Morning all,

I am just parting with my amazing (newer type) VW Caddy van. Its been an exceptional bike/sport vehicle but my job and needing more seats has meant it has to go.

As always my budget is my biggest constraint. I am realistically looking at a 2005-2007 age car, probably an Audi A6 or a 5-Series BMW. I’m thinging about A4’s and 3-series too. Both in 3.0 TDI. If i am changing to a car i want it to be lively, so want the larger 3.0 engine. I had a 2001 330d touring before and it was excellent.

Whatever i buy it will have a tow bar fitted so i can use my Thule ball mounted bike rack (on/off in seconds- great bit of kit).

Ideally i would like an estate, i have had them for some time (as well as the vans). BUT there is much more choice and better value in a saloon- specifically the 5-series and A6. I think the A4/3-series saloon would be too small.

I also have a dog- which normally goes in the back/boot. I’m guessing as the wife treats the dog better than me she will insist he has at least one of the rear seats down in a saloon so he can sit upright/go in and out of the boot area.

So my question is, how much of a pain is a saloon and will i regret getting one?

Many thanks.

FWIW, A4 estate boot is pathetically small and the back screen’s at a ludicrous angle so you can barely fit anything in it anyway. At least it is on the version my Dad’s got.

Either way, I’d opt for estate all the way – much more useful.

Estate all the way, especially if there’s a dog.

http://www.pistonheads.com/classifieds/used-cars/audi/a6/audi-a6-avant-c6-3-0-tdi-tdv-quattro-tiptronic-s-line-le-mans/1924096?isexperiment=true

Something like that 😀

Do you mean saloon or hatchback? Putting the dog in the boot of a saloon isn’t very nice even with the seats down and it wouldn’t be secure either.

If you have the towbar rack then I can’t see a problem with either of the cars. If you are used to the big opening of the van for loading items in the boot then you’ll be restricted with the angle of most saloon boots which are great fro suitcase but bulky things can be impossible to get in.

Could get my FS in the boot on my Alfa 159 easily. Now we’ve got a child seat it I can still get the bike in. Mine is a 60/40 split rear fold. Be worth checking because some saloons don’t have folding rear seats (my old 156 didn’t :evil:)

I’ve got an alfa 156 saloon and after trying a boot mounted rack and ruining my paint work I ended up going for roof bars, as I feel a tow bar would ruin the look of the car.

The roof bars look silly anyway and my dog has to sit on my lovely leather upholstery!

I miss my old estate car.

Where abouts are you, and do you have some details on the caddy you could send over?

5 series touring is your friend.
A6 avant owner here and there’s as much space in my gf’s octavia hatch as the back of the A6. Bike has to go in lying down anyway.
Or you could buy a 911; they take a bike in the back with wheels in the boot.

Personally, I’d look at a 2nd generation (2000-2007) Volvo V70 or possibly an early 3rd generation (2007+). Lovely, cosseting, capable cars. The sister S80 and possibly S60 saloons would still offer a vast boot with a low entry price tag.

I’d recommend the warbling D5 lump, which gives between 165 and 215hp depending on year; and the SE or SE Lux trim (leather and electric everything, Dolby audio etc).

In my experience, you have to spend a lot more to match the quality and spec with German cars. Don’t think that a VAG or BMW 2.0 four pot in ordinary trim is equivalent to one of these Swedish love machines; you’ll need a six-cylinder German in high spec for that.

Saloon car….! Forget it.

A mate of mine has a 5-series and never seems to put his bike in it as it’s too much of a pain – he ends up getting lifts everywhere if he needs to take his bike along.

An old colleague had a massive Volvo saloon (S80?) and watching him struggle to get his bike into it was hilarious.

Thanks for the replies chaps. Essentially you’ve told me what i really knew deep down- i do need to wait around for an estate.

YORKSHIRE: The caddy is pretty much sold im afraid- advertised on here a couple weeks back, next evening someone came to view. The chap is coming Saturday to view in the daylight/buy. If it falls through i will let you know.

SHED: I would love a 911, its my dream car. For me though it has to be a 911 turbo on a ’84-’85. Of course red with the black whale tail and the black centre’d (Ronal?) wheels. One day, one day!

For now i will hunt for an estate. Its going to be a 530d M-sport or a A6 S-Line.

