Which MPV as bike carrier/family wagon

[Hudson1984]

Perhaps should be in car buying but this is largely based around cycling.

I've asked a few times in other posts for recommendations but again - needs have changed slightly.

I'm looking into an MPV. Looked at other things suggested by the forum but in reality an MPV gives me more of what I want.

So, room for 3 road bikes, no wheels off.
room for 3 blokes with associated stuff (bottles/bags etc)

Now, if I by something in the short term it would be a spare vehicle, so only needed for dog hauling and going out on bikes....and the dump. But would only want to spend say £3-£4k

if I wait till next may, my company car lease ends and they are moving to car allowance, which would mean I could spend around £10k

Top of my list currently in the 3-4k option is a galaxy or smax, with the smax being the higher.

if I wait, then probably the same two vehicles feature but i'm concerned about economy as I travel 70 miles a day for work, so it's a concern that i'd be spending a fortune hauling a big vehicle about. So, do I get the cheaper Galaxy/Smax sooner, then buy a more "sensible" work car when the time comes - even an economical estate so I could take my bike if it's just me going out.

[dave_s13]

Galaxy/smax of that era don't have seats you can remove so you won't get 3 bikes in.

The old shape ones were good for this as the seats could be removed, so of you could find a galaxy, Sharan or Alhambra that might work.

[Hudson1984]

So you’d go older?

I thought the newer ones folded flat and still gave good height inside?

What age should I look at if this is not the case

[dave_s13]

Galaxy interior does that^^

It might be the height that stops you getting bikes in. And if you want to get 3 bikes and 3 blokes in? Not sure. It would deffo work on the older version though. I've had both, the earlier one is more like a van than a car really.

My current car might do it but the upload image function, that's perm in beta, won't let me upload a photo.

[dave_s13]

I think you might get 3 bikes in one of these.

[Hudson1984]

yeah seems anytime I bring this type of topic up the Elgrand rears it's head so must be something in that advice

[Bill]

An SMax isn't high enough and I suspect you'll struggle even with a Galaxy. Plus once you have three bikes side by side in a car stopping them rubbing etc can be a pain.

[Hudson1984]

Bill said:

An SMax isn't high enough and I suspect you'll struggle even with a Galaxy. Plus once you have three bikes side by side in a car stopping them rubbing etc can be a pain.

even with front wheel off? Not worried about the bikes being assembled fully. Thought a Galaxy would swallow a bike.

What I intended was to make a removable floor - just an mdf base, then put a bike rack on it, keep the bikes secure and fixed, but still leave room for the side seat to be up

[Bill]

You said no wheels off! You might struggle for height still. I have to lower my MTB seat to get it into my Discovery. I assume the Galaxy is higher though.

[TwistingMyMelon]

I wanted a vehicle that I could carry 5 adults (6 sometimes) and my bike without taking wheels off , also bulky furniture

Wanted a twin cab van , but I couldn't find one with cruise and aircon for 12k

S max swooped too low at the back for me

Galaxy was nice but a touch too small at back

I bought a Ford grand tourneo connect , for 13 k

Here's a cycling weekly article with same as mine https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/product-news/cl...

One thing that puts me off mpvs is that they pretend to be sporty , I wanted a no nonsense car for hard work

It's essentially a van with up to 7 decent seats , I've taken out the rear row , even though they fold flat

I take my filthy CX bike to work most days (I work in a forest) and can wheel it in the boot without folding seats out or wheels off.

I've had 4 medium bikes stood up wheels on in back easily

With two seats folded down you should be able To fiit 3 bikes and 3 blokes with no cramptness

It's slow off the line , but handles well . I find it more comfy fully loaded up @ 85 for 7 hours at a time than a Volvo XC70 I had

[BobSaunders]

Hudson1984 said:

Perhaps should be in car buying but this is largely based around cycling.

I've asked a few times in other posts for recommendations but again - needs have changed slightly.

I'm looking into an MPV. Looked at other things suggested by the forum but in reality an MPV gives me more of what I want.

So, room for 3 road bikes, no wheels off.
room for 3 blokes with associated stuff (bottles/bags etc)

Now, if I by something in the short term it would be a spare vehicle, so only needed for dog hauling and going out on bikes....and the dump. But would only want to spend say £3-£4k

if I wait till next may, my company car lease ends and they are moving to car allowance, which would mean I could spend around £10k

Top of my list currently in the 3-4k option is a galaxy or smax, with the smax being the higher.

if I wait, then probably the same two vehicles feature but i'm concerned about economy as I travel 70 miles a day for work, so it's a concern that i'd be spending a fortune hauling a big vehicle about. So, do I get the cheaper Galaxy/Smax sooner, then buy a more "sensible" work car when the time comes - even an economical estate so I could take my bike if it's just me going out.

