Unless it's changed from last week or last month.... you could search this one easily. This topic is rehashed almost as often as Lance, the best aero wheels, or your seat being too high....

I like Audi wagons, but that's what our family uses.

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You will remain the same person, before, during and after the race. So the result, no matter how important, will not define you. The journey is what matters. ~ Chrissie W.

Yeah, at least one thread per month on this topic for the 8 years I've been on ST!
Double cab pickup truck with long bed and a camper shell that's taller than the passenger cabin. Wheel bikes in upright, throw stinky workout clothes in the back without stinking out everyone, and hose the back out when dirty. And room for 5 inside the passenger cabin. Case closed.

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My business-eBodyboarding.com

Can't argue this one, miss my Lariat.

A mini van isn't bad either.

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#WeAreTheForge #BlackGunsMatter

"Look, will you guys at leats accept that you are a bunch of dumb asses and just trust me on this one? Please?" BarryP 7/30/2012

x2 Minivans. Affordable, drivable, and useful outside triathlon.

I used to say Subaru Outback, but now (and with gas prices set to rise again), I vote VW Jetta SportWagen TDI. Plenty of room for a fully assembled bike in the back with the rear seats flipped down if you're traveling alone, and with a roof rack there's a ton of room.

Diesel is a little more expensive, but when you get 40mpg in a pretty large station wagon it's not such a bad deal.

Range Rover or LR4. I have the LR4 but my buddy has the RR. All the seats fold flat in the back flush against the ground, or you can get tow-hitch-mounted bike racks for the back. The interior is large enough that you can toss your bike back there and not worry about it being easily stolen.

I prefer the LR4 personally because of the clamshell rear hatch. You have the top 2/3 of the hatch open upwards and the bottom opens like the tailgate on a pickup truck. Makes for an extremely convenient place to sit down and put on your cycling shoes and gear up for a good ride. Or to change to running shoes while you're stashing your bike in the back for a brick.

If you're into hiking and outdoorsy stuff aside from tri, plenty of space for all your gear in the back and the off road capabilities of either truck are completely unmatched. Great for horrible weather. In fact, last year during the snowstorms I was the only one able to get into the office for work while everyone else had to stay home.

And they seat 7.

Any ideas for sub 10k budget for a used car?

x2 I have the Jetta TDI 4door sedan. Getting 52 mpg combined. Wish I had the wagon but I can get my bike in the trunk of the sedan with the back seats down.

Just what TriBodyboarder said, but make sure it has a lift and at least 35's - for under 10k - you just need to find an older one.

x3 I have the sportwagen TDI in 6 speed manual. The trunk is big enough for 3 large labrador retrievers and when you fold down the seats the possibilities are ahem well plenty. I would think you could a used one for $22k-$24k

With a 10k budget, I would be all over a used Subaru or maybe a Nissan Xterra 4x4. Both would be pretty awesome for the weather (the Subarus all share the same 4wd systems, which are awesome), but the Xterra would have a little more space while the Subaru would get better gas mileage. If you ever plan to be off road more than really basic stuff, get the Xterra. Otherwise, pick up a Subaru Outback or Impreza hatchback.

I suspect the Nissan would be a little more reliable, but I don't know enough to really speak to that.

You should be able to fit a bike in the back of either if you pull the wheels, so that's not an issue.

52? Really? I still haven't reached that, but I'm averaging about 40 these days. How many miles do you have on it? Mine just turned 20K so it should be breaking in slowly. I also don't exactly drive the speed limit, which I know plays in as well. :)

Perhaps a used Honda Fit or Scion xb.

This has been beaten to death a million times over.

If you like "hip and unusual" get an Element (I had one, they work great but feel kinda cheap)

If you want comfort go with a big truck and a cap - Ford, Chevy, Dodge, Toyota, Nissan, etc

15 passenger vans work well...but you'll look like you work for the Y

Any station wagon will do - Audi/Mercedes are my person favs (E63, or S6 ;-) )

Other than that, if you can fit your bike than it will work...oh, the Honda FIT works well too

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I got nothing.

I needed a car that was a good commuter and would easily load a bike. Chose a Honda Fit and have been very happy with it. Used ones should be in that range.

Honda Element. Perfect for bikes. Roll right in without taking wheels off. The only bike that can't fit standing up with the wheel off is my 29er. Road and tri bikes are perfect fits. Don't need to worr about it getting dirty and if you live in the mountains or where it snows and you need 4x4, it's got it.

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Hilly Flats Racing

Toyota Highlander 4 cilinders
Best car to load / unload the trunk

Mercedes GL450
Make sure you get optional air conditioned seats

Toyota Tacoma pickup with a shell on the back. Bikes fit inside, locked, with wheels on, 5 people, 5 bikes not in the wind, 20+mpg, sleep in it if needed.

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Brian Grasky
Grasky Endurance: World Championship Triathlon Coaching; Professional Training Camps
RETUL fitter, Biomechanist, USAT Level 3 Coach, USAC Level 2 Coach

1994 Toyota Camry Wagon with 225k Miles. You can throw you bike in with the wheels on and you don't have to worry about grease marks!

I'm actually looking at the new Mazda CX5 to replace my old Cam but with better gas milage.

My current model (B8) Audi S4 Avant with roof racks. Fast, reasonable gas consumption, and heaps of room. Unfortunately you can't buy it in the US!

