Estate car, van or (gasp) SUV?

orraloon

Part of my process of reviewing my life, do I downsize, do I pack in working altogether, been working part time for past several years, do I move to a different part of the country and all that that means?

I have a well used and well loved Mitsubishi L200 double cab pickup as my work vehicle, spot on for work purposes but as I reduce the work time it is not the best suited for other things, poor fuel consumption, open back, a bit slow, not that practical for normal day to day use. Though easy as anything to pop bikes on the back. And I do not get bullied off these narrow country roads by to55er SUV drivers - a well used and a bit battered pickup truck is not going to back down.

Thinking that some time over the winter I might look to change. But to what? Could get a medium sized van. Easy to put bikes in the back. Still able to carry work gear on my working days. Keep looking at these VW Transporters but... a bit too nancy some of them and they seem rather expensive. Or I could look at an estate plus put towbar on for a small trailer when needed for work plus reuse my currently redundant towball bike rack. Years back had a turbo Saab estate which was both fun and practical.

Being a bit facetious about the SUV option. Xxxx all capacity. But guess could go head to head on those narrow country roads...

Thinking there is not much difference in running costs between say a Transit and a Passat or Mondeo sized estate. Or am i missing something?

Anybody got any relevant experiences, views?

Stevo_666

If you want something that drives like a car then the Estate is the way to go. Vans are censored to drive and SUVs are too high/too heavy with no more room than the equivalent estate - sometimes less. Any mid-size estate (Mondeo, Passat) fits a bike in the back without taking wheels off. Or use a roof rack.

I've got an estate as you may know and it works just fine for me.

Alejandrosdog

I had a passat estate for a while, it became a proper workhorse, kids work bikes housebuilding all in a days work. It wasnt sexy but it was supremely practical and actually very comfortable. I had an allroad audi for a few weeks, pretty much the same thing but with a thirst.

Id buy another estate if i needed a car now.

step83

Also have a Passat, or as my phone puts it, a Psssst. Swallows two bikes seats down plus luggage. also most have pre fitted roof rails so easy to add a rack and more bikes

manoirdelourde

Estates are where it’s at, my last three have been Audi A6, A4 Allroad, A4 S-Line, all quattro and all can fit three bikes in the back without taking wheels off with the seats folded . . .

photonic69

Skoda Octavia Estate. Will swallow everything. I've got two full size double glazed French Doors in the back with the seats down. Two bikes in the back with the wheels still on - easily. Two bikes with wheels off and camping stuff for two - no problem.

Don't get the 1.6 TDi as they a problematic with the EGR valve unless you do loads of motorway miles. Used 1.9TDi is bombproof.

Matthewfalle

Estate.

THE MIGHTY BITCHIN' HONDA handles well, goes very well (especially when the V-TEC kicks in and makes a well cool noise and is big enough to fit the world in.

not too bad on petrol, good insurance, 100% reliable, far better than an SUV. they are just shyyyt.

Its also square eough to not get noticed so you can hoon like a lunatic and then dawdle along and no one knows it was you.

Wayne Plunger

Another estate car convert here.

Versatile and comfortable.

robert88

Not really an SUV fan but they have their uses.



Something like this maybe? It's a bit blingy, you want to lose the fancy wheels and get a few dents in it, but it should see you right on those country lanes. There's a Land Rover version too, a proper one:



Not one of those Chelsea wannabe's vehicles.

I once looked at estate cars but couldn't bring myself. Just me, I am sure but I'd feel like a sales rep or middle manager type.

Stevo_666

Robert88 wrote:

I once looked at estate cars but couldn't bring myself. Just me, I am sure but I'd feel like a sales rep or middle manager type.

It depends what estate you have I guess

Out of interest Robert, what do you drive?

Pross

Another vote for an estate. My old Focus estate was a far better load lugger than my current Qashqai.

shirley_basso

Wanted an Octavia but was upsold the superb for less (end of line model). I wouldn't go so far as to say I love it but it is great.

We bought it as our journeys are mainly long (2h plus) and it is fab for that. Heavy and planted but reassuringly so and comfy.

Matthewfalle

Robert88 wrote:

Not really an SUV fan but they have their uses.



Something like this maybe? It's a bit blingy, you want to lose the fancy wheels and get a few dents in it, but it should see you right on those country lanes. There's a Land Rover version too, a proper one:



Not one of those Chelsea wannabe's vehicles.

I once looked at estate cars but couldn't bring myself. Just me, I am sure but I'd feel like a sales rep or middle manager type.

A Landy? Seriously? Piece of junk. I get paid to drive one and still find ever excuse possible not to.

#pieceofjunk

tangled_metal

We have a vivaro. Mind you it's not far off going for conversion to a day van. Great for bikes and being a 1.6 litre with eco mode it's just under 40mpg round town. Better than my seat altea mpv.

crispybug2

Another one for the estate car

I’ve got a Seat Leon estate and honestly I wouldn’t be without it, a Volkswagen car at a Skoda price

DeVlaeminck

Depends what you do - if you do much muddy mountain biking then a van is far more practical to stick the bikes in the back than an estate or an suv. If you've already got the pick up and it's running fine I'd be tempted just to keep it - swings and roundabouts with any vehicle.

