You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Eternally pondering a new vehicle (second car alongside a Golf GTI which is currently the bigger of our two cars).
Caddy Maxi Life makes sense for throwing my bike in the back whilst still carrying two young kids, but it's larger that I'd need 80% of the time and looks a bit crap with bouncy suspension. Transporter etc. are a bit spendy and since most of my driving is quiet A roads, I might prefer a car.
Wondering if a fast, large estate might be an option. Roof rack for proper weekends away, and if I need to throw the bike in the back occasionally (e.g. impromptu ride home from family days out to squeeze the miles in) popping a bike in the boot with both wheels off.
What do your large estates look like with seats up? Thinking second-hand BMW 5 series, E Class, Skoda Superb. Pics please!
What size are you / is the bike?
My old car was a Vectra estate boasted at the time if I remember correctly, the largest boot of any estate.
It swallowed my old 26" if I took the front wheel off. However my newer 29" needed both seats down and the front wheel off.
I am 6'4" so bikes have always been pretty large...
There's plenty of stuff available to sort out Caddy's even a Maxi Life.
[img] 
[/img]
Large full suss frame will fit in a 5-series boot with both wheels off. However, the handlebars will be over the rear seat a little so would be a pain for adults but small kids should be fine depending on the size of the car seats.
Ford Mondeo estate - 2 bikes go in upright, saddles and front wheels off with the small split seats down. 4 go in upright with the big side split down,
All seats down, chuck a bike in whole.
All seats up, 2 bikes in the boot with wheels off, saddles off, underneath the tonneau cover.
talking hardtails, 26, 29,, I think the upright thing would work with a long slak 29er full suzss up to 140mm travel, maybe 160, bars dependent.
S212 Merc E class estate here, upgrade from my E61 BMW 5 series
The E class is massive. It had the biggest estate boot on sale at the time. Huge benefit is the (optional) seats that fold into the floor. Plus dropping the seats is a complete doddle. Takes 2 dogs with room to spare
5 series was previously big enough though, it's a good size and I liked it.
Duffbag used to show a 26 FS in a Golf boot both wheels off in their smaller/standard bag.
As above it's the bars which typically cause a problem
[img] 
[/img]
Mk.3 Mondeo estate. As above, a whole bike goes in with the seats down. Seats up, with a little careful packing, 4 bikes stacked in the boot and about 12 inches spare to the door for toolbox, helmets etc.
4 adults in the car and a big roofbox. Roadtrip!
I have a mercedes E class W212.
I was able to fit my FS 26" bike with the bars/stem removed in the boot with the load cover over the top (seats up). Handy for when leaving it parked in a hotel car park
Anyone tried this with a B8 Passat? Contemplating my next company car but suspect I will miss the practicality of the Zafira Tourer I have now. Yes, our company car list is shit.
Sounds like a Nissan Prairie AKA 'The Pussy Wagon' is what you need with a 1.8 Stanza Turbo engine fitted..........
[url= https://s27.postimg.org/l91liyz1f/Scotland_5.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= https://s27.postimg.org/l7rnpjx7n/Scotland_4.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= https://s27.postimg.org/8ruxvt3vn/Scotland_2.jp g" target="_blank">
once had 5 bikes and 5 blokes inside an old mondeo estate, but that was tight. bars and wheels off, it'd go in the boot all seats up.
also worth having a look at cars that can drop the middle rear seat. my current car (vauxhall signum) can take 4 people/bike down the middle with the front wheel off (rear wheel on), handlebar ends up behind the front headrests
What size are you / is the bike?
Only 5ft7. Ride a medium sized 29er with narrowish bars by today's standards (c 700mm). Road bikes should be an easier win.
Thanks for the feedback. I take the point about tarting up Caddys, but the Maxi is still a bit wrong on the proportion front, and I've discovered it is about 3cm too tall for my garage, hence wondering about estates again (that, and I do enjoy driving so at least a fast estate would be relatively entertaining when I need to take the bike and kids).
Keep em coming. E class Merc and 5 series still look manageable. Any experience of the XF Sportbrake?
I probably need to actually put a bike in some to see how much of a faff it is.
No pics but i got 6 bikes and 3 lads kit in the back of my saab 9-5 estate for our trip down to the alps this year,. Back seats down so only 2 folks in the car however.