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"Oh man, it's going to take days to kill all these people!" - Jens Voigt

2013 Audi Allroad. They just started remaking them...

http://models.audiusa.com/allroad

I've noticed that how (aggressively) you drive makes a big difference in the mileage.

Also I notice that in cold weather my mileage is a lot lower. During the summer/fall I was averaging 46-48. Now it's about 40.

I drive a Subaru wagon and love it, but a Honda Element would probably be pretty great too.

doh i didn't see you post this before i went off about my sportwagen

look for a used audi wagon like an early 00's A6...i see a bunch on ebay motors for about $7k that look to be in pretty good condition tons of room reliable german cars

What about the repair costs of the foreign cars? Is it a big risk?

Japanese cars dont need repairs. British cars are shit. German new cars have repairs paid for. Old ones are dice.

American cars have aaa for a reason.

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Hilly Flats Racing

Beautiful summary.

Any thoughts on a 2002 VW golf?

Nope. Sorry.

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Hilly Flats Racing

Really with this? Shall we go into people's perceptions of attorneys then?

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Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

Subaru Outback. Comfortable ride, good storage space and the AWD is awesome.

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"You can never win or lose if you don't run the race." - Richard Butler

And your two-to-five-word summary of Korean cars, perchance?

If you don't care about looks, the Ford Transit offers a huge cargo area and you could easily transport your bikes upright.

Sure. Please specify stereotypes of attorneys by practice area and geographics.

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Hilly Flats Racing

If its a Subaru - hard to beat. But not under 10k probably.

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Hilly Flats Racing

Just get a used Dodge Grand Caravan....cheap,reliable and with the seats folded down....enough space for all your gear, and room to sleep also.

I thought this was a continuation of an old thread hehe...

+1 on Subie. I have the Tribeca. Plenty of room, and a beast in all conditions. Subie's AWD is awesome.

+1 for the Honda Element. Had mine for 8 years - not a single problem w/almost 100K. Roll two bikes in with only one back bike seat up. Don't have to remove wheels. Throw your wetsuit or sweaty gear in the back w/o worry of getting carpet wet. Seats are comfortable and clean easy. A Triathletes DREAM!!!

everymantri.com does regular puff pieces about what car is best. If you want to find out that everything is the best car, read their stroke jobs, errr, reviews.

I find that my Ferrari F430 works out really well and matches perfectly with my carbon frame and wheels decals. I even had a custom carbon/titanium bike mount made for it. Not to mention its perfect for those on a tight budget.

Truly,

"Fred"

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@GrizzlyBaird | Strava | Website
My Supporters: QT2 Systems | The Olympic Club | First Endurance | Rudy Project | BlueSeventy | NormaTec

Yellow Dodge Caliber

Without any doubt, Mercedes GL450

SUPER Helpful! Miss you out here, buddy. You rolling in it from your investment banking gig ;) ?

Love my Ford Edge. Good cargo room, reasonably priced, roof rack for my Thule...and the new ones (2011 and up) are really awesome. They sound great, drive great etc. I bought mine coming out of a Mercedes ML320 and I've got to say it made me feel stupid for being willing to spend so much more on a Mercedes or BMW. It's worth a look. For the record, a test drove the X5, the ML, the Honda Crosstour, the Toyota Venza, the VW line. In the end, the Ford UNEXPECTEDLY grabbed my attention. Also nice to be able to buy American - never really cared but now....

Thanks for the feedback, guys. I am thinking hard about VW. Any experiences with high mileage VW's? Expensive repairs or standard old car maintenance?

Sold my truck and bought a used 2001 Camry 5 years ago.

Pros: Very practical, good gas mileage, nice ride especially on long trips, reliable, cops ignore me, big trunk if i remove my wheels my expensive bike fits easily in the trunk. I no longer worry about leaving my bike in my vehicle. This is huge for me because I do brick workouts leaving my car parked at trail heads (notorious place for break ins), .

Cons: Cool factor is very low, not very sporty, horrible if you have to drive off road

Yes, should work very well for a tri car. I've got a 2001 GTI, and with the seats down have no problems fitting 2+ bikes in the back. If they've got roof racks, even more space in the back for gear.

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Hoka One One - Field Service Rep

If you can get over any potential pride issues, I think one of these (Toyota Sienna) in AWD is tough to beat. Waaay more versatile and useful than any "SUV" on the market:




I have an Element and love it. They have been discontinued, but I'm sure you could get a good one used. I still get lots of comments (positive) about that car. Whenever I'm at the velodrome and I load or unload my bike someone makes a jealous comment. (I'm over 6'4" and I can just roll my bike in the back without taking off wheels or messing with the saddle and the bike rides upright.)

We've had great luck with all our VW's/ Audi's (03 Golf 122K, 03 Passat 135K, 01 A4 133K). All since gone for newer and better but they were super reliable. We had to change the oil pump in the golf but other than that just terrific. Would recommend to anyone. Yes repairs for certain parts can be more than Japanese or American cars but from our experience this happened so few and far between. A Golf would be a perfect choice.

"Range Rover" that's so funny, there are probably people on this thread whose houses cost less than a new range rover.

'All road' my ass, this is for poseurs

So bentleys and aston martins are shit?