bonzo_banana

Another estate car fan. Had mine over six years, totally abused and nothing has needed replacing except windscreen wipers and normal service items. Even on the original battery and always starts first time even when I declared it sorn as wasn't using it for a few months. I've carried a huge amount of stuff in it and it seems even many large modern SUV's have less capacity. I think with the rear seats folded down my car has just over 1500 litres but in a practical loading bay, wide and long rather than high. My car is pretty much the same technically as the Astra Sports Tourer except with a Chevrolet skin and made in Korea. Typically though I would be buying a Toyota, Honda or Mazda but the Chevrolet was a fantastic price as they were leaving the UK market and had some huge price reductions. Mine was less than £8,000 with a normal list price of over £17,000 and that was a fair bit cheaper than the equivalent Astra Sports Tourer.



https://www.reliabilityindex.com/reliability/search/46

Much more reliable than a Passet and much cheaper repairs.

https://www.reliabilityindex.com/reliability/search/46

but inferior to something like the Avensis for reliability but still much cheaper repairs.

https://www.reliabilityindex.com/reliability/search/269

As ever if you are trying to save money the Japanese brands normally make the most sense although must admit the repairs shown for the Avensis are quite high priced.

If you are buying an older, cheaper car more likely to need repairs then definitely worth factoring in spares prices, something Ford and Vauxhall can be very competitive for compared to many European brands.

Remember poverty spec cars are often the most reliable, less gadgets to go wrong, likely naturally aspirated engine and a manual gearbox, the type of components that are simpler and more reliable.

daniel_b

Most of my cars have been estate cars, but now have a 1.5 Ford Grand Tourneo Connect.

£30 a year road tax, and circa 50mpg.

7 seats if you want (though I have permanently removed the rear most row for extra height) and with any of the split fold middle row you can get a FULLY assembled bike, or bikes, in the rear.

Very comfy to drive, and all mod cons.

Stevo_666

DeVlaeminck wrote:

Depends what you do - if you do much muddy mountain biking then a van is far more practical to stick the bikes in the back than an estate or an suv. If you've already got the pick up and it's running fine I'd be tempted just to keep it - swings and roundabouts with any vehicle.

Easy solution: road bikes in the back, mountain bikes on a rack.

harry-s

Landy?? I had to drive those things, or similar, most of my working life, and hated every moment. I could hardly hold back the incredulity when they started to become trendy. About 10 years ago my daily driver became a Subaru Outback, and I clocked up 140k marvellous miles. I've just retired it and got an Audi, - estates are the way to go!

First.Aspect

SUVs are at best small estates on stilts. Estates are best for load lugging. A van is great until you want to use a car park, at which point everyone will hate you for the dents you've put in the side of their cars trying to get out of your van. In the rare case you actually need a van, rent one for 30 quid.

Personally I got one of those hatchbacks disguised as a coupe, because I can't bear the thought of driving a house brick.

robert88

Stevo 666 wrote:

Robert88 wrote:

I once looked at estate cars but couldn't bring myself. Just me, I am sure but I'd feel like a sales rep or middle manager type.

It depends what estate you have I guess

Out of interest Robert, what do you drive?

All sorts of stuff. The latest was like this:


As you can see it is a leftiebollox car.

amrushton

bit off track but SUV's are being targeted for their catalytic converters (easy access). Some cars eg hybrids can manage without them apparently but this crime wave targets certain models/types eg SUVs as they are easy to get at due to height

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/201 ... ars-surges

Alejandrosdog

Robert88 wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Robert88 wrote:

I once looked at estate cars but couldn't bring myself. Just me, I am sure but I'd feel like a sales rep or middle manager type.

It depends what estate you have I guess

Out of interest Robert, what do you drive?

All sorts of stuff. The latest was like this:


As you can see it is a leftiebollox car.

its even the right colour comrade otlichno srabotano!

Stevo_666

Robert88 wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Robert88 wrote:

I once looked at estate cars but couldn't bring myself. Just me, I am sure but I'd feel like a sales rep or middle manager type.

It depends what estate you have I guess

Out of interest Robert, what do you drive?

All sorts of stuff. The latest was like this:


As you can see it is a leftiebollox car.

Fair enough, at least you're being Eco friendly. And as a bonus you're unlikely to get labelled as middle management by anyone.

photonic69

Robert88 wrote:

All sorts of stuff. The latest was like this:


As you can see it is a leftiebollox car.

The Horror! The Horror!

Stevo_666

PhotoNic69 wrote:

Robert88 wrote:

All sorts of stuff. The latest was like this:


As you can see it is a leftiebollox car.

The Horror! The Horror!

I was trying to be polite

rick_chasey

Stevo 666 wrote:

Fair enough, at least you're being Eco friendly. And as a bonus you're unlikely to get labelled as middle management by anyone.

It is *so* middle management to assign status according to the cars they drive.

Stevo_666

Rick Chasey wrote:

Stevo 666 wrote:

Fair enough, at least you're being Eco friendly. And as a bonus you're unlikely to get labelled as middle management by anyone.

It is *so* middle management to assign status according to the cars they drive.

Best have a word with Robert then, it was his point originally.

PS: it is very non-management not to read things properly before replying

napoleond

I’ve an estate but sometimes wish I had one of those estates that are a bit raised like an Audi all road, I was grounding mine on a (very) rough road (Well, sort of road) at the weekend. But I find the boot in SUVs tends to be quite small relatively.

Matthewfalle

NapoleonD wrote:

I’ve an estate but sometimes wish I had one of those estates that are a bit raised like an Audi all road, I was grounding mine on a (very) rough road (Well, sort of road) at the weekend. But I find the boot in SUVs tends to be quite small relatively.

i tend to ground THE MIGHTY HONDA on loads of tracks when bombing around here but don't really care as its only a Honda, although it is MIGHTY