Thanks all.

FYI- I wont be putting the bike in any car, the tow ball mounted rack is so easy i use that all of the time. The only thing to car in the back of the car is the dog.

For now i will hunt for an estate. Its going to be a 530d M-sport or a A6 S-Line.

Or you could get one with a full sized boot. 😉

Hot E-Class or a V70R.

I am not a Mercedes fan so thats out but I will look at the Volvo. Im just not sure if at 29 i can justigy a VOLVO! Christ, next would be the purchase of a caravan! ha ha

…Well I’m 33 and have a V60 D5:

Yetiboy

Just dropped you an email, as in about 2 weeks I will be selling an immaculate, low mileage E61 (LCI facelift) 530d M Sport Touring with FBMWSH and BMW Warranty.

I’ve had estates, saloons, and hatches, and after another weekend of wrestling my dog and enough kit for a weekend away in and out of a Golf, I swore I’d never subject the poor beast to such animal cruelty again! Which is good, as I’m odds on for buying a nice Caddy from this chap in Plymouth on Saturday 😉

FWIW I’d go for the 5 series touring over the A6 avant…probably more fun to drive most of the time….

Warns – you have mail

rexated: I think i know this person in Plymouth he’s a top bloke. See you Saturday afternoon pal! 😀

I have a 3 series coupe and it’s fine for one bike with wheel off. Wouldn’t consider anything but an estate with a dog. My next car will be an estate regardless I think.

I’m also 29 and would definitely consider a Volvo. I’ll be choosing between Volvo/BMW/Audi estates when the time comes.

Had an Omega saloon – biggest boot you can think of, absolutely huge, but still less practical than my old Daewoo Nexia (Astra).

Two bikes in the boot was a pain in the arse & and just totally unecessary stress when packing up.

I went through something similar when I wanted a posh car!
all the “premium” cars are estates or saloons…

I went with an estate Alfa 159, as whilst an estate car its still loverly! although the least practical estate car you can get…

If i was doing it again/was you, I would go with a Octavia vrs hatchback…

as in reality the estate “bit” only gives you more room if moving wardrobes or freezers, and your bike lies flat.

I bought my Jag XF saloon knowing it would be a bit of a struggle to get the bike in – it fits, just, with the back wheel still on and a dropper seatpost. I can’t afford the estate version otherwise that’s what I’d have gone for.

Get a mondeo standard, the boot is massive, with seats flat down the storage is immense, I don’t mess about with my bike rack now I just stick the 29er in the boot, wheels on.

Nice car, cant imagine how much more grunt you need than a 2tdci, but theres a 2.2 as well. I priced up audis a4, bmw 320ds and mazda6, if your not a badge snob its a much better spec for less dosh and much better reviewed.

I have a 530D M-sport estate. Great car, loads(too much)of power. Used to have a 5 series saloon but got sick of putting the bike on the roof and all the resultant wind noise. Much better just slinging the bike in the back of an estate. I’ve also slept in it a few times – once in wales when I couldnt use a tent as a hurricane as blowing.

Only caveat are the run flat tyres -totally shit. If you have a puncture outside working hours and you need to go more than 100 miles then forget it. They also cost 225 quid everytime you puncture.

My mate used to fit a DH bike in an audi RS4 saloon, he now has a 911 so uses his wifes golf for bikes!

Personally i’d go for an estate everytime, I can fit 2 FS bikes (upside down with wheels off) in the boot of my passat without putting any seats down.

I had an Audi A4 saloon until mid last year and it was absolutely hopeless for getting a bike into. The boot looks huge at first glance but unless you like stripping your bike down to it’s component parts everytime you want to go somewhere I’d look elsewhere……….
I now drive a Renault Koleos and it’s great for carrying the bikes. Rear seats fold completely flat turning it from family car into basically a van in seconds. Fairly cheap to run too……..

Thanks for the replies chaps.

I am a brand snob for sure. There is no way i would buy anything French. Our fleet of vehicles in work are French and i see way too many in the workshop.

I wont be putting bikes in the back as i have no need. My rack comes on/off the car in seconds (Thule one what hydraulically clamps the tow ball).

I am sold on an estate though so will have to get saving for the extra ££ they are over a saloon.