Oh yeah? Let me guess you drive a prius with like 5 different mdot magnets plastered all over it.

Totally agree-I got a Sienna too and I just roll my bike into the back, a quick bungee cord around the headrest and toptube to keep it upright and you are done. I know its a minivan but you can't argue the convenience.

Mazda MPV maybe? Or VW Jetta wagon.

http://www.squidoo.com/cheap-road-bikes2

2012 Toyota Sienna SE mini van. Easily fit 3 bikes upright and with all 3 doors being powered and XM radio and blue tooth for easy talk and drive or playing your music from any Bluetooth device is sweet. Not to mention the sleek aero look it has, love mine!!

Depends on your perspective. The OPer was asking about maintenance costs and he wanted a used car for under 10k that's good for triathletes. So, for this thread, those vehicles don't really fit. Likewise, jags and Land rovers have a reputation for being maintenance intensive. Hence my comment. Sorry if you disagree.

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Hilly Flats Racing

Minivan is the most practical. When buying a utility vehicle, if you dont need AWD, anything else is a sacrifice. My 2007 Honda gets 27mpg on the fwy and i put family of four in it and my bike rides upright. If i take lots of stuff, i put on my Thule hitchrack, and Yakima roofrack, Rocketbox, surfrack, and can load up a huge cooler and a ton of stuff, and my big greyhound/mastiff dog, and enjoy max comfort. But, it's too big to commute in.

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The back of a prius is all plastic. You will need to apply the magnets to the side, and this lowers gas mileage and the number of eyes looking at your 140.6 magnet.

+1

You have to go with a Ford Fusion. I have a 2006 fully loaded and have had NO problems with it. Now that I've said that it may change. Back seats come down and fits a bike, wetsuit and tennis shoes very easily!

Wouldn't the best car for a triathlete be a broken one?
That way you would have to ride your bike everywhere
Just sayin :)

Isn't the average triathlete's salary like $125k+ or something? I think I read that somewhere. It's an expensive sport. I assumed if people were spending $10k+ on a bike and wheels (and coaches, gym memberships, IM entry fees, etc.), they were fairly well off.

Though I did see someone packing a new Speed Concept 9.9 with Firecrest Zipps into the trunk of their mid-90s Taurus the other day...

+1

BUY AMERICAN.

I think I am the only one here who likes the mazda protege5.

I agree...I have an 09 Outback, it's got 65k miles already and has been flawless. I fold the seats down and can fit two full bike in laying down without taking the wheels off.

If you earn 125k then your whole net annual income is close to the cost of a landrover. I could afford one if I really wanted to, I just thought it amusing to recommend one for chucking a bike in the back.

No I have a basic Audi a4 and an older Subaru outback. I like the old all road because it's the old Audi design, the new Audi designs are too poseur with all the chrome and grills on them.

The Honda Element isn't pretty but it's hard to beat: 5 bikes upright inside, no need to lower bike seats or remove wheels.

Yeah major crime they don't offer the avant as broadly across their line as they used to. Frankly I want a s4 avant with Quattro and tdi and I refuse to give VAG any more of my money until they make one for me :)

By the looks of it subaru may have a diesel all wheel drive wagon before Audi does.

Btw jetta sport wagen tdis can be had cheaper than 25,000 used. Ours was less than that brand new with the roof and heated seats....just have to talk to a dealer where they are not as popular. Our local guy said he'd throw in floor mats but would budge on full sticker for the car :(

Love mine. They stopped producing them after the 2011 model. It might be possible to pick up a new one still but if you find one it will be expensive. Used ones don't depreciate in value as quickly as other cars. I'd still buy another one though.

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Jen

"In order to keep a true perspective on one's importance, everyone should have a dog that worships him and a cat that will ignore him." - Dereke Bruce

I considered the 3.0 TDI A4 avant, but was won over by the engine in the S4. Bit sad you have such crap options in the US.

We also have a golf TDI, it's an incredible car. Would definitely recommend it. I don't think it actually uses fuel!

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"Oh man, it's going to take days to kill all these people!" - Jens Voigt

The bentley is German (VW underpinnings and engine), Aston is owned by Indian's. Neither is British at its heart.

???

Why do you want an S4 if you also "want" a diesel? 'Kinda defeats the purpose of the S4!

Not the car for me by a mile, but I do own one (for the Mrs.) ;-) Audi wagons are great!

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Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

False. My s4 diesel would have over 400 ft lbs of torque and at least 280 HP. Ever see an all wheel drive vehicle spin four tires into the first three gear changes? Of course the reason it doesn't exist is that it would be breaking trans axles all the time in Quattro format ;) oh yeah I want it to get 50 mpg when I am not flooring it.

LOL! Ever see an AWD spin four? Sure - my last car with 440 ft lbs. (modded BMW 335xi) Current WAGON has just under 600! ft. lbs and 625 HP ;-) Don't care a lick about gas for my car (obviously), but do for the family hauler/trips. Audi Quattros handle like pigs though and tough to dial out that understeer. Did experiment with trying that with my first S4 years ago (prev biturbo version), to no avail. You don't get a diesel for a performance car - bottom line - no matter how much low end torque it produces. Awesome choice for an SUV though ;-)

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Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

Cadillac CTS-V wagon?

