Ferdinand Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 (edited) The title is probably self-explanatory. I am taking another look at cars as now seems to be a good time to buy with plenty of discounts around. I am looking for a large estate car which is able to carry about half a dozen doors inside with the rear door shut and seats down, since this is the arrest thing I have needed for the Little Abrown Bungalow renovation this side of an 8x4 sheet of OSB, and vans are out. Has anyone done this? I don't really want a big 4x4, and I am not keen on paying the 2k or so extra road tax on cars with a list price of 40k+, which leaves large estates new or recent secondhand. I was looking previously at Audi A6s but I think they are slightly too small, as are Jags and the current big Volvos; the most likely candidate at present is a Mercedes E-Class or something I have not found yet. Honda Civic Touring looks possible, maybe. The dimensions are 2040 x 826mm for a metric door, and 1981 x 838mm for an imperial size door, so I need 2040 x 838 plus corrugated cardboard wrapping and wiggle room. Online sites seem to measure space for 'boxes' to the back of the front seats, which are inclined backwards so the measurement is too short wrt the load deck floor. I would love to go round the dealers with a real door to try it out, but I can't fit it in the existing car :-o. So once I have a shortlist it is going to be a tour with a large piece of cardboard to check. Cheers for any comments. Ferdinand Edited February 21, 2018 by Ferdinand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 11 minutes ago, Ferdinand said: I would love to go round the dealers with a real door to try it out, but I can't fit it in the existing car :-o. So once I have a shortlist it is going to be a tour with a large piece of cardboard to check. Make something up that is hinged in the middle that will fit in your existing car. I know doors don't fit into a Ford C-Max. But being sensible, renting a van is the easy and cheap way as you are not going to move doors that often. Or a trailer. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Alphonsox Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 I managed to get a stack of doors in my BMW 5-Series estate with no problem - Its actually slightly longer than the X5 4x4 - These were imperial doors, with me (6ft2") driving. Not cheap, but a nice place to be. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 2 minutes ago, Alphonsox said: Its actually slightly longer than the X5 4x4 Odd that, the Focus Estate is larger in the back than the C-Max. Neither is a nice place to be though. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bitpipe Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 I have an 08 A6 Avant - with seats down it's quite large but the boot area is tapered at the top which can make it tricky to get big rectangular loads in - happy to take a few measurements for you if that helps. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 They fit in a Prius, as I've carried doors flat in mine. That has a rear opening that is about 995mm and plenty of length with the rear seats down for around 5 or 6 doors stacked up before the available length becomes a problem because of the slope of the rear window. The limiting factor on every car I've had has been the width of the hatch/rear door opening mainly, not the load space inside. Of the two 4 x 4s I've owned, one was very poor, as the door opening was a lot narrower than the actual load space. I'm taking a double bed to the recycling centre later today, and was surprised to find that a folded divan base easily fitted in the back, with room on top for the headboard and rolled up mattress. So you may not need an estate, and might well find that one of the longer hatchbacks will manage OK, which may broaden your choice a bit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jamiehamy Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 (edited) Don't forget carrying the frames and facings - which will be at least 100mm longer if you get them pre-cut. Nothing worse than being chuffed at getting the doors home and not being able to put the linings in the car! Then there is hard wood flooring if you have any - weighs a lot and ours were 2225mm long - too long for a car and even if I could get 10 packs in at a time, I wouldn't have been happy with the weight. We hired a van and did a whole load of things in one day (my camper is out of action). Edited February 21, 2018 by jamiehamy 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Inside/on top, whatever works. The beauty of an old, cheap workhorse! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Tax has run out 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickfromwales Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 I doubt if any car salesman has ever heard a customer walk in and say "it needs to carry doors" I think you need to hire a van for a day, and drive something that suits your day to day needs best, or get the chippy to pick them up in his van and chuck him £50 for his time and trouble. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 1 hour ago, SteamyTea said: Tax has run out Least of it's worries! Got two new sills to go on so it's SORNed at the mo! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ProDave Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Buy a trailer. Go on, you know you want to. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 2 hours ago, ProDave said: Buy a trailer. Go on, you know you want to. BUT, check that the car you own, or intend to buy, can legally be fitted with a tow hitch! I speak from (expensive) experience, when I purchased a Mercedes SLK a few years ago. I'd bought the car, and was waiting for delivery, when I thought to ask the dealer for the price for a tow hitch, as I couldn't find any after market ones. Sadly, like a fair few cars nowadays, the dealer told me that it cannot be fitted with a tow hitch, so that left me unable to tow either my aircraft or boat trailers. The solution was to buy a second car, an old, but very good condition, Daihatsu Fourtrak. Cost me £2,000, but came fitted with a tow ball and wiring. I kept that car for years, only ever doing a few hundred miles a year with it, and never spent anything on it other than fuel, tax and MOT. In the end I decided to get rid of it when I was buying my second Prius, when I chopped it in under the scrappage scheme and got back the £2000 I'd paid 8 years earlier for it. Shame really, as it was still in great condition when I scrapped it, but it just wasn't worth £2,000, so scrapping it made more sense financially. