Currently drive a fast saloon, but I’m considering buying something like a Nissan Nivara type thing, chuck all four bikes on the back, nice crew cab,great for camping etc, really gets on my tits that we only really ride locally coz I can’t get all four bikes in/on the car and my van only has three seats! Or will I totally regret not being able to woosh past the two old buggers holding up the traffic on a 60mph road?? Anyone made this change, either way I suppose?

There a plenty of fast estates get one of those.

Just got rid of a Volvo S60 2.4T, fast as a fast thing that was.

Replaced with an old Focus 1.8D, and the difference is huge. So much easier to get bikes in, 2 just sling in the back, and the savings in fuel, servicing, insurance et c., got to be 2k a year.

It’s a whole load slower, but the drive has become relaxing, I just get there when I do, and the difference is mere minutes.

You should do it.

APF

wrightyson you have to remember those trucks only exist as a way for builders and plumbers to scam the tax man. They’re not very good at anything. Swap the fast saloon for a fast estate 🙂

RandomJeremy hits the nail on te head with regards pickups, but ree your OP, we went from a TT that was quite fast to a Zafira that…..isn’t. No regrets at all. The space, comfort and flexibility is king with the family and all it’s accoutrements are in tow. Sounds like your budget is significant and fuel costs not importantso surely a tricked up VW T5 is where it’s at??

Yeah we had one on the company for that reason! Im already having visions of mrs w sideswiping a nice new merc or something as she attempts to swing into a spot in morrisons car park!! As regards the estates I’d still have to get a bike rack and tow bar I presume for four bikes. Love an rs4 estate but she whines about the juice this car uses 🙄

Try taking the fast saloon off road, different kind of fun innit?
Having driven fast cars, Porsche 911 down, I have to say the biggest grin factor came from a Range Rover being hooned around one of those Land Rover experience tracks.

Pickups are stupid, and everyone will know you are stupid if you drive one 😉

To be fair they are good for what they are designed for – carrying loads off-road – but not much else. Maybe towing huge things. Uncomfortable, crap to drive, slow and very thirsty.

If you want to carry loads of stuff, get a van. If you want to drive fast and have lots of space, get a fast estate. If you want something in between get an MPV. All options that are better than a truck.

As regards the estates I’d still have to get a bike rack and tow bar I presume for four bikes

Depends on how much work you want to put in. You could probably get four bikes in a big estate with wheels and seats off and still seat four. But if you don’t mind a rack why not just fit one your current car? A car with a rack takes four people biking in more comfort and fun than a pickup, and is a fun car when you’re not taking people biking.

“you have to remember those trucks only exist as a way for builders and plumbers to scam the tax man”

…and for men with small penis syndrome.

I’d go for an estate any day over a truck. A mate of mine used to sell them, they were basic, noisey, not fuel efficient, and handled like a wet fish, probably due to the ancient technology of leaf springs on the rear!

On a more serious note, I have seen some awful things happen with trucks trying to do emergency stops on motorways. They take forever to stop or get in to horrible un controllable slides.

Having owned fast trick cars and big powerful estates I’d say the fast powerful estate is the way to go, however you say you have 4 bikes, hmmm and how many peiople you you want to carry?? hmmm..
I could get two bikes on the roof and one in the boot (incl wheels with seats down) no probs in my 5 Series.. But that doesn’t cover your needs by all accounts.

I’d go for a VW Touran 2.0TDi, stick a roof rack on it and if needed you have the flexability to take the rear seats out too.
Pretty perfect for ya’s me thinks.. and I’ve done exactly that, It’s an amazing leap of space and masses of flexability and still drives like a car with all the benefits of being a utility vehicle with teeny bit of style..

As an RS4 Avant owner all I can offer is 3 bikes and a surf ski on the roof, 2 on the back and a boot full of gear and the thing still pulls like a train uphill with 4 people in it. I had a vw t5 and a 911 before combining into one vehicle-no regrets.
Edit: I almost went rs6 but fugly, heavy and while rs isn’t exactly frugal the rs6 needs to tow a tanker.

A6 or somesuch with a tow bar and a tow mounted thule bike rack would be perfect I’d say.

As others have said trucks are horrible. Slow, nasty to drive, cramped in the back seats, thirsty, no security for bikes in the back )which only fit in whole if hung in the american front wheels out kind of way). A crew van with removable seats is the answer, swap for the van you already have by the sounds of it.

Oh 😕

quote NZCol:
As an RS4 Avant owner all I can offer is 3 bikes and a surf ski on the roof, 2 on the back and a boot full of gear and the thing still pulls like a train uphill with 4 people in it. I had a vw t5 and a 911 before combining into one vehicle-no regrets.

From the perfect combination to a sad (but prob necessary) compromise!

Mondeo estate? Volvo V70? Both should take 4 bikes with wheels off and 4 people too

like rj says, one of my pals had them for a few years and my personal opinion is they’re not that much good at anything, other than bunging a few tools in the back.
Have you considered a Merc Vito or similar? it seems that all the mtb industry use them

If you’re on facebook Santa Cruz and Stif Cycles

You say that but it actually wasn’t. The van was handy but a bit of a pig really and the 911 was not really driven enough. When I wanted to combine a interesting fruity drive to and from places with gear it was in the van ! Trying to make time at weekends to drive my car seemed a bit odd. So I went for something disgustingly fast but able to swallow bikes (inside). It has awesome heated seats and that S button. 911(993 actually) was fantastic and a good investment to boot. I could have got a hybrid 1ltr grass eating vegetarian vehicle but I don’t want one. Sorry for that.

