# Best Car for MTB ?



## totto (Jun 8, 2011)

My car reached 150K I'm thinking about buying a new car and my criteria are:

1 Bike carrying ability
- Had enough bike rack / seats down and front wheel off 
- Prefer two bikes/ no wheels off. :thumbsup:

2 Cost 
- Price :skep:
- Fuel / Repairs :eekster:

On top of my list are:

1. 2009 SUBARU FORESTER 
- Not sure about no wheels off on this one...

2. 2007 VOLKSWAGEN CADDY 
- Little embarrassing to drive...

3. 2004 MERCEDES VITO :nono:
- Too big..?

Does anyone have any of these cars/similar? 
Or do you own any other cars that meets my criteria? 

My budget ? I like to new VW Amarok but can't afford it....:madman:

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One Pivot said:


> You should really consider a hitch mounted rack. Its easier and faster to put two bikes on a rack than it is to put them inside, and you wont dirty up your car.





kwrides said:


> All the cars being mentioned do not meet the criteria of no seats down and no wheels off. As others have said, if this is a must, you need a pick up truck, which will get poor mileage. You're going to have to let one of your criteria go. There is no cheap, no seats down, both wheels on, good gas mileage car. It doesn't exist.





ambassadorhawg said:


> As I mentioned earlier, get whatever car you want. Do not base your purchase on your bike! Bikes really do not belong INSIDE a vehicle. That's what bike racks are for...


Point taken ! Decision Made !

06/07 VW Polo TDI + hitch mounted rack.

THANK YOU ALL :thumbsup:


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## ROCKHOPPER703 (Jul 10, 2007)

Love my Honda Element. I can get 2 bikes, wheel on, in the back with seating for 2. I can take 1 bike in the back with 3 seats open. Great on gas, AWD and plastic floor for easy cleanup.


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## Dirty Bastard (Jan 23, 2008)

I absolutely love my 97 f150 4x4, commute by bike n discover trails by 4x4 : D and a plus, it is not embarrassing to drive whatsoever.


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## totto (Jun 8, 2011)

ROCKHOPPER703 said:


> Love my Honda Element. I can get 2 bikes, wheel on, in the back with seating for 2. I can take 1 bike in the back with 3 seats open. Great on gas, AWD and plastic floor for easy cleanup.


Excellent pick... Not available in Australian though...:madman:... Never liked CRV but I think I can live with this one !



Dirty Bastard said:


> I absolutely love my 97 f150 4x4, commute by bike n discover trails by 4x4 : D and a plus, it is not embarrassing to drive whatsoever.


Awesome wheels... but costs about $45000 to buy one in Australia....Not really cost effective... Thirsty on fuel is it not?


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## dth656 (Feb 12, 2009)

you may want to look at the honda fit (overseas, i've seen it labeled as the honda city jazz i think). small hatchback, 4 doors, sips petrol, and you can cram it full of tons of stuff. w/ a hitch mounted bike rack, i think that would be the ideal utility car.


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## 411898 (Nov 5, 2008)

Anything in your opinion that has offroad capabilities and high clearance. Whether that is a Porche GT3, a Monster Truck or anything in between...


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## nikojan (Jun 18, 2011)

2005 volvo xc90 is great, or an older ranger rover which you can get for about 10-15k nowadays.


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## HighLife420 (Apr 5, 2011)

friend of mine has a forester. You would still have to remove your front tire and or put the seats down to get your bike in...you can fit 1 bike with the tire off and the seats not down or 1 bike with the wheels on and the seats down. 

Only thing i can think of that you would NOT have to remove the front wheel, not use a rack, or put seats down, would be a pick up truck with a decent size bed. 

How about a Jeep? Ive been looking at some smaller SUV type vehicles. Test drove a Ford Edge, love it...cost alot...the Escape, not as nice but doesnt costs as much...then a friend recommended i test drive the Jeep Liberty...really like it, considering it....not cheap though. I think i could fit 1 bike in there with both wheels on and the seats down....however, i would just use a hitch rack or something.