Estates are ace!
ps..its not called an estate its called a 'sports wagon'
Absolute size is not necessarily as important as where the intrusions/wheel arches are etc.
I have a small estate (Toyota Auris) but can get my bike in wheels off without moving the seats.
[img] 
[/img]
03 Galaxy gets 3 29ers & 3 Adults plus gear, with the bikes stood up - all seats modular,
could probably fit 4 no bother using 1 seat on both rows 2 & 3
More pix of the nissan prairie please
ps..its not called an estate its called a 'sports wagon'
Nah it's known as a state.
Come now, RS6 clearly meets sirs requirements.
joshvegas - Member
More pix of the nissan prairie please
Note the 'I love Cwmcarn' writing on the crumpled front wing - I was racing my mate down the hill at Cwmcarn when you used to be able to drive up yourself and drop off, I lost it on a green slimey corner and shunted a locals Vauxhall Corsa stonermobile into a ditch. Hammered the wing back out in the carpark with the only tool needed for the Prairie - a 24" Bahco adjustable!
It had a sticker on it saying 'dont laugh your daughter may be in here'
[url= https://s29.postimg.org/pe76wljsn/Bro_Tommy_1.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= https://s23.postimg.org/x349iefyz/pimp_my_ride.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= https://s23.postimg.org/ec2c88lej/Scotland_6.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= https://postimage.org/app.php ]capture screen[/url]
Looks like its being held together with hope!
Man I miss my 750cc panda.
Current(ish) Mondeo here, apart from other loading suggestions, I often put my bike in both wheels on, all seats up with rear wheel hanging over back seats. Works with kids in back seat - though that's with a roadie or an xc mtb.
Not sure from comments whether a Ford is beneath you, but fairly sure there's more load space than any of the other conventional estates mentioned apart from the E class (and it's close to that and a lot cheaper).
That car, is utter perfection. Love it 😀
ps..its not called an estate its called a 'sports wagon'
Only the ones with stupid sloping rear window and compromised load space. In fact that description gives you a good idea which ones to avoid if you want to carry stuff.
Some pics
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
Golf estate (which is big enough for me but not vast) is apparently called a Sportwagon in Murica.
B8 Passat must be huuuuuuuge?
Another W212 Merc owner here. Large 29er in the back no problem. Also got a towbar for when need the rack on the back for that extra space. Pretty damn big as estates go. Maybe only the new Superb is as big.
Aye my golf estate will take a bike without touching the seats.
Not sure how many bikes you can fit in the boot of a mk3 mondeo estate with the seats up- I ran out of bikes, but it's at least 4.
Mine is stupid though, it has a 60/40 top seat but a full bench bottom, so if you split the rear seats they don't fold down fully. What idiot came up with that?
I have ordered an e class estate. Its just simply massive and i got the electric folding tow bar as well for a rack. Cant wait as it will be ace for camping etc. You can get 3 bikes in tbe back with front wheels off upright apparently.....
I couldn't get my giant trance into my old Mondeo upright.
I did have a pic but can't find it now.
BMW 5 series not as big as I thought.
Skoda superb is huuuuuuggggeeee !!
Come now, RS6 clearly meets sirs requirements.
Fast, petrol, roomy. Certainly ticks the boxes, except for the bank balance requirements (or at least at a mileage/age I'd be happy with). I'm not a massive Audi fan, but the RS4 appeals - there are too many bland A4/A6 estates around for my taste, but the RS4 looks different enough whilst still being quite subtle. Probably not that big though.
That Nissan Prairie is genius. 🙂 Not [url= https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/?utf8=?&q=nissan+prairie&commit=Search ]many[/url] around either - must be going up in price soon. 😉
B8 Passat must be huuuuuuuge?
Doubt it unless it's a lot bigger than the B7. I doubt it's that much bigger than the Golf estate.
I've got a B7 estate and honestly it's not that big. I came from a mk3 Mondeo and that had tonnes more interior space (it was a bit bigger on the outside to be fair). On the Mondeo I could get a large 29r wheels out but seat and bars in place and a weeks biking kit in the boot seats up under the load cover without trying. Or whole bike in seats down.
No way I'd get close to achieving that in the Passat without bars off (think it will just go in whole seats down but have to fight it in a bit).