Umm what about this? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audi_R10_TDI


Actually I would have agreed with you 100%, one off audis notwithstanding, until I owned a sport wagen tdi. Amazing car, 50+ mpg routinely and even with less than 200 HP it manages front wheel spin and to routinely feel quick everywhere including merging. Not a race car by any measure but fine for spirited driving, family hauling and long treks. Reminds me a little of my old 16 v Saab 900. Performance car in the twistys and slight dog at the stoplights, could put four people in the car and all their gear for whatever the weekend had in store.

 

Hey, not knocking the car (don't forget, I OWN one!) Yeah, the 15 million dollar race car doesn't apply! Plus, it was the ONLY diesel to ever win LeMans (not that Audi has had any problems with their racing pedigree as of late).

@wempe - yup. Modded as well (like all my stuff: computer, car, bike, phone, etc.)


For my daughter:

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Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

They are still British.

A "rental car".

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persequetur vestra metas furiose

+1 on the minivan. EVERYTHING fits INSIDE upright with room for gear AND people.

Very doubtful you've seen an AWD spin all 4 - but I guess that was your LOL.

Very few vehicles can spin all 4 wheels. About the only one I can think of is the Dodge Power Wagon. You need to have locking front hubs and a limited slip rear differential to get all 4 wheels to spin. You would only do that in very slick (i.e. deep mud) places and going straight. If you have both front wheels "driving" you and you turn, you will have big problems.

I have an Element and I love it. Lot's of room and very utilitarian. I can fit a twin air mattress in it and a bike so I use it for camping when racing. Below is a pic of it with the mattress and the bike.



I also feel I named it appropriately.

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http://www.frostyjunction.com/
https://twitter.com/FrostyJunction

Wrong - I have. Add another 100 ft. lbs of torque and knock off almost 1 ton of weight (from a Power Wagon - like the Warn winch though). Lots of cars have electronically controlled differentials now (not just trucks) and trick limited slips on the rear (or aftermarket Quaiffe units). Turn off the computer nannies, pop the clutch and lay it down ;-) The back and forth torque vectoring on the fronts will get them both to spin ;-)

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Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

each of my bikes probably cost more than my late-90's voyager mini van. we removed the last seat and we can still fit two bikes and lots of camping gear. I've been able to fit two kids bikes, two tri bikes, cooler, food, large tent with camping chairs and even a crab pot. excellent aerodynamics since nothing is sticking out of the van. mileage slightly over 20mpg, not bad for an old van, but we do draft on highways since it is not illegal.... :)

but since we don't drive much and BIKE much more, we don't care much about having the latest car like we do with our bikes. and we only have the van, no other cars.

How much you drive and carry bikes should determine the car you buy. and don't forget the tri logo on the back...

Great photo.

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Fatigue is biochemical, not biomechanical.
- Andrew Coggan, PhD

Much like my Element. Except I have a class 3 hitch (not used for towing though) with a 2" receiver for a bike rack. Works well and seems to have little effect on gas mileage.

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Remember Luddites are people too...

Cool - film it next time - I'd love to see it.

I also had a $10K budget so I went for a P5 and will just ride it places I need to go.

My Civic holds two bikes, gets great gas mileage. I can't complain at all.

That is amazing. Might have to expand my budget to get this hotel on wheels/pseudo-car, despite how bad it looks.

+2
I didn't read this thread, but given Hotel Room shortages at big events, I couldn't imagine not owning a car I couldn't sleep in.

I'll second (or third ) the rec for a subaru, My outback has been great and low maintenance. Its more than your budget new, but should be easy to find a good one used. Plus its made in Indiana, so its mostly American. You can even visit the factory. We just got a buick enclave for my wife and I like it a lot too. The Chevy or GMC version should be good as well. I would have looked harder at a Ford edge for her, but needed the third row seating. I liked the Flex in that size vehicle, but I got out voted. You either love the look of the Flex, or you can't stand it all.

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Brian
“Eat and Drink, spin the legs and you’re going to effin push (today).” A Howe

Minivan... Seats fold flat, I can put my bike in upright without removing the wheel and have tons of space for my transition area...
VW Routan.

+2 on the minivan. Also, if you want to fit gear, kids and dog, the Suburban works too (although bikes are on hitch rack):

Any thoughts on the 03 ford focus zx5?

?

yea but if you want di2 plus carbon wheels you'll need more than 10K for the P5.

What a beautiful dog.

that's true. I can get di2 within the $10K and then the zipps are what I would spend on fuel... I think
although I still have to buy cliff bars, that counts toward fuel budget

ok if I keep the P5 for 2 years then I can get the zipps

severinj wrote:

Any thoughts on the 03 ford focus zx5?

I Have on 04 SVT Focus (zx3 platform is same as zx5 but with 2 doors not 4) and with the back seats down it can fit my bike (61cm) with only taking the front wheel off and still get bags inside. I've fit both my road and TT bike in there with both wheels off the frames and strategic blanket placement, but it doesn't leave much room for bags unless you fill up the front seat. The mileage is great though so you can make it work, plus the price of those is a steal now and you can do 90% of the maintenance if you are mechanically savvy.

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David
2007 Trek Madone 5.2 Discovery Channel
2011 Trek Speed Concept 9.5

Hard to beat a chevy HHR: cheap with lots of room in the back, takes a rack well on top or rear and good mileage.

