UKC

I'm getting sick of my tiny little Citroen C2 and it's inability to accommodate any reasonable about of people + climbing gear.

Which cars do you lot drive and how does the boot cope with bouldering mats?

I'm eyeing up trading my car in for an estate, would be nice to find a car that will get two mats and a few rucksacks in the boot without having to fold down any seats.

Jim

In reply to JimboWizbo:

Skoda Fabia hatchback can get 3 people + gear for a weekend in comfortably. It would probably struggle if I added mats though.

In reply to JimboWizbo: ive got a peugeot estate,cost me £300 .ideal for mountaineering trips .i put a single mattress in the back ,drive down to the venue the nite before , have a great nites sleep,full breakfast at a local cafe and fresh for the day ahead without the fuss of erecting a tent .

maybe look at a diesel estate ,peugeot audi, ford etc depends on your finances i guess.

In reply to JimboWizbo:

It may as well be said sooner rather than later - Skoda Octavia. Roomy, comfortable, economical, reliable. Bloody good cars!

In reply to Cthulhu:

I got a Skoda Octavia last November. Loving the car. Went up to N Wales with 4 of us recently, comfortably put 4 rucksacks, tent, 2 racks, 5 ropes etc all in the boot. Makes a change for people not to be sitting on gear. Highly recommended.

Oh, and nominally, it was acquired as a family car which it serves well

In reply to JimboWizbo: My friend has a Mondeo (not an estate) that will get two mats in the boot, I was kind of assuming a Mondeo estate would have the same boot area but with more head room for lobbing rucksacks on top. Maybe I should clean my mat and take it to a dealership for a trial!

In reply to JimboWizbo:
I don't know why we're all skoda owners, but they are certainly good. My Fabia hatchback fits in two pads in the boot. Or alternatively, 4 people with kit and tents is fine. Have't tried 5 with kit - it would be a push. My mate has the old fabia estate and it can clearly handle a lot more. Much better for sleeping in too.

Cake

In reply to JimboWizbo: Depends on how much you want to spend. Under a grand I'd say Mondeo Mk1 or Mk2 estate, 2.0 or 1.8 petrol engine. I've never spent more than £600 on a car so beyond that I've no idea (but I think the answer might be "Skoda"!)

In reply to Cake: No one seems to own a Yeti though. That's the one car in the range that interests me. Is the boot any roomier than the Octavia?

In reply to JimboWizbo:

Any large diesel estate I should think.

I'd like a 5 series but i can dream on. My Laguna 2.2dci is pretty good for accommodation, fuel efficiency and the most comfortable of my climbing group's cars it's also quite quick.

In reply to Game of Conkers:

Seats up
Yeti = 415 litres
Octavia = 585 litres
Oct Estate = 605 litres

Seats down
Yeti = 1580 litres (1760 litres with seat removal)
Octavia = 1350 litres
Oct Estate = 1665 litres

In reply to JimboWizbo:

Hi

I use an X-type estate so any medium size estate should be able to carry the following under the cover (without it being visible in the boot):

bouldering mat
3 x 60m ropes
100l kit bag
50 l rucsack
tent & cooker etc
full rack
sleeping bag + mat
boots & shoes

In reply to JimboWizbo:

I have a citroen C5 2.0 hdi estate, chosen mainly for it's huge boot and comfort on motorway miles. Enough boot for a five man boulder trip to bleau, very comfortable to drive long distances (passengers seem to be happy too), pretty decent fuel economy for a big car, and quite cheap to pick up second hand. The only downside is it's a little lacking in power (110bhp) for it's size, so although it's suprisingly spritely at low speeds, it's pretty sluggish accelerating on the motorway. Very comfortable cruising at license losing speeds once it gets there though.

In reply to JimboWizbo:

I've had Peugeot Diesel estates 405, 406 and 307 and had 200k miles out of all of them.

In reply to JimboWizbo: Looked at the skoda roomster scout today and test driving it on thursday and will compare it against the fabia estate. Caught between the two....just cannot decide.

