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We went on our first trip this weekend, we have a Volkswagen Passat saloon. Although the boot is quite big being a saloon it doesnt have the height you would get with an estate car. The site we went to was only 20 minutes from home and it was just as well because we had quite a lot of stuff around our feet in the car and the children couldnt see each other on the back seat!. We wouldnt have been able to travel far like that. Having said that I took nearly everything we had from the camping shed, the only extras next time will be hubbys sleeping bag and clothes. We're going to hire a roof box for our Lake District trip at the end of the month and then get a new car. I think we managed very well getting all the stuff into the car but having an estate would make it a lot easier.

Any recommendations for estate cars?

We've got a VW Polo and only started camping last year.  I don't know how we managed to get it all in to be honest.  My teenagage (who loves camping as long as I mention it to her friends because it's not cool!) daughter had to perch herself amoung various sleeping bags and rucksacks (secure in her seatbelt of course).  I would sit in the passenger seat with so much stuff under my knees that I think I invented a new yoga position.

We went down the box/trailer option but due to a recent windfall decided to go mad and buy a 'new' car (a Scenic) instead.  We pick it up next Wednesday and we're off the next day!  I keep looking at pictures of the boot space and dreaming about how I will pack it.  Sad or what!

Quote: Originally posted by cbean on 16/05/2005

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Also booked our first camping trip in France (Honfluer) - so no chance to come home!

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France has better food than us, most of the bigger supermarkets sell basic camping equipment including campingas refills and if you need cheap extra clothes, sports equipment or even full replacement camping gear, look for your nearest Decathlon.(They`re fabulous..well worth a visit if you`re near one. ) So don`t go overboard on the "just in case".

Ther`s even a storefinder on the Decathlon website.

http://www.decathlon.fr/Magasin/localisation/result_fr.asp

Quote: Originally posted by Skatty on 16/05/2005

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Picasso !!! Definatly a picasso !! you get so much for your money loadsa lil gadgets and hiding places ect ,Go see one and you'll be smitten!

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I do like them, trouble is my Mum has one so hubby wont get one! She has had 2 from new, they are nice though. Hubby was looking at a Jeep cherokee last night but came back down to earth and looked at Passat estates. Dont know what we'll end up with but as long as it has a significantly bigger boot we'll be ok.

If you have an estate car do you get a dog guard to stop things in the boot from falling forwards into the car?

We use our Ford KA to go camping in, and I can fit in all that we need for a weeks camping plus 2 adults and 1 child.

I lay everything out in the back yard and have a system for packing the car. Tent on one side of the boot, fold half the back seat down to get chairs and table in, big bag of blankets and sheets goes behind my seat. Coolbag on top of that, large bag of other camping equipment, sleeping bags and clothes get put in where they fit and pillows get crammed in to help stop everything else moving. We do have a bike rack on the back and are a bit loathe to invest in a roof box because I want a larger car as soon as i pass my driving test.

I am in the process of buying a new car - I currently have an ancient Escort estate, which is fabulous for camping, I can get it all in with space to actually see out of the rear window! It does take a bit of effort, and the car drives like a tractor when fully laden, but its possible.

I wanted a newer (but still old, really) Escort hatchback rather than the estate. But then I remembered camping gear....and am now looking for a newer version of the same car!

Anyone want to sell me an R or S reg escort five door estate, petrol, 1.6?

The boot on our Mazda isn't very big - just room for the cool box, cooker, table, washing up bowl and a couple of plastic crates, so we need to use the back seat space too to fit everything in (there's just the two of us). We try to save as much space as possible and only pack the tried and tested essentials or else you're forever packing, unpacking and repacking.

We also try and watch the weight, cars don't handle as well when they're full of camping gear. Remember to check those tyre pressures too. When we go on our summer hols to the South West we make the long journey more interesting by keeping a tally of campers that we pass - you can tell us by the seriously overladen cars - kids and animals pressed up against the windows, mountains of bedding, back windows looking like they're about to pop out and no visible wheel arches!

Probably getting hold of a new Focus estate later in the year. From looking at it all of our gear should fit in that boot which will be fab and we won't have to stay with the car constantly as they'll be no stuff on show .

Well we went down the roof box angle,booked into Croyde Bay in Devon in July & didn't fancy towing a trailer all that way.Haven't actually fitted the box yet but once I do I'm thinking of renting out the box it came in as a smally family home!! I'm hoping to fit all the heavy stuff in our car (Mazda 323) & all the lighter stuff :bedding,clothing... in the roof box! Well that's the plan anyway!

   Sd