vehicle?

[Glenn]

Hi all,

As you will probably know from my other posts I am lucky enough to have two wonderful greyhounds... We also enjoy camping and visiting the sea side. This is something we would like to try with our dogs. Both me and my partner have small cars. Does anyone have and experience or tips in regards to a car that would be big enough. We have been looking at 7 seaters and dropping the back seats down.

Thanks guys

[sammy13]

An estate or 4x4 would be an idea but we have been looking at the Berlingos and other types like that. Friend of hubbys has one and they are apparently very roomy inside.We Have a pajero which is big but likes diesel a little bit too much

[ginge]

We have VW camper vans, an old one and a new one, I have 2 huge GH boys, a whippett and a staff and we all fit in well.


Joy

[h]

I have a vw caddy. 2 dogs easily fit and you can make a proper comfy nest for them! Its good on fuel too

[tinar]

We have also got 2 greyhounds, 26kg and 42kg weight, who come camping with us.

He is very long, and she is very petite in build. We have a Landrover Discovery. With the back seats down they are both very comfy and stretched out last trip to snooze all the way home..

We ahve also looked at the Chrysler Grand Voyager and a Mondeo Estate but jury is still out on these models pending a trial

[Nettie]

An estate car has more room in the boot than a 4x4, have both and the estate wins everytime for space. We put the back seats down and then install a dog guard further back from the edge of the seats which gives room for luggage between the front seats and the dog guard and the dogs are behind the dog guard. We travel with 3 hounds.

[julies]

I had an old Discovery and it was really roomy .. it took tent, camping stuff, dogs stuff, dogs and even a bit of room for my stuff too I swopped it for a Freelander last year and that's not as big - I love the 4x4 tho - you just never get stuck

J xx

[mrhoads]

We have a Toyota Avensis Verso 7 seater.

There was always loads of room with the back 2 seats taken out or folded up, but it has a very high boot.

Tigger (25 kg) and Vector (22 kg) weren't able to jump in in their extreme old age, and we had to lift them in (I never wanted to get into a ramp that we would then have to put into the boot with the dogs). I think the dogs' future jumping ability is definitely worth remembering.

It has been a great family car, though.

X Mary

[hollysmum]

I've had an Astra estate and now I've got a Discovery.
There was more room for the dogs in the estate car and it was easier for Holly (old and arthritic) to get in and out of.
The Discovery is much higher, feels a lot safer and of course you've got the 4 wheel drive. Thirstier on Diesel than the Astra was on petrol.

[julies]

Hiya

Apologies if this isn't appropriate but it could help out a friend's mum ... I'll explain .. one of my best friends died suddenly in March 12, she had two St Bernards and a Leonberger so had a Renault to fit them all in ... her mum doesn't drive and is trying to sell the car which is hard as it's her daughters car ...

If you're interested its a Renault Grande Espace, it's a 7 seater, it has 2 electric sun roofs and has only 41,000 on the clock- I think it's 4 years old and they paid £15,000 for it 2 years ago. Its just been MOTd and valeted oh and it has a tow bar as they also have a caravan I think it's a 2000cc and diesel and is on the south side of Birmingham. If anyone would be interested please PM me and I'll get all the information - I'm not sure about the price but I think about £8000.

Julie xx

[houndie]

we have 2 greys and a zafira
we have the design model so all windows are blacked out which keeps them cooler, the back end is lower than a 4x4 so they can get in easier when they get older.
The 2 very back seats fold flat into the floor so you don't lose any space and the rear seats fold up and slide forward on a ratchet system so you can decide exactly when to stop them. The dog guard fits onto the seats easily so slides with them.
when we go on holiday we put on a roofbox which holds everything and the hounds get the entire back section.
This is a photo of my 2 previous hounds (I don't have one of my 2 present hounds in the car).

[laura2001]

We have a Renault Scenic (older version) which is fab. You can remove all the back seats to make more room, but the boot is easily big enough for a greyhound and pointer. When we go camping, we put all of our stuff on the back seats, no problem. We're currently looking at changing the car to a Scenic Grande, as I'd like to get another dog (I think after 2 years of begging, I've finally worn the OH down!! ), but we def need to get a bigger car first for 3 dogs, as we go camping a lot, so need more space for the dogs and stuff.

[lespaul]

We have a Volvo XC90 now, had a Land Rover Discovery 2 before, boot is bigger in the XC90 and it is better on fuel. Ben and Tia fit in the boot with room for another (maybe one day).
Main reason for a 4x4 for us is we tow a large caravan, if we didn't have the caravan I'd have had a V70 instead.

Darren

PS still miss the Land Rover and would have a Defender 110 if Tina would let me ;D

[andywillow]

Marks got a Mercedes Vito van which is fab, fits 2 adults, 2 teenagers and 6 hounds in it ALso tows the caravan too!
I've got an old peugeot 306 which fits 3 hounds in the boot, 4 at a squeeze for a short journey and 2 on the back seat
Mine is only my runabout to take the hounds out in and do shopping so nowt flash for me ;D

[gazer]

Mondeo Estate has the largest of the boots out of the estates, lovely car to drive too. Ford Galaxy is very spacious but we had the older version where you had to take the seats out completely but it easily accomodated 4 dogs.
Now have a Zafira which I like 'cos the seats just fold down or forward so I can take passengers if I need.
Also worth noting it's a 1.7 Ecoflex diesel engine which does over 50 to the gallon.

Jacqui