I need some advice on whether to go big, or go fast? Currently have an Octavia estate, which is a rather big tweener, its faster than a van, but its not as big.

The options are definitely between any Subaru variant, or a van big enough to put a raised bed in and fit bikes in underneath.

The general advice I’ve been given is that its just not worth having a fast car, but I’m yet to learn that the hard way, as I’ve never had one!

I’ll ride every weekend, but tbh I don’t actually make the effort to go away on large riding trips more than once a year. Which has meant that I’ve been more thrown towards the Subaru as I’ve wanted one since I was a child.

I’ve been more thrown towards the Subaru as I’ve wanted one since I was a child.

You better get one then.

I’m yet to learn that the hard way, as I’ve never had one!

A Subaru will probably fix that for you then. Fun cars but a myriad of potential issues. Choose carefully.

But its reputation as a bike wagon is unheard of!

Get a pre 2007 Subaru Forester, an STI import if you want properly quick (0-60 in the 4s). Small enough to be agile but big enough for a couple of bikes with the front wheels off. . Utterly brilliant cars.
or a leggy if you want a bit more space…

You’ll never think about buying a german van ever again.

The leggy has more space than the forester?

It’s longer. The Forester is taller.

I loved my Forester – keep thinking about getting an STI import. The bills on the last one were bad enough though so I keep deciding against it!

At the moment I am waiting to see if there are any punitive measures set up against diesel engines before deciding what to do next. I have the Vito for just shy of another 2 years (which is pretty nippy for a van). I keep thinking I should get a private car again though for when the works vehicle is off the road (and cheaper to run when I need it too), but it would be very, very old and cheap so a Scooby is probably *not* the best idea!!!!

If you’ve always wanted a Subaru then that is what you should get as if you get anything else you’ll always wonder and probably regret it. Some things you just have to get it out of your system.

But what do you think fast is? If you think you’re going to be driving much faster than in a van then you’re mistaken. A van will sit at 80 mph on a motorway all day, and you won’t be (or shouldn’t be) going much faster than that for any length of time that will make any significant difference to journey time. But the reality is the majority of time your speed will be limited by the speed of the traffic you’re driving in, and the majority of the rest of the time the car will be sat stationary in the car park at work or outside your house. So your ‘need for speed’ will only really be fed by the odd blast up the motorway slip road or shooting off from the lights or something like that. So buying into a fast car and all the continual high costs that come with it is a pretty high premium to pay for such a small amount of joy. And it doesn’t take long for the novelty to wear off and all you can see and feel is the financial millstone hanging round your neck.

But then i’m old and boring and have just bought a van.

The general advice I’ve been given is that its just not worth having a fast car, but I’m yet to learn that the hard way, as I’ve never had one!

I went from a hot hatch – Alfa 145 Cloverleaf – to a Defender TD5. I get to wherever I am going in about the same time. In fact, one evening I left work, got passed getting onto the motorway by a Porsche and caught up with it at the traffic lights 6 miles away. You generally need to drive like a psychopath in a fast car in order to make any appreciable difference in your journey time. It just isn’t worth it.

TL;DR – carrying capacity is more practical than more speed that you can’t use.

If you’re only going to use a van as a van once a year, get the fast car and hire the van when you need it, but I do agree with the point that the car won’t actually make journeys faster.

Speaking as a van owner.

tthew
but I do agree with the point that the car won’t actually make journeys faster.

cranberry

I went from a hot hatch – Alfa 145 Cloverleaf – to a Defender TD5. I get to wherever I am going in about the same time. In fact, one evening I left work, got passed getting onto the motorway by a Porsche and caught up with it at the traffic lights 6 miles away. You generally need to drive like a psychopath in a fast car in order to make any appreciable difference in your journey time. It just isn’t worth it.

TL;DR – carrying capacity is more practical than more speed that you can’t use.

I don’t think anyone actually buys a fast car to shorten journey times do they? Not locally anyway. I agree with the points you make but I don’t think that’s the reason for owning a “fast” car. Engaging / entertaining drive and the ability to overtake at will or put some distance between other road users are the main benefits.

Meh fast car is a one trick pony.

I’ve had vans for the last 8 years basically as soon as I could insure one.

So much more useful for me than a fast car would ever be.

So useful that the Mrs requested a berlingo (my van used to be a pug partner) so she could throw bikes in whole.

Just upgraded to an iveco daily camper conversion with a garage. I’ve structured my life so that I don’t need an every day car to go to the office in and so can live with the mid 20s mpg (which tbh a Subaru will give you anyway)

The garage on the ivecos as big as the old van so I’m not missing out on my load lugging space. It’s so much cushier for open road cruising -cruise control and a fridge in the back keeping my beer cool for when. I get there….It’ll be a while I’m limited to the lower limits…..And yet if I need to travel somewhere the van will cope – I might just have to park further away due to its enormous length and height:)

Van driving is a bit slow on the twisty A roads round here (and legally limited to 50), though I agree it doesn’t make any practical difference to journey times. Just means I take a bit longer catching up to the next lorry/tractor and more often have a car behind than in front.

You can have your cake and eat it.

http://vans.honestjohn.co.uk/van-news/new-vans/2014-11/mercedes-benz-vito-sport-x-driven/

Fast van?

I believe it’s possible to fit a Subaru engine in one of those old German potting sheds.

Clicky linky picture

It’s longer. The Forester is taller.

