Cage Advice?

[BuellRiderX]

So right now I have an 03 ranger. Nothing special. 2.3 5 speed 2 seater. It's very practical for work or running errands but not when I need to carry more than 1 passenger. I don't want a full size suv or truck. My question being, does anyone own a station wagon? Like a Volvo or BMW 3 series or even a subaru. If so, you ever haul a trailer with a bike before? Just wondering if they are decent at stuff like that.

 

[Zeroflat24]

As someone who has been in the automotive industry for a decade now I would steer you clear of BMWs or volvos. I owned 2 subarus and they were wonderful cars. I think the most I put into the 2 of them combined was spark plugs tires and brakes. They are a bit more expensive parts wise than other jap cars but they are usually nicer inside and you can get a turbo in most models. As far as towing I know we put a ton of hitches on them at my work. Usually class 2 & 3 and I'm sure they would tow a bike just fine.

 

[HammerBuell]

My uncle tows an small enclosed trailer big enough for 2 bikes with a V70 turbo wagon. Think it makes around 220bhp, not sure on the torque figure, but he claims it hauls fine.

 

[sledhead007]

As someone who has been in the automotive industry for a decade now I would steer you clear of BMWs or volvos. I owned 2 subarus and they were wonderful cars. I think the most I put into the 2 of them combined was spark plugs tires and brakes. They are a bit more expensive parts wise than other jap cars but they are usually nicer inside and you can get a turbo in most models. As far as towing I know we put a ton of hitches on them at my work. Usually class 2 & 3 and I'm sure they would tow a bike just fine.

Hahaha sorry but as I have been in the same industry my whole life I totally agree had a subu and loved it. I deal with pissed off owners of Volvo and bmw's daily.

 

[HammerBuell]

I've been an automotive technician for 10 years and tbh I feel that the people who are upset with their Volvo's, bmw's etc. have more often then not, been taken to the cleaners by techs who are not capable of fixing them without firing a parts cannon at the car.

Sure, some European cars can cost more to maintain, but that is not the rule, and like any other make of car it's really model and drivetrain specific. A good example is the second gen Intrepid, 3.5L owners say "been a good car" while 2.7L owner's say "The engine is gonna cost how much!?" Another, is the early 2000's Forester's and Legacy's. They were terrible for head gaskets while the Impreza's had no real issues.

IDK, really all cars have issues, just find a car you like, then do some homework on that particular year/model/engine combination and make sure there are no major common failure's.

On a side note I had a 95 Volvo 850 T5-R which went to 400,000 with nothing but regular maintenance.

 

[BuellyBagger]

to support the mech. tech side with a body guy's prospective, new subees (unlike the days of yor) have great corrosion protection and build quality, their paint quality and safety are top notch as well, I would think a forester would easily tow a bike, should have ruffly the same towing cap. as a ford explorer (one of the new ones since they too are now unibody cars with 4wd).

 

[Loki]

I own a Volvo s60R and i love the car, kinda wished sometimes i got the V70R. There are a few problems with them but if you own a buell you are use to a vehicle machine with its own personality. If you understand that and know the problems to look out for you can get A LOT of enjoyment out of one. The S60R and V70R are turbo'd 6 speed (or auto) 300hp beasts that sit you in luxury.

My dream affordable car was a 2004 subaru wrx sti but insurance for it was 50% more, had less comfort, less power, so i ended up going with the Volvo and I am happy. I still want a STI so no worries on that.

Do yourself a favor and test drive all three and see which vehicle/brand you like more. Subarus are pretty bomb proof, esp that AWD system but you still get some trade offs. It's a matter of opinion really.

 

[J20tD]

Audi a3, gorgeous and a wagon. Although it's going to come with typical car problems if you don't keep up with maintenance like any other car.

 

[BuellyBagger]

Evidently the BMW 5 series estate is the way to go...

