it, but didn't help the lack of involvmnet.
5) Mondeo - not too much personal experience, but a mate who runs a bike company has one, and with a bit of packing can get 4 bikes in the boot, or about 10 in with the seats down. Supposed to be pretty good to drive. Issues with fuel pumps and dual mass flywheels.
6)Octavia - could have been quite tempted, in VRS TDi format, but the interior is a bit plastic/garish and then no. 7 happened...
7) BMW 3 series waqon. Drove one. Bought one. Not as practical as the Passat, but livable with, but it is absolutely fantastic to drive. It's the difference between riding a mtb on the road and riding a road bike on the road. Just fell in love with it...0 -
I have a Renault Megane sports tourer 1.9dci 130bhp. Loadsa room for 2 bikes plus extra bits and pieces like camping gear etc... And I average 54mpg on a variety of roads/ motorways.Bianchi. There are no alternatives only compromises!
I RIDE A KONA CADABRA -would you like to come and have a play with my magic link?0 -
Never had an estate so wrong to make comment.
However I have always had hatchbacks if only for the reason to get the bike into the back.
First one was no bigger than current Mini and had to take the wheel off - no quick releases in those days, and since then been through Astra, Escort, two Mondeos and the current Honda Civic into which I can get two bikes fully assembled.
So it may just be a case of taking your bike with you and see how it fits.
Good Luck.0
