Need to part ex my current saloon, want something i can get a whole bike in the back of, ideally two with at the very least the front wheel off but there is nothing that makes me go oooh I’d love one of those.
Any ideas? Only needs to carry two passengers & be low RFL is possible
2nd hand, budget up to 13k

1 series hatch 3 or 5 door.

Depends on how much you want to dismantle your bike to get it in. For minimal dismantling i.e. front wheel only, i’d say you’re looking at a small estate like an A4/Focus sizes thing. Mondeo/A6 size cars don’t really get you much more as you still have to dismantle to the same degree and lie the bikes on their side, but obviously being bigger makes loading and unloading a bit easier. If you want them upright but with wheel removed then you’re into MPV stye things like C-Max’s/SMax’s and Galaxies. Whole bikes and you’re into van territory.

If it only ever needs to carry two folk, some kind of pickup with a hard cover for the back? Nissan Navara or Mitsubishi L200?

Or go for a Transporter and pimp out the back.

Holen Maloo. 5.7ltr V8 – £11,995

I’m in the same position now with a slightly lower budget of 10k. Best I’ve found so far is a BMW 116d M Sport which I think I’ll go for.

That said if my budget was 13k you’d get a Mercedes A Class AMG pack I sat in last week. Really really nice inside and out.

Transporter T5 is also a decent option but high on tax and you don’t get low miles for that money

I quite like my Seat Leon estate. Not to big, £20 road tax, 150 bhp 2.0 Diesel, amazing MPG. A very good Auction buy. 14 plate 22k and a couple of grand below your budget.

https://goo.gl/photos/tgDMHLrX44Mne9Qj9

Mondeo.

[url=https://flic.kr/p/Ry3oHT]2017-01-25[/url] by davetheblade, on Flickr

Or lots of less blingy, brand new decent spec ones available for your budget.

Keep what you have and n+1?

Why buy something for so much money if you’re hakf hearted.

£13k may get you the Octavia vrs diesel estate. 180+ bhp and efficient. Loads of room and cheap to run with a good if not awesome driver experience. Go DSG with paddles.

Whole bikes and you’re into van territory.

With the back seats down, I could get my hooligan Inbred 567 in the back of my Octavia hatchback with only the seatpost removed – two will fit, with a bit of care, and a couple of big blankets, especially the thick grey ones removal companies use, to cover the inside and between the bikes.
Personally I’d be looking at a B-Max/C-Max, or possibly an S-Max, great fun to drive, big rear door, higher rear roofline than an estate, but best of all are the sliding rear doors which give much better access to the rear space than regular doors. Basically they’re Fiesta/Focus/Mondeo MPV’s, I particularly like the B-Max on twisty roads.
Plus you get a heated screen with the Fords, which with weather like we’re getting at the moment, really can’t be overstated just how easy it is to get going on cold mornings.

Passat B5.5 Sport. Cheap, fairly sort after, reliable PD engine, no depreciation.

I always like the look of …

Ford Tourneo Connect

Review here …

How good looking are they eh … I like.

Go for one with automatic gear …

I am normally a Toyota person but this Ford Tourneo Connect is one that I would buy …

Ford Galaxy. You have to take the front wheel off to get a 29er in but other than it’s great.

EDIT: off the bike obviously. You can take the front wheel off the car if you want, but it won’t help get the bike in, and it affects the handling quite badly.

The Tourneo Connect looks like a disability vehicle, but, you know, each to their own and all that.

Oldnpastit – proper LOL from me and my wife 🙂

4 series or 4 series gran coupe

It’s got a bloomin hatchback FFS! It’s what I’m getting next (budget allowing) looks swag, meant to drive nicely and well equipped compared to the same spec 3 series.

Missed the £13k budget bit. Might be a struggle yet.

paulneenan76 – Member
The Tourneo Connect looks like a disability vehicle, but, you know, each to their own and all that.

Yes, some of them are modified for carrying wheel chairs but to me that is not a problem because other van type MPVs do that too.

Mind you in the far east large estate cars are used as hearse … 😛

The Tourneo Connect looks like a disability vehicle, but, you know, each to their own and all that.

Is there something wrong with a disability vehicle then?
You can get a Ford F150 for few bucks and it’ll have great bike carrying capacity.

Skoda Yeti
Glaxay/Sharan etc hard to beat dor all round flexibility.

