Van (day van camper, was also my daily driver) written off due to my own stupidity. Need a vehicle before going back to work on the 7th. We’re going to go for a more full on camper as a direct replacement that I won’t want to use as a daily, so need a runabout for commute and bike /dog duties.

Budget is around 2.5 to 3k. Need something economical to run that can somehow transport a bike without too much faffing (whether that’s inside or on a rack). Needs to last 4 or 5 years. Also bowing to media pressure and thinking petrol rather than diesel. Don’t want to go full bangernomics.

My thinking is either (don’t really want a small van)…

– Medium size MPV (Scenic, Picasso, etc.) that can fold/flip rear seats and take a bike with maybe only the front wheel out. Not too big, not super cheap to run.

– Decent sized estate (Mondeo, Laguna, etc.). Plenty big enough to bike(s), comfortable, not going to be the cheapest to run.

– Silly mini/city car (Twingo, 107, Fiat 500/Panda, etc.). Cheap to run but will need roof/tailgate rack to take the bike.

Head says the MPV is the best compromise. Gut says bigger estate will be the best place to be for the commute. Heart (because I love small cars) says go for the roller skate and put up with the bike rack (also have a Clio that Zoe drives that we have a full Thule roof bar and rack set up for so could use that for bikes if needed to).

What would STW do?

Cheap middle aged Mondeo. Unfashionable. Does the job.

Volvo V50 1.8 petrol?

Berlingo innit. Best car in the world.

Octavia wagon. Because I have one, it must be the best.
And it is pretty cheap to run.

kayak23
Berlingo innit. Best car in the world.

Was on my list, but not sure there are any local given my timescales.

I got an 02 Subaru outback for 400 quid. Love it 😊. Seeing as it’s got a fair few scrapes & dings I don’t coddle it. Just drive it as it should be driven 😁

Own a bingo and a Mondeo. I’d go for the Berlingo. Best car innit.

That’d buy you a very nice mk3 or sligghtly less nice mk4 mondeo. The big diesels tend to be bargains- they’re not that popular as they’re not seen as “normal” models but the 2.2 mk3 diesel is just exactly like the 130bhp except better at everything- better economy, better drivablity, it’s just a big fat lazy unstressed engine in a big fat car and it works brilliantly. Miss mine… And you could get 2 decent ones for your budget so less stress about petrol vs diesel

The older petrols are all rubbish but maybe they get better mk4 onwards.

Octavias are great cars but kind of disappointing bikewise

What length commute? Wouldn’t fancy long motorway commute in a Panda etc. If not I’d go small other factors allowing. Had a wee S3 for just over 18months and loved the smallness of it on the country roads that are my commute. However finally accepted getting 2 kids and 2 dogs and bikes/skateboarding etc stuff in it was just getting impractical so got something bigger instead.

bruk
What length commute? Wouldn’t fancy long motorway commute in a Panda etc. If not I’d go small other factors allowing. Had a wee S3 for just over 18months and loved the smallness of it on the country roads that are my commute.

30 minutes / 15 miles. Half on little country roads, half on dual carriageway and city roads. More than doable in a roller skate (briefly had a hire Aygo when I first smashed the van and quite enjoyed driving that).

I’m an avowed small car fan. Grew up driving (proper) minis – had six of them early on in my driving life. Have also had Lancia Y10 turbo (mental) and a 206 GTi at various times between ‘normal’ size cars.

Will need some way of carrying the bike(s), but like I said already have a solution for that if it’s not practical in/on a supermini (had a mate use a Citroen C2 for – internally – carting his bike around for ages so it’s doable).

I was going to suggest Berlingo/Partner (Partner is the Peugeot version and apparently less ‘lifestyle-styled’ so looks more boring, but they are the same).
The other I was going to suggest speaking to Northwind about Mondeo…but he has already replied.

1.8 petrol Honda civic.

Get a 500 or a panda 100. I can get one bike easily in my abarth, two with some shuffling. Panda 100 is proper fun, or if you can find one a 500 sport (500 with 1368 16v starjet engine).

Wow a y10 turbo! Always wanted a GTie myself as those dumpy little pistons will wang up and down 7000 times a minute day in, day out.

Life’s too short for dull cars.

Toyota Yaris – small, very economical round town and with roof bars and bike racks will take the family’s bikes on the roof.

Citreon c2 vtr?

1.8 Petrol Honda Civic

zafira – don’t laugh, everyone thinks they’re crap but they aren’t really, just dull as. Loads of space and best of all there are thousands to choose from. Cheap as to run and insure. Roof rails etc etc, petrol or diesel.

either that or a mondy

Citron Nemo, can get a bike in with the wheels on, £30 ish a year road tax and 70mpg. Looks daft and is pretty slow. The multispace has sliding doors just like the A team van. Mine is great. Couldn’t afford a Berlingo though.

if your restricted to whats local then which ever is in the best condition.

unless prepared to travel dont get set on one particular model or marque.

you can get a bike in almost anything if you think.

we had an mtb tandem in a KA…..ok one of us was in the drivers seat and the other in the rear behind the passenger seat with the bike in across the car with wheels/seatposts/bars off…..