VW Jetta Sportwagon TDI (diesel). 50 mpg, room four 4 + bikes - case closed.

Thanks!...we are fond of her. She has somehow associated the opening of the rear hatch with a permanent invitation to climb in.

Does anyone use a BMW X3? I'm looking to get rid of my A4 and really don't want to get into wagons or vans quite yet. (I'm 25, I cant own a wagon)

Can't recommend the X3 for bile hauling. The rear seat folds at a terrible angle which is a hassle for bike hauling. I can fit 2 tri bikes inside with minimal gear, but it took some master puzzle solving. Think the Element is ugly, but always envy my friends when they're loading after a ride.

Thanks newton! I figured it could handle one bike but I'll be carpooling a lot with one other person so its good to know it can't handle two. Any other suggestions for something similar but not so ugly I can't be seen in it (aka element)?

Would a subaru outback sport work? Its more of a hatchback then a wagon....

Yeah, pretty darn amazing...I have commented a million times how ugly that car is...I must say I have a newfound respect for that car. I guess I can do like in highschool and forego looks ;)

My buddy just went from the Focus ZX3 to the Element and he couldn't be happier. It's not *that* ugly. At least it is 100% practical, especially for the things we do. That being said, I wouldn't be caught dead owning one :)

Anyone use the new Cayenne? What about the new Jeep Grand Cherokee?

You got four people and their bikes inside a Jetta sportwagon? Pics or it didn't happen (don't show me one with bikes on the roof).

I've had my eye on the Land Rover LR3/LR4 because of the cargo height. Gas mileage is terrible and I think their repair record is still poor.

That has to be with bikes on the roof/hitch for the Jetta wagon. You probably can't fit four bikes in a passat wagon especially with people and gear.

No, you are not ;-)

Love mine.

Buddy of mine has an '11 LR4 with at least 50K on it. No issues...at least none that weren't inflicted on it by the buddy's wife. Repair costs are pricey though- almost 1K for a new mirror (wife) and 800 for a new windshield. He, and more importantly, his wife love the thing. It is a good looking tank!

My Sienna is NO GOOD for hauling a bike! I had to remove the front wheel today to get it past the boxes of girlscout cookies, 6 pair of skis and extra clothes. I'm going to trade up to a Unimog or troop transport

I'll throw in my new volt. I'm loving the fact that I'll need to stop for gas every other month. Holds my stuff inside or outside the car.
I can't fit anyone in the backseat with the bike in the car. I need the family cruiser for that.

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Brian
“Eat and Drink, spin the legs and you’re going to effin push (today).” A Howe

The best car for a triathlete would be a reliable car because a unreliable car will steal your triathlon gear and race entry money in order to feed repairs and expensive maintnence. Toyota and Honda are super reliable and easy-cheap to service, so I would put those brands high on my list of potental cars to own.
European cars are expensive to service and can turn into money pits once the factory warranty runs out. VW, Audi can be very trouble prone and a pain to service. Mercedes, BMW, Land Rover, Jaguar, Porshche are very expensive to service and reliablity is a crap shoot with the odds staked up against you. Unless you have really deep pockets, I would avoid Euro cars, espesially used ones.
's
I own a 2001 SVT Mustang cobra convertible and while the reliability with American cars can be crap shoot, I've come out as a winner with this car. Plus, because it's a Ford, it's cheap and easy to service so it's been a good car and it can haul 2 bikes and related tri gear with ease.

FYI, my family has owned six VW's over past 12 years (3 drivers). Currently own a 2012 Passat, 2008 Passat, and 2009 Jetta. We keep buying because they are high-quality German engineering, are fun to drive, get great gas mileage and, unlike your comment, have been very reliable with virtually zero unusual costs except for routine maintenance. Over the last 10 years, VW has greatly improved their reliability....you may be thinking of their 1980's, early 90's products. The newer Passat TDI is a fantastic car for high mileage drivers. The Jetta and Passat wagons are great drivers and bike haulers. Again, just an fyi.

PS......nice "Stang"

I heard that, so I bought an '07 GTI. In three years:

1) intake manifold flap motor died
2) ABS pump died
3) CD changer died

Yeah, I got rid of it before the warranty expired.

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The point is, ladies and gentleman, that speed, for lack of a better word, is good. Speed is right, Speed works. Speed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.

Congratulations on winning the German reliability lottery with your VW's. Your good luck with VW reliably is the exception rather than the rule. In my experience as automotive technician, VW's and Audi were some of the most trouble prone and annoying cars to repair with Land Rover and Mini following close behind. In my view, I see that the Germans over engineer their products for no good reason. I would never buy a used VW or Audi

The Japanese cars are a different story, For example all a Toyota really needs is filters and fluid changes through it's life time compared to a VW or BMW that eats expensive parts such as ABS pumps, valve control parts or plastic cooling system parts that often require many hours of labor to replace.

If you are buying new, the Euro cars are very stylish and come a warranty so you could take a chance with one. However, if you are buying used, no question that Asian cars deserve serious consideration due to their solid reliability that lasts long after the warranty runs out.

