Estates, hatchbacks, saloons and roof racks

[danlightbulb]

Hi guys,

How many of you would benefit from the practicality of an estate but you've compromised on that and got either a hatch or a saloon and made more use of roof racks? Maybe you don't need an estate all the time but a couple times a month, eg for kids bikes, or when you go on the family holiday.

Is it something that maybe sounds good at the start but then you'd very quickly get fed up of having to get the roof bars on and off occasionally? Leaving them on is an option but increases noise and reduces fuel efficiency.

The main drawback with hatchbacks compared to estates is that you lose the boot height very quickly. Obviously a saloon has no extra boot height to start with. For me, this is the problem with transporting bikes, not necessarily needing a very large volume.


Thanks

Edited by danlightbulb on Thursday 10th September 19:20

[pti]

I can't contribute, other than the fact that I'd love an OEM rack for my MR2 (hen's teeth ) but can we make this a picture thread? I love a nice car with a roof rack (and cool bike etc) on top:



Does that make me sad? Maybe.

ETA: Piccy

Edited by pti on Thursday 10th September 19:28

Edited by pti on Thursday 10th September 19:29

[danlightbulb]

That is both cool and very weird at the same time!

Picture thread great idea!

[talksthetorque]

I need an estate about 3 times a year for 3 or 4 garden rubbish tip runs and a large item purchase/removal ( think ikea, eBay etc)
As I had a saloon with a narrow opening for the last three years that was twice a year for 12-15 garden rubbish tip runs.
Now hatching so expect that number to come down to 6 or 7.
no kids and 2 dogs that fit in footwell of anything.

[caelite]

I wouldnt say estates are really a compromise in any department other than looks nowadays. And thats entirely down to individual tastes. Most modern estates weigh essentially the same as there saloon equivilants and have the same performance and MPG

[danlightbulb]

caelite said:

I wouldnt say estates are really a compromise in any department other than looks nowadays. And thats entirely down to individual tastes. Most modern estates weigh essentially the same as there saloon equivilants and have the same performance and MPG

I agree - but there are fewer of them around than hatchbacks and saloons, especially when looking at more performance engines, and many higher performance spec cars are not available in estate version at all eg Mazda6 MPS.

Edited by danlightbulb on Thursday 10th September 19:46

[Fastdruid]

caelite said:

I wouldnt say estates are really a compromise in any department other than looks nowadays. And thats entirely down to individual tastes. Most modern estates weigh essentially the same as there saloon equivilants and have the same performance and MPG

19Kg, 2mph and 0.2s between the hatchback and estate version of my car. Basically absolutely nothing.

[Mave]

Last few family cars were estates, then ended buying a mondeo hatch after we needed a car in a hurry. I miss the "just chuck it in the boot" versatility of the estate, whether it's filling up to go on holiday, transporting my bike, moving bags of cement, or long lengths of 4 X4. We've got a roof box for the mondeo and it gets used quite a lot but it's a bit of a faff as you need to lift stuff quite high, need to pack carefully, and you're limited to lighter stuff. It's also noticeably loaded in the car on the motorway. The one benefit is if we're camping or surfing, we segregate the wet stuff in the roof box from the dry stuff in the boot.

[macp]

Love a roof cycle rack, cue roof rack picture whoring

Edited by macp on Thursday 10th September 20:06

[battered]

I like estates but as you say they are difficult to find used. I do a fair bit of outdoor stuff so often ship bikes about. I have found that if you need to get a bike in a decent sized hatch you can. Wheels off, seat off, slide it in vertically. The interior can get oily though. A bike bag helps here, and does mean that with the bits off you can even toss it on the back seat if you wish.

Cars with longitudinal roof bars don't generate any more noise or drag than those without, and there are quick release solutions for bike racks etc,.

[Kawasicki]

caelite said:

I wouldnt say estates are really a compromise in any department other than looks nowadays. And thats entirely down to individual tastes. Most modern estates weigh essentially the same as there saloon equivilants and have the same performance and MPG

The estate versions I've weighed recently were betwee 65 and 100kg heavier than the saloon versions. Estates also have less stiff bodies and they usually have a little more aero drag.

[danlightbulb]

macp said:

Love a roof cycle rack

But is it a massive hassle having to put it on to take the kids bikes to the park 20 minutes drive away. I got a boot carrier style bike rack for my hatchback mondeo, used it twice. Its just so much easier to throw the bikes in the back. Kids 20" bikes will go in flat (just) without dropping the back seats but obviously mine needs the seats down. Seats down, slide it in, off you go.

Mate at work had a peugeot 3007 (i think) and with just the front wheel off his bike he could stand it upside down in the boot (on its seat and handlebars with the forks in the air).

[danlightbulb]

battered said:

Cars with longitudinal roof bars don't generate any more noise or drag than those without, and there are quick release solutions for bike racks etc,.

Is it possible to get longitudinal roof bars for hatchbacks? I have only ever seen them on estates. This would then allow the quick release roof bars to be attached quickly.

[Evanivitch]

battered said:

Cars with longitudinal roof bars don't generate any more noise or drag than those without, and there are quick release solutions for bike racks etc,.

Of course they increase drag, you're increasing the frontal area of the vehicle and creating disruption to the airflow.

[AJB]

danlightbulb said:

Is it possible to get longitudinal roof bars for hatchbacks? I have only ever seen them on estates. This would then allow the quick release roof bars to be attached quickly.

Option on the Audi A3 Sportback (ie 5 door hatch). I've got them on mine and Thule roofbars go on pretty easily.

[Neilstrom]

You could try this:

http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/item/SeaSucker/Bomber-...

My friends and I use it to transport our bikes with little fuss, just stick the front wheels in the boot.

[ging84]

i will not be putting bikes in the back of my estate again, on paper they fit easily, in reality it's impossible not to scratch something.

[Mave]

Evanivitch said:

Of course they increase drag, you're increasing the frontal area of the vehicle and creating disruption to the airflow.

Aren't they pretty much sat where the air flow is already disrupted anyway? It's not like they're sat a foot out in clean airflow...

[danlightbulb]

Neilstrom said:

You could try this:

http://www.sigmasport.co.uk/item/SeaSucker/Bomber-...

My friends and I use it to transport our bikes with little fuss, just stick the front wheels in the boot.

Wow suction cups. Not sure id be comfortable taking the risk there.

[danlightbulb]

Guys quick tag on question about hatchbacks vs saloon boots. According to parkers car guides, the mondeo hatchback (2003) and the Mazda Saloon (2003) both have the same boot size at 500 litres. This seems strange to me, that a saloon boot can have the same volume as a hatchback boot. Can anyone clarify if this can be correct?