Yes it is bike related: Hatchback or estate?
Comments
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giant mancp wrote: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.
No competition.
I have the hatch version Vrs 170bhp TDi
Huge boot, goes like a scalded cat and can easily fit 2 MTB's in the back with the seats down, and you don't even have to take the wheels off.
Build quality is every bit as good as any VW and it's cheap as chips.
I am on my 3rd one now and wouldn't have anything else at the moment.
Fantastic cars.I ride therefore I am0 -
Kinda worries me when you say you're on your 3rd one. What were wrong with the other two out of curiosity? thanks0
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1st one was a Mark 1 company car
Then when I left the company I bought my own Mark 1 as I loved the car so much
I then moved companies again some time later and had to go on their car scheme so reluctantly sold the car.
Now I am with another company and can pick my own car so went for a pimped diesel version, but this time a Mark 2
I simply can't think of a car with as good performance, good economy, good interior space, massive boot and looks as good at such little cost.
Believe it or not when I joined my current company they were going to give me a Porcshe Cayenne 3.6 as a company car as it was a directors vehicle which was being changed but I picked the Skoda over the Porcshe :shock: even though they would have made up the tax difference with salary
I have never spoken to anyone who has owned one of these and not been pleased with it.
Then factor in the service costs are usually less than £200 a pop.
Like I say a no brainer...................providing you can see past the badge.
Only my opinion of course
I ride therefore I am0 -
Bikes and cars - two great things yet when they meet there is always some merry dance figuring out how best to carry the first in or on the second. To be honest there are so many hatchbacks and estates that would do the job. Here's my tuppence worth on several I know about:
Audi. I currently have a new shape A4 Avant. Excellent car, great build quality (yes not as good to drive handling as a BMW, but I have the MX-5 for that!). Decent size boot, but I don't think you will get a bike in it even with both wheels off. With back seats fully down you'll get at least two full bikes in. With back seat half (or 40%!) down, you'll get one in the boot poking through into back seat, with front wheel off. A6 is bigger but expensive.
Ford. Had a Mondeo hatchback (previous model) for last car. Very big, and new model is even bigger, esp. estate. Good to drive, and generally reliable with reasonable running and repair costs. Bike capacity similar to A4 Avant. Focus is also very good and estate is quite big, slightly smaller than Mondeo, but still roomy.
Skoda. Octavia is a great all rounder, and boot is deceptive - much bigger than it looks from apparent size of car. VRS is a cracker but pricier. Skoda are doing a Tax free offer just now, so you can get some brand new good deals - see their website. Superb is cavernous, but much more expensive and estate is new so no 2nd hand cars. I think Skoda are top value for money with the VW group - A4 is a company car, it if was my own money I'd probably get the Skoda.
BMW. 3 series estate is a lovely car and great to drive, but it's small inside - the boot is small and awkwardly shaped. 5 series is bigger but expensive.
For car shopping I would recommend having a look at:
www.drivethedeal.com (good new car discounts, can use this to haggle with your local dealers)
www.motorpoint.co.uk (good 2nd hand deals)
As for carrying bikes, I have a Saris Bones 3-bike rack, which is very versatile and fits A4 Avant and MX-5, and I would recommend for rear mounted option. I also have roof mounted carriers, which are also good. I believe the tow mounted racks are probably the best option, but I don't have a tow bar. I might think about this in the future.0 -
Another car that hasn't been mentioned is the Mazda 6 estate. Another cracker, reliable, great to drive, and roomy - I almost bought one for my last car. A mate has one and he puts a full double matress in the back for him and the missus on road trips!0
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Only thing I would say is the the Skoda vRS is a pain to put a rear mounted rack on (ie when the boots in use) as the spoiler gets in the wayI ride therefore I am0
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huuregeil wrote:Another car that hasn't been mentioned is the Mazda 6 estate. Another cracker, reliable, great to drive, and roomy - I almost bought one for my last car. A mate has one and he puts a full double matress in the back for him and the missus on road trips!
It's a Mondeo in disguise I ride therefore I am0 -
huuregeil wrote:Another car that hasn't been mentioned is the Mazda 6 estate. Another cracker, reliable, great to drive, and roomy - I almost bought one for my last car. A mate has one and he puts a full double matress in the back for him and the missus on road trips!
