CARS that can hold a sheet of 4x8 ply flat? | GTAMotorcycle.com

CARS that can hold a sheet of 4x8 ply flat?

DemonPig

DemonPig

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No trucks, no minivans. I know most minivans can do that no problem and I also realize that full size trucks are great for carrying loads but that's not what I'm interested in at this point.

I know my dad's Rendezvous can do it, with the hatch open (I don't care about that). Any other cross-over, wagon, hatchback, etc. vehicles capable of holding 4x8 sheets flat, inside?
 
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If you don't care about the trunk/hatch being open then majority of midsized and up hatchbacks, crossovers and SUV's will fit it......When looking at vehicles just bring a measuring tape with you.
 
Well, the thing is, most cars actually don't fit them flat. Whether it's because of the wheel wells or hatch openings being too small or other things sticking out. Aside from minivans and large SUVs (too much guzzling for my liking), few cars fit 4x8 inside without a tilt of some sort.

I've pretty much decided on a Rendezvous as it is damn roomy for a short wheelbase vehicle (and cheap) but I'm wondering if anyone is aware of other options before I pull the trigger.

Right now I have an Acura CL which is a great reliable car but can't fit nothing in it. Seats don't even fold down. Just the rear arm rest. Too small to fit a snowboard through even.
 
I believe a 4 door Jetta is your best bet.
 
Not gonna find too many cars that will fit a 4x8 sheet flat nowadays!

Back in the day, a Dodge Polara wagon would probably do it. Or a Ford Galaxie 500 Country Squire. My folks never had anything that big and never had a wagon of any sort, but growing up, the parents of a few friends had oceangoing vessels of that sort. The days of cars like that are gone. You don't want to daily-drive something with a carbureted 460 V8 nowadays!

A Buick Rendezvous is essentially a fancy-looking Chevrolet Venture minivan. The Buick gets the retrofitted independent rear suspension instead of the Venture's axle, and the back doors hinge open rather than slide, and it will probably have the GM 90-degree V6 (3800) instead of the 60-degree (3.1, 3.4) which is a good thing. But it is the same vehicle platform. So was the Pontiac Aztek, for that matter. That's why the cargo area is pretty wide and flat in those.

I have carried a few 10-foot-long lengths of lumber in my Jetta with the back seat down (through the opening into the trunk and sticking forward into the passenger seat area) but a 4x8 sheet ... no way, the pass-through is nowhere near wide enough. It would be easier in a wagon, but even then, the trunk + back seat is not 8 feet long and the width between wheel-wells is not 4 feet. They don't build cars that will fit stuff like that any more. Minivans and SUVs have taken their place.
 
Brian P said:
A Buick Rendezvous is essentially a fancy-looking Chevrolet Venture minivan. The Buick gets the retrofitted independent rear suspension instead of the Venture's axle, and the back doors hinge open rather than slide, and it will probably have the GM 90-degree V6 (3800) instead of the 60-degree (3.1, 3.4) which is a good thing. But it is the same vehicle platform. So was the Pontiac Aztek, for that matter. That's why the cargo area is pretty wide and flat in those.
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Doesn't sound much like a Chevy venture anymore...

Btw it did not come with the 3800, it came with the same 3.4 as the venture.
 
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Yes, it came with a 3.4, 3.5 and 3.6. Depending on the year and model. I like the independent suspension on the rear and an overall better fit and finish of the interior compared to the Venture. Exterior is a bit awkward but nothing compared to the horror of the Aztek (I'm sure someone lost a job over that).

Any particular issues with those 3.4s? My dad's put 200,000km on his and no engine nor tranny problems. Just ball joints.
I don't know much about GM products though. I've owned a Probe, Mustang, Continental, F-150, and the aforementioned Acura CL. Never a GM.
 
The 3.4's tend to need intake gaskets to remedy a coolant leak. Most end up being replaced, but sometimes you get a good one. Once changed, they behave themselfs.
 
1959 Ford Ranch Wagon
1968 Ford Ranch Wagon
1976 Mercury Marquis Wagon
1987 Ford Crown Vic Wagon
(My Dad was a Ford Guy)
and probably a Ford Flex
 
'73 Hornet could. My dad used to carry full sheets of drywall with the hatch down.
 
DemonPig said:
Well, the thing is, most cars actually don't fit them flat. Whether it's because of the wheel wells or hatch openings being too small or other things sticking out. Aside from minivans and large SUVs (too much guzzling for my liking), few cars fit 4x8 inside without a tilt of some sort.

I've pretty much decided on a Rendezvous as it is damn roomy for a short wheelbase vehicle (and cheap) but I'm wondering if anyone is aware of other options before I pull the trigger.

Right now I have an Acura CL which is a great reliable car but can't fit nothing in it. Seats don't even fold down. Just the rear arm rest. Too small to fit a snowboard through even.
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If your issue with vans is fuel consumption then you're not doing yourself any favours with the Rendezvous, it's fuel economy is about identical to an Odyssey (just depends on your source of info).
 
Odyssey is double the price to acquire. That's the main reason. Same with Sienna. They are also very long. I prefer shorter vehicles. And Honda really sucked with those V6 trannies in the 2000's.
American minivans come very cheaply equipped on the other hand. Rendezvous is actually smartly designed inside in terms of space solutions and storage. With leather seats and a sunroof it looks surprisingly good. I also like the ground clearance and the independent suspension on the rear.
 
If you're going the minivan route, the best bang for the buck is the Dodge Caravan.
Find one that has sto-n-go and you're golden.
 
DemonPig said:
Right now I have an Acura CL which is a great reliable car but can't fit nothing in it.
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DemonPig said:
Odyssey is double the price to acquire. That's the main reason. Same with Sienna. They are also very long. I prefer shorter vehicles. And Honda really sucked with those V6 trannies in the 2000's.
American minivans come very cheaply equipped on the other hand. Rendezvous is actually smartly designed inside in terms of space solutions and storage. With leather seats and a sunroof it looks surprisingly good. I also like the ground clearance and the independent suspension on the rear.
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Pay a little more now, or a lot more later.

http://www.buickproblems.com/Rendezvous/
 
I do all my large hauls with my bike (93 1200 sportster). I pull a small homemade trailer, and if I take the top off it, I can easily put just about anything in/on the trailer. I did 2 4'x8' sheets last year, no problem. One day I'll get around to putting a hitch on the SUV.
 
Get yourself one of these beauties!
American Luxury and Power, it's fast and handy.

wk9342.1-lg.jpg
 
If you plan to haul 4x8 sheets often you could build an elevated rack inside the trunk of an suv to raise the boards above the wheel wells. Wouldn't have to be big and clunky either, just a couple of rails on legs that can be stowed away when not in use. If you've got cargo achors all the better.
 
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