Add another Forester
to the mix…Just got mine a month ago, and paired it with Yakima bars/gunwale brackets for my 12’ canoe. Canoe is 41" wide, so the brackets had to be mounted on the outside, with straps going inside the bars.
With front/rear tie-downs I fly down the freeway with complete confidence. The boat does not budge an inch, and I don’t feel anything different with it on the car except in really strong cross winds.
Love my Forester!
-Roger
Think Trailer
Will be again, just not right now
Something about the re-design taking a long time.
I’m not a fan of the new type 5 VW’s so far (The Rabbit isn’t bad looking, but it’s the only one I’d buy right now)-- they all look like Toyotas, and their fuel economy DECREASED from the type 4’s because they put larger engines in them. Of course, most cars all look alike now, so it’s really not surprising.
I’ll keep my type 4 TDI wagon until it dies, which could be a long time from now.
Wayne
Wayne
Hmm
but whets the criteria? Gas mileage? or boat hauling ability? price etc etc? If you rule out gas mileage, then something like a Z71 Suburban is the bomb, as it has a Long roof line, built in Roller bar at the rear and built in side steps. and they make yack carriers that clamp to the factory roof rack. Personally I think the outback’s are cool but they are over priced, not the most reliable, small dealer network, and cramped if you are 6’+. I don’t know why you didn’t just get another Volvo wagon?
another Volvo?
Good question. I’d decided to not get a high mileage used car. The old Volvo (1990), much as I like it, has been nickel and diming me for years as everything eventually wears out - it becomes a significant inconvenience to need some minor repair with nearly every oil change. I haven’t the time or inclination to do the repair work myself anymore.
The newer Volvos do not appeal to me at all.
Gas mileage, boat hauling, adequate cargo capacity for my work were equal considerations. Frequent near-death experiences with big trucks on the highway make modern safety features a plus. A bit of comfort on long drives, now that I’ve passed the half-century mark, is not a bad thing either.
All the research I’ve done suggests the Foresters, at least since '03, have an excellent reliability record. I have a number of friends who own them and love them. The price is daunting (for me anyway), but since my tendency is to keep a car for at least 10 yrs, buying a cheaper car that’s less well built is not necessarily a bargain.
To Pahsimeroi: I did think “trailer”. Seems there are some very nice light ones available now for paddlecraft. Because I have non-paddling cargo hauling needs as well, a larger car is necessary anyway.
hmm
What about one of the new XC 90s or 70s? if safety is your concern. Or no matter how you slice it, when it comes to safety BIGGER is better. I don’t care what kind of rating the forester has, slam it into something bigger and it will loose. Bottom line it all depends on what YOU want, nickel & Dimes or big expensive Car payment!
volvo?
Safety is one factor among the several mentioned. Any choice will involve compromise.
No big car payments in any case. As a “keep 'em til they drop” car owner, I’ve been saving for this for a long time.
best car!
My p.o.s. '95 chevy lumina is tough to beat as a kayak adventure vehicle… loaded with thule bars and 2 sea kayaks there’s nowhere it won’t go, plus the low profile makes it easy to load the boats.
It won’t go too far down Padre Island
Nat’l Seashore.
Toyota Prius
I have a Toyota Prius and haul my yak and I’m getting 52 mpg not too bad. Plenty of room inside for gear, not a bad yak hauler.
FishHawk
Big Diesel Truck 50+mpg
Yep, my 7000lb. Dodge Cummins runs on recycled Veggie oil that I get from three local restaurants. Not Biodiesel…just straight filtered veg. oil. Starts and stops on diesel, but once warm I switch to veg oil which is in another tank. Oil is free, and now when I fill with diesel every 600 or so miles I only put in about 8 gallons. Depending on my trips that mileage could be even better. Just did a trip into BC on veg oil and averaged 100mpg per diesel used. Big trucks haul lots of boats, gear, allow you to sleep in them, are safer, and will get you wherever you need to go. Also last a long time…mine is at 400k.
mini
Cool pic! A Mini, much as I like them, won’t handle enough cargo for my needs. However, I’m curious how long your boat(s) are and what rack system you’re using - is it a factory rack, a Thule??? What’s the max spread you can get between the loadbars?
Thanks!
Hey FishHawk
Since we’re looking to also replace our 2nd car with a smaller good MPG vehicle, I’d like to know how long the boats you haul on the Prius are, what kind of base rack system you’re using - manufacturer installed or Thule, Yakima, etc., and how much spread you can get between the loadbars.
Thanks!
Long, flat roofline + small car =
– Last Updated: Sep-07-06 12:59 PM EST –
one tall order!
