Vehicle that holds 4 people plus a bunch of gear plus 4 bikes

[MayDay]

We currently have a van that may die sometime soon (191k and transmission slipping)

We regularly camp and road trip with 2 adults and 2 kids. We usually bring 4 bikes.

We recently camped with the van loaded down and a hitch bike rack and the back of the van was dragging LOW. Not a huge deal as we soon unloaded the bikes and gear but it made me pretty uncomfortable with our previous plan to replace the van with a Camry or accord type car.

Goals:

 trunk or back holds enough gear to camp. No roof rack.
Holds 4 bikes on the back, no way are we doing the roof racks
Doesn't bottom out on typical state park/national park roads, we aren't ever going truly off road.

Thoughts?

[Sibley]

Why don't you want a roof rack? That would pretty much solve your storage problem. The dragging would be shocks/struts, or whatever they're called, so if yours are wearing out of course the back is going to drag.

[Papa bear]

Go with another minivan and add a hitch.


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[MayDay]

Why don't you want a roof rack? That would pretty much solve your storage problem. The dragging would be shocks/struts, or whatever they're called, so if yours are wearing out of course the back is going to drag.

So, we have a civic. I think it would about kill me to heft one bike into its roof, let alone 4. The thought of repeatedly getting them on/off during a trip sounds impossible.

Now our bikes are nice (imo) ~300$ bikes, but they are far from lightweight. Maybe it makes more sense to do a smaller car with eood rack and buy 4 new lightweight bikes. I am open to that. But I'm not sure I could get even a light bike on the roof of the car without throwing out my back.

[MayDay]

Go with another minivan and add a hitch.


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I am open to this being the solution.

We drive the current van ~ 5 K miles a year including road trips so fuel economy is less of a concern. We had been think accord/Camry because the purchase price is so much lower than a van, and the mpg was a nice bonus.

[MayDay]

Also: how long between the tranny slipping and it going out?

When the manual went in our old corolla it happened fast, but the van has slipped for a few months now.

[kendallf]

Get a hitch and buy a small utility trailer.  You can use a hitch rack for 1-2 bikes, and if you want to go camping, load 4 bikes plus camping gear up in the trailer.  I have done this for years, previously with a Lexus, currently with my Prius.  I added four of the $10 fork mount clamps to cross members that I can take on and off of the trailer. 

The bonus is that the trailer is cheap and adds incredible versatility to your small car.  I brought home a cubic yard of topsoil in my trailer a couple of days ago -- probably 2000 lbs!

[sandandsun]

We have a three bike hitch and use a Roof Bag (literally, that is the name on it : ) for extra cargo.  Two adults, two kids, two dogs, three bikes, gear for a week is no problem that way...  Also use the roof bag only on the Corolla when not taking bikes and it's nice to have everything up top- bag can be used with or without a roof rack and I think I paid about 60-70 bucks for it new... Worth every dollar!

[Papa bear]

Get a hitch and buy a small utility trailer.  You can use a hitch rack for 1-2 bikes, and if you want to go camping, load 4 bikes plus camping gear up in the trailer.  I have done this for years, previously with a Lexus, currently with my Prius.  I added four of the $10 fork mount clamps to cross members that I can take on and off of the trailer. 

The bonus is that the trailer is cheap and adds incredible versatility to your small car.  I brought home a cubic yard of topsoil in my trailer a couple of days ago -- probably 2000 lbs!

Trailer isn't a bad idea, but where do you store it?  Tough in an HOA neighborhood or don't have the garage space. Or pay for storage? I'd rather have the van.


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[kendallf]

Get a hitch and buy a small utility trailer.  You can use a hitch rack for 1-2 bikes, and if you want to go camping, load 4 bikes plus camping gear up in the trailer.  I have done this for years, previously with a Lexus, currently with my Prius.  I added four of the $10 fork mount clamps to cross members that I can take on and off of the trailer. 

The bonus is that the trailer is cheap and adds incredible versatility to your small car.  I brought home a cubic yard of topsoil in my trailer a couple of days ago -- probably 2000 lbs!

Trailer isn't a bad idea, but where do you store it?  Tough in an HOA neighborhood or don't have the garage space. Or pay for storage? I'd rather have the van.


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Mine is a 4x6 utility trailer from Tractor Supply; it takes up very little space.  I don't have a HOA and the trailer sits in the yard or on the edge of my driveway.  Some options even fold for storage vertically leaning on a wall.

[Dancin'Dog]

Get a hitch and buy a small utility trailer.  You can use a hitch rack for 1-2 bikes, and if you want to go camping, load 4 bikes plus camping gear up in the trailer.  I have done this for years, previously with a Lexus, currently with my Prius.  I added four of the $10 fork mount clamps to cross members that I can take on and off of the trailer. 

The bonus is that the trailer is cheap and adds incredible versatility to your small car.  I brought home a cubic yard of topsoil in my trailer a couple of days ago -- probably 2000 lbs!

Utility trailers are great.  I have a van and a truck, but still use a trailer quite often.