“Have you considered a Merc Vito or similar? it seems that all the mtb industry use them”

Is that why bikes are so bloody expensive these days as shops will only be seen driving round in Mercs 🙂

Can’t get a bike rack (boot type) for my car due to Chav spoiler! Then fitting a tow bar would make Chav spoiler look ridiculous I reckon. The van can’t be changed as it’s part of the business, full of tools etc and racked out. At the end of the day whatever I go for has to then suit the run to the shops etc! But the general consensus seems to be trucks suck!!

I could have got a hybrid 1ltr grass eating vegetarian vehicle but I don’t want one

Oh that’s alright then! Sorry kids – we could’ve saved the environment but we just didn’t feel like it, ok? You can handle all the mess we’ve left?

😉

Worse than that deliberately chose not to.

I knew that would wake you up 😉

A Mondeo estate or a something like a Galaxy?

I’m with col on this one, love the rs4!

You won’t regret it, and guess what, you’ll get there in pretty much the same time.

Have you considered a Merc Vito or similar? it seems that all the mtb industry use them

Merc are giving lots of folks vans to use this year which is why they’re everywhere. MBUK and Wide Open both have one, Athertons, Team CRC and Peaty as riders to name just a few.

Mitsi Legnum VR4 ftw. 4WD with fancy Active Yaw Control (no idea what it does, other than get you through 4′ of snow to the Cairngorm top carpark where other, “better” cars failed), in the region of 300bhp and oodles of torque for all your overtaking needs, 30 mpg if you’re careful, and really really cheap. There’s an absolute peach going on ClubVR4 at the moment for under £2500.

Stick a towbar rack on it and Bob’s your mother’s brother.

look out here come the hand wringers, didn’t take long 🙄

Buy what you want who gives a sh1t if they think you are a knob. I don’t rag mine on public roads but I do take it onto the track which is always nice. RS4 meets your requirements, any colour other than red, try and get the optics pack as well if you can, avoid ceramic brake option v noisy. Loads on piston heads.

Octavia Scout.

……………………….Fin………………………

Skoda Yeti 2.0 diesel?

Uncomfortable, crap to drive, slow and very thirsty.

I’d give you very thirsty but not the other 3 🙂

Serious question to the OP, where can you really use the potential of a fast car on UK roads (unless you use it on trackdays)?
Seems to me you are either stuck in a line of traffic or constantly on the look out for speed camera’s.
So I reckon as long as what you get will keep up with the flow of traffic and provide all the versitility you want you will fine.

Same boat as you two years ago – my car is a 3 series 330i (e46).

I use that most of the time as I enjoy the fast car syndromoe as you do. I can get 2 bikes on the roof a passenger an 2 sets of bike / camping gear NP but more importantly, it gets ME about.

As its only worth about 5k if I’m lucky, we bought a Ford Kuga as a family car, and I bought thule bars for that. If I do go away on a long journey I can swap the kiddy seat about and use that instead.

So best of both worlds…..

Mondeo estate, massive inside and good runner. As Alexpalacefan says the difference from a ‘fast’ car is a lot more relaxing but time wise not a lot, haven’t had road rage since downgrading to a chugging banger.

Went from a 328i tourer where I had to take front wheel off to get bike in the back to a MK1 1.8 Mondeo hatchback, can just chuck the bike in the back with the seats down. Mate had an Mondeo estate and we got an old coin-op arcarde machine in the back with room to spare, reckon you could easily get 4 bikes + kit in with the seats up with a bit of playing.

Sportier estates (aka lifestyle estates, urgh) are not worth it ime, small boots and awkward loading hatches.

I went from an Alfa 145 Cloverleaf to a Defender 😯 – driving is now more relaxing because I know I’ll get there whenever I get there so I sit back and take my time. Driving the Alfa in comparison seems like continually struggling against a boisterous puppy always pulling on a lead.

I occasionally miss being able to put my foot down, but not that much.

Slx, xt, xtr – all do the same just in different ways. Buy what you want. Solar sunroof in rs4 handy as well…

I’m driving a Navarra at the moment as a company pool car…It’s without doubt the worst car I have ever driven. Noisy, uncomfortable, cramped in the back, boot is not secure, costs a fortune in diesel to run, hard to park, awful to drive.

Avoid.

I’m driving a Navarra at the moment as a company pool car…It’s without doubt the worst car I have ever driven. Noisy, uncomfortable, cramped in the back, boot is not secure, costs a fortune in diesel to run, hard to park, awful to drive.

Is it any good off-road?

Serious question to the OP, where can you really use the potential of a fast car on UK roads (unless you use it on trackdays)?

When you’re stuck behind some fanny in a Kia doing 43mph through both NSL roads and 20/30mph villages, maybe?

best of both worlds?

Mondeo ST220……..