A few come to mind:
Scion xB (the dumpy-looking one)
Honda Element (ditto)
Suzuki Grand Vitara
Hummer H3--JUST KIDDING!
Maybe the wagon version of Mazda 3 would fit the bill also. I consider Mazdas very underrated, possibly because there are few dealers around.
My husband's '05 Outback wagon with 4cyl engine gets 28 mpg mixed (30+ mpg highway). Unlike what someone else stated, Subaru dealerships are definitely not scarce around here. It probably depends where you live. In the snowbelts, Subarus are VERY popular, and for good reason. However, you do pay more to get AWD, and it reduces mpg a bit compared with 2WD.
If you don't need to haul more than one passenger, a basic 2WD midsized truck with a topper would also fit the bill. Choose from V6 or I4, depending on your preferences for torque vs. mpg. Recent models of midsize trucks in 2WD get about 25-30 mpg with I4 or 22-25 mpg with V6 (mpgs with a manual transmission). The so-called mini trucks are no longer being made, except for the Ford Ranger whose mpg is not as good as the newer trucks'.
Mazda
Yakima customer service told me you can get a 32 to 40 inch loadbar spread on the Mazda 3 wagon with their Q-towers. I’d go to a dealership and measure to confirm this - it didn’t look like you could get more than about 24 to 30 inches when I looked at one.
Seem to be good cars; reliable, fun to drive!
Mazda
Yakima customer service told me you can get a 32 to 40 inch loadbar spread on the Mazda 3 wagon with their Q-towers. I’d go to a dealership and measure to confirm this - it didn’t look like you could get more than about 24 to 30 inches when I looked at one.
Seem to be good cars; reliable, fun to drive!
How about…
– Last Updated: Sep-07-06 9:53 PM EST –
the new RAV4. I just got one,and its a great boat hauler,and camping vehicle. I got the V -6, tons of power,and not bad gas milage for the 4WD I have. I get 23-25mpg around town,26-28 highway. Rear area has 2 storage bins under the floor,and the rear seats fold flat,and big enough inside to sleep in. The roof height is slightly higher then an Outback,but still reachable for shorter people.The rear door opens to the side,so if your boats are loaded you can still get to the stuff in the rear. 2WD & 4 cyl available with mileage up to 30 mpg.All are automatics,4&5 speeds.Air bags everywhere,high safety ratings. Rack spread from front to rear 43". Some pics here:
http://rides.webshots.com/album/553318316xRAyIZ
Happy Paddling billinpa
Mini Cooper
Y’all need to git of yer monster 4x4/Truck mentality (unless you’re serious back country types!)
Seriously, almost anything will haul kayaks.
Mini has a very long roof - totally flat. Good power, great handling. SERIOUSLY underrated as a yak hauler except by the few who do.
I prefer my Audi A3 - Not much more $ (not much more than a loaded Mazda either). A lot more room in the boot for gear. Also has 1/2" lower roof still than the Mini - and also long and flat - but those crafty Germans have seen fit to limit the rack to preset hard points about 27" apart. The rack and saddles (Mont Blanc) are so solid it’s not a big deal - but I also don’t haul anything with really long cockpits so I don’t have to strap over any coamings. Still haven’t bothered to work out front/rear tiedowns.
You could add most small Euro hatches and wagons to a flat (enough) roof list: Audi, BMW, SAAB Volvo, etc. All have wagons and or hatches, usually as their more “entry level” options.
On the Asian side the WRX wagon comes to mind (and it’s SAAB clone). I also noticed the Lexus IS300 comes/came(?) in a hatch that has roof potential. Cheaper slower Asian options: Suzuki Reno/Forenza/Aerio/Chevy Aveo5, Kia Spectra 5 and Rio 5, etc…
Domestic: Dodge Caliber & PT Cruiser, Ford Edge (new - bigger) & Focus, Chevy HHR & Malibu MAXX (don’t get much flatter), etc…
When you really look into racks though you may be surprised to find many sedans with even better spreads than the small hatch/wagons. Some of the longer flatter roofs have inconvenient door/window/mounting locations. Some of the rounder looking ones may have better (my old round roof Neon had at least 36").
Seriously, almost anything will haul kayaks.
Better to pick vehicles you like for what sort of driving you do - new and used. Get a short list, then research the rack options.
I was dead set on keeping my Saris rack and buying a car around it (new clips of course). I spent as much time on the Saris Fit Guide as I did on the car websites! Almost did manage it and found a super deal on a SAAB 9-2X that fit my rack (WITH same clips even), but dealer didn’t really have the car - and a fortuitous test drive got me into a much better car with much more included - and with a good rack option.
Seriously, almost anything will haul kayaks.