I now have a company car, which is a sensible diesel I can use for day to day and longer journeys, but I want to get something for weekend use.
Requirements are fun, reliable, petrol, able to carry a bike or 2 and reasonable fuel economy for a few grand.

I’ve had a Clio 182 in the past, but I’ve had enough of French build quality. Also had an mx5, but found the space limiting.

I’m drawn to a Mini Cooper S at the moment. Anything to look out for? Any reason not to? Can they take a bike/bikes?

Are you talking about putting bikes in the car or on a bike carrier?

Does the age of the car matter?

I had the original ‘new’ mini in cooper s flavour and the boot was pathetic, and not a great space even with the seats down.

How about an ep3 Civic Type R? Find an unmolested one that’s been looked after and it should be fast / fun and a decent size for bike kit.

Also, Suzuki Swift Sport? Had one of those and really fun to drive – although boot space likely to not be that much better than the Mini.

Not too fussed by age, as long as condition is good and not prone to rust etc.
Type R is a good call, but a mate had one who was only averaging 20 ish mpg.
Economy isn’t my main concern, but that would become wearisome.

Was it possible to get a bike in the ‘new’ mini or the swift sport (wheels off)?

Type R should do high thirties mpg driven steady.

Ep3 doing 20mpg ish is being driven everywhere with brain taken firmly out. It should be similar sort of fuel consumption to the Clio 182 you had. I had a 172 and a 182 but never quite made the leap to the EP3 for some reason. One of those cars I wished I’d bought before I had to get sensible (along with a Subaru Impreza turbo 2000 before they got chav). Went with a Vauxhall Vx220, then a Cooper S than a Honda S2000 instead.

Would have been a massive struggle getting a bike in the mini – think I had to take big wheels off on the mtb I had at the time.

The Swift was much easier – mtb with 1 wheel off. Only issue with the Swift was when the back seats folded down they were attached to a raised part of the boot floor so it wasn’t very flat. Also wasn’t split folding – went down in one piece. Hilarious to drive though and mpg always seemed pretty good. Definitely a warm hatch rather than hot though.

Oh FFS.

Dacia Sandero.

‘Nuff said.

I asked a similar question recently. Consensus seemed to be “it depends” on the Mini…
http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/mini-possible-to-get-a-bike-in

I’ve been looking at other smmall cars (including the Clio) and none of them seem to be much bigger than the Mini at a glance.. I’m looking at cheap Sciroccos as a possibility right now…