Are vans better offroad than cars ?

[Le_Fromage_Grande]

Box trailer is the answer, but storage of one is a pain

[Count Steer]

If you google 'caravan storage near (eg) Reading' quite a few places come up but they're probably quite ££. I found out about our local one because my neighbour's motorhome would appear and disappear from the drive (coincidentally he's a competitive road cyclist and motorbike rider). I just asked him where it went when not in use.
Local stables may have space too as they have hoss boxes to store. (A s/h hoss box could work too but dunno what the market's like or whether they're braked).

[Count Steer]

Had a nose around and you can pick up a usable, double hoss box under £2k. If you can get 2 nags in it might take 2 m/cycles and you can stand up in it.

Example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185495578841

Bit tatty but if the running gears OK the rest is easy peasy.

[weeksy]

Had a nose around and you can pick up a usable, double hoss box under £2k. If you can get 2 nags in it might take 2 m/cycles and you can stand up in it.

Example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185495578841

Bit tatty but if the running gears OK the rest is easy peasy.

Yeah i'm just not seeing it mate sorry. In terms of storing it, driving it, towing it, parking it at race meetings in forests etc... it's just not working for me.

Without having sat in one yet, the Audi Q5 is ticking the most boxes of 'what would i like' even though part of that may well be very vague reasoning. But it would be the same logic as the CR-V was, which was 'bigger and nicer version of the QQ' which is i guess what the Q5 ticks. But then again, i thought the CR-V would tick that but was all a bit meh/ok/fine.

[Taipan]

For me it seems that a van is the only thing that will cover everything you do? Anything else seems a compromise and that will lead to ongoing frustration. But vans take some parking and not sure where the hell insurance is with them today being a commercial vehicle? So with trailer for track days maybe a big estate/people carrier/SUV is the way forward? What about something like an SMax? Can you still take the seats out of the back of vehicles like that, ergo turn it into avan?

[Pirahna]

What you need is a VW T6 Kombi. I'd go for 2 seats in the front with the split bench in the back so you can take 1, 2 or all 3 of the seats out. It works as a family car, MTB race or track day van. A bit of suspension work with the 204 DSG engine and gearbox and it's all the vehicle you'll ever need for years to come. It ticks every box except one, you'll need to quadruple your budget for a decent low mileage one. But then the van you want with your current budget is like looking for the moon on a stick anyway.

[Count Steer]

Had a nose around and you can pick up a usable, double hoss box under £2k. If you can get 2 nags in it might take 2 m/cycles and you can stand up in it.

Example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185495578841

Bit tatty but if the running gears OK the rest is easy peasy.

Yeah i'm just not seeing it mate sorry. In terms of storing it, driving it, towing it, parking it at race meetings in forests etc... it's just not working for me.

Without having sat in one yet, the Audi Q5 is ticking the most boxes of 'what would i like' even though part of that may well be very vague reasoning. But it would be the same logic as the CR-V was, which was 'bigger and nicer version of the QQ' which is i guess what the Q5 ticks. But then again, i thought the CR-V would tick that but was all a bit meh/ok/fine.

Just thinking outside the box.

As mentioned before I like the Q series TFSi's a lot. I keep finding myself standing next to a s/h petrol Q7 at the local dealers.....

[weeksy]

Had a nose around and you can pick up a usable, double hoss box under £2k. If you can get 2 nags in it might take 2 m/cycles and you can stand up in it.

Example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185495578841

Bit tatty but if the running gears OK the rest is easy peasy.

Yeah i'm just not seeing it mate sorry. In terms of storing it, driving it, towing it, parking it at race meetings in forests etc... it's just not working for me.

Without having sat in one yet, the Audi Q5 is ticking the most boxes of 'what would i like' even though part of that may well be very vague reasoning. But it would be the same logic as the CR-V was, which was 'bigger and nicer version of the QQ' which is i guess what the Q5 ticks. But then again, i thought the CR-V would tick that but was all a bit meh/ok/fine.

Just thinking outside the box.

As mentioned before I like the Q series TFSi's a lot. I keep finding myself standing next to a s/h petrol Q7 at the local dealers.....

I'd absolutely love a Q7. But they're bigger less economic engines and higher miles/older for the money, along with very few of them about in my sort of budget on a petrol.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/403647880217 ... R56UpOq-YA

i mean a 4.2 Auto lol... that's going to be worse than a bloody Elgrand.

I think in terms of bang for buck and stuff the Q5 is a sweet spot.

But then again, so is a Stepwagon hahahahahaa.

[Mr. Dazzle]

Whenever I see these modern soft roaders I think you must be a total bell end to buy one.

Then I go in one and think "hmmm....this is actually really nice".

Still not buying one.