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## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

You should really consider a hitch mounted rack. Its easier and faster to put two bikes on a rack than it is to put them inside, and you wont dirty up your car. 

Jeeps are some of the worst quality vehicles you can buy. Basically anything chrysler is. Ive worked on hundreds of them, they just flat out do not stack up quality wise to everything else.


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## DeepseaDebo (Oct 20, 2009)

> Jeeps are some of the worst quality vehicles you can buy. Basically anything chrysler is. Ive worked on hundreds of them, they just flat out do not stack up quality wise to everything else.


tell that to my Cherokee with 151k on it. i would recommend a cherokee to anyone i throw tons of crap in the back and it runs great never had any issues. i also love my VW golf as long as you get a roof rack.


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## manabiker (Jul 18, 2010)

A pick up truck


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## pleepleus (Apr 19, 2011)

Something like a Tacoma. You can get the fork mounts that attach to the rail system in the bed. Safest way to transport a bike. The rear hitch bike racks make me nervous, if you get rear ended your bike gets destroyed. Also if your attachment system comes loose the bike can fall off a rear rack. If the bike comes loose in the bed it just falls over into the bed.


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## jettore (Apr 12, 2011)

totto said:


> 2. 2007 VOLKSWAGEN CADDY
> - Little embarrassing to drive...


I was putting my vote in on the Caddy until I realized they don't make the pickup version any more. I love the mk1 VW Caddy's. Gonna have to buy one for myself someday.

Looks like the 2007 is about the same size of the Honda Element someone else mentioned so probably would work well. Is the Ford Transit an option for you down under?

Edit: never mind on the Ford Transit. I just checked the Ford site and your transit is very different from the one offered here.


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## ArmySlowRdr (Dec 19, 2003)

Love my Outback--hold a ton. Right now I have a yakima on top-with one high roller, and 2 other style trays.

The outback holds tons of stuff in the cargo area. Perfect for hauling bike and camping gear to races. I am not surprised IMBA has partnered with Subaru and the trail care crew uses them.

I've told this story be4, but upon my retirement from the army, I flew from Oahu to LAX, picked up the outback at the government vehicle processing center and proceeded to drive to Lajitas for a MTB fest/race. In tow was the wife, boy and cat with all assocaited max pieces of luggage and cat carrier...for army people you know this is a LOT of pieces. Also the bike and bike gear. We were packed to the gills but subie held it all with no problemo.

Now it is still the main family car as I have a compamy Ram Laredo I can also drive. Outback has 159000 miles on it and has survived a massive hail storm. It is dinged up but going strong !

edit--yes the high roller is a roof rack, but it is high quality TWO wheels on...and much much better than its predecessor--the king cobra, which i also have. The king cobra lived up to its name and bit my hand good---its securing knob is faulty--well a hassle for sure. High Roller has solved those issues.


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## rockymountainslayer (Jun 18, 2011)

*best car*

1997 subaru legacy outback


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## kwrides (Oct 12, 2010)

All the cars being mentioned do not meet the criteria of no seats down and no wheels off. As others have said, if this is a must, you need a pick up truck, which will get poor mileage. You're going to have to let one of your criteria go. There is no cheap, no seats down, both wheels on, good gas mileage car. It doesn't exist.


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## 411898 (Nov 5, 2008)

As I mentioned earlier, get whatever car you want. Do not base your purchase on your bike! Bikes really do not belong INSIDE a vehicle. That's what bike racks are for...


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## masterlucasdude (Jun 5, 2011)

My '04 F150 FX4 will go anywhere. Custom rack in the bed allows me to carry 5 bikes with the wheels left on and non rubbing. Adding my bike rack to my hitch allows 4 more making a total of 9 bikes. Super comfy and I can get 700 miles on one tank on the freeway making long biking trips easy. The only downfall is the $130 it cost me to fill her up.


