Need for speed ....no more , help with dog car
Discussion
Looking for some ideas as what to get for the dog mobile as we are soon to be getting a labroodle (standard size so quite tall)
Currently knocking about in a little fiesta ST mk7.5 , and im sure she would fit , I worry about how comfortable she might be , she will be coming to work with me during the week which is a 40 mile round journey round trip ,
The idea is to get rid of the ST and have about 11k to play with , and is a Skoda fabia estate car all the car I will ever need ??
Any ideas will be greatly appreciated !
Currently knocking about in a little fiesta ST mk7.5 , and im sure she would fit , I worry about how comfortable she might be , she will be coming to work with me during the week which is a 40 mile round journey round trip ,
The idea is to get rid of the ST and have about 11k to play with , and is a Skoda fabia estate car all the car I will ever need ??
Any ideas will be greatly appreciated !
We have a standard labradoodle - he 36kg at 2years old so a reasonable size
I bought a ‘dog car’ for taking him out and about and got a Honda Civic touring. The cinema folding rear seats are good and add an extra option and the boot is big enough and importantly low for him to get into
Mine is the diesel version which seems quick enough and gets 60+ mpg on a run
Loads of kit on them
Reliable
Downsides - not exciting to drive (but you wouldn’t be throwing it around with the dog in it) in any way.
I know prices have gone up but you would get a good one well under your budget
I bought a ‘dog car’ for taking him out and about and got a Honda Civic touring. The cinema folding rear seats are good and add an extra option and the boot is big enough and importantly low for him to get into
Mine is the diesel version which seems quick enough and gets 60+ mpg on a run
Loads of kit on them
Reliable
Downsides - not exciting to drive (but you wouldn’t be throwing it around with the dog in it) in any way.
I know prices have gone up but you would get a good one well under your budget
A full size hatch (Golf or similar) Willbe enough for most medium sized dogs.
Depends what you want though, I personally love a fast estate (theres a really good thread on it somewhere on here) so went with Subaru Legacy, good cars covering a good range of time, spec, performance. Starting from a stock 2.0 with 160 bhp right up to the twinscroll with 280bhp
I'm on my 2nd estate, the first was a 320d BMW. I'd say if you are going estate then get a big one... 3 series, Octavia, Mondeo are all good choices
Depends what you want though, I personally love a fast estate (theres a really good thread on it somewhere on here) so went with Subaru Legacy, good cars covering a good range of time, spec, performance. Starting from a stock 2.0 with 160 bhp right up to the twinscroll with 280bhp
I'm on my 2nd estate, the first was a 320d BMW. I'd say if you are going estate then get a big one... 3 series, Octavia, Mondeo are all good choices
Im currently going the other way to you, my current dog carrier is a Lexus rx400h...big wafty barge, but only do a 6 mile commute to work and even shorter to take the dog into the New Forest...so my aim is to get something like a fiesta st!.
I would say a family hatchback size would be best, good idea to check the height of the boot opening though...too high and any dog jumping in is going to scratch the bumper, a fn2 civic type r has a nice low load height..might be a bit bumpy for a dog though!
I would say a family hatchback size would be best, good idea to check the height of the boot opening though...too high and any dog jumping in is going to scratch the bumper, a fn2 civic type r has a nice low load height..might be a bit bumpy for a dog though!
I have spent a lot of time researching this in the past for our Great Dane and always came back to the same answer: VW Touran.
- Last two seats fold into the floor completely flat
- Low threshold so when older or tired, easy to get in
- Dog can either lie, sit or stand without compromise
- Still seat 5 in relative comfort
- Hair will get everywhere so leather would be a nice to have
- Get a hatch bag from hatchbag.co.uk with all the extras such as boot flap, headrest flap and quilted blankets
Your dog will love you for it
- Last two seats fold into the floor completely flat
- Low threshold so when older or tired, easy to get in
- Dog can either lie, sit or stand without compromise
- Still seat 5 in relative comfort
- Hair will get everywhere so leather would be a nice to have
- Get a hatch bag from hatchbag.co.uk with all the extras such as boot flap, headrest flap and quilted blankets
Your dog will love you for it
I 8 a 4RE said:
I have spent a lot of time researching this in the past for our Great Dane and always came back to the same answer: VW Touran.
