Best cars for chucking a bike in?

[Jody]

I have a 2012 ford focus estate. I can quite happily fold the seats down and chuck the bike in the back. I think with the wheels off I could fit it in the boot and pull the load cover across.

Another upside I have the 1.6 TDCI which is 20 quid a year to tax.

I had the previous shape MK2 Focus and it was great for bikes. 2x full suss frames and 4x wheels in the boot without dropping the rear seats down.

 

[marknotgeorge]

If buying new....Dacia Logan ... cheap as chips to buy, economic to run. I have the 1.5DCi and regularly get 60mpg and more on Motorways and better on A-roads. It's surprisingly large, large, tried and tested Renault bits and used as workhorses from Egypt to Russia means they're reliable and durable
Done 400 miles at 1 go in it without comfort issues.

http://www.dacia.co.uk/vehicles/logan-mcv/?&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Local-All-GS-UK-P-Defensive-Logan-MCV-Main_&utm_term=+dacia +logan mcv&ORIGIN=cpc&CAMPAIGN=google_Local-All-GS-UK-P-Defensive-Logan-MCV-Main&gclid=CKy5wpjVudACFY8W0wodL-ULDg

Same engine as in my Clio Grandtour, as well as some Mercedes A-Classes (although probably a different level of tune). And yes, I can get a bike in the back. More than one, probably, but I have a towbar rack, so I've never tried more than one.

 

[tribanjules]

I have peugeot expert disabled van.
steel ramp means 4 bikes or my tandem in . No need to take wheels off or worry abt theft.

 

[BrumJim]

My boss had a Renault Espace, and had taken most of the seats out for load carrying. Bike went in no problem at all, but had trouble finding it again at the end of the journey.

 

[NorthernDave]

Seems I'm not the only one who thinks bikes go better on top of the car than inside it...

 

[Drago]

An old hearse would make an admirable bike lugger.

 

[Ben Reeve]

I stick mine on top.

Though the old Mondeo was brilliant!

 

[Mrs M]

1972 Chrysler New Yorker
Bikes might rattle around a bit though

 

[screenman]

For a couple of grand you would buy a nice xsara Picasso diesel, I miss ours for it's carrying abilities

 

[Salty seadog]

A hire car.

 

[david k]

Big cars aren't economical. Even if you find one with not much appetite for the juice you'll find tax, insurance, and maintenance all make up for it.

I'd be inclined something like a Peugeot Boxer. It has the sex appeal of Eric Pickles but it's car, and only a fool cares about what the neighbours think. They're spacious, cheap to buy, well equipped, reasonably cheap to maintain, and because they're derived from commercial vehicles they're pretty tough.

More traditional estates will do the job, but the smaller cabins and lower roof height make them more awkward if you're chucking the bike in regularly.

My mondeo is a 2litre and huge, easy get the bike in, it does around 65mpg on the motorway and around 52/55 around town and I'm no slouch, not sure of the VED, think it's nothing, so big cars can be economical
Also has full spec, sat nav etc. Etc.

 

[Drago]

hardly a big car, is it. A Shogun is a big car, a Land Cruiser Amazon is a big car, a Mondieu is a mid size saloon/hatch.

And when your clutch fails, and it costs £1000 instead of £300 because it's got a DMF, and when the DPF causes problems and costs you hundreds that a petrol car owner never has to pay, will those expenditures be 'economical'?

And the depreciation of a Mondieu is eye watering. Not the worst, but still significantly bad. That's cheap, is it?

 

[Justinslow]

Just chuck it on the roof like me

Peasants.

 

[david k]

hardly a big car, is it. A Shogun is a big car, a Land Cruiser Amazon is a big car, a Mondieu is a mid size saloon/hatch.

And when your clutch fails, and it costs £1000 instead of £300 because it's got a DMF, and when the DPF causes problems and costs you hundreds that a petrol car owner never has to pay, will those expenditures be 'economical'?

And the depreciation of a Mondieu is eye watering. Not the worst, but still significantly bad. That's cheap, is it?

A shogun is a car? A land cruiser is a car?

 

[PaulSecteur]

One is driven to the location one wishes to bicycle, and ones butler has been sent ahead to brief the mechanics to prepare ones bicycle.

Is that not the standard arrangement?