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 2 hours ago, Onoff said: Least of it's worries! Got two new sills to go on so it's SORNed at the mo! Steptoe, have you ever thought of having a Dagenham Dustbin scrap yard as you already got the stock. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gravelld Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 When I looked at this, the largest estates were Skoda's Superb (Octavia also large for the class) a Mercedes (can't remember the model) and an Audi (ditto). 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliG Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Surprisingly few cars will take a 2m load behind the front seats. As @gravelld says the Skoda superb is a great combination of value and space, Google suggests a 2.13m load length. They also have an enormous amount of space for 2nd row passengers and a nice interior. An A6 doesn't offer much extra luxury for a lot more money. E-Class has lots of space but personally i would be put off by most being rear wheel drive. Also I think the Skoda is a bit tougher if you plan to lug loads. A people carrier like a Ford S-Max also makes an effective van with all the seats down, but Google suggests only 1.97m load length. The 5m long A6 still lists the boot as 1.97m it appears, same as a Mondeo estate. The Skoda is a bit more compact than some of these as it is based on the more space efficient Golf platform. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Just a shame that most estate cars/small vans are not designed from the start to take a pile of 8 by 4 sheets in the back. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AliG Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 Having often considered this issue myself and having loaded the car up with large items only to be terrified that they puncture the headliner or scrape the boot, causing a repair that might run to hundreds of pounds I came to the conclusion that it is probably better to pay for delivery or rent a van. Nowadays you can rent a van cheaply for a few hours and don't have to worry about damaging your car. Assuming that the need to require this kind of item is rare, this might be the better solution. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted February 21, 2018 Share Posted February 21, 2018 1 hour ago, SteamyTea said: Steptoe, have you ever thought of having a Dagenham Dustbin scrap yard as you already got the stock. One man's scrap yard is another's Classic Ford collection... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted February 22, 2018 Author Share Posted February 22, 2018 (edited) THanks for the excellent range of replies. Having spent an hour this morning wandering around Available Car with a tape measure and an 880mm walking cane (to measure the width), I think the following can meet my loadspace criteria ... 2m and a bit long and 900mm wide. AS suggested, width is not a problem. IN a couple of cases it may involve having the front seat slightly more upright. I am 1.8m tall. More than I expected seem sufficient. Seem capable of carry several house doors flat Ford Mondeo Estate. Mercedes E Class. Audi A6. BMW 5 Series. Skoda Superb but I did not get to measure one, Perhaps VW Passat. DId not get inside one, The followIng seem too small Mazda 6 All the several 4x4 Tonkas I looked at. I believe the Jaguar, but again I did not get to measure one. Peugeot 308 Estate. The Skoda Octavia, which has a significant step in the floor. I will post again later with specific answers, and about what seem to be significant discounts at present (eg Merc E Class via Carwow is -20%+ around my area. Ferdinand Edited February 22, 2018 by Ferdinand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeremy Harris Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 To get doors in mine I just slide the passenger seat forward slightly and put the doors in at a slight angle. 2.4m lengths of timber are fine, as I can fold the front seat back, take the headrest off and drape an old towel over the seat to protect it. 3m lengths of timber or pipe fit OK inside too, but I have to lay the towel over the top of the passenger side dash to protect it in case they slide forwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onoff Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 (edited) Had a BIG barney with the missus years ago and punched a door in frustration. Even bigger row ensued! Still fuming off I went to Wickes to get a replacement. I took the front passenger seat headrest off to get the cheap sapele door in the back of the car. Driving too fast I took a sharp left hand turn and the door slid across, pinning me against the driver's window by the neck. I couldn't steer so carried on into the hedge! Edited February 22, 2018 by Onoff 1 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SteamyTea Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 (edited) 19 minutes ago, Onoff said: I couldn't steer so carried on into the hedge! What we like to hear. I was moving a barrel of resin in the works Marina van. Hit the breaks and it slid forwards and up into the back the seats. Bloody things weighed 270kg. I drove the rest of the journey almost pinned to the steering wheel looking like Quasimodo's slightly more attractive younger brother. Edited February 22, 2018 by SteamyTea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferdinand Posted February 22, 2018 Author Share Posted February 22, 2018 (edited) If we are confessing, the boot of my Corsa will never leak because it is liberally coated with Wickes paint on damproofer which fell over once. And dried eventually. Ubfortunately for my purposes, electrics can't tow very well. Edited February 22, 2018 by Ferdinand Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simplysimon Posted February 22, 2018 Share Posted February 22, 2018 e class estate, i've run one for years. excellent load luggers with self levelling rear suspension. years ago the old h plate could take a large 3 seater settee to the dump with the rear door closed, luckily auto with my chest almost touching the steering wheel. my mate calls it the best looking van, and of course the roof bars allow 8x4 sheets to be carried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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