- Last two seats fold into the floor completely flat
- Low threshold so when older or tired, easy to get in
- Dog can either lie, sit or stand without compromise
- Still seat 5 in relative comfort
- Hair will get everywhere so leather would be a nice to have
- Get a hatch bag from hatchbag.co.uk with all the extras such as boot flap, headrest flap and quilted blankets
Your dog will love you for it
Dad came to the same conclusion and method for their two greyhounds, them being rather long legged.- Last two seats fold into the floor completely flat
- Low threshold so when older or tired, easy to get in
- Dog can either lie, sit or stand without compromise
- Still seat 5 in relative comfort
- Hair will get everywhere so leather would be a nice to have
- Get a hatch bag from hatchbag.co.uk with all the extras such as boot flap, headrest flap and quilted blankets
Your dog will love you for it
If you want a good dog car, the Astra in Elite Nav 150:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107054...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106304...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107014...
Or SRI Nav 150:
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107054...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202106304...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202107014...
Or SRI Nav 150:
Don't know about later Mercs but our C Class (2009) has a boot big enough to take both our collie and harehound rescue dogs. Electric boot means you can easily concentrate on them having tails tucked away when it shuts. Plus the back windows are tinted so stays cool.
I'm sure most new estates have similiar specs BUT one invaluable thing is that it has a smart cargo net thing that comes up from the back seat rests and fixes to the ceiling thus stopping them from jumping into the seats. And if you fold the seats down that same cargo net can be attached to fixing points behind the driver so they can have a larger area to roam and be closer to you.
You can see the cargo net in this picture, it's attached to the parcel shelf which in turn is attached to the headrests. So guess what i'm saying is a built in cargo net is good.
https://simplycarmats.co.uk/mercedes-c-class-estat...
I'm sure most new estates have similiar specs BUT one invaluable thing is that it has a smart cargo net thing that comes up from the back seat rests and fixes to the ceiling thus stopping them from jumping into the seats. And if you fold the seats down that same cargo net can be attached to fixing points behind the driver so they can have a larger area to roam and be closer to you.
You can see the cargo net in this picture, it's attached to the parcel shelf which in turn is attached to the headrests. So guess what i'm saying is a built in cargo net is good.
https://simplycarmats.co.uk/mercedes-c-class-estat...
Having said all that, if you like current car do the seats not fold down flat? In which case dog guard and jobs a good 'un. Pretty much any reasonable sized hatch will carry a dog in comfort if you don't mind sacrificing the rear seats whilst they travel. Low lip is useful to get them in and out though.
Just flicking through some of the replies ,
With the dog in the boot 90% of the time , I'm not really interested in speed (I know, I'm sorry) , I'm more inclined towards the comfort of the dog ,
The civic tourer looks like a good option ! Good mpg , boot is huge , fabia estate in Monte Carlo spec has a sun roof which I'm sure would be nice for her
With the dog in the boot 90% of the time , I'm not really interested in speed (I know, I'm sorry) , I'm more inclined towards the comfort of the dog ,
The civic tourer looks like a good option ! Good mpg , boot is huge , fabia estate in Monte Carlo spec has a sun roof which I'm sure would be nice for her
I know this is a bit personal, so don't feel like you have to answer on here, but is the dog a test run baby?
If so, consider the next size up, e class / superb etc.
Our labrador can fit lengthways in half the boot width, meaning we have half the boot sectioned off for buggy etc. Happily the years of buggies are coming to an end for me, so I'll soon be downsizing to something of a similar size to the golf/civic.
Just something to consider.
If so, consider the next size up, e class / superb etc.
Our labrador can fit lengthways in half the boot width, meaning we have half the boot sectioned off for buggy etc. Happily the years of buggies are coming to an end for me, so I'll soon be downsizing to something of a similar size to the golf/civic.
Just something to consider.
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