Get the estate with a tow bar, and/or roof rack for the bikes. I think you've answered your own question re. big car and being uneconomical Monday to Friday e.g. the vast amount of time you will be using the car. Weekends put the bikes on the back/roof. They will be fine if they are secured properly.

[snobetter]

Hudson1984 said:

yeah seems anytime I bring this type of topic up the Elgrand rears it's head so must be something in that advice

Just bought one, it's no sports car but 240bhp is nice. You'll want LPG if your concerned about economy...

[dave_s13]

Like I said...of you can find a galaxy/Sharan/Alhambra of the era when they were the same car, just rebranded, that would work I think

The challenge is finding one that isn't scrap.

This is obviously if you're going for something at the shed end of the budget.



The entire seat detaches from the floor in these so you'd take out the the middle and one either side which gives you the room for 3 bikes and 3 blokes.

Edited by dave_s13 on Friday 21st February 10:57

[Hudson1984]

Bill said:

You said no wheels off! You might struggle for height still. I have to lower my MTB seat to get it into my Discovery. I assume the Galaxy is higher though.

ooh I did - was being greedy haha, would be nice to not have to strip down but if taking the wheel off means vertical loading i'd still be happy, pain in the a$$ having to lay it flat in my focus

[Hudson1984]

BobSaunders said:

Get the estate with a tow bar, and/or roof rack for the bikes. I think you've answered your own question re. big car and being uneconomical Monday to Friday e.g. the vast amount of time you will be using the car. Weekends put the bikes on the back/roof. They will be fine if they are secured properly.

100% want the bikes inside the vehicle. I'd like an estate but it's not going to do the job at hand.

[Hudson1984]

TwistingMyMelon said:

I wanted a vehicle that I could carry 5 adults (6 sometimes) and my bike without taking wheels off , also bulky furniture

Wanted a twin cab van , but I couldn't find one with cruise and aircon for 12k

S max swooped too low at the back for me

Galaxy was nice but a touch too small at back

I bought a Ford grand tourneo connect , for 13 k

Here's a cycling weekly article with same as mine https://www.cyclingweekly.com/news/product-news/cl...

One thing that puts me off mpvs is that they pretend to be sporty , I wanted a no nonsense car for hard work

It's essentially a van with up to 7 decent seats , I've taken out the rear row , even though they fold flat

I take my filthy CX bike to work most days (I work in a forest) and can wheel it in the boot without folding seats out or wheels off.

I've had 4 medium bikes stood up wheels on in back easily

With two seats folded down you should be able To fiit 3 bikes and 3 blokes with no cramptness

It's slow off the line , but handles well . I find it more comfy fully loaded up @ 85 for 7 hours at a time than a Volvo XC70 I had

yeah that's indeed the aim - a workhorse.

I'm really thinking an older vehicle (such as the galaxy above) or an older torneo is the way to go, then when the company car goes back get a nicer/comfier daily driver. Least then I can have the ecomomy for work and the space for everything else.

[dhutch]

Pug 806 and alternatives was huge inside, based on the psa eurovan. Might be getting a bit long in the tooth, but maybe the 807 is ok?

[Daveyraveygravey]

I don't understand the problem with a big estate and a tow bar mounted rack. Less of a hit on economy than a roof rack, easy to take the rack off when not in use, and a normal car with all the benefits of that when not pretending to be a van.
I bought a bag to put my bike in when I put it in the car. You have to take both wheels off, which is a bit of a pain, but it means I can take my bike and 3 or 4 passengers and some luggage. it's a Skoda Superb hatch, nearly 60 mpg, thank you very much!

[Usget]

Our mate Johnno has an Elgrand and you could lose a scout troop in it for a week. It's fit our entire pedal car in it...

[dave_s13]

Usget said:

Our mate Johnno has an Elgrand and you could lose a scout troop in it for a week. It's fit our entire pedal car in it...

I've got one (pictured above).

You can deffo get one xlarge mountain bike in with no bother. 3 might be a push but maybe? You need to get em LPGd though really as they are horrific on fuel.