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## DeepseaDebo (Oct 20, 2009)

my suggestion is a car and a roof rack, my VW gets good mileage fun to drive and with a roof rack i can haul my 2 bikes with wheels still on it along with 2 kayaks. or i can do surf boards or snowboards as well. car+roof rack= pocket friendly hauler


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## Diggidy (Jan 1, 2008)

One Pivot said:


> Jeeps are some of the worst quality vehicles you can buy. Basically anything chrysler is. Ive worked on hundreds of them, they just flat out do not stack up quality wise to everything else.


~100k on my Wrangler. No problems what so ever; unless you consider all the fun I've had in that thing that would be impossible to have in another vehicle, then yeah, I've got problems with the damn thing nearly every day.


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## b1g bleu (Jun 4, 2011)

One Pivot said:


> You should really consider a hitch mounted rack. Its easier and faster to put two bikes on a rack than it is to put them inside, and you wont dirty up your car.
> 
> Jeeps are some of the worst quality vehicles you can buy. Basically anything chrysler is. Ive worked on hundreds of them, they just flat out do not stack up quality wise to everything else.


WOW! What reliable manufacturer would you suggest that you haven't had to fix any of their vehicles? Oh, then you'd be out of work!


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

My wife and I have between us an 07 Honda Fit and an 02 Jeep Liberty.

The Honda is a pretty good car for carrying the bikes. I have a roof rack, but really only use it to haul the canoe. I can toss 2 bikes in the back pretty easily upright on fork mounts. Yes, the wheel must come off to do this.

The older Liberty has been good to us. We've had some great offroad fun with it and it's totally stock. I'd like to put a bull bar on the front for attaching a tow strap (to pull other people out mostly), but otherwise it works for us. I have a hitch on it already, and I'd like to get a tray-style hitch rack to make it easier to carry bikes for both vehicles with the same rack. Wheels-on and in the slipstream.

I do miss my old pickup truck, though. I used to drive a small 4-banger Ford Ranger and I loved the thing (but not the reliability). I needed a more reliable car, so I traded it for the Fit...which I could afford because it sipped the gas so well. But I lost some utility in the truck. Bike carriage is super easy with a pickup. Plenty of room for other camping gear. Clearance lets you go reach some sketchy trailheads. 4wd lets you reach sketchier trailheads.

When I can, I think I will get a smaller pickup truck. Probably just an older used one that I will only use for specific things.


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## wookie (Jan 24, 2007)

How about a pick up with a cap. I've owned a Jeep, Subaru, and many Toyotas. The Jeep was the worst car I have ever owned; you either love them or hate them. Subarus are so over hyped. I bought an Outback with extremely low miles and it was always broke-maybe an exception. I found the Suby under powered, especially in snow. I've had three Toys now (currently an FJ), and they have been very good to me. My 2 cents. Good luck!


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## Bro (Dec 20, 2010)

2001 GMC Safari.  It's my parents' old car, but I've put it through its paces too. Nothing a new engine didn't fix two years ago. 

BUT. My bikes fit perfectly in the rear cargo area and seats, without any seats down or and wheels off. I can stow my mtb in the cargo area, sideways. The wheelbase of the bike just fits the width of the car so that the bike doesn't move at all in transit, yet is very easy to remove/stow with the rear tailgate open. I can fit my road bike on the first row of passenger seats behind the driver's seat. It just so happens that my preferred seat height applies enough pressure to the seat and the bike to wedge the bike in pretty well on top of the seat. The front wheel hangs over the side of the side, in the well next to the side door.

The way I see it, I can carry two bikes, completely intact, without having to change any seating arrangements. And I can still carry four passengers if I must (their bikes get dragged behind the car, sorry). 13 MPG average isn't too bad, right?


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## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

b1g bleu said:


> WOW! What reliable manufacturer would you suggest that you haven't had to fix any of their vehicles? Oh, then you'd be out of work!


