Is a Mondeo no good for you then (too dull)? Comparable boot to an E series, way bigger than a 3 series. Or does it have to be a German badge?

Salt? Just bloody wash it afterwards and save a shit load of grief and money.

aracer – I know, maybe it sounds a bit stupid. I just don’t like Ford. Maybe I should look into them more.

hammyuk – Yes, salt. Lots of salt on the roads. Even if it’s washed off afterwards, it will still damage bearing everywhere in the bike. It would also generally be convenient to have a larger boot, when we go on family trips. Our daughter is 11 months old, and we have to bring a pram + stuff wherever we go.

I have an S212 Merc E Class estate, I don’t think there is an estate with a bigger boot, seriously. I’m sure there must be somewhere, but I can’t find it. It’s a really well designed shape too, easy to put stuff in. The boot is genuinely massive. There are 2 seats that fold up under the floor, you wouldn’t know they’re there most of the time – it’s a family and dog wagon

But, unless you’re a child, I can’t see how a bike would ever fit in there with wheels on. Are you really expecting one to fit in? How big is your bike? I’ve not put an adults bike in the car, I have a roof rack but it’s easier to use a tow bar rack, and any crap doesn’t then fall on the car

Just to clarify; I don’t mind taking wheels off. I’m just looking for a (not too big) estate, which will fit a bike, WITHOUT wheels, in the back, with the rear seats up.

In which case, most well proportioned (proper family) hatchbacks will take a bike without wheels in the boot (e.g. Audi A3)

I wouldn’t have seen that as a big ask, in a hatchback they can go in upright

I think that you’ll find that the C estate isn’t wide enough for a bike to go behind the seats. We couldn’t get our road bikes in – its about 25mm too narrow with all that premium sound insulation and fabric lining, which was slightly galling as our old mk2 focus estate was wide enough for them both to go in.
All goes in fine with the seats down though, the load cover clips onto the dropped rear seats and there’s a mesh screen that clips to the roof, so with darkened windows and covering it all with a cheap black double sheet all that stuff is hidden.

Then again – wash it better and use ACF50 or get a roof rack like several have suggested a number of times.
If you need to take a pram everywhere then you really need to look at just what you are loading in there.
11 months she should comfortably be in a good pushchair now, not a pram – any number will fold up nice and compact giving you plenty of room spare in the boot.
If you can’t or by the sounds of it won’t then start looking at SMax’s, MaxiLife’s, etc because you are not going to get what you want without compromising.

aP – Thanks. Unfortunately not what I’d like to hear, but kind of expected, I guess.

hammyuk – I won’t, because as I said, it ruins the bearings, and I don’t like to change them that often (several times a season). I’ve done that the past couple of seasons, and I’d like to avoid it, hence the reason for being a bit picky.

Whenever we go somewhere, we bring the pram, because she sleeps in it. The pushchair is a bit small (and not very warm) for a proper sleep outside.

It seems like there are plenty options. People here have mentioned VW Passat, Skoda Octavia/Superb, Ford Focus, Mercedes E-class, Saab 9-5, among others. Those sound like some options I’ll be looking into. Why buy a small car and put the bike on the roof, if getting a car where it will fit in the boot is an option?

You sound kind of offended by the question in the first place?

Grand Cmax with centre seat folded away.

Sorry, you said fast.

To be fair, I* once melted the front tyres on mine driving to Glentress (https://goo.gl/maps/V5DjsG345qk) at 1am. So it’s probably spent more time sideways than the average hot-hatch!

[url=https://flic.kr/p/cR3fj9]DSCN8783[/url] by thisisnotaspoon, on Flickr

*I didn’t realise the corner was anywhere near as tight or long as it was in the dark, I’m no driving god, and the tyres were Rain Expert 2’s, which were a bit crap.

I didn’t realise the corner was anywhere near as tight or long as it was in the dark

Surely the poo coming out half way round would have taken the heat out of those tyres?