+1 for the Berlingo, but trying to find a petrol one is difficult, they is like Rocking Horse droppings, innit.

+1 for the Berlingo, but trying to find a petrol one is difficult, they is like Rocking Horse droppings, innit.

Buying a 1.6 16v petrol over buying a 1.6 diesel isn’t the environmental way forward.

You really need to be buying the 1.2 puretech for the environment gains

It’s a shame is very under powered or tuned badly that you need to revs it’s nuts off to get up hills with folk on board

Great it all you do is nip around town . It’s great for that but if your trips are long distance then your penalised with high revving and low economy.

(Fwiw I tried to buy a brand new puretech last year and having test drove it I was very much put off)

2 years ago my MIL gave us a 55 reg Honda jazz. It’s brilliant for what you describe- split rear seat down and my XL 29er goes in with only front wheel off. Drives fine, will never be a supercar but I’ve a similar but double the distance commute to you and it’s fine for that. Easily fits family of 4 in too. Should be able to get a nice one from some old dear local to you!

Based on the cars you have owned before, why not a Twingo 133? Fast and fun but small. I don’t see the point in getting a big car if you’ll already have a van for when you have loads of stuff to move. One of those with a roof rack will carry you, a pal and two bikes in a thoroughly enjoyable and reasonably economical way. And it’ll make the 15 minutes of country roads on your commute and event.

Caterham 7

I have the 1.2 petrol Partner and yup, rocking horse droppings would describe it well – our old car (petrol Berlingo) died on us and we wanted to get our hands on one quickly – the guy at the dealership described it as like looking for a unicorn. We did get one though and I don’t think it’s too bad (but then I’m not a car expert by any means). £30 tax is also nice when the old Berlingo was £260ish!

Thanks for all the opinions.

Have had a trawl round today, and my sucker for small cars heart won out. Getting a silly little Pug 107. No bells and whistles, just a cheap to run supermini. Will be fine for what I need. If a bike will go in the back of a 500, it will go in the back of a 107 I guess. If it won’t then Westfalia make a nifty little chassis mounted rear carrier or I can get some genuine Pug roof bars (only rated for 50kg but that’s easy enough for one bike) and clamp my Thule Freeride to those.

Little follow up question.

If I can’t get the bike in the back of the pug and have to go for a rack, would STW go for rear mounted or roof mounted? I’ve always gone for roof bars and racks in the past but no real idea whether there’s any real advantage in one versus the other?

Rear mounted easier to get the bike on and off I guess (I’m only 5’6″) and possibly less effect on MPG compared to roof mounted but overhang to the sides and potential need for a light/plate bar.

Rear mount every time. I take it this is a chassis mount that is equivalent to a tow ball? If so that’s pretty smart.

FWIW given the choice Mondy 2.2, Civic or Jazz Si, in biggest to smallest. No point now but whatever.

squirrelking
Rear mount every time. I take it this is a chassis mount that is equivalent to a tow ball? If so that’s pretty smart.

Yeah, the Westfalia thing seems a clever little system. Two brackets bolt permanently under the rear bumper and the rack slots into those when you need it.

On a car with minimal torque and little spare “go” I’d rear mount the bike if possible.

If I stick a couple of bikes or kayaks on the roof of my torquey family barge I can really feel the drag. The only reason I don’t rear mount is that 4 bikes + rack + leverage takes us right up to the nose weight limit.

Berlingo innit. Best car in the world.

Horrid, hateful thing, as is the Partner. Driving position is the worst of any car I’ve driven, and I’ve driven dozens of different makes and models – driving either back from Cornwall was my worst nightmare, I’d be in constant pain in my knee, because of the fixed seat position and no way to stretch my left leg out behind the pedals.
I know some will allow the seat to go back farther but most won’t.
Personally, I’d be looking at a Zafira, huge amount of room, the 1.4 Turbo goes like the clappers, and they’re really very comfortable. I’ve driven hundreds of miles in them, and the only reason I haven’t got one is I have no need for a car of that size, my Octavia is bigger than I need.
I see the OP has gone for the 107 – I’ve driven quite a few of those, along with the siblings, the C1 and the Aygo, and they’re terrific fun! I prefer the auto, the flappy paddles, they’re great on winding roads. You have really get the revs up, and they’re noisy little beasts, but I’d have one as a small local car if I could afford two cars, it would be ideal for my work commute.
Have fun! 😊

So what your really saying there is those of us who don’t have knees that don’t work will be grand with a Berlingo.

C1/107 is a great little car you won’t be disappointed if you like minis. It has all the minis best bits.

Well, waddya know?

Room to spare…

Assuming you fit between the seat and the wheel 🙂

trail_rat
Assuming you fit between the seat and the wheel 🙂

At 5’6″ that’s never going to be an issue…