" Does’nt fit" can mean different things to different people. We have fitted two bikes plus all the gear for an IM Tri plus and extra set of wheels and cloths for a week in the back of a Toyota Echo/Yaris. What is your definition of Does Not Fit?
Not at all , when I bought my last car I took my bike with me to see how it would fit . The salesguy thought I was nuts , but who cares .
A fantastic way to transport a bike is to use a sedan with folding rear seats. Take the front wheel off. Put the the bike in the trunk/rear cabin with the non-dérailleur side down and close the trunk. It does not get any better than that.
Taking wheels on/off a bike, particularly the back wheel, while being straight-forward, is always a bit of a hassle. Bikes in the back seat of a car always seem to leave grease or some other dirt in the car and it’s always a bit of a crap shoot wether you will be able to fit a frame in the trunck Have you considered car-racks - either roof or hitch/rear-mount? This way the bikes are out side. and you can leave one(rear) or both wheels on the bike. The bike can be secured on the car or taken off in 30 seconds or less!
Our other car is a Toyota Corolla and we have a duel mount Yakima roof rack on that car. We travel with the bikes a lot to races, to the cottage and back etc. . and we always use the roof racks( we used the Echo that time because the Corolla was in the garage for some emergency repairs). With the bikes on the roof, we still have the rest of the car to use for people/dogs and anything else.
Did the same thing!
When I bought a new car, I started by taking measurements of my bike and then went online and looked at cargo space (height, etc). Narrowed it down and showed up to the Honda and Toyota dealerships with bike and my interior rack in tow. They probably thought I was nuts too, but it worked!
Bought an Element (2008) and it fits perfectly with all my other stuff (tub of bike stuff, running stuff, swim stuff, work clothes) AND can get groceries in there on the weekends! Have taken 2 bikes and 2 people with luggage all inside on trips.
edit: I also have a Saris Thelma exterior rack. Bike stays in the car most of the time and I use the outside rack on the weekends for the most part.
Although the last time I changed car it was due to the old one costing more to keep on the road than it was worth, one of the major factors in deciding which car to buy was “will my bike fit”, so I took my bike with me to car showrooms. I got some odd looks, but no one objected to me throwing the bike in the back of their shiny new cars…
Settled on a Honda Jazz (called Fit in the US - maybe 'coz bikes Fit in the back easily ?)
It seems excessive to take the rear wheel off. Do you have the right technique? Bike upside down, rear wheel in first from the passenger side? Just keep the window down and lift the bars to be safe when you shut the door. I would keep that car if you still like it otherwise. Throw a towel on the seats and gun it.
I have a non-padded frame bag, and two wheel bags. It takes all of 3min. to pack/unpack the bike, and the bags keep my trunk grease-free. I have a C230 and a Jetta, and the bike fits in both.
I brought my bike to the dealership…they may think you’re crazy, but they aren’t going to lose a sale over it.