If I had all that stuff in my past, I'd still be living there too.

Me, with my misspent youth, wasted early adulthood, and near death mid-life crises...I'm only looking forward.

I just wish I had the X3 on this trip I'm on in Germany, so I could unleash on some good autobahn stretches. As it is, I'm sitting in a hotel in Stuttgart outside the Mercedes museum and Porsche arena...but everything is closed on Mondays!

I'm not living in the past. I rarely think about it in fact. I got on the subject because of how cars have changed mostly.
So your are in Germany! Cool. I've been to Stuttgart. Now I am seeing the X3 connection a bit clearer. :) Are you going to import the BMW to the US? You should get the M version. :)

No, I'm just over here for work for a few days. The X3 will be delivered in the US unfortunately, and with electronically limited speed (that I suspect I can get around in coding). The current "M Line" and "X Line" packages that are available for the X3 are mostly cosmetic as far as I can tell, and not my cup of tea. There is no true high performance factory M version like you can buy in the sedan or coupe versions (M3 and M4), and who really needs that in a crossover compact SUV.... Maybe the Porsche Macan or the Audi SQ5, but the standard X3 x35i doesn't give up much to them, for my wants and needs anyhow.

There's something to be said for classic American monsters. I was at a trail head and watched someone open the trunk on a 70-something Oldsmobile. He simply tossed the whole bike wheels attached into the trunk...on top of a full size spare. It looked like there was room for a another few bikes too!

Just another note that if I fold the rear seats forward, I can fit either of my 56cm road bikes into the back of my (standard size) prius without taking anything off of them. If the bike was any bigger I might need to take the front wheel off to get it in and out, but it would still work.

Fitting 2 bikes inside it can be done, but definitely requires some dissassembly of the bikes.

When buying a used car (I have only bought used cars) look for one where many were produced over a long period of time. Parts availability is key. One year only models are expensive, such as some Corvette's. Another good rule, is the simpler the better. Porsche parts are not that expensive. For instance a headlight can be 30 to 65 ea. depending on the type of lenses and bulbs. A sun visor can be found used or an old one reconditioned, cheaply.
BMW's have way too many sensors and they all cost 100$ each and are a pain to replace. 1996 M3 experience.. Great cars though..
Consider the price of a bike tire at $50. It changes your perspective.



ps. Campag4life; I always knew we saw eye to eye on a lot of things I also have a 1971 914 mostly stock with a 1.7
it has after market rims w/ slightly bigger rubber and stainless steel fuel lines but otherwise it is a very pure experience indeed. Wanna buy it? It's tricky to get a bike in there!

Thanks for the offer kraft. If I were going to buy another 914, it would be the uber rare 914 6 with 911 wheels. ;) A good example costs as much as a clean 911. :) Cool you have a 914. A car largely misunderstood and well before its time. My buddies 2001 Boxster S would be have the car to buy, and I had my chance. I got more into motorcycles later in life and now have sold off all my toys and honestly am happy to not have the headaches and am more into cycling and swimming without owning much stuff. Nothing matches the thrill of an Italian motorcycle. :)

I actually posted that 914 to see what kind of comments it would get. When I think about and and working on it its hard to believe it was almost 4 decades ago. I got a ton of comments on mine because the paint was so awesome and how the car sat...had the rare forged alloys and appearance package and the 2.0 liter which gave it a bit more grunt, but that car was about balance as you know. It just sang at 100 mph on the freeway. I wish I had it back....maybe more than other cars I have owned. I prefer Porsches to BMW's honestly which are such refined cars, I find them a bit boring. I like the early M cars because they were a bit more crude and had more character. When I was in college I built old British sports cars...Triumphs and MG's because I had no money and they were so much fun. This is well before the internet and I didn't even have a service manual. Would travel to the nearest British Leyland dealer and rummage though part catalogs to find the parts I needed. They were little more complicated than a farm tractor...and ran like one too. ;) Great fun actually.