It's a really nice motorway muncher but cavernous it is not.
No pictures as from a while back, but Mk3 Mondeo would take 5 riders and their bikes and kit, back when everyone had 26" wheels.
Mk2 Mondeo at Uni' managed 5 riders and 6 bikes on one occasion and 2 riders with God knows how many bikes on another, 12 maybe? Contents were about 40x the cars value.
Mk3 Mondeo ST TDCI would still be my choice today, just waiting for the Octavia to die.
Edit: awaiting picture of robdobs Volvo, I reckon about 7 with seats up.
V60 has a 40:20:40 rear seat, it's wider than my old mk3.5 mondeo, but not as high or long.
Takes a 26" 456 with all wheels and the like on.
R-design suspension is ace with heavy loads.
Another vote for Merc E-class; the older ones have truly colossal boots but beware of rust.
With the rear seats down - and they do fold flat - you could easily fit a full size coffin in there - not that I'm inferring anything; nor interring.........
Doubt it unless it's a lot bigger than the B7. I doubt it's that much bigger than the Golf estate.
Overall length 25cm longer than the Golf.
On a useless tangent, an Up! is apparently much the same size as a Mk1 Golf.
ratherbeintobago - Member
On a useless tangent, an Up! is apparently much the same size as a Mk1 Golf.
On the outside I guess, not on interior space given all the padding/safety stuff these days.
Owned 2 MK1 Golf's in the 80's and they seemed very roomy?
Volvo V70 is ok, not exactly fast, but who cares
Easily fit bike in boot with wheels off. Been on holiday with bike, wife, in-laws and all their crap, plus bike, no problem. I bet you'd easy get 2 in with seats up, probably 3 if you weren't bothered about pulling the cover over.
With seats down I just chuck the bike in and bungee strap it.
We once had 3 people, 3 bikes and enough clobber for a month in the alps packed into the back of an Octavia. Wasn't even that snug.
On a useless tangent, an Up! is apparently much the same size as a Mk1 Golf.
Around the same size as a modern Polo I think but much lighter / more flimsy. I had a metallic Green one 😯
Mine:
[img] 
[/img]
Sundayjumper - what is that vehicle, because I want one!
Overall length 25cm longer than the Golf.
A good chunk of that's in the rear legroom and there's a noticeable amount more bonnet on the front of the Passat. The boot is bigger too, just not THAT much bigger.
Go on autotrader and narrow your search by selecting Estate, sub 8 seconds 0-60 and add your budget and age limits.
Big German estates with large engines will do all that you want. V8 4.2 Audio avant?
BMW 5 series can be good, but boots can be a bit small for what they are.
Older Mercedes-Benz tend to make you look like you are driving from the golf course the Masonic Lodge. More current ones are a bit less staid.
Left field choice with enormous boot is a Honda According 2.4 vtec. Perhaps not a rip snorting muscle machine but no slouch.
[img] 
?itok=p9VQryoa[/img]
Ford turbo charged estates have some good boots and speed. Strange mix between conservative and Dagenham boy racers though.
I had no idea about that site - fascinating, thanks!That Nissan Prairie is genius. Not [url= https://www.howmanyleft.co.uk/?utf8=%E2%9C%93&q=nissan+prairie&commit=Search ]many[/url] around either - must be going up in price soon.
Pah. What are you all on about? We go everywhere with two bikes and enough kit to last a decade in a Toyota Yaris.
V60 has a 40:20:40 rear seat, it's wider than my old mk3.5 mondeo, but not as high or long.Takes a 26" 456 with all wheels and the like on.
R-design suspension is ace with heavy loads.
Saccades, any idea if you can get a smallish road bike in the boot wit both wheels off without too much faff, and seats still up? My Golf hatch won't do it, and I suspect the V60 might just be too small. Since the boot is only about 10% bigger.
My medium Defy fits in the V60 boot easily with the wheels off.
No problem fitting a large Kinesis Aithein with wheels off in my V60. Having said that, you can't fit in much else though...
V60's aren't big estates 🙂
"[i]Sundayjumper - what is that vehicle, because I want one![/i]"
Not strictly an estate car 🙂 It's a LWB T4 Caravelle.