I'm a few years older than you are and i'm seriously looking at a vovlo v60 wagon for when i get two more promotions, hopefully within 3 years

It's not as large as other wagons out there, but with the seats folded, you can fit two bikes without taking off the wheels. Saw one of them at a bike race and chatted up with the owner about it. Personally i'd prefer the fuel stingy V4 (never thought i'd say that), which puts out 240hp, but a 300 hp v6 is also available

As others have noted, congrats on winning the anecdotal German automobile engineering lottery. You don't want to hear about my experience with Audi and Mercedes over the last decade; never again. Anecdotally as well, my brother has the exact same car as you and as of two weeks ago he was on the verge of trading it in because of constant little electrical problems (runs great though).

I'm in a very similar situation to you. Looked at a Volvo XC 60 yesterday. I was able to fit two bikes in the trunk upright by folding one side of the rear seats and taking off the front wheels. Still plenty of room on the side for luggage.

Pretty darn good fuel economy too. The trip computer on the '15 I test drove read 28mpg and it was plenty zippy to boot. A tad expensive at $44k but that was loaded and the collision mitigation tech is worth it IMO.

The dealer had a very impressive demo set up: three orange plastic barrels at the end of their lot, they had me accelerate to 20mph and said "don't touch the brake". I didn't, which was freaky, but the car came to a complete stop on its own about 5' short of the barrels. Very impressive.

I ended up with a new Ford Escape SEL. Love it. For $30,000 you can get all the leather, updated stereo, remote everything, 2.0L Turbo and bigger wheels AND itll fit two bikes inside. I could fit my large speed concept in without removing any wheels, or two if I take the fronts off. Really happy with that move.

Any updates here? Pulling this back up b/c my car is on the fritz and I'm starting to look.
Anything new out there that may be of interest?
Don't have an unlimited budget here so I'm looking for something reasonable.
Have kids, dog, etc.... so it'll need to be an SUV-type.
Thanks for any thoughts on experiences you all have had.
Rather not purchase something someone has already had a bad experience with ..........................

I just bought a minivan, a Grand Caravan, 2 months ago. It's awesome. Fits bikes, kids, wife, camping gear and the dog all at the same time.

With small kids the sliding door is really nice in tight parking lots.

Bought ours pre-loved (it's a '14 with 30,000 kms when we bought it), and was a lower price than any SUV of a comparable age and size. And even the SUV's of "comparable" size have smaller interiors.

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Swimming Workout of the Day:

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2020 National Masters Champion - M50-54 - 50m Butterfly

I would agree that a minivan is a good option. It is basically a more practical SUV. Or an SUV is a less practical minivan. If you are looking at a larger vehicle. An SUV does feel more stylish, sporty etc but it is tough to beat a minivan for hauling stuff around in comfort.

Much like the review above, I have Odyssey. It really is a near perfect vehicle for biking, canoeing/kayaking/SUP and nearly everything. Plenty of space, versatile use and acceptable gas mileage. The only complaint I will say, due to it's weight and front wheel drive only, it is plain awful in snow or serious rain. No matter what tires you put, there is just too much the front axle is being asked of. Other than that, great locker room, plenty of space to change, four MTBs inside, or two tri bikes, wheels, tools......I haul my ICF sprint K1 on top.....you can hang a bike rack on the hitch rack, sky is the limit.
Oh and it beats any suv in that inside space.
Honda Element maybe your smaller option but not being sold anymore. Tougher to find.

What about a pre-owned grand cherokee?

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the world's still turning? >>>>>>> the world's still turning

Jeep Wrangler 4 door. It goes anywhere. It can take a beating. Kids love it. Great for dogs. Can be a convertible. It will never go out of style. Resale value is insane. Get a bright color and have fun

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Coach at KonaCoach Multisport

If you don't need to tow anything of decent weight (ie. a boat or horse trailer) then a minivan.
If you do need to tow anything - because you can't beat a day on the lake with the family - then Suburban.

+1 to the Wrangler, for all the reasons you said. I’ll also add that the roll bar in the rear makes it really easy to bungee your bike into place, and quickly. I can fit 3 bikes easily, with the front wheels removed.

Now if you need to haul 2+ people in the back seat and carry your bike in the vehicle at the same time, the Wrangler may not be the best choice. But you can still carry a bike and have 1 person the back seat by only folding down part of the back seat.

Cars you see at the picking lots of races- Subaru outbacks, Subaru Foresters, Subaru CrossTreks, same for dog parks.

Cycling lots has sure changed my perspective on things, namely cars.

I don't like to be in a big car anymore. So I went with a Fiat 500, which has good style and is very efficient. Feels a bit likea 4 wheel bike. Wheels-off a bike squeezes in, or just use a bones rack, which you have to pull the wheels anyway if they are anything deep.

We also got a KIA Soul - the new versions are quite good. Lots of space, decent mpg and similar something that is not an SUV. I would really recommend a Soul if you don't need to have parking sensors.

We do have larger cars in the fleet and I enjoy the cushy ride but there is just too much girth.

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Looks awesome.

But will it come free with vw fraudster engine software ?

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Advanced Aero TopTube Storage for Road, Gravel, & Tri...ZeroSlip & Direct-mount, made in the USA.
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Shitty engine and probably the least practical automobile as your primary vehicle. Its great as a second car! I own a 2006 Wrangler 2 door.

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

Wifey and I are moving to Penn, so we just did the rounds on new car shopping. We are in between jobs, so we had plenty of time to look at lots and lots of cars.