In reply to JimboWizbo: Got a 2000 Focus estate last year and it's been great. Really well designed boot, very little space taken up by wheel arches, flat to the back with no lip. Roomy enough to sleep on one side and have cooking stuff on the other.
Bit of a tank but it's a great cruiser.

Ben

Skoda Fabia estate struggles to fit an Alpkit Phud in the boot with all seats up. However great for weekend camping trip for 3 + gear. Would prefer an Octavia though for the extra gear space

In reply to JimboWizbo:
Best car for climbing trips?

Tom Patey's I reckon <with Tom in it of course!>
If not then a 1.8 mondeo TD

In reply to davidbeynon: If you completely take out the lower part of the single back seat. You can fit 2 full sized mats in + gear + 3 trad climbers (or 4 sport climbers).

In reply to JimboWizbo:

Given that climbing trips often take in some the best driving roads to be found, how about a Subaru Impreza WRX Sportwagon?! Tough, practical, reliable, 4WD + winter tyres useful in snow/ice, and quite handy for the odd overtaking manoeuvre - "When it's safe and conditions allow, Officer"!

Not as much space as Octavia, though...

In reply to JimboWizbo: It might not look cool but I have a Citroen Belingo and its great for gear and people, get three mats in no problem and four people.

In reply to Clip gate:

+1 for a berlingo.

Good on fuel, cheap to repair, you can sleep in the back stretched out (if you're 6"1' or less), swallows tonnes of gear. I sold mine and bought an LPG volvo estate and have regretted it ever since!

In reply to JimboWizbo: Ford mondeo 2.0l td estate

You can get five people in it, all there gear for a weeks climbing and camping, and you can slide a bouldering mat in nicely on top. It's slept 2 people, lying down flat, in the back and one was 6ft

Good economy, cheap to service and really comfy with bags of torque for hilly areas

Really happy with mine

Ollie

In reply to JimboWizbo: I've got a 2 litre, deisel, VW Passat. Huge boot, quite comfy and fast when needed but I can still get over 50 MPG without trying. If I make a bit of an effort, sticking to 55/60 miles per hour for example I can get 60MPG.

Al

In reply to JimboWizbo: Toyota Avensis estate which is great. Heard all postives about octavia's.
I swear by estates, wouldn't bother with anything else these days

In reply to JimboWizbo: http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/carreviews/newreviews/231999/citroen_berlingo_...
Just got one of these:-
Five seats and loads of space
Back seats go forward to allow van like space
55MPG on a run
Cheap as chips to buy
Side loading doors are a god send
Shopping friendly etc
NOT the fastest mind

In reply to JimboWizbo:

Skoda Fabia estate, 1.9tdi, quick, boot about as big as Focus estate, 55-65mpg, cheap road tax and reliable.

Phill

In reply to JimboWizbo: Honda CRV - If the spare's on the back you can fit a rack underneath the floor of the boot, nicely hidden. Also has a large flat area with the seats down to sleep on.

The split boot access is handy too, pop the glass and chuck everything in.

Not a glam car but better than freelanders to drive, cheaper parts. The micky mouse 4wd is more fuel economical too.

In reply to Phill_Away: The mondeo has a cavernous boot,never tried sleeping in it but I did put my mountain bike in the back without having to take a wheel off

In reply to JimboWizbo: Audi A3 previously, awesome for it. Insignia estate at the minute... Big big boot is quite good.

In reply to JimboWizbo: This is what I have used for nearly 10 years now.
http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_cMqVcb33Rt4/S1Yx3Ycv1YI/AAAAAAAAAFE/4MNH66tYNhQ/s...
Copes well with the snow and with the back seats out there is stacks of room for gear. I also have winter tyres fitted as you never know with this summer weather...

In reply to grumpybearpantsclimbinggoat:

Skoda Superb - nearly 1900 litre with seats down if I recall correctly. All the plus points of an Octavia except bigger. However its not cheap, and its pretty rare. I've got the 4x4 version and its the best car I've ever driven, and I've driven some nice cars.

