OT-ish DIY-friendly cars

When you cant get stuff inside, put it on top

NT

or cars you can build yourself

NT

In message , John Rumm writes

But my non-RS older one won't take an 8 x 4 sheet of ply like the Mk 1 Cortina Estate used to. When I was looking I failed to find anything modern for ply sheets, and they are awkward to attach to roof bars.

Octavia is OK for long things and has a rubber thing for attaching rope to the tailgate to tie down in the part-raised smell-the-exhaust position.

Sadly Skodas are already the subject of a veto from SWMBO, despite my assurances that they are good value for a VW!

A hearse would be cool. Attracts the goth/EMO chcks too ;-)

The former rather than the latter. I think the days of any car being accessible to diy mechanics in a meaningful way have long passed haven't they? When I needed to change the headlamp bulb on a previous car, the Haynes manual recommended removing not just the wheel but the suspension on that side too. (Fortunately managed to fiddle on in without that, at the cost of some skinned knuckles.)

How do you know what they're up to?

Bill

I think 8x4 sheets are a big ask for any car now, and I'd agree that putting them on the roof is dodgy. Even aside from the issues with securing them, they feel like a wing to me. Fortunately, my local BM delivers free for orders over £100 ex vat and only charges a fiver under that. It doesn't much long to hit £100 if you're buying things like ply or Celotex, but it's harder if all you want is a sheet of plasterboard....

My Transit is lovely to drive. It has a bulkhead so it's really quiet. It's spacious and powerful and just generally lovely. And the view out of the window is great. I have a toilet compartment in the back and I can cook a basic meal in there as well.

Bill

Yes but live music is far better.

Bill

Nightjar A Mercedes E class estate copes with most of my requirements, although I

If I didn't have a van and I had a car I'd have a towbar and a big trailer.

Bill

I have those too. My trailer is a 1400kg 8ft box trailer from Ifor Williams. However, most deliveries I need to pick up will go inside the back of my estate car and it is much better than a van for cruising across Europe.

Obviously a single mattress. ;-)

Big problem with using any car or estate to carry DIY materials is the damage you're likely to do to the interior trim. Not so much a problem with a used car - but could make a big difference in value to a new one at trade in time.

Some cars are easier than others when it comes to bulb etc changes. Usually the larger ones, where things may not be squeezed in quite so much.

And routine DIY servicing is actually easier these days - less to do.

You cook a meal in the toilet compartment ? Simon.

Replace the badges with VW ones.

The problem today is that nearly all cars are not D-I-Y friendly.

Engine management systems, electric windows, central locking - you name it its complex and often needs special tools and diagnostics to sort out.

I'd avoid Renault, but I like PSA.

Even mundane stuff like a ford C-max can throw an expensive engine management wobbly costing more than that 400 quid to fix.

and even when you have attached them the wind gets underneath and tries to lift the car.