Looks like I am going to have an A4 avant as a company car for the summer – just to conform with the stw/trail centre stereotype (well actually it is going spare so I may as well use it!)

Anyhow the question is whether you can get bikes in the boot with all the rear seats in use or will I need to invest in roof bars

Cheers

Avants are like an inverse tardis, smaller on the inside than the outside,

roof bars is the way, with the seats down I managed three once…

They are not that big inside, you may be better with the bars.

I kinda knew the answer I think but was just hoping- cheers all

it’s slightly larger than my 3 series tourer, which is to small to really put bikes inside without faffing – that’s why they have roof rails 😀

pop they’re cack for load hauling I hated mine with a passion 😀

best i’ve managed is 3 but that’s with the seats down.

Roof bars is the way to go

“Avants are like an inverse tardis .. with the seats down I managed three once…”
“3 but that’s with the seats down”

Thats sound terrible
I’ve managed 5 (inc. wheels) in a ’97 VW Polo with room to spare, well if you removed the pedals off of the 6th bike I reckon it might wedge up against the roof then
Might have to put a couple of wheels in the boot of the bag/helmet/people ferrying car though

My mums A4 avant has roof racks, not the Audi ones as the ends mean you’ll likely only get 3 carriers on. The Thule ones will let the carriers overlap the roofrail clamp units (the bike handlebars are still miles away from the edge of the car/wingmirrors)

Compared to her last 3 series touring though the difference between bikes/roofrack and neither seems a lot bigger, 20mpg+. We can’t quite work out why as the BMW (3L D compared to 2L D audi) was more like 10mpg

I used paddy hopkirk roof bars and bike carriers and had 4 bikes on the roof of my avant no problem.

I have an Avant and have to agree with the reverse tardis point! Smallest boot in it’s class and I’m always finding stuff I can’t fit in!