I love gadgets etc and both the Audi and BMW have bags of them. I cant handle the retro airliner cockpit feel of a Volvo or Saab for that matter.

Thanks for the help but i am set on a 530/535d touring or maybe a A6 if one comes up.

i am set on a 530/535d touring

I have a new 520D Touring and it’s by no means underporwered, and probs a bit more economical. I think its about 180 bhp

Saloons suck really – we have a 330 and the seats don’t fold down, the boot looks pretty big but is a funny shape so it doesn’t take much to fill it up. Does sound nice though!

With hindsight, I probably should have hung on for an estate although they aren’t that much more better (3 series size). The BM estates are better looking than the saloons too.

Definitely get a six pot too.

mindmap3 – Member
Saloons suck really – we have a 330 and the seats don’t fold down, the boot looks pretty big but is a funny shape so it doesn’t take much to fill it up. Does sound nice though!

With hindsight, I probably should have hung on for an estate although they aren’t that much more better (3 series size). The BM estates are better looking than the saloons too.

Definitely get a six pot too.

This is me also – although I get my frame and wheels in a soft bike bag on the back seat, and luggage in the boot. MPG isn’t great and I yearn for an estate, lifestyle issues currently mean I have to wait 3 years though unless a bargain comes along 🙁

Not sure what the problem is, buy saloon add tow bar. Sorted.

Worse case just take the wheels off and sling it in the back seats – in fact in both my E39 and X-Type I could just take out the front wheel and the bike fitted happily on the back seats (20″ frame too).

What br said, tow bar, roof rack or decent boot rack.

I don’t see it making that much difference unless you are driving to the south of france or something. If anything, it is a hassle to put the seats down, line the floor and manhandle a muddy bike in after a ride.

A4 really is a “compact” executive car; it’s smaller than a Passat. If you get an A4 saloon with the folding rear seats, a bike will post in with one of the wheels removed. Better off getting a Passat estate and enjoying the space and the ability to roll a fully assembled bike straight into the back, obliquely.

mindmap3 – Member
Saloons suck really – we have a 330 and the seats don’t fold down, the boot looks pretty big but is a funny shape so it doesn’t take much to fill it up. Does sound nice though!

Fold down seats are extra with BMW. Apparantely some people prefer the extra rigidity of the ride provided by fixed seats.

I didn’t know this when I bought mine, fortuntely mine do fold down!

Thanks for the input guys.

As I said originally I will be having a tow bar fitted right away. I already have the Thule 3-bike rack waiting.

I’m just gonna see what comes up. I’d love the touring but would settle for a good saloon.

Cheers all

I have a 2005 e61 petrol touring. Great car and excels at everything. I got the petrol version as I do very little annual mileage.

I to looked at the saloon vs touring version and in the end picked the touring on space. There is very few saloons that have split folding rear seats which limits the storage capacity.

Are you sure you need a 3 litre? The VW 2.0 TDI engine is plenty quick and has so much torque it’s like being on the end of a rubber band. My boss has a 3l diesel A6 and it just eats tyres.

Whilst the 2.0 vag is good have you driven a 330d ?! Completely different league. Forget the saloon, get the touring. The 3 series isn’t that big but it will easily take a couple of bikes with wheels of and plenty of gear for a few nights away.

I got rid of my IS200, the boot used to do my head in (especially when transporting bikes). I had a towbar rack but when I wanted to scoot off quickly I had to dismantle the bike and shoehorn it into the boot.

I now have a Mondeo estate and wondered how I ever managed without it and why I did not buy one earlier!

I can get three road bikes in the ‘boot’ with the front wheels off and I don’t even have to fold down the seats. Last weekend I had three track bikes (front wheels off) two sets of rollers and a large bag, all in the back with the seats in the normal upright position.

My mate has a Passat estate and the (usable) boot space is quite small in comparison.

Cheers all.

I do need the 3.0 engine as I have had a 330d in the past. They are animals but surprising economical if driven sensibly. I certainly wouldn’t want to come up on car size (5 series) and down in engine size.

I am definitely on the hunt for an estate but haven’t ruled out a saloon because if one comes up with everything else I want (built in Nav, tow bar and m-sport trim level) I would be hard pushed to turn it down.

Thanks again