Nick

Rent a van when you need to.

Brendan Hughes

Hi all. Can I ask for solutions to a load-carrying problem?

I’ve got a Terzo; a four-door MY98 with rear seats that don’t fold down. I’ve just bought an old house, which needs generally renovating and furnishing. I’m going to need to take old stuff down the dump, and buy new things, either flatpacked or assembled furniture, sheets of board, a bath, etc. Most stuff will be second-hand so there will be little offer of free delivery.

The house has no drive or garage, and is at the end of a private cul-de-sac, so I am only really allowed the width of my house to park in (about 1.5 cars). Parking in nearby streets is horrific but not impossible.

What do I do? I can think of the following:

1. Try to straight swap my 4 door for a 5 door. Mine’s still under Subaru warranty, as would be any 5-door I look at, so that’s a bit of peace of mind, but it’s still a bit scary. And would I lose out on any possible resale if it had to go suddenly? (I have a tendency to get jobs abroad). I don’t know the load-carrying ability of a five-door; if it fails to carry half of what I’m after, it hardly seems worth the effort.
2. Buy a trailer? Not so pretty, needs a towbar and certain reversing skills, would be stuck in the road for most of the time spoiling the street looks (and it is a pretty street).
3. Get an old Transit/ Bedford Rascal for a few hundred quid and use when appropriate? I’d park it in the next street, which wouldn’t win me friends there.
4. I can get a roofrack but it won’t help me with much, I’m sure.

I need to find the best answer for the least money, as I’m a bit brassic at present.

All help welcome!

BJH

PS does anyone have a website I can use? I have a great photo re petrol prices which I think you’d all love, I just need to send it to someone for them to display!

simes

I think option 1 is out of the question, you'd lose loads of dosh changing in the current climate, much as I'd like to recommend the 5 door as I've got one.

Option 2, well it's down to you but you soon get the hang of reversing trailers.

Option 4 not practical at all.

So in my opinion option 3, cos if all goes well you might be able to flog it on for what you paid for it. But for that money you might be able to buy aging Volvo estates etc which might be more community friendly, and probably more likely to survive the ordeal.

Hope this helps your confusion

Cheers

Simon

Brendan Hughes

Simes; thanks for that. Straight swap would of course be for equivalent value s/h 5-door; I calculate I've lost over 6000 squids so far if I trade-in or sell. Ovlov or other estate - yes, I was thinking about it.

Nick; at 40 quid a day, I'm sure the others would pay for themselves. Have already rented them, getting sick of it!

Anyone else?

BJH

Andy Hall

I've taken out the back seats before to get long items in, it worked for me and only takes about 10 mins.

Cheers
Andy