But the Forester is longer than a Berlingo. I think the Forester has near ideal proportions for a load space, though the rear struts are a little intrusive. Rear seats fold in 5 seconds to give a perfectly flat load space. The front seats are more comfortable than anything you will ever have sat in, oh, and my S turbo was cheaper to insure (and run, as I found out) than the Berlingo that followed.
Bugger it! I’m going to sell the Outback and get another Foz!

If you’re without kids then a van with bed will be so much more rewarding than a performance car, IMO.

Wish #vanlife had been a thing when I was younger.

the ability to overtake at will or put some distance between other road users are the main benefits.

Right up until 2 seconds later when you are stuck right behind the next road user. 😉

I’m not saying that a person shouldn’t get a fast car, or drive something nice, but the idea of the open road and open throttle is not something I have seen replicated in reality for some years – it is a fiction of the car selling industry.

In other news, buying the right smellies at Christmas won’t make you Keira Knightly/get you into Kiera Knightly’s knickers ( delete as appropriate )

I wouldn’t swap my van for all the turbo nutter guff I’ve had over the years.

So your ‘need for speed’ will only really be fed by the odd blast up the motorway slip road or shooting off from the lights or something like that.

or a nice twisty B/unclassified road coated in mud and shite…

the idea of the open road and open throttle is not something I have seen replicated in reality for some years

Happens in these parts often enough. Shame I’m usually driving a Land Rover, if anyone is doing any holding up of traffic it’s me!

cranberry
Right up until 2 seconds later when you are stuck right behind the next road user.

I’m not saying that a person shouldn’t get a fast car, or drive something nice, but the idea of the open road and open throttle is not something I have seen replicated in reality for some years – it is a fiction of the car selling industry.

Probably depends a lot on where you live combined with when you drive. Plenty of opportunities to enjoy a good car in Ireland and Scotland ime.

Oh, and a Forester is the only car I’ve had where my Jack Russell can look out of the back window without needing a ladder.

practicallity vs a bit of occassional speed…..

i tend to drive my van at a more sedate pace.. unless i’m having to cover a decent distance at night or someone else is paying for the diesel.

my experience is that, in the UK there are far too many people/cars on the road to make driving truely fun. that is unless your daily drive is through central Wales or the wilds of Scotland…. otherwise the rest of the UK is so crowded and there are already enough dickheads on the road that a more sedate, comfortable drive would be my choice….

saying that, the GF has a MX5 for blasting about when i want to…

Once you have had a van it is difficult to go back. I have a 3.0 viano and I love it in a 204 bhp auto leather and climate and removable seats kind of way

I went from a fast car to a van. I loved the car but I’ve been all over Europe in the van and I haven’t been in a single recovery truck. Five years and counting.

I still love cars but I like to enjoy other peoples and go camping/biking whatever in comfort with none of the stress or cost. Just get a van that can keep up with traffic (or at least completely drop other vans!) and you won’t get frustrated when out and about.

I really, really want an Impreza wagon but I know I’ll just swap the Transporter for a bigger van and do a proper conversion.

Happens in these parts often enough. Shame I’m usually driving a Land Rover, if anyone is doing any holding up of traffic it’s me!

I’ve over taken your landy on my e-bike I’m sure. Your deffo the one causing the hold up .

So…..lets get this right. You already own the Singletrack “best car ever” and you want to change? Are you nuts?

Speaking as a van owner though……van, you’ll never regret it!

I’m not of the belief that I’ll be on an open road in the fast car. Ive longed for the sounds of a boxer and blow off! I could even overtake people when I wanted.

The thought of the practicality of the van, and the very real fact that there aren’t any open roads.

Ive longed for the sounds of a boxer and blow off

drill a hole in the exhaust…

Fast van every time, as an ex 220bhp t5 owner, practicality and progress…

porter_jamie – Member

Once you have had a van it is difficult to go back.

I’ve never liked vans. Beyond their purely utilitarian appeal that is.

alpin – Member
Ive longed for the sounds of a boxer and blow off
drill a hole in the exhaust…

Oooohhhh so not the same!

I agree with much that’s said about vans, and I love the idea, until I go somewhere like Bath in my Octavia and find that all the empty free parking spaces are too small to get the Octy into, let alone a bloody van!

Does bath not have a park and ride ?

I’ve done vans and I’ve done fast. I’ll always do fast again.

A fast car is, most of the time, a car. When you want it to be it’s involving and engaging and makes driving a pleasure, with the added bonus of being well insulated from road noise and comfortable.

A van is a van. All the time. Which when you don’t need the large space in the back (most of the time) is annoying – they’re less fuel efficient, less comfortable, noisier and while you can occasionally sleep in them they’re no better than a tent without spending loads of money. And they aren’t that nice to drive.

As an added bonus, a Subaru Legacy has a Euro NCAP rating of 5 stars with 80% for occupants. My current work van, a 2016 Peugeot Expert, is only 3 stars with 59% for occupants. All the normal size vans apart from the Transit Custom and VW Transporter are 3 stars or less.

trail_rat – Member
Does bath not have a park and ride ?

POSTED 17 MINUTES AGO # REPORT-POST
It does! It’s really really good.

you need a supergramps….. silly-fast subaru

How much disposable income have you got? Fast cars cost a lot to run, so as long as you factor that in, then go for it.

Van is far more practical and utilitarian…but not as fast.