[img] 
[/img]
I have a Focus estate. I can comfortably get 3 bikes in it with 2 passengers (rear seat split)
Can get 4 bikes in the back with the seat fully down
Its a 2l turbo diesel and has plenty of go. Cheap as chips 2nd hand
Crikey, £2k buys a lovely petrol engined V70.
I don't do many miles, but do drag a caravan occasionally, with the odd trip for work. Reckon a V70 might be just the ticket, nice place to travel in.
Sadly, my Galaxy looks & feels very dated these days.
V70's are brilliant cars - we have a thrashed and abused 150k mile 2.4petrol. Would buy a another tomorrow but be aware they are thirsty complex cars that can get expensive quickly. We had two bikes with front wheels off and plenty of kit, a mobile gin bar for the Mrs and three people in comfort to Aviemore with no problem.
Thanks AD and onewheelgood. That's helpful. I don't need a big estate 90% of the time really, so a V60 polestar is tempting. 🙂
[i]Mine is stupid though, it has a 60/40 top seat but a full bench bottom, so if you split the rear seats they don't fold down fully. What idiot came up with that? [/I]
Whoever specced/designed the facelift Sierra I reckon as I had an original Sierra and that had 60/40 split top/bottom and then my next (facelift) had a single bench seat with split top.
I am looking at a BMW 3-series Touring (E91). Is it possible to fit a bike in the back with the rear seats up?
I won't need it very often, but I need the option.
Volvo V70 here had 3 bikes in it yesterday with all the kids gear and still plenty room.
Golf R estate here. Mk 7 and it’s fantastic. Bikes go in boot or on roof. Big enough when you need but small enough to not be a hassle ever. Huge boot and useful space plus it is rapid! 300bhp and 4wd. It’ll do 40mpg on a long journey and mid-30’s all day long if you’re not silly.
Whoever specced/designed the facelift Sierra I reckon as I had an original Sierra and that had 60/40 split top/bottom and then my next (facelift) had a single bench seat with split top.
Fiesta's are the same, I guess it's cheaper?
If you want really annoying, get a C-max, the seats fold up but not down into the footwell like most estates/hatchbacks. Which means to get any actual room you have to unclip them and remove them completely.
Ps I looked at v60 polestar. Rare, fast and pretty but I found expensive versus golf r to buy (as rare), rather thirsty and tiny boots. Good 200+ litres down on the golf from memory.
Martin, you might be better off starting a new thread, your post gets a little lost!
Martin, I have an e91 and although I'll admit to never trying, my answer is going to be no. Even a small Turner Burner only just fits in with the seats down and front wheel removed.
This thread is long enough that I'm now on a s213 (new shape) E class estate. Again huge boot although maybe a tiny bit smaller than the previous model. Fast? Well this one is a fast petrol with a tow at.
Pah, for bike carrying you need a [i]real[/i] estate...
[URL= http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp187/rcatkin/Volvo%20940/B9A6CB4E-0852-48AA-B0C6-165793F440A0_zps8qpo0le9.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp187/rcatkin/Volvo%20940/B9A6CB4E-0852-48AA-B0C6-165793F440A0_zps8qpo0le9.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
[URL= http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp187/rcatkin/Volvo%20940/AC3FEE41-6F93-4E1F-9A79-4E920C09923A_zpsxyg5tb0j.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp187/rcatkin/Volvo%20940/AC3FEE41-6F93-4E1F-9A79-4E920C09923A_zpsxyg5tb0j.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
[URL= http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp187/rcatkin/Volvo%20940/382AD949-2B7C-44D2-A817-D1C72E43E5E8_zpsmdyqzork.jp g" target="_blank">
http://i410.photobucket.com/albums/pp187/rcatkin/Volvo%20940/382AD949-2B7C-44D2-A817-D1C72E43E5E8_zpsmdyqzork.jp g"/> [/IMG][/URL]
That Volvo is ace.
A friend down the road inherited his dad's - he had 5 months MOT on it, so decided to run it to clear out fathers house. That was three years ago... Thirsty, wallows like a marshmallow, but so far has cost tyres and a service...and it's turquoise!
[evil laughter] Mine doesn’t wallow any more [/evil laughter]
I need to put the seats down in a current 3-series estate and take the front wheel off my XL 29er to get it in. I think I would need to strip it to get it in the boot with seats up. Its not a big boot at all.I am looking at a BMW 3-series Touring (E91). Is it possible to fit a bike in the back with the rear seats up?
