.....well its not going to work with a car that has a boot is it!! The rear of the car height will be more or less the same as the tailgate. So we are talking 4x4, Estate, hatch. Shame the old Volvo wardrobes are not still about isnt it......you know the one favoured by all the antique fair and car boot sale dealers ( and body snatchers!)
Van internal bike transportation
- Thread starter j3ayy
- Start date
I reckon my E-Class might swallow a bike upright with the front wheel off, it will take my vitus with both wheels on on its side, with room to spareOh wow, if only I'd thought of that...
There's slightly more to it than that; boot opening/lip is also a factor.
Quite a few modern estates have a deep boot lip which makes loading anything into them a pain in the arse, never mind a grubby bike and soggy dog. My 5er is a Touring and it's clearly smaller than @R120's E-Class because it won't take my Rail with both wheels on. I did consider an AMG C-Class recently, but the boot was tiny, even smaller than my old 3er Touring, and had a really deep lip.
CBSTD
E*POWAH Master
Skoda octavia estate has a greater boot volume than the old Volvo wardrobes. I cut a rip of ply the width of the van and fitted between the wheel arches and the back doors then fixed blocks of varying heights so bars sit above neighbouring bike, take a wheel off is only 5bolts and the bike is secure no bar ends dinging panels
Will do
....BMWs are either saloons Coupes or Tourers. The Tourer is the same Wheelbase as the saloon...its not an estate. So BMW is out. Merc could well do the job.
EebStrider
Well-known member
So will an ebike fit in the back of the latest 5 Series touring, with both wheels attached, and the handlebars turned? My next car has to be able to fit my bike in, and I don't want to have to take the front wheel off, ideally.
I get my Rail in the back of my 5er Touring with the front wheel removed. It may go in with the wheel attached if there’s nothing else in there but I’ve got a boot tidy full of bike gear in there permanently and a Mobi power washer in a waterproof crate at this time of year.
E Class is actually fractionally smaller than a 5er but has more boot space so is probably better suited but is not as good to drive if you like to make progress. Presumably it also has less legroom if that’s an issue; that bigger boot has to come from somewhere.
EebStrider
Well-known member
Ok, good to know, cheers.
I have had both the 5 series and the Merc E-Class estates, and the Merc is the comfiest car I have ever had, its not as involving to drive as the 5 series, but its fast, crushes long distances and makes effortless progress, the ride is incredibly smooth, but the biggest difference for me from an MTB perspective is that the Merc has in the real world (not sure on actual dimensions) a taller ride height, and it much better at handling crappy car parks, country lanes and fields - ideally I would have got the E-Class All Terrain but they are as rare as hens teeth, its their version of the all road.
If you are after a proper big estate, IMO there are really only 3 options, Skoda Superb, E-Class, and the Volvo V90 - all of these have massive boots and will fit a bike with both wheels on in the back. I tested all 3 in 2019, Skoda is great and probably the biggest inside but most models FWD and not as good to drive imo, I would want 4wd version plus wife wouldnt entertain getting a Skoda. Really liked the Volvo, IIRC bit smaller internally, tested the Hybrid model and it went likes shit off a shovel, but again wanted to get the Cross Country variant and wasn't able to source one.
Heres my E-Class:
If you are after a proper big estate, IMO there are really only 3 options, Skoda Superb, E-Class, and the Volvo V90 - all of these have massive boots and will fit a bike with both wheels on in the back. I tested all 3 in 2019, Skoda is great and probably the biggest inside but most models FWD and not as good to drive imo, I would want 4wd version plus wife wouldnt entertain getting a Skoda. Really liked the Volvo, IIRC bit smaller internally, tested the Hybrid model and it went likes shit off a shovel, but again wanted to get the Cross Country variant and wasn't able to source one.
Heres my E-Class:
MrSimmo
E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Say what ?
Only 3 options? ..granted you will still have to take the front wheel off ..but if this isn't a proper big estate then I don't know what is ..
Here is my Audi A6 Allroad 3.0L V6 S-tronic Diesel ( 272) ..Ive a real heavy foot and I'm averaging 36mpg ..its a brilliant car .
Exactly, you still have to take front wheel off - I am talking about estates where you can put the bike in with both wheels on. Nowt wrong with the Audi, but its not up there with the otter's in terms of capacity.
Just miles ahead in terms of style & performance ...
Rahr85
E*POWAH Master
my octavia has the variable boot floor (so flat loading area) and i use a hatchbag boot liner. I just rest the bottom of the frame on the floor with the fork hanging out of the car to remove/attach the front wheel. It might just fit (Medium frame) with both wheels on but it really isn't worth the effort and increased chance of damaging trims.
EebStrider
Well-known member
I'm thinking of a new (facelift) 540i estate, so will the bike fit in that with the handlebars turned, or will I still have to take the front wheel off? I won't be carrying anything else in the boot. If I've got to take the wheel off anyway, I may as well get a smaller estate.
Last edited:
Me neither ...
Sorry, are you trying to claim that an Audi, the white goods of premium cars, has style?
And performance? Have a dig down the back of the sofa for 42bhp and get back to me.
Sure am sunshine ..which car that you haven't got are you trying to say is better ..?
I had a couple of all roads, and the e-class all terrain is imo the best of the current crop of jacked up estates, its massive, has great off road ability, plus in E400 guise its 340 bhp and 516lb of torque meaning 0-60 in just over 5 seconds. Not cheap mind
Very similar 0-62 time to the Allroad then..( 5.5 secs ) ..Unless Doomanic is talking about that 3.0 Litre 5 series then that crawls in 2.3 seconds after the Audi in 2.0litre guise .Ive not read one report that puts the Merc's 4 wheel drive system ahead of a Quattro system..and the BMW X -Drive is supposed to be crap ..
But really Im not here to play Top Gear Trumps ..but will say however while my Allroad was off the road a year ago ( a tourist decided to reshape the rear driver side I had both an S-Class Merc ( too big for our country roads ) and an E Class both in saloon form for about a month each and didn't rate either against the Audi ..
It would however be totally boring if we all liked the same thing and I'm glad you are happy with your own cars ?
But really Im not here to play Top Gear Trumps ..but will say however while my Allroad was off the road a year ago ( a tourist decided to reshape the rear driver side I had both an S-Class Merc ( too big for our country roads ) and an E Class both in saloon form for about a month each and didn't rate either against the Audi ..
It would however be totally boring if we all liked the same thing and I'm glad you are happy with your own cars ?
I am a big fan off the all road, and its definitely a cool car in my books, its just annoying the boot is bigger. I also hate what Audi have done by going fully digital with the controls and touchscreens on the latest models, but they are not alone in doing that, I think car brands are more interested in one-upping each other these days than actually providing easy to live with interiors.
Apologies for taking this thread a little (quite a bit ) off topic but just thought I would drop this in here for info ..??
EebStrider
Well-known member
Impressive. Were all the cars in the snow using the same tyres?
I'm assuming that the drivers had what they thought the best tyre for their particular vehicle on ..
Its not a test commissioned by any particular car manufacturer as far as I'm aware ..but I wasn't there ?
Its not a test commissioned by any particular car manufacturer as far as I'm aware ..but I wasn't there ?
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