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Our circumstances have changed a bit and I need to upsize from my Transit Connect to something that can carry 3 adults, 3 large dogs and a bike inside. Apart from the obvious (and what seams overpriced) VW's, what's worth a look? Van prices seam crazy in comparision to cars at the minute....
Thoughts and musings welcome!
Ford Tourneo custom?
SMAX?
Berlingo?
Any big estate?
Second the SMax, or Galaxy which has the same underpinnings but is a little less desirable, and therefore slightly better value
I struggled to fit a bike upright in the smax, but this was before droppers so suspect that issue is no longer relevant.
Other than that, unsure you'd fit 3 large dogs comfortably in there - even without a bike - depends how large the dogs are.
It was a really nice thing to be in and drive though...
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/van-details/202311294405991
Chuck the bulkhead in a skip and bolt some seats in the rear. I really want one, but I'd have to have it wrapped in dark blue or something to hide some of the ugly.
Van prices seam crazy in comparision to cars at the minute….
I think this is following the car market and calming down, but isn't quite there yet.
Ford Tourneo custom or Transit custom, seem the more obvious choices, do you have a budget in mind?
Do you mind something that drives and rides like a van ? Or not. I find the ride quality in my mates' T6s (3 of them total) really rather poor and harsh. I'd hate to be sat in the back all the way on a trip to the Alps. Actually put me off getting one when I have the £££ and was shopping for a motor, 2 years ago.
Galaxy with some of the seats taken out is a good call from an earlier post as it still feels mainly like a car to drive.
The Japanese import MPVs are worth a look if you don't mind petrol, auto and fairly low mpg. No worries about DPFs, adblue and all that though. Any 2007 on are compliant for ULEZ and other cities too.
Without knowing what your definition of a large dog is it's not easy to say. Suffice to say, my definition rules out any car based MPV and definitely any estate.
A Vivaro minibus will happily do what you want but TBH the bike is going to be a PITA if you're talking about 3 wolfhound sized dogs.
I'm looking at a Pug Traveller/Toyota Pro-Ace Verso equivalent next year. Allure/Family or VIP flavour !
Second the SMax, or Galaxy which has the same underpinnings but is a little less desirable, and therefore slightly better value
Unless something has changed radically in the last 4 years (and perhaps it has) OR I didn't read that correctly I'd say the value proposition is the other way round - i.e. SMax is much cheaper spec for spec. I haven't checked lately but when we bought our SMax for a shade under £7k the equivalent Galaxy for same spec etc. was knocking on £9-10k. The Smax is also less likely to have been an airport taxi. 😉
You have no chance of getting everything in either of those vehicles unless you're happy to pack somewhat creatively/dangerously (subject to method).
If it helps....
We have a large lab sized dog and a travall dog guard plus half boot width guard to split the boot dog/luggage 50/50. You could easily get 3 lab sized dogs in the whole boot but that doesn't leave a bike space.
The only way I could see of doing it is if you could you flatten two of the middle row seats, put all three dogs in crates (one behind the up seat and the other two one behind the other on the folded area) with a narrow gap you could slide a bike into. You'd need to strap the crates down to the load eyes.
Or just buy a roof rack for the bike. 🙂
I'm prickly about this stuff but there is no way on this earth I'd have three large dogs in the middle row. The only time I've had to truly haul on the brakes with dogs aboard I was very glad that the 70kg of retriever and mongrel in the boot were restrained behind a seat and dog guard.
Fwiw I suspect your answer is still a van.
If you can sit three up front the rest should be easy, no?
Honda FR-V, Multipla, vans etc
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-details/202312054561441
I’m looking at a Pug...
That doesn't qualify as a dog 🙂
If you can sit three up front the rest should be easy, no?
Honda FR-V, Multipla
Not a FRV, they’re actually small inside, the front middle seat is useless too.
Some good suggestions here - thanks!
We've got 3 German Wire Haired Pointers between us, so whilst not huge, they definitely are not small...
It could be a tough ask this, my connect has heated seats, heated screen, reverse camera etc. Struggling to find these kind of specs in anything bigger that isn't a huge amount of cash.
I'll go and have a look at the LWB Berlingo shaped MPV's, but on what I've seen so far, they look a bit small and so the next size up is may be a better option.
Can the bike not travel on the outside? Tow bar mounted carrier? Options will increase if you are prepared to compromise.
. I find the ride quality in my mates’ T6s (3 of them total) really rather poor and harsh.
Are they all lowered with big wheels? Standard suspension should be pretty comfy, lowered they will be various levels of bad.
+1 to bike on the outside will open lots more options.
In the meantime, something dayvan sized - JDM ones such as the Elgrand probably a sensible buy; American ones with big lazy V8s less sensible but possibly cooler. Or maybe sadder, given I like'em.
phil5556
Full Member
. I find the ride quality in my mates’ T6s (3 of them total) really rather poor and harsh.Are they all lowered with big wheels?
Indeed our T5.1 on standard T30 suspension and 16" rims rides really well.
Might I suggest the Grand S-Max? It’s a 7-seater, but smaller than the Galaxy, but it’s got one feature very few similar vehicles have - sliding rear doors. Which means that the rear roofline doesn’t slope so much, and with the rear hatch open, and the rear doors slid back, there’s a lot of space to load from each side and from the back, and no doors sticking out either side if the front doors are closed.
Corolla Verso, our 05 is bullet proof.
That looks like a Grand CMax above and is therefore on the smaller Focus platform.
@woodster that LEVC VN5 looks very very interesting...
