pompeysteve Posted May 11, 2007 Report Share Posted May 11, 2007 Hi guys, I'm new here so please be gentle. Today I sold my MKIV Golf R32 and am suddenly carless, all my good intentions of buying a nice sensible family deisel estate are quickly fading as i fail to be excited at the prospect, and cant get enticed by the look of them. At the back of my mind I have a growing desire for something a little more fun, and pretty! 10 minutes after the guy drove off in my golf i missed it, but the fact remains I need a car that i can put my mountainbike in. Now that S3s are relatively cheap to buy I reckon that if i can convince myself they have a greater load space than the golf then its the car for me. So here i am asking those that know about these things. Can i carry my bike in the back or not? I dont mind removing the front wheel but in the golf i pretty much needed to dismantle the bike and drive squashed up against the windscreen. Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamiekip Posted May 11, 2007 Report Share Posted May 11, 2007 Hey mate, I managed to get a mountain bike in my old S3 (it's for sale if your interested, but fear it may be a little old for what you're after!). You can fit it in 2 ways. First of all get on old sheet - plastic if you can. You can fit the bike in side ways by removing the parcel shelf in the car and removing both wheels on the bike. Twist the handle bars so they are parellel with the frame and pop the bike in resting against the back seats and then pop the wheels in. If you need to carry more stuff, you can put one side of the back seat down, again take both wheels off the bike (you can get away with leaving the back on but I never did!) and slide it through the gap. The other half of the back seat that as still up stops the bike sliding around. So to answer your question simply - yes you can fit a bike in the back! Hope that helps. JK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kermitfrog Posted May 11, 2007 Report Share Posted May 11, 2007 S3's the wrong car for load lugging, especially with something the size of a mountain bike. I think the S3 (8L) would have even less luggage space than the mkIV. Did you put your bike in the back of the golf?! I'd never have contemplated doing this with my bike - the interior would have been ruined, covered in mud and scratched no end. Invested in a Hollywood bike rack for the S3 which was excellent - a really well thought out and secure design. So long as the car was kept clean, no problems with scratching either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kermitfrog Posted May 11, 2007 Report Share Posted May 11, 2007 [ QUOTE ] I managed to get a mountain bike in my old S3 [/ QUOTE ] Crikey! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamiekip Posted May 11, 2007 Report Share Posted May 11, 2007 Yeah it was easy - but it never went in dirty, just stick a plastic sheet down to make sure no marks got on the carpet in the boat or back of the rear seats. If you take both wheels off and put the seat down it's a doddle and not a mark on the interior Your just not trying hard ennough Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pompeysteve Posted May 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2007 Thanks I did carry the back of the golf a couple of times, but that was with both wheels out, seat and seatpost out rear seats folded flat and front seats slid right forwards. A bike rack may seem the obvious answer but i wouldn't feel happy leaving the car in motorway services with a £4k bike hanging on the back while i went for a pee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pompeysteve Posted May 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2007 in your informed opinion, does this seem like the bargain i think it is? (fingers crossed it works) http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/www/CAR...200719283467209 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamiekip Posted May 11, 2007 Report Share Posted May 11, 2007 Not a bad price in honesty, however i'd check all past MOT certificates for a record of the mileage, if they haven't got the old MOT certificates I'd ask why they threw them as eeryone knows they are a good form of reassuraance proving it#s not clocked. Also I noticed that it has the facelift tail lights from late 2000 cars onwards - I'd ask why they we're added - was it simply a swap out, or has something happened at the back end of that car. Alloy looks like they have had an intimate moment or two - if thats the one he photographed I'd enquire what state the others are in when you speak to him. In my opinion i'd try and get a genuine late 2000 car - they have the revised headlights (in my opinion they look much better), revised tail lights some changes to the interior as well as some changes to the suspension settings. If you fancy a silver one click on the link in my signature. Hope that helps. JK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pompeysteve Posted May 11, 2007 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2007 thanks Jamie that does help, Halifax is a long way to go anyway and i'm not sure about that colour, i did check your's out but its a little more than i want to spend, although i'm sure its well looked after and worth the extra for someone not on my budget. I have found one in croydon, high miles and priced accordingly. http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/www/CAR...200718104994342 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamiekip Posted May 11, 2007 Report Share Posted May 11, 2007 Ask him if the timing belt was done? Otherwise looks like a good car for the money - smae comments as before - check it out thoroughly. Good luck Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kermitfrog Posted May 11, 2007 Report Share Posted May 11, 2007 [ QUOTE ] http://atsearch.autotrader.co.uk/www/CAR...200718104994342 [/ QUOTE ] Not trying to teach my granny to suck eggs, but S3 weak points to be aware of in no order of severity... Bushes (especially front ones)and those on the ARBs. Steering rack. Water pump (if it's still the original factory fit). MAF sensor. Coil packs. Rear wash/wipe. Driver's door open warning sensor. There's probably more Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamiekip Posted May 11, 2007 Report Share Posted May 11, 2007 [ QUOTE ] Not trying to teach my granny to suck eggs, but S3 weak points to be aware of in no order of severity... Bushes (especially front ones)and those on the ARBs. Steering rack. Water pump (if it's still the original factory fit). MAF sensor. Coil packs. Rear wash/wipe. Driver's door open warning sensor. There's probably more [/ QUOTE ] Add clutch pedal assembly and the clutch master cylinder to that list. Think they are the main weak one's covered Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kermitfrog Posted May 11, 2007 Report Share Posted May 11, 2007 [ QUOTE ] [ QUOTE ] Not trying to teach my granny to suck eggs, but S3 weak points to be aware of in no order of severity... Bushes (especially front ones)and those on the ARBs. Steering rack. Water pump (if it's still the original factory fit). MAF sensor. Coil packs. Rear wash/wipe. Driver's door open warning sensor. There's probably more [/ QUOTE ] Add clutch pedal assembly and the clutch master cylinder to that list. Think they are the main weak one's covered [/ QUOTE ] And this one. But you'd need to be extremely unlucky... we're all doomed! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheReverend Posted May 11, 2007 Report Share Posted May 11, 2007 Whatever you do - don't by a diesel shed. I'm stuck in one as a (dis)courtesy car and my lord it's the most frustrating thing on gods green earth. I just don't know how people who like their driving can condemn themselves to existing in functional boxes. Yes the MPG is wonderful but everything else is just so depressing. Get something bigger by all means or more flexible but stay away from the mundane boring rubbish if you don't have another car to stimulate you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fingermouse Posted May 11, 2007 Report Share Posted May 11, 2007 ive had 2 mountain bikes in the back of the S3 with the seats down and just the front wheel removed on each. Think I had to move the front seats forward a bit but Im 6ft 2 and so was the other mountain biker. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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