I worked in the used car dept, so ive worked on everything short of exotics (minus the occasional v12 turbo mercedes or porsche ).. if a company could figure out how to make a flawless car that doesnt break, they'd have the highest paid mechanics. You dont have to understand why 

I know, ive heard it a million times.. always someone who takes it personal because their one vehicle held up. People swear because theirs hasnt broken down, that trumps the experience of working on hundreds of them.

I used to fix my moms car once or twice a year... on my call. "Mom, you have no brakes, all your lights are burnt out, EVERYTHING leaks, and you've got a wheel falling off!" mom says "oh, I didnt notice! Everything seemed great, my car is so reliable!". Thats the usual story behind people with unreliable makes, who think they're reliable.

Get your 100k jeep up on a rack and I guarantee you have multiple leaks, trashed suspension, and coolant leaking from multiple locations. Its like a bad joke in the used car dept.. someone drives in a chrysler vehicle and people call out "wholesale!" (meaning the car is too trashed to consider fixing and selling).

I get that people get defensive.. im really not trying to change those peoples mind, because they're fans, they wont change. If someone else can get warned before they get suckered into buying a jeep/chrysler product, Id call it a success! :lol:

other than that, aus gets so many different cars than we get here, hard to recommend something.


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## jettore (Apr 12, 2011)

One Pivot said:


> You should really consider a hitch mounted rack. Its easier and faster to put two bikes on a rack than it is to put them inside, and you wont dirty up your car.
> 
> Jeeps are some of the worst quality vehicles you can buy. Basically anything chrysler is. Ive worked on hundreds of them, they just flat out do not stack up quality wise to everything else.


I can't agree with that statement either. I'm on my 4th Jeep, this one being the "bottom of the barrel" Jeep Patriot and so far 50,000 trouble free miles. ANd yes, I've been under the car and no leaks or anything loose. Inside is rattle free also.


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## J. Fragera (Apr 16, 2008)

Love my Jeep wrangler contrary to what others may think of them. They are not without issue, but are a phenomenal vehicle if you don't mind turning a wrench once and a while. I have the 4 door wrangler, and to me, are like the Swiss Army knife of vehicles. From a grocery getter, to a doors off creek crawler, it's a blast to drive. Just don't expect great gas mileage... Especially with a lift and 35's on it!


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## Sorebuttbiker (May 1, 2011)

One Pivot said:


> I worked in the used car dept, so ive worked on everything short of exotics (minus the occasional v12 turbo mercedes or porsche ).. if a company could figure out how to make a flawless car that doesnt break, they'd have the highest paid mechanics. You dont have to understand why
> 
> I know, ive heard it a million times.. always someone who takes it personal because their one vehicle held up. People swear because theirs hasnt broken down, that trumps the experience of working on hundreds of them.
> 
> ...


I can't argue your logic, I have a friend who owns an auto shop and has similar experiences. However, you are not taking into account the shear numbers of these vehicles that were produced. If you were to look at it in that light, you will find that Chrysler products aren't any more problematic than any other US auto makers. I have owned 4 Jeeps, my current an 02 Grand Cherokee. They have all had the typical Jeep problems (electrical idiosyncracies) but these problems have been small and once I fixed them they never returned.

I will say one thing, none ever had any leaks and they always ran reliably. Crashes were what made them go away, and when my wife walked away from a head-on collision I vowed to never have her in anything but a Grand Cherokee again. I have owned over 40 vehicles in my life both foreign and domestic and found not one to be any less or more problematic than the next. Not one vehicle ever left me on the side of the road. Also, mechanics are the worst to get empirical objective data from. You are working on vehicles owned by people who don't take care of them. Your data is flawed because of that. For every Jeep you are working on, there is probably a thousand Jeeps than never see a mechanic because the owner actually takes care of it.

One thing I will concede to, some vehicles are less tolerant to poor maintenance than others, can't get around that but basic care can keep any vehicle produced in the last 20 years running for well over 200K. Some would say Subarus are awesome reliable vehicles and I would agree but I only have two words: Head Gaskets. Never had to crack a Jeep engine open...I have no personal vehicle bias, I'll drive anything that appeals to me. I know how to work on them and know how to head off a problem and fix it when it is small.

