Escrot van

I hate to suggest it, but an old renault espace?

Its not just the bikes that I carry, I have been lent a rack but it means setting up 5 straps, scratching hell out of my car unless I've just washed it and then as you say I cant then stop anywhere on the way home for a bite to eat as I cant lock a fabric-strap rack to the boot - tis a bit nightmarish. Not to mention having to set up a number plate board every time and setting up the electrics to organise that too (not hard but not cheap).

I was going to LPG convert my main car but the costs of converting are a high and I need to repair that too anyway so thats remaining SORN'd for 12 months, I'll do the odd rust job on it that ive been meaning to do for 2 years but never got round to because I was always using it. Plus sticking a stupidly heavy tank in the boot means that I cant put the things I need inside it.... round in circles.

LOL you know I did consider that too, thought I could weld up the windows and they're 2 a £1, then found out they're fairly expensive to insure (Insurance think you could be carrying 7 people all ready to claim whiplash) and it would take some serious stripping. I did wonder if you could register it as a 2 seater somehow, but then you'd have to argue with the insurance company and prove it wasnt a 7 seater etc.

Sounds like you're screwed.

The bulkhead slopes, and there is a lack of height to stand the bikes upright with both wheels on. If I had to take two bikes, I used to take the front wheels off, and stand them up against the sides, and secure them with a bungee cord onto the racks on the side.

Way shorter, but you can get two bikes in diagonally, without needing to remove wheels.

I've never had to replace one yet due to seizing.

The usual point that seizes is the rod that clips onto the axle. Unclip rod from axle, pair of mole grips on the upper section to stop it turning, then heat lower end of upper section until it glows a bit, then turn lower section with a pair of pliers, and keep working it until it comes all the way out. Give it a bit clean up to get rid of the rust, stick some grease on it, and reassemble.

The pivot also seizes, but with the rod disconnected, just work it back and forth with a pair of pliers/mole grips to give some extra leverage, and work some oil into the pivots.