[Mussels]

I have a box trailer but it is nowhere as useful as my van was, apart from the hassle of connecting it all up I needed to make sure I could park and turn round wherever I was going. It has spent the last few years doubling as a junk cupboard in my garage. It's a small one at 6' long so most things that fit will also go in my boot, if I'm taking bikes then I'll grab the towbar mounted bike rack.

[KungFooBob]

Get a nice estate and tow a trailer.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/354126110072 ... SwGo1iqqXn

or even a jacked up 'all road'

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/394154487985 ... SwqMhix~we

Tho that one is a bit leggy.

[Scud]

Had a nose around and you can pick up a usable, double hoss box under £2k. If you can get 2 nags in it might take 2 m/cycles and you can stand up in it.

Example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185495578841

Bit tatty but if the running gears OK the rest is easy peasy.

I’d steer clear of horse trailers.

We have horses, the trailers are heavy and don’t take kindly to sitting around unused. Chances are it’s not been maintained very well and horse piss rots everything.

[Count Steer]

Had a nose around and you can pick up a usable, double hoss box under £2k. If you can get 2 nags in it might take 2 m/cycles and you can stand up in it.

Example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/185495578841

Bit tatty but if the running gears OK the rest is easy peasy.

I’d steer clear of horse trailers.

We have horses, the trailers are heavy and don’t take kindly to sitting around unused. Chances are it’s not been maintained very well and horse piss rots everything.

Yeah, just flying a kite really. The main attraction was the £2k and the overall size and solidity. Also that there must be an awful lot of Fionas that lose interest at 16 after mummy and daddy have bought them a thoroughbred and all the gear to go to a couple of gymkhanas so there might be a few mint-ish bargains.

[weeksy]

So i went out and tested this

2022-07-13_12-09-40 by Steve Weeks, on Flickr

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/car-detail ... udi&page=1

Lets start by saying, the photos do not do this justice... but not in a good way.

It was a pile of shite. But that's not the important part of it.

It was also a diesel which i'm not buying and an auto.. which i don't necessarily want either. But it was the right shape which was the important part.

"service needed"..... "brake pads warning"....... "washer fluid warning".... i mean FFS, you'd think you'd have the car nice wouldn't you ?

Sitting in it was a nice place to be... once i'd worked out how to start it.... pushing the key in... WTF....

The auto box was very short gearing... but the engine was nice and quiet..

the handling was a little wandery, like the inputs in the steering wheel wasn't necessarily associated with the actual effect it has. But again that could just be this car. The space and the seats were the 2 main things to check and it passed both tests, although i don't think the QQ is nearly as bad as it once was and the road noise isn't as bad as you think. It was 3Db quieter apparently in the Audi according to the mickey mouse app i downloaded.

Space was good in the back/boot...

Lack of cruise control on the Q5 of this age would be somewhat of a pain i have to say.

Overall, i'd rather have one than the CRV....but not this one....

Would i rather have a nicer one and £10000 less.... or the QQ.... i think the QQ in honesty.

[Yorick]

I think Sir needs to be brave and get a Dacia Duster.
Huge boot space big enough to sleep in.
4WD.
Cheap as chips.

[weeksy]

I think Sir needs to be brave and get a Dacia Duster.
Huge boot space big enough to sleep in.
4WD.
Cheap as chips.

Cheap and nasty in terms of comfort, refinement etc though mate. They make a QQ look plush.

https://www.autoexpress.co.uk/dacia/dus ... x2-comfort
Comfort seems to be better than i first thought.

I absolutely get them, but i'm a no.

[Count Steer]

Shame about the Q5, it sounds a bit of a dog. Strange about the steering too, it's one of the things I like about Audis generally that they're not totally remote from the driving experience. (I've driven several inc Qs, estates and smaller saloons..if it's an option I put them in 'Sport' mode to cut out any flabbiness). Road tested some other modern cars and the steering is totally over power-assisted and there's no 'feel' at all - almost no sense of connection between the wheel and the road. A Skoda was probably the worst.

If the car's throwing all those fault warnings the servicing is suspect so maybe the tracking is out too.

Must be better options out there at £10k.

[Couchy]

Having driven Yoricks duster I have to say it was comfy quiet and refined, nothing about it would put me off owning one tbh.

But the new choice should be a 2012/13 E class auto, plenty in budget with low miles and fsh. Huge enough for all the mtb and Trackday stuff and a nice place to be.

[weeksy]

I have a plan. Next race weekend away I'm going to hire this and see if I prefer or hate over the QQ.
https://www.eurodriveuk.com/vehicles/van-hire/

£90 for the Doblo sized van for a weekend and will answer the question without a massive hit through buying and selling a car.

[Couchy]

I have a plan. Next race weekend away I'm going to hire this and see if I prefer or hate over the QQ.
https://www.eurodriveuk.com/vehicles/van-hire/

£90 for the Doblo sized van for a weekend and will answer the question without a massive hit through buying and selling a car.

That’s a proper grown up sensible idea, what happened to you ?