As far as the OP, the best car is what you can afford to operate and can get you and your bike to the trails. Some view cars like accessories for their bikes (go to that Car and Biker thread) and others just use what they own and put a rack on it. You can guess what I do.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

Our 02 Liberty hasn't been a terrible vehicle, but it hasn't been without problems. The engine has run reliably, but then again we still don't even have 100,000 mi on it, so it's not like it's driven hard. The occasional long trip, but the daily miles are pretty low.

So far, we've had to have the power windows worked on twice (one incident involved a faulty switch, another involved the motor in the door). 

We had to have the electrical system with the headlights dealt with. The headlights would flicker randomly when warm. Replacing the switch on the steering column fixed that problem. SCARY **** when driving home in the middle of the night and the headlights go out.

We just had to have the a/c clutch replaced. It's not easy to get by in Texas without a functional a/c in the summertime.

It does have a very slight oil drip, too.

We have it paid off, though, so it's still cheaper for us to manage these repairs than to get a new vehicle at this point. When my car gets paid off in a couple of years, my wife will be getting a new vehicle and we will be replacing the Jeep (unless something really expensive on it breaks and it does become cheaper to get a new car).

My Honda Fit has been nothing but reliable for me in the 35,000mi I've driven it. But that's generally too low for most issues to present. I would like to get 100,000mi or more out of it before I have to do anything more than just regular maintenance.


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## Harold (Dec 23, 2003)

i.a.n. said:


> Honda Fit FTW! I love this little car. For such a tiny egg of an auto with the back seats down it's cavernous. It's a blast to drive, mileage is good and it fits into any parking spot.
> 
> I'm switching from a roof rack to a hitch rack, but in a pinch you can squeeze a ton of stuff inside. I had three bikes, three riders and all our gear inside without leaving so much as a mark on the interior.
> 
> Can't recommend this car enough.


Awesome. I haven't heard of anyone putting more bikes/people inside the car than me (2 bikes, 3 people, 1 bike on the roof). Did you use any fork mounts or did you just squeeze the bikes in?


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## curtboroff (Sep 21, 2010)

Old jeep Cherokee XJ 1999-2001. Roof rack, cargo area, can tow plenty, will damn near drive anywhere and still gets 20 mi/gal.
Best do-all vehicle ever!!!


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## fawndog (Nov 19, 2007)

Subaru WRX and platform rack like this one. http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=718190


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## curtboroff (Sep 21, 2010)

Diggidy said:


> ~100k on my Wrangler. No problems what so ever; unless you consider all the fun I've had in that thing that would be impossible to have in another vehicle, then yeah, I've got problems with the damn thing nearly every day.


I have 208,000 on my '94 4 banger 5 speed and it still starts right up in -5deg winters. It's getting prepped for a facelift now. My 2000 Cherokee needs a fresh engine, but it's at 182,000, and looks brand new, so it's next. I'm gonna drive jeeps for the rest of my life!

Jeeps just go with the outdoor lifestyle better than any other, FTW!!!


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## twistedmentality (Apr 1, 2011)

i have a 2006 subaru impreza hatch and i can fit two bikes in the back with the front wheels off. or you can opt for a roof rack.


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## BLUEBEE07 (May 27, 2011)

I roll a 93 honda civic 3 door, with a roof rack. Only thing to worry about is honda thieves, bastards!


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## turnerth (Aug 4, 2010)

Subaru + hitch rack +1


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## Punkeyboozter (Mar 31, 2009)

Toy Hilux or any thing with a open cab at the back. Im sick of messing with racks and getting dirt in your car really sucks.. The best thing about a open cab is that you can simply wash away the dirt with a hose. and if your worried about theft or want to carry other things put a canopy on there.