We put our tandem in the back of our Subaru Imprezza. Fold-down seats. 2 singles works, too.

Toyota Prius C: For when I have to drive to the ride. With the front wheel removed I can fit either my Road Bike or my FS XC MBT in with the rear seats down and average 54mpg (57mpg if I really try) and its cost less than $25USD to fill up which means more money for bikey parts :thumb:

http://41.media.tumblr.com/18ce30bb8...go2_r1_500.jpg

I have a Honda Civic 2-door that I always have a 21" mountain 29er or 62cm track bike in. Just need the front wheel off.

A question to Prius owners as the Prius seems like a popular bike car. How has the reliability been? Anybody own one out of warranty? and/or had to replace the battery?...or any of the costly electronics?
Thanks

I currently drive a four door sedan and transport my road bike in the back seat with the front wheel off. The seats do not fold down. I use a 6X9 tarp to protect the seats.

All of the riding I do requires me to transport my bike around, so I have gotten used to having my bike in the back seat pretty much all the time. The problem is that I no longer have use of my back seat as a result.

So I was thinking about trading the sedan in and getting a mid-size SUV, maybe a Jeep Grand Cherokee. What I was wondering is if there is a way to carry my bike around in the back of something with about as much luggage space as the Cherokee with ONLY the front wheel off and WITHOUT folding the rear seats down. Here is a picture of the luggage space in a Grand Cherokee:

http://file.kelleybluebookimages.com...west-cargo.jpg

I have researched this a good bit and as far as I can tell, the common practice is to fold at least one rear seat down and put the bike in with the bike pointed in the same direction as the suitcases above. But could it be put in sideways, or perhaps diagonally, maybe using a custom built platform or rack or something to hold the bike up and in place, and also a second bracket or something to secure the front wheel, within the space shown above?

Since I can fit the bike in the back seat of a four door sedan, it seems like it should be easy. But I am not so sure....

Thoughts?

Mine has been the most reliable vehicle I've ever owned. Only 1 non-standard repair has been required, and that was with the traditional 12v battery (not the bigger battery pack) which seemed to be slightly defective. Have owned it from 15,000 to 120,000 miles.

Consumer Reports also says it's one of the most reliable vehicles you can buy.

There's also a number of things that reduce maintenance costs. Because of the regenerative braking system the brake pads basically never need to be replaced because they're only used in emergency stops. I think the transmission is more reliable than a traditional design. There was something else I'm blanking on.

Consumer Reports claims it's one of the least expensive cars to own:
10 Things You Need to Know About the Toyota Prius - Consumer Reports

I own the 2009 model, and there are a small number of things I don't like about it (which include non of the b.s. complaints about the car radio shock jocks like to pretend it has issues with), just like every single car I've ever owned, but it's been extremely reliable.

I haven't used that specific model, but my dad (I feel obligated to mention I'm in my 30's lol) has owned several vehicles, both minivans and suv's, and always fits 2-3 bikes in the back there by removing the front wheel. You can easily keep it standing upright just by attaching a bungee cord to the bike and the headrest if you need to. Tinted rear windows, throw a dark blanket over it, it's not easy to see.

He doesn't tend to leave his car parked in dangerous or higher crime areas though.

Another alternative is of course to buy a folding bike and keep it in the trunk Montague makes some with 700c wheels, I think there are also a few others that are 26" and 27.5" wheels though they're heavier.

If you currently own a midsize sedan and are happy with it, you might also try taking off both the front and rear wheels. With practice it doesn't take that much longer, and it keeps your bike securely out of sight in the trunk.

Jeep Wrangler Rubicon.
Coolest offroad vehicle around and the bike fits in the back or on spare tire hitch

I have a Prius. It fits the bike... but it's inconvenient enough to pack anything else around it that it's getting replaced, probably with a 4Runner, which will take the bike internally and vertically with just the front wheel off.

+1