It's a Mondeo in disguise I ride therefore I am0 -
huuregeil wrote:Another car that hasn't been mentioned is the Mazda 6 estate. Another cracker, reliable, great to drive, and roomy - I almost bought one for my last car. A mate has one and he puts a full double matress in the back for him and the missus on road trips!
That's because it's a Mondeo in disguise I ride therefore I am0 -
JonEdwards wrote:
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.
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Couldn't agree more.
Which is why I went for the 1.8T Quattro.
Still need to put the seats down though...0 -
Yes but, critically, it's not a Mondeo ;-)0
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Mr Ands went to look a 5 series touring at the weekend - the boot is hardly any bigger than the A4 (apparently). He doesn't reckon you could get a bike in there, even with both wheels off.dgstewart wrote:BMW. 3 series estate is a lovely car and great to drive, but it's small inside - the boot is small and awkwardly shaped. 5 series is bigger but expensive.0 -
My Dad has a five series saloon and we got two bikes in the boot with all wheels and one pedal off each bike.
All but one wheel got in the boot.
I'd imagine the touring is no problem at all as the problem is the shelf.0 -
OK. I won't tell him. I don't like the BMW.pickled wrote:My Dad has a five series saloon and we got two bikes in the boot with all wheels and one pedal off each bike.
All but one wheel got in the boot.
I'd imagine the touring is no problem at all as the problem is the shelf. 0 -
afcbian wrote:1st one was a Mark 1 company car
Then when I left the company I bought my own Mark 1 as I loved the car so much
I then moved companies again some time later and had to go on their car scheme so reluctantly sold the car.
Now I am with another company and can pick my own car so went for a pimped diesel version, but this time a Mark 2
I simply can't think of a car with as good performance, good economy, good interior space, massive boot and looks as good at such little cost.
Believe it or not when I joined my current company they were going to give me a Porcshe Cayenne 3.6 as a company car as it was a directors vehicle which was being changed but I picked the Skoda over the Porcshe :shock: even though they would have made up the tax difference with salary
I have never spoken to anyone who has owned one of these and not been pleased with it.
Then factor in the service costs are usually less than £200 a pop.
Like I say a no brainer...................providing you can see past the badge.
Only my opinion of course
Thanks. I think I would rather have a Skoda estate than a bloody Porsche Cayenne, damn ugly things.
But going back to the Skoda Yeti, this is the kind of room in the back with their internal bike carrier:
http://www.accessories.skoda.co.uk/prod ... =LAH770002
which I think is pretty good for a smallish car.0 -
Take a look at the Honda Accord Tourer, paticularly the 2003 - 2008 models. Huge load carrying capacity, seats fold completely flat, squabs and back, with a single lever motion, auto opening tailgate from the keyfob, great to drive, very economic diesel engines, comfy, fast etc, etc, etc.
The newer model looks blingtastic but has smaller carrying capacity.
If I was buying now, that would be very high up the list.0 -
afcbian wrote:giant mancp wrote: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.
No competition.
I have the hatch version Vrs 170bhp TDi
Huge boot, goes like a scalded cat and can easily fit 2 MTB's in the back with the seats down, and you don't even have to take the wheels off.
Build quality is every bit as good as any VW and it's cheap as chips.
I am on my 3rd one now and wouldn't have anything else at the moment.
Fantastic cars.
I'm with you on the Skoda I bought my wife a Mk1 petrol Octavia VRS about 3yrs back. Great car, she still has it.0 -
We have a Saab 93 Sportswagon. Excellent car, room to get a bike in the back with the wheels on, I'd take the front wheel off at least if putting two bikes in. We get a child in the back and a bike with front wheel off too.
Not sure where anything stands with Saabs now since their difficulties.
One thing I'd recommend though is a tow bar. Tow bars may look dodgy on other cars, but look fine on an estate. They also help protect the car a little if anyone bumps your rear (in fact it'll mangle the car behind before yours has been touched!). With a tow bar you could look at a tow bar mount bike rack, really quite safe to keep bike on as they're really stable. I put a pipe lagging round the tubes of our bikes, and a waterproof bike cover over the top to help protect them.0 -
I wouldn't buy a Saab on the principle of them just being Vauxhalls in disguise, the 93 has got the Vectra (cough!) chassis hasn't it? ..... Saab were a great car, back in the 9000 series days ...0
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giant mancp wrote:I wouldn't buy a Saab on the principle of them just being Vauxhalls in disguise, the 93 has got the Vectra (cough!) chassis hasn't it? ..... Saab were a great car, back in the 9000 series days ...
