Small car with immense load carrying ability?

[northwind]

It's time for the annual "Time I got a car" thread from me This year, I'm looking for something which can:

Fit in my driveway, which is too small for a VW Passat Estate but just big enough for a Vauxhall Combi- it's car width but the access is at an angle so a full length car won't go.

Carry 2 mountain bikes in it without too much hassle (back seats can come out)

Sit in the rain for months at a time without being driven, then still go reliably

Be cheap to insure, run and fix (if need be)

Be able to go up lumpy fire roads without snapping in half

It doesn't have to be stylish, or exciting It just has to ferry pushbikes and shopping and motorbike bits around. Any suggestions?

old volvo. Can't give them away!

[keith_d]

Sounds like a Subaru Forester to me. 4WD and enough ground clearance for mild off-roading. Boringly reliable (if my colleague is to be believed) which keeps garage bills down and not too expensive to insure because most of them are driven by boring old gits (like my colleague).

Obviously, if you get one with the Impreza STi engine under the hood it's a whole different ball game, expensive to insure, expensive to repair, and goes like s**t off a shiny shovel (unlike my colleague).

Keith. (the one with the underscore).

[the_lone_wolf]

[dizzyblonde]

suzuki jimny with a bike rack

Bedford Rascal/Suzuki Super-Carry.

I had a 1.0 Yaris which I carried a Suzuki GSXF750 engine in from derby to Banbury without issues.

Back seats fold up, so there's a fair bit of space in the back.

Used to do silly speeds in it down to London once a month too, down the M40.

Very reliable and cheap little car to run. Was quite good fun.

[husky03]

northy i can get you a y reg ford fiesta 1.6 zetec, just been mot'd two weeks ago, 74000 miles,been in the family since new(was bro in laws but he moved away and gave it to father in law) looking for a grand but to an orger would knock 100-off(get you some road tax).really sweet car, only being sold due to death in the family and now to many cars.