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## 007 (Jun 16, 2005)

I have a 2010 Forester XT . . . had a 2008 WRX before it. I know, I know, I'm going to sound like a fanboi but I will be owning a Subaru for a long time to come. They are simply put, a great car manufacturer. I have never had a problem with either vehicle and the AWD was fantastic when I lived in Michigan. I never once had any issue with traction or control in inclement weather. For the price point too, you get a lot of car for the money. Plus if you are an IMBA member, you get a pretty nice discount on all new car pricing. 2% BELOW dealer invoice. Saved me probably around $3-4K per vehicle and a portion of that goes directly to the IMBA from Subaru.

On both the WRX and the Forester I had/have a yakima rack up top and its great. Only downside with the forester is that I need to use a step stool to get the bike up there, but thats obviously because I'm short (5'9"). I just carry a 12" folding plastic stool on the back. I certainly can carry the bike in the back though, but the seats do have to be down. I can leave the wheels on when I do this.

One thing I have never tried is to put the bike in back (front wheel off) in the upright position. Obviously you would need a fork mount in the back (which you could easily put together with a piece of wood), but it might just fit. Not sure . . . maybe that'll be a weekend project.


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## trojans1993 (May 8, 2011)

Absolutely love my new Outback with Yakima Raptor Aero (wheels on roof rack) - the perfect vehicle for me - 4WD, very roomy, great MPG. A roof rack was a must because I take my ride camping all the time and need the interior room for my camping gear.


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## bamwa (Mar 15, 2010)

minivan with middle bench out. bike rolls right in. locked up and out of sight while running errands, more room than a fourrunner inside. hitch mount for going to races with four people
and all their gear. plus then you become an MVP! (minivan pilot)


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## Jinxy (Aug 1, 2010)

I've been driving a '98 Volvo XC AWD for 10 years. 350+ K, still gets 26 on the hwy. Carries 2 bikes on top + a big Thule cargo box and tows my small pop-up when needed. It's carried me safe through 1 nasty accident (drunk driver turned into me) and 1 bad deer collision. When times get a little better I'll replace it with another one. Volvo builds great wagons.


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## kwrides (Oct 12, 2010)

Jinxy said:


> I've been driving a '98 Volvo XC AWD for 10 years. 350+ K, still gets 26 on the hwy. Carries 2 bikes on top + a big Thule cargo box and tows my small pop-up when needed. It's carried me safe through 1 nasty accident (drunk driver turned into me) and 1 bad deer collision. When times get a little better I'll replace it with another one. Volvo builds great wagons.


+1.

I drive a 2005 turbo V50 with an in line 5. I can put my bikes in easily with 1 seat down. I also carry 2 on the roof or 1 + my cargo rack. But, like I said earlier, this doesn't meet the OP's requirements.


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## totto (Jun 8, 2011)

*Cheers*



One Pivot said:


> You should really consider a hitch mounted rack. Its easier and faster to put two bikes on a rack than it is to put them inside, and you wont dirty up your car.





kwrides said:


> All the cars being mentioned do not meet the criteria of no seats down and no wheels off. As others have said, if this is a must, you need a pick up truck, which will get poor mileage. You're going to have to let one of your criteria go. There is no cheap, no seats down, both wheels on, good gas mileage car. It doesn't exist.





ambassadorhawg said:


> As I mentioned earlier, get whatever car you want. Do not base your purchase on your bike! Bikes really do not belong INSIDE a vehicle. That's what bike racks are for...


Point taken !

Decided on 06/07 VW Polo TDI + hitch mounted rack.

THANK YOU ALL :thumbsup:


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## kwrides (Oct 12, 2010)

Nice choice!


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## manabiker (Jul 18, 2010)

my small pick up truck gets 23/24 mpg, safely handles 3 bikes with the wheels on, I could put more bikes in there, but it only has seats in the truck for 3 people.


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## ettore (Nov 13, 2004)

Holden Ute (you're in Australia, right?). I am sure they come with something that isn't brutal on gas ... my father's 2010 Corvette gets about 29Mpg highway ... I'd imaing the Ute is similar.