Signum I think. They're owned by Spyker now, which must be a lot cooler than Vauxhall. 8)
Ours has been an excellent car. Surely a Vauxhall is no worse than a Ford?
Aren't Audi, VW, Skoda and Seat all pretty much the same?0 -
giant mancp wrote:I wouldn't buy a Saab on the principle of them just being Vauxhalls in disguise, the 93 has got the Vectra (cough!) chassis hasn't it? ..... Saab were a great car, back in the 9000 series days ...
Lets be honest here..........virtually all cars are based on anothers chassis etc.
Golf = jetta,beetle,leon,octavia,A3,A4 etc etc
Mondeo = Mazda 6
Focus = Volvo S40,V50,C30
Vectra = Saab 93, Cadilac something orother etc etc
I could go on................I ride therefore I am0 -
hammerite wrote:
One thing I'd recommend though is a tow bar. Tow bars may look dodgy on other cars, but look fine on an estate. They also help protect the car a little if anyone bumps your rear (in fact it'll mangle the car behind before yours has been touched!).
I don't think that's entirely accurate.
Any impact on a tow bar directly bypasses the crumple zone or fancy shock absorbing bumper and imparts the force directly to the chassis instead.
Although they do do a superb job of smashing up the offenders car...0 -
pickled wrote:
I don't think that's entirely accurate.
Any impact on a tow bar directly bypasses the crumple zone or fancy shock absorbing bumper and imparts the force directly to the chassis instead.
Although they do do a superb job of smashing up the offenders car...
Ah OK. We had ours put on mainly for the bike rack, but someone did say they're great for protecting the car.
Luckily I've not really had to test it out, apart from one day when I forgot to put the hand brake on after parking :roll: and the car rolled back slowly - the tow bar nestled nicely against the bollard.0 -
One possibility not mentioned as yet is the Honda CR-V. I have one and you can fit a number of bikes in the back - upright, without removing any wheels and you would still have room in there for your kit. (and without folding any seats) and so still have room for 5 adults.
I have rear security glass fitted in mine, so if you have your bikes in the back there is little chance that they can be seen. It's reasonably economical (2.0L engine in most models, 2.2 in the more recent ones), reliable and is pretty 'car-like' to drive for a larger vehicle.Cycling weakly0 -
giant mancp wrote:I wouldn't buy a Saab on the principle of them just being Vauxhalls in disguise, the 93 has got the Vectra (cough!) chassis hasn't it? ..... Saab were a great car, back in the 9000 series days ...
Giantmancp you're talking complete bollocks. Pure nonsense. By your reckoning the SAAB 9000 was a Fiat Croma in disguise, or heaven forbid, a Lancia Thema.
You've either never driven a SAAB or you've never driven a Vauxhall. They drive completely differently, and the SAAB engines are superb. My 9-3 hatch was a brilliant car, in fact it still is as it's now being driven by one of my workmates.0 -
proto wrote:giant mancp wrote:I wouldn't buy a Saab on the principle of them just being Vauxhalls in disguise, the 93 has got the Vectra (cough!) chassis hasn't it? ..... Saab were a great car, back in the 9000 series days ...
Giantmancp you're talking complete bollocks. Pure nonsense. By your reckoning the SAAB 9000 was a Fiat Croma in disguise, or heaven forbid, a Lancia Thema.
You've either never driven a SAAB or you've never driven a Vauxhall. They drive completely differently, and the SAAB engines are superb. My 9-3 hatch was a brilliant car, in fact it still is as it's now being driven by one of my workmates.
No I'm not actually, perhaps you are mate. The Saab 900 and 9000 series was made by Saab in Sweden, as were the Volvos when they were made by Volvo.
Jesus christ you're not sure what you're saying are you. Yes I have driven an older Saab and very nice it was too. And I have driven a Vauxhall and yes you are right of course they drive differently you idiot.0 -
Ford Fiesta ST - fast and can fit a bike in the back with the seats down minus front wheel 0
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If you're a serious bike rider, get something you can stand the bike up in the back without removing the wheels - anything else is a compromise. At the other extreme, I can also get a bike into my Smart ForTwo but I wouldn't recommend it for regular use!Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..0
