I have saved up about £5k which I plan to spend £1500ish on a hardtail 29er.

The dilemma I have then is if I should spend the remaining cash on a small economical car with a bike rack or a small van which would hold a bike and gear on trips further afield. Any suggestions for what I could pick up for that kind of money ? Maybe stretch to £4k tops Reliability is key ! Ive never willingly spent more on a car than my bikes before so this is a luxury !

Reliability is key

Most reliable car?

Toyota Corolla

i have a diesel vw camper. £12k, and the engine is a 1.6td which gives me a max of 36mpg.

i love my van.

if you want to get to far away places, buy a skoda estate diesel, bet 50+mpg and cheaper tyres, insurance etc, and get biking

domestic mini van – say £3000 for a good one – bike space – car reliability – cheaper tax – somewhere to kip when out biking?

Ford and VW do good ones

Isn’t a Berlingo multispace the best of both worlds?

OK, maybe not best, but OK.

I was in the same situation cheap little van or little car. Tried a few vans and whilst great for putting the bike etc in were just to noisy and unrefined for long journeys. Went for a small estate car best of both. Bike goes in with wheels on nice to drive economical can fit people in aswell.

Went for a peugeot 206 estate. Id forgot they made them great little motor also looked at the berlingo multipla type things but were just to shop mobility.

I have this dilema every time I think of changing. Car has won every time so far but next time it won’t!

If you’re heading for weekends away a van/car with enough room for the bike, sleeping in and getting changed plus a bit of privacy in is pretty handy. Volvo estates are great but struggle to get changed in one. Berlingos should just about work.

Something like a transit connect high roof would be perfect.

Problem with a van can be having no idea of the history. Cars are likely to have been owned and driven by people who at least remotely care for them and don’t want to see them break. Vans can be handed out to different people every day and have a hard life.

Why it keeps coming up as a regular dilema is there’s not really a right answer for most people. Sometimes I’m really glad I’ve got a car on a long trip and sometimes I’m gutted not to have a van getting changed in a cold, wet car park hiding behind a towel!

Ford Focus estate diesel FTW.

APF

I’m with Stevemtb, I want a van for all purposes except actually driving it. Some inspector-gadget type vehicle would be great, load it up in van form, lots of room, drive it in car form and then have a van at the other end with lots of useful space.
Maybe something like a Bongo? Expensive to run and buy, but don’t depreciate so long-term not too bad.

Galaxy/sharan/alahmbra. Seats out, limo tint the windows and you have a comfortable van that’s cheap to run and easy to insure.

Bought a Renault traffic 2years ago. Best vehicle I have ever owned.
It’s a 6 seater LWB.

I can get the wife, kids, dog, bikes and camping gear in no problem. It’s somewhere to get changed when the weather is manky, sits at motorway speeds all day long and gets about 35 to the gallon.

200 quid to tax, bout 450 insurance.

Can’t see me changing ever. ( unless I get a newer one)

DON’T get a Bongo. 25mpg. Madness.

http://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/fa-ot-bmw-318i-touring-2002

We had a polo estate which was ace for similar requirements, recently replaced with a Touran due to need for extra kid space around Xmas. Would happily recommend both vehicles, more useful than a van, very car like to drive.

Just check the insurance if you go for a van, often dearer than a car.

car always.. something like a fabia estate ( some do 99mpg!) should get something 4 yrs old in a1 cond for 4k

I shall hit autotrader in the morning. Cheers for the suggestions !

Focus Estate – and be fussy, soooo many around you can afford to.
Keep eye out for Corrolla or Yaris as well – yaris here with 66k on a NOTHING other than service and tyres needed on it, unless you include the new wiper blades…