Brennan's Mum Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 I am moving to Brisbane in December and will be looking for a car. I have been without a car for the last 5 years, however I find it is getting harder to live without a car ( especially with a dog to care for and transport). I will be looking at a used car which would fit my budget better and what I can afford. I want a car which will fit 1 ( possibly 2) adult GSDs as well as passenger/s comfortably. I want a decent sized boot to cart around shopping and dog stuff to training etc. I would prefer a car with decent petrol consumption. I like Ford Laser ( the sedan type ones) but am not sure if it will be big enough I also like Mitsubishi Lancer's and Magna's. I am not sure about a SUV or Station wagon, I haven't driven either of them before and am nervous about handling a SUV or Wagon in a new city... Any suggestions of good doggy cars? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacquiboss&scoop Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 I Have a Magna good reliable car will fit one rottie 1x GSD size dog 1 x child in rear , 1 adult and one staffy size dog in floor well of front seat Boot space is good mine is 2002 model just before the 180 series , has been a very reliable car with nearly 150 000 Ks on the clock and no issues besides service and general mait they go for around 7 k in not bad nick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spoilt lab lives here Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 I have a magna station wagon and cant fault it for a dog car. I went from driving a sedan then getting a station wagon with no worries. I didnt notice the size difference or anything at all. ;) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ravyk Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 Holden Commodore Wagon. Its not much bigger than a Sedan, just different shape. Quite easy to drive and decent fuel consumption [i went from a 4cyl manual 2 door, to driving a wagon with no trouble]. Heaps of room in the boot. We've regularly had 3/4 people and three dogs in the car, sometimes more. You can have a crate big enough to fit a GSD in open in the boot [this is coming from a friend who breeds GSDs], with room to store other things. VT series wagons go for around 3-6k. If you are interested PM me sometime and I'll ask OH if you can come around and try out our wagon if you wanted to know how one drives like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oakway Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 I would suggest a wagon. Nothing better than a wagon with a divider if you have dogs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brennan's Mum Posted July 27, 2010 Author Share Posted July 27, 2010 Thanks for the feedback...I guess I just have this image of driving a wagon to be like driving a boat lol. My last car was a 94 Subaru Liberty LX sedan and it was a good car. However given that I will be volunteering with a trainer and will need to cart around a lot of dog junk..the wagon may be the better option. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staff'n'Toller Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 If you can afford it take a look at a Forester- low enough for your dogs to jump into, good cargo space and 4 cyl. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 I second a commodore. And parts/repairs are common and cheap! I have a VS wagon, I can fit 2 crates and 5 people in the car, or 4 crates and 2 people. It's massive and cheap to buy, VT is the next model up and still common to get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
poodlefan Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 I have a Magna wagon... love it. Much better on fuel consumption than the Commodores and Falcons. Cheap as chips to buy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nekhbet Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 I get about 400Kms to the tank with my car, further if it's just highway driving. Although commodores dont like traffic I can tell you that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huga Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 We have a Mitsubishi Verada (like a Magna) station wagon and I love it to death. I can fit the dogs plus all their stuff and the kids quite comfortably. Plus, I always pack it full of stuff when I attend markets for my business. It's a fantastic car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Genabee Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 I will offer a slightly different suggestion, Hyandai Tuscon. They are short in length, so fantastic to park in small places, but give you the room of a '4WD'. It is fuel efficient (in Melbourne, stop start traffic I get about 400km to the tank, when I was living in Perth I was getting closer to 500km). It has a separate rear compartment that can be open or closed over. We have moved house twice now and we just lie the seats down and have heaps of room. We have also slept in the car over night.... I went from driving a mazda hatch back to this and didn't have any dramas (though my husband's car is very low and I drive that often too, so it doesn't bother me now when I have to get behind the wheel of a mini mouse mobile!). I like the height of the car too as I am on the short side. I like that it is compact. Has heaps of compartments. Will fit two dogs and passangers in easy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
