Best vehicle to carry 4x bikes + 4x people

fishcake

Like the title says
I have been thinking about either a VW transporter (crew cab) or a double cab pickup (Nissan / Mitsubishi)
Just wondered if anyone has any other type of vehicle to carry 4 people + 4 bikes

and I have done a search on here but couldn't see any threads
Cheers

Fishcake

cat_with_no_tail

Pretty much all the big van manufacturers do crew cabs.

You could also look at some of the bigger people carriers. There is a guy who used to do DH with us and he'd use his wifes ancient renault espace with the back row of seats taken out. That thing was HUGE.

What's your budget though?

Also, do you need to carry the bikes INSIDE the car? what's wrong with a rack?

peter413

Can I just say that I did once fit three bikes, four people, bike kit and other stuff in my dads old Nissan Primera so almost anything will do what you want, just need to learn to pack properly

Chinley Churner

You'll struggle to top a Mitsubishi Delica..... Shogun chassis and 4x4 capabilities/clearance with a people carrier body on top....

.blitz

335d estate

paul.skibum

Big shit car

3+3 in a large estate is easy enough, 4+4 maybe int he right one but any biggish MPV should do it and you can get one cheaper than a crew cab van. Might be cheapest option to just kill one of your riding buddies though.

*AJ*

Nissan Navara all the way!

bluechair84

15year old Toyota Previa, 4wd, goes up anything, 5 people inside, two with wheels off in the boot and three on a boot rack.

Buckled_Rims

Don't laugh, but how about a trailer?

The depreciation on large 4x4 are huge, whilst a trailer and 4x racking would cost less then £1k. The other great side is that dirty bikes are kept separate from car.

Northwind

Any estate + a rear or roof rack + 1 bike in the boot, without even trying very hard?

Pickups aren't all that practical really, and most are build with serious hauling in mind so that means big fat engines, serious weight, poor mpg. Almost all the time you're better off with a van. Just that pickups are cooler

I'd be after a Transporter meself, just for the flexibility of the things but there's others that'll do it.

camerone

BMW 7 series. Roof bars and 4x carriers. big boot, big space, very comfy.

Steve_F

My Volvo V70 carried 5 people, two bikes on the roof and two in the boot (the other persons was just a driver). Plenty of room to spare too. Three on the roof and a towbar rack would easily carry 5 people, bikes and gear if really necessary. Would've been happy to take 4 people and bikes across France if I'd got the chance in that.

Eyon

Having driven a VW Transporter Combi (the 170bhp one ) across a 2000 mile round trip through Europe to just short of Vienna (through Germany and Czech Republic) i cant recommend it enough. We weren't carrying bikes but other much bigger things with support equipment, with 3 people room for 1 more in complete comfort at 110mph on the autobahns.

Honestly, try get a test drive in the faster one (3 red letters in TDI), you will love it!

Offshorenath

Vauxhall zafira vxr, cavernous space, the seats come out and its 240 bhp need i say more ?

underdog

Not a pickup truck, getting 4 bikes in the bed tidy would be impossible without a rack in it (very expensive) and I have an l200 so know what a pain it is

jay12

i'd say trailer as well

neninja

My pickup with a rear hardtop will fit 5 bikes, kit etc plus 5 people with no problems.

Front wheels and seatposts out of the bikes and pop them in upside down - they don't move at all

gtd.

Landrover 130

ride_whenever

Good god, no-one thinks big enough...



Talon riot control vehicle.

_HENDO_

Had 3 people and 3 bikes with a bike rack on a fiesta

Stevo_666

Ford S-Max.

You can get 4 bikes on the roof rack if you face some of them rearward. 4 people inside leaves plenty room and boot space is massive. Almost fun to drive as well

mihaibu

Dacia/Renault Logan: 7 people + small baggages, 4 bikes on the roof rack, 3 bikes on the rear rack

Pretty comfy

40sheds

Depends what the budget is.

A few years ago we had a Meredes V class and I sorely miss it. You could sit 6/7 in it however if you took a row of seats out you could sit 4 in serious comfort and have a huge boot/van space in the back that I reckon you could fit 4 bikes in with thewheels off.

It had full leather and self levelling suspension. We had the 2.8 V6 which really went well but drank juice.

Merc do a newer version of it now called, i think, the viano which is big bucks but still really nice with loads of room.

stumpyjon

Volkswagen Touran with four bikes on a Thule towbar rack and still have plenty of space for kit inside the vehicle. 60 mpg actual on motorway journeys as well with the right engine.

The Northern Monkey

I saw 6 bikes on top of a 4x4... was either a citroen peugeot or ford thing..

DamonC

I have just bought a Renault Trafic LWB Crew Cabin and it is a great vehicle for your needs.

I took 3 mates, 4 bikes and all the gear on a Glentress trip last week and it was great. Bikes went in whole, bungeed to sides bags in the middle.

£100 to fill with diesel, but I did Leeds - Chester, Chester - Glentress, 2 days at Glentress, Glentress to Whinlatter, Whinlatter to Chester on one tank fully loaded and cruised at 80mph on the motorway happily.

Not many around so you wont get much of advertised price, but worth every penny IMO.

Ryan Jones

LDV Convoy crew cab, big, cheap, roomy, makes your bike feel like the luxury ride home, nobody would steal or break into it. Unlike the MBUK Viano

pat mcgucken

Get a van if you can I reckon-I used to have a Navara and the mpg, especially on the latest ones is horrible, on the other hand they are comfy and will get you places a van won't. I have a Traffic now and its awesome, really good mpg, jump in the back to get dry and changed, bikes are safe and out of sight. Plus I built a bed in the back of mine for weekends away-you can't do that witha pick up.
Obviously for 4 people you're gonna need a crew cab van. Must admit I'm a bit jealous of that crew cab Traffic in the earlier post, thats awesome.

Buzz1024

Merc V220 - diesel, Auto, good heater/aircon and factory tints to hide whats inside.

Mr bump

You could get a normal panel van and fit a second row of seats into it.
I did that with a transit and its great for bikes and bods.
Added bonus of the van is security and somewhere to change out of the rain etc.
Ive owned pick-up trucks and although they look really good they are a faff with bikes and ket etc.

97th choice

Budget is everything, but if you aren't concerened about image then a fiat doblo will do all you want, and they are fairly reasonably priced. The 1.3 multijet diesel will get you 50mpg as well.