 

[jasonxb9]

I was going to say, if you can find a 97-03 530i wagon, that is the BMW you want! I work at a BMW dealer in the parts department and can say from experience that they are no worse then any other car to maintain as far as cost goes. I've been selling parts for 15 years now and am a recent addition to BMWs and all I can say is wow, what a car, I know guys with subarus and my wife even has a Volvo, but they don't hold a candle to the BMW in the car for the money category, in my opinion.

 

[BuellRiderX]

Well I'm gonna sell the Ranger and get a WRX if I can get a good deal on one. But looking through CL, I came across a car I love very very much. The CB7. Used to have one that looked real good. Lowered to the perfect height, very clean, front lip.... Tempted to get one and swap an H22 in there. DAMMIT! I had to...

 

[snrusnak]

Stick with the reasonably priced, easy/inexpensive to maintain and fix vehicles. Just my opinion. Not that other vehicles are bad, but volvo, vw, audi, subaru, etc are more expensive than gm, ford, and dodge. I had an s10 and it had 220k miles when i sold, had a few minor issues with it nothing major and nothing I couldn't fix myself. Sold it to my boss over 2 years ago and it's still running fine. I now have a ram 1500 and love it. What a great vehicle and I bought it at a very reasonable price. The best part is I can fix nearly everything that can go wrong with it myself and with my tools. Just my opinion...get a truck. BTW, my truck gets over 20mpg on the hwy unloaded. Granted, it got 12mpg with the trailer up to the dragon but typically it's much better. And a car with a trailer would probably REALLY suffer.

 

[crawfo]

I personally own an x-drive 3 series BMW and I love it. Luxury and power, very comfortable and a sharp looking car. That being said, I would never put a hitch on. Its just not my thing. Keep the truck to pull your trailer. Just my opinion. If you want an H22 do an H2B swap in a ek hatch or something, those are always fun! Sorry to try and steer you away, I just have never liked the idea of using a cars transmission to do all that extra duty when there are vehicles that are designed to do what you want. Although money is always a factor, I realize that.

 

[snrusnak]

I just have never liked the idea of using a cars transmission to do all that extra duty when there are vehicles that are designed to do what you want.

That's really the bottom line. [up]

 

[konarider94]

i own a 2008 audi a4 and people used to scare me when they talked about fixing them. In reality it isnt that bad. If you go to the dealer you get hosed but if you can fix basic stuff yourself parts really arent hard to get or that expensive. And did i mention it drives fantastic. It handles just as tight with 80k + miles as a new car, thats something that ive noticed with many german vehicles which I cannot say about american/japanese vehicles. The feel of a new american/japanese car just doesnt seem to last as long, although I think they have improved that a lot in the last couple years. The interior is a lot nicer than any comparable american or japanese car i was looking at. Also the complete lack of rust is amazing for a michigan car. The bolts are all coated and its mostly aluminum. . Say what you want about european cars but if you have never owned one you might want to consider it. Stay away from the audi CVT. The manual trans is the most robust. There are some european cars to avoid but many are generation/model specific. I think that hurts their overall image.

I have an A4 sedan but the A4 avant is the wagon. People say you cant tow with a car here because trucks are so common. If you look in Europe they tow all kinds of small trailers with cars. A car would have no problem with a 1 or 2 place motorcycle trailer. I think my car is rated for 2000lbs because its a US model but in europe its rated for just shy of 4000. I dont think the car is different but we have different regulations here. My point is pretty much anything will tow around 1000 lbs. Thats like 3 fat people in your car. A truck would tow it better but if you dont do it often I dont see the problem.

 

[BuellRiderX]

A car would have no problem with a 1 or 2 place motorcycle trailer.  I think my car is rated for 2000lbs because its a US model but in europe its rated for just shy of 4000.  I dont think the car is different but we have different regulations here.  My point is pretty much anything will tow around 1000 lbs.  Thats like 3 fat people in your car.  A truck would tow it better but if you dont do it often I dont see the problem.

My thoughts exactly. I appreciate all the replies and views guys..