I didn't expect that many answers in such short time - thanks. I thought about creating a new thread, but maybe it's nice to keep the information in a single thread?
Is it possible to have a bike in the boot of a Golf 7 with the rear seats up?
I looked at Mercedes E-class estates, but unforunately they're a bit too expensive, and a bit too thirsty at the price range I'm looking at.
What about Mercedes C-class estate (W204) with rear seats up? Will a bike fit?
I had two Skoda Superb estates and with the seats down they could both take a road bike with the wheels still on but not any of my bikes that were fun to ride - always had to take the wheel or wheels off the mountain bikes. Just got a Skoda Kodiaq though and this is the first car I have had that with all the seats folded will take my size Large and quite long Slayer, and with plenty of room to spare:
[img][url= https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4481/37046034593_a1be46ac46_k.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4481/37046034593_a1be46ac46_k.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/YrCBqn ]IMG_5423[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/droppinneutron/ ]Jamie Clark[/url], on Flickr[/img]
I know - its not an estate but my bit on the Superb sort of made it relevant!
Page 2 and no Octavia vrs yet! I've just ordered one of these
Might need to take a wheel of, but should be big enough.
Grand Cmax with centre seat folded away.
[img] 
[/img]
Sorry, you said fast.
My saab 9-5 got 2 lads, 6 bikes and 3 lots of kit down to the alps last year no bother. No bike racks, roof racks etc, all in the back and no stashing of anything by the passengers feet.
It will also take two trail bikes with wheels off in the boot with the parcel shelf still able to be I'm situ. It's the perfect bike carrying car in my opinion.. 3l diesel bought for a grand.. Bargain
A6 Avant here, no need to remove wheels if it’s just me and a bike, whether road, track or MTB. Most often they are on the roof as car full of family or riding mates.
However, if seats are up, it’s both wheels off and I can get 3 bikes in sideways across the boot.
I find it's a lot easier to just get a roof carrier and shove your bike on that, than arse around removing wheels, folding seats etc.
^^ +1
Just bought a Passat GT estate. Does have a huge boooot (echo) but it's not very deep. Easily get my road bike and 140mm FS mtb in there with the seats down. Plenty of room for gear too.
Had a Civic estate previously as a company car which was huge, not as long or wide as the Passat but the depth made up for it. Could get my 56cm road bike in the boot, wheels off without the seats going down. Had a flat load area with the seats down too which was brilliant.
Been using a B8 passat this weekend, my 21.5 trek fuel with 780 bars goes in wheels on with the seats down but only just and takes some wriggling. Dunno about wheels off though
Volvo xc60. No need to take wheels off to fit at least 2 XL bikes in the back. Have fitted 4 bikes disassembled and 4 folks in it once but that was a jigsaw. I still mostly put my bike on a tow bar mounted rack though.
Used to have an E class (14 plate), it was a big car and a good looking one too. I sold it because the 350d engine returned about 30 mpg, which is lame. I replaced it with a BMW 320d touring. Things I prefer about the merc: it's comfier, quieter and had a bigger boot. Things i prefer about the BMW, I get 50mpg and it takes corners better. Both boots are large, the merc being larger. If I were car shopping again I'd look at C class estate, with a less powerful engine, like the 220d or something. The AMG styling Mercedes I think are great looking cars
I have looked at Saabs, however, the nice models (like 9-3 Aero) seem to be quite thirsty.
Maybe I should consider the A6 Avant. I initially crossed it off the list, as I think it's a bit boring (too many Audis here).
el_boufador - The thing is, "we" use a lot of salt here during the winter, and I don't like my bike to be sprayed with salty water when I go racing. That's the main reason I prefer being able to have it in the car. It's important that it fits with the rear seats up, as we have a child seat fitted more or less permanently.
Honda Civic might be another option to look into. It looks nice, albeit a bit dull compared to something like a BMW or a Mercedes.
I'd really like to hear from someone with a Mercedes C-class estate, if it's possible to fit a bike with the rear seats up. It seems the BMW 3-series Touring is too small, so the Mercedes is currently the next car at the top of the list.
Thanks for all the replies, and pixelmix in the first place for bringing this up. It must be relevant to a lot of people.