I think I also really want one after reading up on it
For those advocating a bike rack on the back, which ones work with dogs getting in and out of the boot? Serious question as the tilt type don't seem to go far enough.
It could be a tough ask this, my connect has heated seats, heated screen, reverse camera etc. Struggling to find these kind of specs in anything bigger that isn’t a huge amount of cash.
If you don't mind yellow then ex-AA Transit Custom could work. They all seem to have 3 seats up front, heated seats/screen, tailgate rather than barn doors, towbar. No reverse camera but easy to fit, I'd swap the stereo for a modern CarPlay one so add it then. Good value because yellow.
For those advocating a bike rack on the back, which ones work with dogs getting in and out of the boot? Serious question as the tilt type don’t seem to go far enough.
My tilting Thule something or other didn't hinder access to the boot (A6 Estate) too much. It would have been a pointless feature other wise. Access from either side of the bikes was fine and I can't see a problem with dogs getting in and out the same way. I guess it might be trickier to secure them once they are in though 🤷♂️
Do the dogs need to travel in the cabin, or crated in the boot/load area?
For three adults, I assume the middle seat in a medium van will be too cramped?
So you might be looking at a crew cab van or a minibus-type layout (which I think are the most expensive).
Maybe get a crew cab and remove the bulkhead, spruce up the load area a bit?
What's the budget?
Wild card entry but the Hyundai i800 perhaps. T6-sized, cheaper, is a people carrier that is also available as a van rather than the other way round so is a bit more comfortable ride-wise than the T6.
I also find the t5/t6 a pretty jarring ride, it depends what you're used to really but I find all the VW group cars and vans I've driven quite harsh. If you like the ride you perhaps you feel it's indicative of the cars being well built, solid and reliable (if you just try and forget about the garage receipts). If you don't it's a bit tiring and other marques are just more comfortable.
The iLoad van version of the i800 is often available as a 5 seat crew cab.
Atera Strada - they slide and then tilt. My Labrador got in and out fine, even in her later years.
My tilting Thule something or other didn’t hinder access to the boot (A6 Estate) too much. It would have been a pointless feature other wise. Access from either side of the bikes was fine and I can’t see a problem with dogs getting in and out the same way.
I've used one in the past and whilst there was enough room to mudge up between the rack and bumper it wasn't enough to let a dog through, especially one as thin skinned as a greyhound.
I’ve used one in the past and whilst there was enough room to mudge up between the rack and bumper it wasn’t enough to let a dog through, especially one as thin skinned as a greyhound.
I think the car / dog combo is key here. For some it will work, for others it won't. I know what you mean about thin skinned greyhounds.
The i800 could be a great shout!
I think the car / dog combo is key here. For some it will work, for others it won’t. I know what you mean about thin skinned greyhounds.
Aye, I'm actually considering just using a trailer as that would give me (and the hound) all the clearance we need.
that LEVC VN5 looks very very interesting…
Absolutely spectacular depreciation though. From £48K to £13k in two years / 46k miles seems extraordinary.
Galaxy / sharan. Nothhing else is big enough, they’re significantly more cavernous than SMax
On the bike racks tilting thing we don't have a tilter and load/unload the pooch through the rear seat.
We have a TravAll guard that goes from top of seat to roof so when you drop the seat there's a seat sized door.
Rear passenger hops out, pop the seat and dog ducks through and out the rear passenger door.
As for getting round a tilter our dog would easily go in the boot before loading the bikes just between the first wheel tray and the bumper. If it tilted he'd have no issue.
Galaxy / sharan. Nothhing else is big enough, they’re significantly more cavernous than SMax
They are definitely a lot bigger but a lot of it is in the extra height/squarer back end (there's only about 60mm of length difference and not much in the width) which doesn't help as much if what you need is floor space.
Ssangyong Tourismo!
No idea why but I've wanted one of these for ages, will definitely have a enough space - you can even fold the seats in such a way as to make beds ib various layouts.
@garage-dweller we have a trav-all jail as well, should probably try that approach though no doubt the awkward sod will get all upset doing it that way. Worth a shot...
Been and had a look at an i800 today - they are massive! I reckon the back row of seats will come out easy enough and you've then got a huge area of the dogs / bikes. Doesn't look as "cool" as a VW or a Custom, but should be plenty for what we need. The only other thing I've seen that may work for us is a van converted to a crew cab, which may have insurance impications? What I don't get is why the i800 isn't more popular with biking folk?
Been and had a look at an i800 today – they are massive!
This is a good MPV. Was in Thailand with an older version many years ago travelling for 5 hours and it was very comfortable.
Doesn’t look as “cool” as a VW or a Custom, but should be plenty for what we need.
They are meant to be practical rather than cool.
The only other thing I’ve seen that may work for us is a van converted to a crew cab
There are plenty of factory crew cab vans - be wary of adding seat to an existing van (or vans that have been converted), while it's quite possible to do it all correctly it can cause headaches. A dealer that used to be local to me stopped offering conversion work for customers because their customers were then finding the converted vans quite difficult to insure. There should be quite a few crew cab transit customs about and 5 seat iLoads aren't uncommon (well i800s and iLoads are all uncommon, but crew cabs seem to make up a fairly big propotion of whats out there)
Another shout for a Galaxy
Take a couple of seats out and I can wheel.my large deviate in upright with wheels on
They handle really well, more like a great handling estate car than a big bus.
Smax I imagine handles nicer still
Only thing is the load height is higher than a van due to the car rear suspension
Cheap to buy, run, insure and fix.