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Audi / EuroMonkeys: Thoughts on an Audi A3 Kombi as a bike hauler?

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
Too small for a couple of large framed mtbs & gear inside (front wheels off and seal posts dropped)?

I am thinking about buying a '06 TDI... I know an A4 kombi has the room, but an A3 might be a bit small.
 

stevew

resident influencer
Sep 21, 2001
40,494
9,524
go sit in one.....but given where yu are located i wouldn't even bother fvcking around with wagon.....think van.

 
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N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
i've never sat in a mini...my brothers 01 A6 wagon was comfortable....never had a bike in the back...just a 120 pound dog.
Took a MTB trip to Austria in a buddy's A4 wagon. Bikes & gear fit fine, the ride was comfortable and the car was fast on the autobahn. Getting 45 mpg at 110 mph was great too.
 

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
think bigger....
Nah, bigger is useless here. In fact I am selling my FJ Cruiser this week since it just mostly sits parked. I know I'm going to totally regret selling it but it isn't the right vehicle for Euro. I suppose I can always pick up another one when I get back to the US in a few years if I just have to have another.


 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,855
9,560
AK
The A3 is basically a VW golf. These cars are the opposite of decent storage/usable space IMO. My old wrx wagon wasn't even that great for trying to get bikes in. Super practical otherwise (and while using a hitch rack) with lots of volume, but you need to kick it up to at least forester size to get a rear end that is somewhat easy and big enough to load bikes in without screwing up the interior or all sorts of monkey motion.
 

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
Ideally I want either an BMW 3 Series or an A4 kombi.. or a VW Passat wagon.

I just happened across an A3 and was kicking around the idea.


A3 Kombi
 
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dan-o

Turbo Monkey
Jun 30, 2004
6,499
2,805
I had a Passat tdi wagon when I lived there.
Perfect bike hauler.
A4s are too small for me @6'4
 

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,140
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
My company car is an A3 wagon for some unknown reason. This fvcking sucks!

Horrible seats, no headroom, no rear leg-room, rides like a dump-truck, you can't use the cupholder and armrest at the same time, the armrest isn't wide enough for 2 people's arms and neither are the seats so you pretty much hold hands the whole time, no room in the back with the seats up, almost no room with them down, seats don't fold flat, radio controls are just stupid, no cruise control, and that goes for all the A3s.

Mine is a TDI, so I get infinite turbo-lag. Seriously, stp on the pedal, you're lucky if it accelerates before next Tuesday. Passing people? Don't try it.


It sits parked in the back of the shop, and I drive my Tacoma. I'll happily pay my own maintenance to avoid that POS.

Get the Passat, of an older Benz 300TE
 

HAB

Chelsea from Seattle
Apr 28, 2007
11,580
2,006
Seattle
Nonsense, one on top of the other is easy. When the van's away I can easily get 2 in an old Clio, even used to get two in one of these:

I'm not saying it doesn't work, but it's a pain in the ass. I've got an S4 wagon, and the only way to get two large AM/DH bikes in it is on top of each other with both wheels off both. Doable but annoying, and the A3 isn't going to be better.
 

CBJ

year old fart
Mar 19, 2002
12,862
4,160
Copenhagen, Denmark
I rented a A3 diesel on one of our Euro trips. I did not think it was very refined, had a stiff ride and not much storage. There so many nice wagon option in Europe. My favorite has always been the 3 series wagon.
 

Mo(n)arch

Turbo Monkey
Dec 27, 2010
4,441
1,422
Italy/south Tyrol
My company car is an A3 wagon for some unknown reason. This fvcking sucks!

Horrible seats, no headroom, no rear leg-room, rides like a dump-truck, you can't use the cupholder and armrest at the same time, the armrest isn't wide enough for 2 people's arms and neither are the seats so you pretty much hold hands the whole time, no room in the back with the seats up, almost no room with them down, seats don't fold flat, radio controls are just stupid, no cruise control, and that goes for all the A3s.

Mine is a TDI, so I get infinite turbo-lag. Seriously, stp on the pedal, you're lucky if it accelerates before next Tuesday. Passing people? Don't try it.


It sits parked in the back of the shop, and I drive my Tacoma. I'll happily pay my own maintenance to avoid that POS.

Get the Passat, of an older Benz 300TE
This. These cars just suck and are built for dentist daughters.

Definitely check the VW Passat, Skoda Oktavia or Superb, or if you really want to, an Audi A6. Audis are definitely too pricey here, though.
If I had the money, I'd go the BMW 5 route. Lots of space and a dream to drive. Used ones are getting cheap in my area, because of the all the Audi hype.
 

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
Test drove the A3 4dr/wagon. Nice car but too small and too much money ($13k for a 2006).

I think I found a better and cheaper one that's a winner ...
 
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N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
uhhh....split a extra shipping container with someone?

or

contact these guys about shipping a cruiser to the states....it's what they do.
If only it were as simple as that. The import law only allows cars over 25 yrs old to be sent to US without being converted to US specs (prohibitively expensive).
 

blackohio

Generous jaywalker
Mar 12, 2009
2,773
122
Hellafornia. Formerly stumptown.
My passat wagon used to fit 2 ironhorse mkiii's inside upright with the front wheel/seat off (but my headliner are the bars took a beating). New(er) longer travel forks are going to be a real issue inside..
 

N8 v2.0

Not the sharpest tool in the shed
Oct 18, 2002
11,003
149
The Cleft of Venus
Volvo? I want to spend about $12K tops for a late model, used.

Oh and the rear & tail lights look stupid.
 
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