Toying with the idea of buying one to replace my old Focus but need to know if you can get 3 bikes plus riders and gear inside? Ta p.s. should of said it would be the car version not the van!

Yes but not without taking wheels off. In fact easily with front wheels off and bikes stacked side by side with the seat folded down.

New style or old style?

New style ones (i have one) 3 bikes and 3 people, keeping wheels on, works with DH bikes and my XC bikes etc – and i'm tall so they're all XL. Though I do have the double seat in the back out and in the garage. An old style one the seat doesn't come out so easy, so they won't fit as easily.

With no folk in the back, 6 DH bikes with front wheels off, and 6 rider's worth of kit.

4 folk and 4 bikes – take the single seat out. Bikes go upside down across the boot, wheels rack up in the space where the single seat was. Everyone has plenty room/comfort.

whats the insurance like for a 17yr old first time driver?

Get yourself one of the ones with a ramp 😉

Sounds good,as long as i can get 3 AM type bikes(140-160mm forks) without too much drama that'll do me!! By the way what do you think of the Berlingo,any good, read good things about them apart from not being very stylish!

I had one for a while, the older 3-door version with the non-split bench rear seat. That was a bit of a pain though for transporting 3 people – half the seat would end up being piled with bags.
Good cars if not exactly the most stylish thing around. Cheap to insure and run, servicing always seemed pretty reasonable as well.

What are they like on long journeys though (old style/diesel)- tinny' and noisy etc? Or 'ok'?

I have a Partner(car version 03) for work and carting bikes in. With seat down you can get a couple of bikes whole standing up, with at least the front wheels off you could get 5/6 depending on size. With both wheels off and stacked side by side with the seats up you can get 3 bikes in the back and room for some gear. Not the best drive in the world but not too noisy either. The older model like mine is van based but the newer one isn't apparently and probably a much better vehicle. Best feature is the rear door overhang for shelter in the rain!

Depends which model and what kind of bikes…I'm 6' 1" and ride a large frame (about 20") – 120mm full bouncer. In my older style Berlingo I could fit 3 complete bikes of this make up in and carry 3 bodies and kit for a long weekend biking. It was tight but was perfectly doable…

In the new style shape the back end has more space so it would be a complete breeze as the bikes would go up and down rather than across so should fit even better.

Best thing to do is try it but I didn't have any issues carrying 3 (but it was rare) – mainly carried 2 bikes and 2 bodies (or 2 bikes and 4 bodies depending on where we were going), plus riding and non-riding kit (and camping gear).

A very good car for practicality…I'd be after one next if I wasn't on such a tight budget and beeding to reduce my outgoings!

It isn't a looker by any means though! Berlingo is the cheaper version of the same car from Peugeot (the Partner) BUT the Puggie tends to come with a bit more things as standard, so if you want toys either spec up the Citreon or find a Puggie.

Actually reading the comments about bike travel, I don't think you will get 3 complete bikes in there with that travel…they should fit with the front wheel off each on though.

In the older style with the 3 bikes in, the kit was spread around the remaining gaps created by the 3 bikes – everything was packed and easy to get to but it was all over the rear of the car (rear being from behind the front seats)…the passenger never had any issues with space though so it wasn't tight to bursting.

Thanks for the replies,I'm not really bothered if I need to remove the front wheels as long as I can get up to 3 bikes inside,just like to keep everything inside the car for when we stop at motorway service stations,Little Chefs etc 🙂

Are you talking about a new or old style one? here is quite a difference.

Click my name and find all my old posts on the matter, posted about mine before.

I think the Partner looks better. It carries off the styling better- i.e. doesnt look as vanlike?

I have the new berlingo van with the crew cab seating arrangement.
I can get 5 DH bikes in and all the kit with wheels on and 8 Dh bikes in with front wheels off.
My road bike fits in without even turning the wheel at all.]
The xc bike fits in no trouble and I reckon four bikes comfortably in the back without taking out wheels or saddles or anything.

It's a decent motorway van,loads of torque too,drop the revs below 1000 and it'll pull upto about 20mph under it's own steam.great in snow with decent tyres on.I've had vans all my driving life and I have to say that this is the best so far.Though the Kangoo was more fun on twisty country roads, it was like a go cart!