In reply to JimboWizbo:

The best car for any climbing trip is, of course, somebody else's. Some other bugger can drive; I want to read, sleep, and look at the view

In reply to JimboWizbo:

Volvo V40 Estate, reliable, comfy (think heated seats with fully adjustable lumbar support etc), all the toys, reasonably efficient (45+ mpg ave for a high milage diesel) and can be picked up for less than the equivelent Ford etc.

In reply to JimboWizbo:

I have a transit van... Lol plenty of room,...


Car wise I'd say an estate like a BMW 5 series, mondeo, etc

In reply to JimboWizbo:

Did a grand tour of Scotland including Orkney and Skye from Manchester years ago, three of us in a Passat VR6 4motion Estate. Brilliant car for such a trip, until it was your turn to fill the tank.

Renault Kangoo/Peogoet Partner/Citron Berlingo

Offer the best combination of cheapish purchase price, good on fuel and massive space. Nick Bullock lives in one

In reply to JimboWizbo: Thanks everyone, what a cracking response.

I've documented all the suggestions...might even make a spreadsheet (this is serious business).

The Berlingo had slipped my mind, I remember an old girlfriend's parents owned one and we went to south France in it, it was indeed roomy. I wonder if I could cope with the emotional turmoil though.

Cheers

Jim

In reply to JimboWizbo:
+1 for the Blingo van
Torquey diesel engine could do with 6th gear when unladen tho'.
Mine has roof bars for sea kayaks and I can easily get 2x MTBs in the back, so a pretty versatile vehicle.
Mind tho', you get done for LGV road tax at £200 for the van version - Multispace 'car' version is cheaper road tax.

In reply to JimboWizbo: if you make a spreadsheet and score purchase price, reliability, roomyness (?) , fuel economy, practicality for a climber and one ot two other things then my bet would be berlingo type thing would win.

Get a partner then ! bum bum

In reply to JimboWizbo:

My parents have a Citreon Zsara Picasso which has been great when I've borrowed it for climbing trips. Loads and loads of space plus great mileage I think.

In reply to Cthulhu:

Another Octavia estate vote here (albeit the scout version for 4x4 and a little off road).

Perfect climbing car.

In reply to JimboWizbo: 1993 land rover discovery with the rear seats removed, so there is enough room to sleep in the back. Also runs on cooking oil, so is cheap as chips to run (no pun intended lol)

In reply to JimboWizbo: If I had the readies spare I'd kinda like a Mercedes Vito Sport-X Dualiner - that would take 5 or 6 people and all their kit and still be indecently quick. Or maybe a Merc R-Class if I could live with the image - cavernous interior and 4wd.
More realistically, Nissan Note always strikes me as a practical package but I've never been inside one.

In reply to JimboWizbo:

I once mounted my Clio with a large roof box - it looked funny - you could see the it from the drivers seat and the trunk door opened half way only. But it was ok for 2 adults and 2 kids including climbing gear tent etc. No room for blouldering mats, though.

Otherwise you could always buy a used Hummer, they're cheap these days.

In reply to JimboWizbo:
Company cars are the best for climbing trips.
They go faster.
They are not adversely affected by minor bashes outside.
They don't mind a bit of wear and tear inside.

In reply to JimboWizbo: As I tend to meet folk at the crag these days, I only have to worry about transporting myself and a small sac (and occasionally Mrs Goucho), so I go for the fastest, most fun and driving enjoyment - so my current steed is 360 stampeding Stuttgart ponies, accompanied by a big grin all the way

In reply to JimboWizbo:

Another vote for the Octavia Get the Scout if you can.

In reply to JimboWizbo: renault kangoo is a brill car with a huge boot

In reply to blanchie14c:

Tom Patey's I reckon <with Tom in it of course!>

Certainly better than one with Al Harris or Wolfgang Gullich at the wheel...

In reply to JimboWizbo: I have a ford focus estate. I am 6foot 4 inches tall and can sleep comfortably in the back. It is an automatic petrol though so it eats fuel. Extremely comfortable on long drives.

In reply to Goucho:

Very nice - but when you need to bivi in the back or mix some blats up alpine passes with some climbing, well... See my post above!

In reply to JimboWizbo:

I've got a kangoo (car version) for sale at £1300 if your after one.