Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Flip

1 2 3

Original poster

All you campers with big family tent + paraphernalia, what car do you have?

53 replies

amazonianwoman · 19/01/2009 14:03

We need to change our car this year and need to make sure it'll fit all the stuff we need for family camping (we have a roofbox but that gets filled even going on a roof & 4 walls holiday)

I need to come up with some ideas before DH convinces himself that he needs a 4x4 gas guzzler...

OP posts:

bluebread · 19/01/2009 14:07

We have a normal family estate plus roofbox which was enough for us until dd3 arrived. Now we have a trailer... Would much rather drive a smaller car (ie not a gas guzzler) day to day and add on roofbox, trailer etc when needed.

FromGirders · 19/01/2009 14:09

A nice, big, cheap, non gas-guzzling, non-stylish citroen berlingo .

Clarissimo · 19/01/2009 14:12

6 of us, no space for a trailer (terraced house, no front garden, no rear garden access)

Mitsubishi space wagon, terribly tiny boot nut with a a rack trailer (a sort of carry bag that clamps onto something that looks a bit like a bike rack) we're fine.

If you carefully apck, you'll be amazed- when we had 3 kids we could get by with a prioton saloon, and no racks or trailers. That's with a fairly hefty tent also. I

JHKE · 19/01/2009 14:15

We have 2 kids, an estate and a roofbox and last year that wasn't enough (we changed cars purposely for camping too!) However, we have learnt what was useful and what wasn't and we are making a few changes this year and so should get everything in the car..

jennylindinha · 19/01/2009 14:19

Not sure if this will help but DP & I managed to go camping last summer for a week with DSD (age 9) in a 1996 Fiat Cinquecento and no roof-box! I was 7 months pregnant too and we had tent, table, chairs, stove, pans, foodboxes, beach games etc etc...

Admittedly our tent isn't that massive, around 9 kilos in weight, but it was still a fair achievement I think! Packing it up was a bit like the Krypton Factor but it all got in.

If you have more than one DC then a fiat probably isn't going to do it Not sure what we'll do now we have a baby - that have SO much stuff we can barely fit oursleves in there.

My sister has 2 kids and a HUGE tent plus all the other stuff and they have a Peugeot (something like a 307, not sure) plus roof box, and managed fine.

Original poster

amazonianwoman · 19/01/2009 14:36

Hmm, I think we've been taking too much then We already have a VW Passat and a big roofbox, and just 2 DCs. The tent is huge

I think a Passat estate would be fine, DH seems to think we need a huge BMW X5/VW Toureg/Volvo XCwhatever As I'm the one who'd drive it daily, there's no way I'm driving DD to school in one of those.

OP posts:

JHKE · 19/01/2009 20:28

All I can suggest then is to get your dh to check the boot space.. you will be suprised at the boot space of some cars..eg some boots of 'big' cars will actually be smaller than you think, I know we were surprise when we started looking..

Washersaurus · 19/01/2009 20:33

We have a citroen xsara picasso and a roofbox and we can (just about) fit in 2 children and all our camping bits and pieces . It has lots of handy cubby holes.

duckyfuzz · 19/01/2009 20:34

mondeo estate is fine for the 4 of us, with roof box if more than jsut a weekend!

Phoenix · 19/01/2009 20:41

Last year we just about managed with our Renault Clio and a roof box. That was for 3 of us and included ds' pushchair.

I am now pg with dc2 (due July) and we've just got a Citroen Picasso because no way would we get everything and 2 kids in a Clio

Original poster

amazonianwoman · 19/01/2009 21:20

Thanks again, I'll definitely win the "sensible economical practical family car" vs "stupidly priced gas guzzling impractical wouldn't be seen dead in 4x4" debate

OP posts:

smugmumofboys · 19/01/2009 21:27

Mondeo Estate plus roofbox but it's a gas guzzler.

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 19/01/2009 21:29

passatt estate and roofbox here, may be getting a trailer too

ds2's pushchair seems to take up so much space, plus our tent is huge and heavy and DH likes to be prepared for any (absolutely any!) eventuality so we take allsorts!

We've got apce on the drive for a trailer so I think we'll get one to save the krypton factor packing scenario!

IwishIwasmoreorganised · 19/01/2009 21:29

passatt estate and roofbox here, may be getting a trailer too

ds2's pushchair seems to take up so much space, plus our tent is huge and heavy and DH likes to be prepared for any (absolutely any!) eventuality so we take allsorts!

We've got space on the drive for a trailer so I think we'll get one to save the krypton factor packing scenario!

Surfermum · 19/01/2009 21:37

We had a BMW 7 series with a roof box and a trailer. Now we have a campervan and a trailer.

FeelingOld · 19/01/2009 21:47

Ford Galaxy, 2 adults and 2 kids and a huge tent, plenty of room for everything.

usnkidz · 19/01/2009 22:06

we have a peugeot 306 diesel estate. economical to run. We have huge tent and all the gear. My dh is a dap hand at loading the car. We have 2 kids. We take a cheap lightweight buggy that takes little space.

troutpout · 19/01/2009 22:16

Renault grand scenic

MaryMotherOfCheeses · 19/01/2009 22:19

Saab 95 Estate. Not a 4x4 but not exactly economical either.

I'd like a bike rack too.

cali · 19/01/2009 22:21

probably not what you want to hear but,

we have 4x4 (freelander) with an expedition roof rack for all our camping equipment and it is great.

Original poster

amazonianwoman · 19/01/2009 22:48

Just been perusing What Car? website and now my head is spinning.

My only conclusion is that there if far too much choice in life. For everything.

OP posts:

badassmarthafocker · 19/01/2009 22:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

PinkFurryStripeyTiger · 19/01/2009 22:52

Fiat Doblo with roofbox. We do have 3 dcs, double pram and travel cot, though!

we did camp the year we still had the astra saloon anbd the roofbox, with 2dcs. It all fitted but took ages to knit everything into the car.

Original poster

amazonianwoman · 19/01/2009 23:37

is far too much choice

We once took 2 cars on a camping trip It was pre-roofbox days...

OP posts:

Lucycat · 20/01/2009 16:46

Zafira, with roof box and soon to be trailer but our tent is mahoosive and the dd's want to take their bikes this year.

Flip

1 2 3