Our requirements
1) Bikes had to fit it in upright with front tire off
2) Had to have all wheel drive option
3) Prefer hybrid, but high MPG was also okay.
4) Prefer the smallest possible car/van/SUV that meets all these requirements

The cars that DID NOT WORK

1) Toyota Rav 4 Hybrid - Loved the car. But with the battery pack taking up some cargo space in the back, the bikes didn't fit. Toyota has lots of nice features in the Rav4.

2) Pacifica Hybrid - This thing was sweeet!! Its a plug in minivan. Everything fit no problem. But, no AWD....

3) Subarus - outback and Forrester. All subarus are AWD. But the space in the back didn't allow our bikes to go vertical. Price seemed higher than competition too.

4) Chevy Equinox - The 2018 has all the bells and whistles, but only in their higher specs. At the end of the day no hybrid option, marginal gas mileage, and our bikes didn't fit.

5) Ford Transit Connect - At 23K this one had me pretty excited.. But, wifey didn't go for it.

6) Toyota Sienna van - no hybrid option, but met all other requirements. This was probably our #1 backup.

7) Escape, Rouge, Sorrento - Tried them all, but didn't like them much.

What we went with?

WINNER - Honda CRV - Roomy enough in the back to get both bikes in. Its not a hybrid, but it gets 32 MPG highway with AWD. in the EXL package it has all kinds of neat little safety features and full leather.

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Austin Hardy -

Pentastar engine is a big improvement over prior Jeep engines.

But IMO life is too short for bland crossovers that ALL LOOK THE SAME!!

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Coach at KonaCoach Multisport

Are you opening a flower shop?

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

They are amazing! You can beat it to hell, then take a pressure washer to the INSIDE of the vehicle to clean it up.

Camping, biking, hunting, fishing, delivering flowers.. It would be an awesome vehicle to have for an adventure couple.

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Austin Hardy -

My 1986 Volvo 240 has held up really well over 570,000 miles with trips to about 150 triathlons, road races, Masters swim meets, and 28 yrs of USAF Reserve duty. Had her repainted in '07 plus new seats, under-body, etc. Had the transmission re-built at 220,000 mi but orig engine is still going strong. I would shop around for a late 80/early 90s Volvo wagon with low miles. I've met two guys who found these online, picking up a classic 80s car with under 100,000 mi for like $2000. You can fit a lot of tri gear, dogs, and kids in the wagon. Sorry but the recommended mini-vans are just way too much of a cliché. An SUV sure but never a mini-van. :)

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"Anyone can be who they want to be IF they have the HUNGER and the DRIVE."

Pentastar is so great that a friend of mine just took his out and dropped a Chevy V8 into his Wrangler Unlimited

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Pink? Maybe. Maybe not. You decide.

Why go to all that trouble and not use a Hemi!!!!!!

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Coach at KonaCoach Multisport

I also went with a '17 CRV and am quite happy with it. I wanted a small SUV with maximum cargo space for bikes. Not only does the CRV have best in class cargo space, but it's practical for bikes as the seats fold down almost flat, there is good height clearance for your saddle, and it's plenty deep enough. Other small SUVs I measured out had dimensions that wouldn't work as well for bikes. I think the Rav4 was the next on my list. Really wanted to get a Subaru Forrester or Outback, but the cargo height just wasn't high enough to clear my saddle sitting straight up with the front wheel off and the fork attached to a mount.

Only if you get the diesel version :-)

I love wranglers to death, I have two. But I agree with the comment above, every time someone asks me if I recommend buying one I tell them unless you are into the lifestyle and actually go camping/off-roading/hunting/etc. stay away from it. It's noisy, has terrible gas mileage and a harsh suspension, but nothing can touch it out on the trails.

I personally believe a minivan is the most practical vehicle out there, the only problem with it is the soccer mom stigma some people can't get over.

I recommend one of the new Lamborghinis. It's very aero, lots of power and lightweight.

It is coming with plug in hybrid in the near fiture.

I just bought a used Mazda CX-5 and I’m liking it a lot so far. Good gas mileage and I can get my 60 cm road bike in the back without taking a wheel off. My 9’ fishing rods fit too. I’m putting a hitch on it to get the mtbs around.

I kid you not, a Corvette C6 works pretty well, pop the wheels off the tri-bike & it'll happily lay in the back.

If you're looking for something inexpensive that fits your criteria, I've got a Hyundai Elantra GT (it's not an SUV, it's a smaller hatchback... much better on gas). I brought the bike to the dealership before buying the car, to make sure it would fit bike, race gear, and both kids in there at the same time. I have actually put 2 bikes, 2 transition bags full of gear, 2 weekender bags of clothes, and 2 people in there. I have to make some trade-offs if I'm bringing the dog, but then again she's a Great Dane. ;)

My wife and I rented something similar in Austria this summer, I think a VW Touran, and I loved it. We managed to fit 4 people, all their luggage, and 2 bike bags into it comfortably. Whenever we look for a new car this is for sure going to be on the list.

FTW !

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Give Mitsu Oultander GT a look. Only not sure on bikes upright. GT model has a watered down version of AWC from Evo.