Any little truck with a diesel (not sure what's available in Australia) should be great as well ...


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## pyrotyro (Mar 27, 2011)

One Pivot said:


> You should really consider a hitch mounted rack. Its easier and faster to put two bikes on a rack than it is to put them inside, and you wont dirty up your car.
> 
> Jeeps are some of the worst quality vehicles you can buy. Basically anything chrysler is. Ive worked on hundreds of them, they just flat out do not stack up quality wise to everything else.


+1 for you being full of it. Your very out numbered here. Thats cool that youve worked on 'hundreds' of them. I do not know of a cheaper, simpler to work on vehicle that lasts as long as a jeep.

Your whole 'people get defensive because they had a jeep' doesnt make sense because there are alot of people in this thread with jeeps that have held up, and only a few that have had minor problems. You work in a used car dept, you see shitty cars. Yes anybody can beat up any type of car. But if you take care of it, itll last.

My jeep has rolled over 200k now, and runs as strong as ever.


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## TheDean (Jun 3, 2011)

I have a Toyota FJ Cruiser. I can fit one bike in the back, 3 on the roof rack. the off-road capabilities are amazing and I get about 17-19mpg.


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## terrasmak (Jun 14, 2011)

We are getting rid of one of our 350Z's (not a great car for transporting bikes, or anything) and replacing it with an AWD Nissan Juke. 32 MPG, AWD plenty of room crossover SUV.


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## Flying_Finn (Jun 16, 2011)

New to the forum, this is a great topic .. very helpfull :thumbsup:


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## J. Fragera (Apr 16, 2008)

Sorebuttbiker said:


> Crashes were what made them go away, and when my wife walked away from a head-on collision I vowed to never have her in anything but a Grand Cherokee again.


I understand about the crashes. I had a meth-head chump, with a suspended license, cross the center line on my family and I a couple of years ago in my first Wrangler. We were doing 50 or 55 mph, and he was doing around 20. All five of us (me, wife and our 3 kids) walked away with minor scratches and bruises. This is what happened to my Jeep.










We nearly tore the front and entire right side of his blazer off.

That vehicle saved our lives that day.


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## nOOky (May 13, 2008)

Just sold my 04 Ranger 4x4 extra cab for a 2011 CR-V. Traveling long distances I like to have the room for my road bike and gear inside the vehicle, and the mountain bike(s) on the trunk rack. The rear seats fold all the way up to the front, the cargo room is nice.


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## Just Tim (Nov 1, 2010)

I just noticed the post where you said you were in Australia, just pick a ute (Holden or Ford) and either one will meet all your criteria.


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## Tamim (Aug 4, 2006)

I have a Toyota Prius I get around 45 miles per gallon and I can fit three bikes wheels on, on the roof of my car. I have a Thule Rack with 3 Thule Sidearm 594s so I can fit three bikes without removing the front wheel.


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## hanshananigan (May 15, 2006)

2002 Protege5, 2 Yakima roof racks, wheel on, seat up. The rack can be locked to the bike but the Yakima rack (plus bike) can be unbolted from the car factory rack by an observant thief. Still, it is nice to lock it when running into an eatery for a post-ride lunch/beer.

I am currently looking at new cars - thinking VW Jetta Sportwagen TDI (diesel but very vanilla and pricey) or Mazda 3 (zoom zoom) at this point. Thinking bikes on roof but also car seats and option to haul occasional 2x4x8s on the weekends.


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## One Pivot (Nov 20, 2009)

i love my mazda3, but its not really a great biking car. it'll fit a bike in there (or 2 road bikes), but not nicely. 

With the hitch rack on, its more than capable, but theres nothing bike-specific about it that makes it better than anything else. I needed a no-fuss extremely reliable car, so that won out over bike abilities.


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## mrgto (Sep 28, 2008)

F250. You have plenty for room! I get 20mpg too.


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