minxy Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 (edited) I went from a Hyundai Excel 2 door hatchback to a Jeep Cherokee Renegade and I will never, ever, buy anything but a 4WD/SUV ever again. I was apprehensive at first about having such a different change (I hate driving) - manual to auto, unleaded to diesel, hatchback to 4WD etc. Awesome fuel consumption, pleasure to drive, fantastic being able to see further ahead on the roads, love the boot/hatch release and that I only need one hand not two to open it, plenty of space, can drive dogs to better spots, not TOO big either considering I am tiny and really wouldn't manage with a big car etc. If you're going to have two large dogs + passengers, I really can't see a sedan being enough. Even two dogs in the back by themselves would probably be quite full. ETA: There's also nothing better than the purr of a diesel engine!! Edited July 27, 2010 by minxy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andisa Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 I have a Magna wagon... love it. Much better on fuel consumption than the Commodores and Falcons.Cheap as chips to buy. I have a magna wagon too - love it. Can fit 3 rotties in the back no problems. My OH updated his car and I use his commodore sedan most of the time now with blankets on the back seat for the dogs - but if taking more than one dog I will take the wagon. His is on gas so its cheaper to run than my wagon, one day I will have to part with it but I really don't want to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ish Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 I've got a falcon wagon, on gas, and its perfect for me. Shortly I'm having cages put in the back but currently it just has a cargo barrier and I can fit 3 GSDs in the back easily. Before the wagon, I had a Mitsubishi Mirage which I loved - it was a gem of a car. We took the back seats out and built dog cages in, so we could carry 2 GSDs around in the back. Unfortunately, I outgrew it with the doggy family and needing to tow a trailer, but its now my sisters car. If you were open to modifying the car and only needed to take one passenger, you could still have a little car with room for dogs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brennan's Mum Posted July 27, 2010 Author Share Posted July 27, 2010 Oh man, thanks everyone for your replies...I think I will be looking for the station wagon now... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cointreau Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 I'm another one for the Hyundai Tuscon, drove a Holden Vectra before that and really thought an SUV would not be suitable, how wrong was I. Love it, enjoy driving it I get 500 ks to a tank while driving on the Central Coast. It is a much easier car to drive than the Vectra was. I have plenty of room in it for my Dane and could fit more dogs in it easily. As for sleeping in it that is great have plans to go camping when it is warmer taking my Dane with me - we will sleep in the back of the car because there is plenty of room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odin-Genie Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 If you can afford it take a look at a Forester- low enough for your dogs to jump into, good cargo space and 4 cyl. I have a Subaru Forester and an Outback. Very safe cars and excellent for driving with dogs. My dogs prefer the Outback since it is lower and has more space. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skip Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 I down sized from the float towing ancient Nissan to a cheap! cheap! new Toyota Wagon. I don't have passengers much so took out the back seats and mostly they stay out unless needed. Put crate in back ( tied down in the middle) and I love it. Go to train and if not crating I use the back opened up. Dogs sometimes sleep in it too. Engine is only 1.8 so very econonical. I don't have 2 big dogs but I think they would fit only if you were happy to lose the back seats. I go camping at trials etc and pack everything bar the kitchen sink. Althou I did get roof racks for that! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pip1981 Posted July 27, 2010 Share Posted July 27, 2010 I drive an older Commodore Station Wagon (VT '92), with a cargo barrier, and I love the practicality of it all. Even my old thing has power steering, I've never found it hard to manoeuvre into carparks, etc. I will admit, they are not the most fuel economical cars, being family sized 6 cylinders, but they're great for dogs, kids, camping, bringing home new appliances, small furniture, etc (as the barrier easily comes out and the back seats fold down of course). I only have one medium sized dog of my own, when we go camping, we can fit other things in the back with her (secured of course), and she still has plenty of room to stretch out. And here's an example of how 4 doggies can fit in the back.. Having said all of that, I'm updating soon, to...you guessed it..a later model Commodore Wagon, hehehe. Note: The current models don't seem to have anywhere near as much room in the back, and have been re-named 'Sportwagons' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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