The Girlfriend has a 2012 GMC Terrain, and I love it. I almost bought a 2015 last Friday.
I have rented its twin the Chevy Equinox a few times as a pre test to see if I wanted to buy one.
The only reason I did not purchase previously is I have a paid off 2005Trailblazer for carrying bikes, and nice car for work and day to day travel. Plus I do not want a car payment:>)

I have recently test driven the new 2018 Equinox LS base model, and it or the 2018 Terrain will be my next car.
More room than previous Generation in the back to carry stuff. My 61 Ridley fit with Ease with both wheels on.
Better gas mileage. Good enough to get rid of my car and consolidate to 1 vehicle and I drive a lot.
Good Technology with integration of smart phones to touch screen and Hot Spot availability. No need for NAV or Satellite Radio.

I know a lot of haters will say bad things about GM vehicles, but I have bought 3 that have ALL gone well over 130,000 miles.
My Trailblazer has 153k. I would keep it, but it does need a few repairs that will cost more than a 12 year old SUV is worth.
So I think I have good track record with them.

Good Luck,
Pete

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2017 Cervelo P2
2017 Cervelo S2
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I went the otherway....motorhome.

Anyone have experience with a KIA Soul?
The price is right but I'm not sure all my stuff will fit.
Definitely would need a hitch mount rack.

I recently went through many of those same vehicles and the new CR-V came out on top as well. I was originally looking at the Pilot but I came to the realization that both equal room in the trunk (back seat down in the CR-V, third row down in the Pilot). I don’t ever have more than myself and maybe a passenger so the Pilot would just be hauling around extra mass for me for no reason.

The only thing the CR-V didn’t have that I was looking for was ventilated seats.

I *almost* decided on an Odyssey EX. I Can get my bike in the back of one of those without taking my seat off. $32,000 out the door with all the latest safety features and Apple CarPlay.

The Hyundai Santa Fe Sport was nice too but the fuel economy seemed pretty abysmal.

I got a lightly used GX460 earlier this year. Cheap it was not, but it holds bikes vertically with the front wheels off, so they're inside and out of the elements, but still don't take up much room and there's lots of space for stuff. And it's reliable and comfortable. Not many vehicles hit all those requirements.

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The point is, ladies and gentleman, that speed, for lack of a better word, is good. Speed is right, Speed works. Speed clarifies, cuts through, and captures the essence of the evolutionary spirit.

Sprinter Van. High roof passenger version.

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https://trigeek1969.blogspot.ca

I drive an Outback. The 2018 rides smoother, quieter, gets good fuel economy, is small enough to handle like a car, and you can get two bikes in back (separated with a collapsed TV box). It's got good ground clearance and goes fast, too.

Honda Element, two bikes fit in bike with all wheels on, or a Honda Ridgeline, one bike in rear seat area, or lots of bikes in rear bed.

I also have a '17 CRV. I juuuust miss being able to stand the bike up in the back with front wheel off (when rear seats are folded). I'm 6'1". If I lowered the seatpost a couple inches that would definitely do the trick. Usually it's just me, though, so I just lay the bike in on it's size, no wheel removal required. It's a pretty boring vehicle to drive, though. Inoffensive I guess is the word.

You can see some pics here.
http://www.crvownersclub.com/...bike-inside-crv.html

I thought about trading my 2010 Element in for a new Ridgeline, but it was a squeeze to get a bike in the rear seat area w one wheel off. In the end, I decided that it was vastly inferior and I am going to keep the Element for another 100K miles or until Honda pulls their head out of their ass and builds a new Element.

The real answer is any car/minivan that is cheaper than your bike!

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2018 Races: IM Santa Rosa, Vineman Monte Rio, Lake Tahoe 70.3

For some people that's still a lot of options...

LOL, yeah it is. One of my favorite triathlete buddies, John Ryan in Northern California, a very good triathlete who usually podiums in local races, always says his kids make fun of him because his bike is worth more than his car. Clearly, this recommendation of mine was not made by a dentist or for them :).

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2018 Races: IM Santa Rosa, Vineman Monte Rio, Lake Tahoe 70.3

So go get a Chevy Astro van, if it is a Starcraft or similar you get 2 bikes upright plus still have the bedoption for 2 people (plus the front seats just to make sure);-)

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-shoki

Land Rover Series III 109”. Got a 200 TDi installed from a defender and can fit bikes in the load bay upright, fully assembled. Plus, they’re able to be rinsed out. Actually, when it rains, they rinse themselves out.

The 2014 & up Souls are pretty nice. After our Focus bit it, I sent my wife for test drive. She loved it and I got a pretty good deal on a '16 ex tech in the latte brown about $20K CAD (this color looks horrible in the city, but great in the country), It was that or my P5X,

I also got a 2010 Soul for our company runner. The manual is horrible but the automatic is OK. Good value there for the space

Now light years ahead of anything I've ever driven is the 2018 VW Tiguan. What an SUV. Amazing.
No need for Audi or anything prestige, the Tiguan is that good.

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Training Tweets: https://twitter.com/Jagersport_com
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Of all the cars I've owned, I've loved the Nissan Pathfinder. Older ones suck on gas mileage but the newer AWD model uses front wheel drive for about 95% of the normal driving, has plenty of power and room for 7. 2 bike rack on the back and and additional roof rack for 2 more if I need it (could put a 4-bike rack on the hitch if you really need it). Drives like a car, but with the room of a SUV (and ability to pull a small boat).