The Tourneo Connect looks like a disability vehicle, but, you know, each to their own and all that.

So do B-Max, C-Max, S-Max, Galaxy, Zafira, Peugeot 3008, Peugeot Partner…
Because all of them are used as Motability cars.
But then, so are Merc A/B Series, BMW 1/3/5, Mazda MX-5, Golf GTD, Touran…
B-Max:

Grand C-Max:

I get a 20″ framed 29er in my kia ceed 5 door with both wheels on. Don’t get how people with estates still have to take the wheel off. It takes a bit of wiggling and the handlebar down the side of the driver’s seat but it’s far less hassle than taking a wheel off, fitting a brake block and having to remember to bring the axle.

So my advice would be get something you want to own (not a kia ceed) and wrestle your bike in any old way you can 😀

I really like both that Caddy and the Tourneo.

2017-01-25 by davetheblade, on Flickr

Or lots of less blingy, brand new decent spec ones available for your budget.

I’d like to know where your looking for a new caddy with decent spec for 13k!

If you’re only transporting 2 passengers I’d be looking at a transit connect l2 limited, you’ll pick up a 16 plate well specced one for 12k plus vat, bit of discount should see you under 13k all in. Why have a car when you can have a van if 3 seats is enough?!

You don’t have to spend 13k+ to find a decent caddy, I bought an immaculate 2013 (reg Nov 2013) 1.6tdi highline for £6.3k a few weeks ago, elec windows/elec heated mirrors, AC, DAB radio, parking sensors, cruise control, leather steering wheel, alloy wheels, admittingly it does have 109k miles which probably put folk off but full VW service history. It was used by Benfield VW (now Lookers VW) as their parts delivery vehicle between dealers in north England/south Scotland so at least it’s been well looked after. Just had the engine oil analysis report back from Millers oil and they said it’s in excellent condition engine wise so it’s off to superchip soon for a remap/rolling road session, 150bhp and 325nm torque should make it a better driving vehicle as the standard tune is quite lacking.

Perhaps have a look at the caddy maxi as they have rear seats and you can still get bikes in the back no problem, very easy to convert to a mini camper type of vehicle

Toyota Verso?

I’d like to know where your looking for a new caddy with decent spec for 13k!

Delivery miles Highline Caddy

*Edit. Actually my mistake – I tend to look at prices ex VAT. There’s still decent ones out there though

Focus ST estate

4 series or 4 series gran coupe
It’s got a bloomin hatchback FFS! It’s what I’m getting next (budget allowing) looks swag, meant to drive nicely and well equipped compared to the same spec 3 series. [/I]

4 series is a boot, so you need the drop-down seat option.

Although when I mentioned I could get my bike in our new one my wife commented that if you can get a bike in you could also get a coffin in there too…

Needless to say I use our other car 🙂

What sort of cars do you actually like? That might help a bit

Does the badge make a difference to you? What about age? Mileage? Petrol/diesel?

Lots of boring cars being mentioned above, unlikely to make someone go oooh unless you’re a bit odd 😀

I used to get my bike in my porsche 944 with only the front wheel off, but sadly the days of hatch-equipped coupes appears gone. would a 3 door evoke do the job?

Toyota Verso?

OP is looking for a new car, at no point has he said he’s totally given up on life and is simply waiting to die.

5lab – Member

I used to get my bike in my porsche 944 with only the front wheel off, but sadly the days of hatch-equipped coupes appears gone. would a 3 door evoke do the job?

Do you really need a hatch equipped coupe when we’ve got 400bhp hatchbacks?

Abarth Punto Evo Supersport – ther’s a black one with 180bhp on Autotrader for £12k

Just about squeeze a couple of bikes in I reckon

Loads for under £11k

DaveyBoyWonder – Member

Toyota Verso?

OP is looking for a new car, at no point has he said he’s totally given up on life and is simply waiting to die.

That was my exact thought as soon as I saw that, round here I think they come with the fish symbol pre attached from the dealer & the fog light switch glued in.

But, but they’re good cars. RD hasn’t said he’s into some blingo fashion accessory nor rabid street racer.

Versos are quiet, comfortable, built well. Cheap to run (low RFL, that was a stipulation) and 2014 1.6D-4D can be had with <20k on the clock from Branded dealerships for his budget.

The Fish symbolism is only part of the upgrade available.