The benefits of an estate car

[Jimmy]

I always have an estate car with proper roof rails and usually a tow bar.
I tell people with an estate you can fit a fridge in the back. When I was much younger there was another benefit as well!

Recently a house on our estate had a skip. Can't resist looking in a skip.
There was a nice pallet on top so ask the owner if I could have it.
My ford focus estate just gobbled it up.
The skip had two very long scaffolding boards, a bit ropy but OK for my raised bed borders.
Just lobbed them onto the roof rails and lashed them down with a rope. Always carry a rope and some big tie wraps.

Anyone else got a problem with skips??

Jimmy

[Nicos]

We don’t get to see many skips here- most people have trailers or have a friend/relative who will loan one. Works out much cheaper!

But yes….. I’m sooooo tempted to jump into those massive skips at the recycling centres
Good job they have big signs up forbidding it!
I can’t believe what people chuck out - what’s wrong with freecycle and charity shops for most things?

Nice call with the scaffolding boards…one can never have too many of those!

[greenishfing]

I once met an old couple in Spain. They seemed rather posh. It was only after a couple of bottles of wine that the old lady told me about falling into a skip and breaking her arm while trying to rescue something (a small chandelier which had pride of place in her hallway). So what did her husband do when she'd healed? He made her a special light weight ladder to help her so that she could carry on skip raiding without falling in again.
My husband also always thinks other people's rubbish looks interesting.

[Bren In Pots]

Over the years we've rescued things from skips a quick knock on the door to ask doesn't take long and no ones ever said no. For them it just means they have more space to fill. so a win for us both.

[Plot70]

I get told off by my other half for looking into skips.
My last haul from a skip was several brand new window ledges.

[Nicos]

Our local recycling area is quite small and has a one way queue system .
It often involves a wait and it’s interesting to see drivers wandering up and down the queue of cars and trailers peering in and asking if they can take something before it ends up in the skip.
A few years back my OH came back with more than he’d taken…about 20 decent4” diameter fence posts which just needed a new point cutting on the bottom.

Nice find Plot - they make great shelves too!

[Jimmy]

One of the down sides of an estate car is you end up with a garage filled with "useful" items.

There is a theory the you should throw away everything as when you want something you will never find it.
Better to buy the odd item when required rather than store a huge amount of stuff.

I have lived in current house for 30 years or so, kids left home now.
The house is filled with junk as is my shed and garage.

Still when I am gone I am sure a house clearance firm will sort it.

As an example, I have a driving license. It's somewhere in the house but I can't find it !

Jimmy

[greenishfing]

I like estate cars too but unfortunately ours tends to be treated more like an extra shed. I can't remember the last time it had an empty boot.

[Jimmy]

Must admit, mine still has the pallet in the back until I can get it into the garage!

Anyone know why some new estate don't have proper roof rails, would put me off buying one.

The new fords only seem to a point for mounting a rail, probably so they can make more money off you.

I use my rails for all sorts, typically I tie wrap a couple of lengths of would across them and the plonk on top 3 or 4 fencing panels. Suitably roped on.
Very convenient.

Jimmy

[DWSmith]

Here in the states we call skips dumpsters. We refer to the activity as dumpster diving.

Can someone give me the definition of an estate car? I'm not familiar with that term. Could it be what we call a station wagon?

[MelanieSW]

Can someone give me the definition of an estate car? I'm not familiar with that term. Could it be what we call a station wagon?

That's right, it's the same thing

[greenishfing]

I have actually had to swap the ancient estate car for something with higher seats as both my husband and the in-laws can no longer get in and out unaided. It was a sad day......😪😢😭.

[DannyK]

I went from a Singer Chamois to a very rusty Volvo 145 and then a 265GLE.

I haven't driven since 1998 but I'm now considering getting an old V70 as our buses are not as frequent as they were and my local garden centre at Woodcote has been taken over by Dobbies and no longer deliver compost. There are also many good nurseries that can't be easily reached by bus or train.

The Volvos had a very large capacity and their back doors were vertical and didn't intrude into the load space.

Estates score over other styles as there is no boot lip.

[nickdub]

I have had estate cars for the last 40 years, including Saab, Mercedes and Ford

my current Volvo 850 is my favourite for size, comfort and ease of repair - cost me £550 three years ago and has had only minor bits to get through its MOT's.