Do you drive a Subarau Forester or Ford Escape?

[crazycanuck]

Weelll..guess what i just figured out.. The Honda element isn't sold in Australia www.honda.com.au

There's a rather nice looking HOnda CRV though..

I'm def not going to stack our bikes on top of eachother. Ian would give me a look if i even suggested it!

[KnottedYet]

I took my dog with me when we went test driving for our first new car.

If he didn't fit happily, I didn't consider the car. The dealerships were surprisingly cool about it. Guess I wasn't the first to bring something along that just *had* to fit in the new car.

(ended up getting Subaru #3... had a 1986, a 1996, and my first brand new car a 2005) My Imp holds one bike in the back with the seat down and the front wheel off. I suppose I could stack one bike on top of another, but I have a Thule rack for when I want to carry more than one.

[7rider]

(ended up getting Subaru #3... had a 1986, a 1996, and my first brand new car a 2005) My Imp holds one bike in the back with the seat down and the front wheel off. I suppose I could stack one bike on top of another, but I have a Thule rack for when I want to carry more than one.

DH has an '02 Impreza WRX. Depending on the bike (wheelbase), he can carry 1 bike on its side with the front wheel on. For 2 bikes, we take the Escape with the hitch rack.
The CRV's are very nice (the new ones seem almost TOO nice to sully with dirty bikes and kayaks and such!). A neighbor of mine has an '04 CRV that holds 2 bikes upright, front tire removed and braced against the back of the front seat (rear seats folded flat). It works out great, and he can pack other things in around the upright bike.

[crazycanuck]

We took Ian's mtn bike with us car hunting yesterday & came to the following conclustions..

We don't want an Escape or a Forester because his Scott won't fit lying down. Also, they didn't pass the iggy lying down test. If ian can't lay completely flat in the back of the vehicle to sleep, we don't want it.

We looked at a few more cars & came to the conlusion that our next vehicle might be a Nissan X-trail. We'll keep looking but we won't buy anything until we return from our May trip.

[LBTC]

We don't want an Escape or a Forester because his Scott won't fit lying down. Also, they didn't pass the iggy lying down test. If ian can't lay completely flat in the back of the vehicle to sleep, we don't want it.

Ah! DH thinks the Holden will work for this, or another wagon or van. The X-Trail will likely not be much different in this regard from the Ford Escape!

Hey, if you wait until after your May trip, you can see what our wagon is like!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[crazycanuck]

Hmmm T..what kind of wagon do you kids have? We can let the boys discuss vehicles over a few bevviess..haaa haaaa..

[Raindrop]

I've had two Outbacks in the past (a 1996 and a 2001), and the first was awesome, the second a dog. I also had Thule bike racks that fit both...and then I bought my current 2006 Forester. Unfortunately, the bike racks didn't fit it, but since my DH rarely rides and since I usually start my rides from home, I haven't worried about a bike rack yet.

I'll mention that a Great Pyranees fits fine in a Forester, as does my bike.

However, I'm a Personal trainer that does in-home training and my last Outback was much roomier and easier to cart my equipment from place to place. The newer Outbacks are much smaller and don't accomodate my equipment any better than my Forester does.

I've always had standard transmissions in the past but promise the husband I'd get an automatic this time so he could drive it too. (I personally abhor automatic transmissions...but love the hubby, so he won out...this time).

So far, no problems and I think, based on gas consumption and interior room (for bikes and dogs) the Forester is the better buy. Plus...according to consumer reports, one of the safest SUVs out there!