What Car? Short ownership, bike friendly, silly
Discussion
As I've forgotten how to post in General Gassing I thought it more appropriate to post here!
Recently found out that I will be out of the country for five months with work, which has annoyingly changed my car buying plans for next year.
As such, once my current PCP (I know, finance is evil etc etc) ends I will be looking for a 'temporary' car to run for approx six months.
I'm going to use this as an opportunity to run something I wouldn't otherwise consider, it will be a cash purchase and hopefully not lose too much cash once I've finished.
Off the top of my head I've been looking at:
Classic Impreza wagon
Grand Cherokee V8
Saab 9-5 Aero HOT
Volvo T5 estate
Bike friendly is a must.
For the short period of time I'll own it I'm not overly bothered about fuel economy but a decent record of reliability is desirable as I'll be doing a reasonable amount of travelling.
Recently found out that I will be out of the country for five months with work, which has annoyingly changed my car buying plans for next year.
As such, once my current PCP (I know, finance is evil etc etc) ends I will be looking for a 'temporary' car to run for approx six months.
I'm going to use this as an opportunity to run something I wouldn't otherwise consider, it will be a cash purchase and hopefully not lose too much cash once I've finished.
Off the top of my head I've been looking at:
Classic Impreza wagon
Grand Cherokee V8
Saab 9-5 Aero HOT
Volvo T5 estate
Bike friendly is a must.
For the short period of time I'll own it I'm not overly bothered about fuel economy but a decent record of reliability is desirable as I'll be doing a reasonable amount of travelling.
nammynake said:
Does it need to be an estate? Hatchback with rear seats folded will fit a bike in. Budget?
If you would consider a hatchback how about a Mk1 Focus RS? Interesting and won't depreciate unless you're adding a lot of miles.
Whoops. If you would consider a hatchback how about a Mk1 Focus RS? Interesting and won't depreciate unless you're adding a lot of miles.
Budget, £2k tops so that rules out the RS.
Aside from fuel etc I'm looking for this to be as cost free as possible.
upsidedownmark said:
And I'm considering if I got a seven-type I could bungee the bike to the rollbar 
Not exactly elegant, but it is possible:
Personaly I think it looks much cooler with skis strapped to the roll bar.
upsidedownmark said:
That's after carrying bikes on an MX5 and a Boxster. Can't quite figure it out for an elise tho.. Just buy fun and find a way around the bikes!
Where there is a will there is a way. Sky/Jaguar style.
ALawson said:
I have a Honda Accord Estate Diesel, can fit bikes either in the back in bits, whole with the seats down or on the roof. It's a EX fully loaded and does the job. If looked after they will do big mileage. petrol ones go on forever (figatively).
I bought an Accord Estate Exec for lugging bikes and building materials about and I can't recommend them enough. For £2k you can get many cars that are big and fast but if you want reliability too then I think a 2.4 petrol Accord Tourer is a very good compromise. As another poster said, though, if it's just you and a bike that needs transporting then your choice is broadened considerably as pretty much any hatchback will do that. I just wish it were possible to get a fully constructed road bike in a Lexus LS400 as I've wanted one for a while but it's largely useless to me if I can't!I've used the passenger seat of my MX-5 in the past so well used to making any car work for bike transport 
By friendly I mean being able to transport with minimum of hassle and having handy storage space as well.
I'll have the car for the majority of the racing season next year so I'll have bike in the car on a regular basis.
Liking the Legacy linked
By friendly I mean being able to transport with minimum of hassle and having handy storage space as well.
I'll have the car for the majority of the racing season next year so I'll have bike in the car on a regular basis.
Liking the Legacy linked
spiritof'76 said:
I'd just get a van ! Doubles up as a mobile changing room.......well, mine does anyway
Was looking at a VW T5 but quite frankly the price of anything other than a 'white van' is crazy. If I dropped 15-20k on a van I think I'd be looking very enviously at what I could've gotten for that.Had an 850 T5 in 'metallic aubergine'. Great load area. Needed pushing a bit, but once the five-pot came on it sounded and went brilliantly.
Currently running a Saab 9-5 Aero HOT. More hair-trigger than the Ovlov. Smooth and fast, but maybe not so much 'fun'. Light interior colour not ideal as a bike transporter....
The wife has a slightly battered Scooby Forester 2lt XT. Has been used by previous owner for bikes (tyre prints in the roof lining) total hoot to drive, will get you to interesting places if you're an MTB fan, and as the interior is rubbish anyway it doesn't matter if it gets trashed.
Vote for the Scooby for me. Although it seems a bit thirsty...
Currently running a Saab 9-5 Aero HOT. More hair-trigger than the Ovlov. Smooth and fast, but maybe not so much 'fun'. Light interior colour not ideal as a bike transporter....
The wife has a slightly battered Scooby Forester 2lt XT. Has been used by previous owner for bikes (tyre prints in the roof lining) total hoot to drive, will get you to interesting places if you're an MTB fan, and as the interior is rubbish anyway it doesn't matter if it gets trashed.
Vote for the Scooby for me. Although it seems a bit thirsty...
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