Morning folks,

Finding lugging bikes around with wheels off etc and space becoming increasingly annoying. Priced up a VW transporter etc and decided it’s not a viable option.

Having had estate cars in the past they are ok, but no substitute for a van due to the lack of depth (height).

Have any of you gone for something like a Ford Galaxy for transporting bikes? Other than the Galaxy/Alhambra/Sharan (all the same car) are there any other examples I should consider for around the 3-4k mark?

Any advice/tips/things I might not have considered appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Berlingo!

I have a vw caddy maxi life which i love. Not sure of cost these days or second hand availability

Peugeot/Citroen/Fiat have a shared offering with the advantage of sliding doors~ also shares majority of parts with vans too, so cheap for spares.

MPVs are way cheaper to insure as well

Not keen on French cars guys but thanks for the suggestion. Had a Clio years ago that fell to bits.

Build quality of that thing left a “never buying French” lasting impression.

Carting bikes is why I bought my touran 6 years ago. Still going strong. Toyed with getting rid of ot recently but am going to keep it for a few more years. I am really attached to it. It’s quick, cheap to run, I don’t owe anything on it and it’s been more or less totally reliable in the time I’ve had it.

Xsara Picasso. You can remove any of the three rear seats and soo cheap as soo ugly.

I was put off the (older shape) Berlingo due to the chocolate rear axle

You mean the chocolate rear axel shared by the xsara ?

Paul. Look at one of the many other vans . Vw are just priced silly.

How ever if i was buying again it would be a blingo/partner multispace.

Terry, looked at the Renault Traffic and similar and came to the conclusion I need more like 6k for a good one. Expensive to insure and a touch thirsty too hence moving on to the people carrier idea. Any vans you would suggest for 3-4k mark. Need to get 5 years or so out of whatever I buy.

Got a Kia Sedona. Heard all the horror stories but got it cheap enough (2K for a 54 plate with 60k on the clock) not to worry about them. Run perfectly for the 18months weve had it. It is basically a van, with windows, seats and carpet which is good for us as it that’s how it gets treated.

We’ve got a Fiat Doblo, if I chuck a copy of the Sun on the dash, use my mobile while driving and cut up other road users while not indicating and making you’re a tosser gestures it acts just like a Transit..

vw caddy maxi life

I would be interested in your feedback on these – seem like a good family vehicle?

Touran here too. I keep a dust sheet down on the back, front wheel off, chuck the bike in along with all other bits and bobs. Mine’s a 2004 version bought a few years ago. Important bits are all sound.

Not a people carrier but I bought a BMW X3 to act like a van, that can do slight off road stuff too.

They’re is usually a pile of surveying gear in the back, and maybe a bike.

Sometimes, if I’m on a long job there’s a caravan behind it too.

I’m sure it’s way comfier than a van even if they were slated by Top Gear for being crap.

Mitsubishi delica
4 x 4 go anywhere with your fat bike
come with swivel seats good for after biking relax
some come with curtains ( aids security)
up and over rear door means cover from the rain when changing
seats lay flat and turn into a bed

all bases covered?? 🙂

Got a 2004 partner for not much more than a grand and yep, it’s french build quality but that’s the price I wanted to pay for something I can put muddy clothes and bikes in. They are also easy to work on with no silly bills to go with silly parts prices. It’s another level of motoring and having seen what happened to other peoples ‘quality’ transporters with hardly any miles on them.. I dont fancy paying 6 times the price for something that might be ‘tighter’ and be a better drive if those problems people I know have had are going to crop up.

My 2006 partner with32k on clock was 3500 in 2009. Now its only 83k with routine servicing an exhaust and a spring ( tractor forced me off the road by deciding move lanes on my as i was passing)

No performance , but it does what i neeed it to do for next to no money.

But as i said doing it again id buy a multispace.or a combi version of a bigger van.

Moved house twice with it and renovated most of a house with it … Handy as owt or throwing materials in at the merchants or taking rubbish to the tip( in scotland so dont get the hassle you guys do)

I recently saw some transporter chat and one chap said ‘get a transit’. Someone else replied with ‘he lives in a house,not a caravan!’

I felt inadequate.. like I should be in a bivi bag.

Alhambra here. All back seats out (only 2 of us), longer load space in back than a caddy Max or Transit connect (went out with tape measure prior to buying, my criteria was to get my Alpine 160 in lengthways with wheels on).

Could easily keep some seats in and still cart bikes but haven’t needed to so never experimented. Slept in the back next to the Alpine at CYB Enduro.

Transporter = the new audi a4 for the trail centre warrior

57 plate galaxy here with a recent 4th child and honestly it’s just not quite big enough.
Currently looking for something bigger like a tourneo/vivaro etc as prices are silly on transporters. Body work is normally shite on Vito’s.

Even considering older 806/synergies and converting the front passenger seat to a double from the van variant so I can’t transport 6 plus boot space and towbar for racks.

Obviously if you have 3 or less kids then the galaxy work be spot on for you

The father in law uses a xsara picasso for his diving duties and work. He used to use vans and got sick of the 3 seat situation and the extra insurance and fuel bills and lack of comfort.

He regularly uses for heathrow airport runs from blackpool with 5 adults in tow. The seats are totally removable and hes fitted a rubber/plastic waterproof boot skin for his diving gear.

I used to mock the xsara as I use vans. But on using it for tip runs and fereying gear on house refurbs im converted. Cheap and cheap to run and take a beating.

I’ve tried an Espace, a Multipla, now use a white rusty Transit.

It is obviously an upper class vehicle because I have noticed that I no longer get cut up by Audis or BMWs, and in fact they frequently defer to me. It’s probably on a social par with owning a Merc limo, so it’s also a good way to upgrade your status. 🙂

I get cheap insurance with Aviva in combination with my other car.

If I was going the people mover route again, I’d get another Espace for no wheels off, but the Multipla was nice for the 3 fronts seats, but a bit of a pain for more than one bike (although you fit quite a few in).

Happy to be proven wrong but the MKII Picasso is different whereas the Berlingo van has a solid beam rear axle.

If by solid beam you mean the same hollow torsion bar suspension thats on nearly every french car this side of hydropneumatic suspension until not that long ago.

And the rear trailing arm bearings have been a problem as long as iver been driving across platforms , how ever vans being vans they tend to get overloaded and acceletate the issue.

Got a Kia Sedona. Heard all the horror stories but got it cheap enough (2K for a 54 plate with 60k on the clock) not to worry about them. Run perfectly for the 18months weve had it. It is basically a van, with windows, seats and carpet which is good for us as it that’s how it gets treated.

My brother has a ‘Y’ reg one, that replaced a Ford Ranger crew-cab. He wanted something with more internal space for the pets in the back. It now carries the fragrance of Eau de Chien Mouillé. Looks like the ideal vehicle, his has a cage that easily carries a Golden Labrador, and a Pyrennean Mountain Dog.