Opinions - best vehicle for Beeks?

I'm looking for a new beekeeping vehicle, something that can be used just for that purpose and will not require constant cleaning before taking SWMBO out to town etc

My hives are not far away from home (<5 miles) at an out apiary, and I have been considering everything from a Skoda Yeti to a 4x4 quad (road legal). The Apiary is not the easiest to access when ground is wet as it is approached by several hilly lanes and a muddy field.

Just wondering if any other beeks have a favourite dedicated Beekeepers vehicle, or have any suggestions for a suitable vehicle?

Our mentor has an old Subaru Forester as his beekeeping vehicle, which my daughter calls the 'bee mobile'.the OH suggested an old Land Rover Discovery.

Top of the range Range Rover to follow you when you drive up in the Rolls.

That's what I do.. I'm Jeeves.

Sometimes I think nothing smaller than a 40' arctic will do!!

The suzuki Vitara does ok it also doubles as my preferred mode of travel for my other outdoor activities all I do is re-role it. morning bee kit afternoon swop out all the bee kit for other stuff. PITA in the rain but it does the job.

A lot of beeks use Citroen Berlingos and an older one can be had cheap.

I have a C3 Picasso as SWMBO vetoed the Berlingo. I did get to choose the colour, however.

I use a hyundai tucson. Does all I need it to. I can get 30 odd supers in the back with the seats down, they fold down flat so the back then becomes one solid floor. If I need to move more than that then I use a trailer as well.

We are thinking along the lines of getting a trailer which we can keep loaded and stored in the garage when not in use. We looked into buying another designated vehicle but old land rovers are so expensive and then you have all the running costs etc so we thought a trailer was the best option.

Defender all the way.

I have both a vitara and a land rover, used mostly in our woods, the freelander is a good all rounder and has great space for at least 4 hives

first choice would be a landrover defender or disco, not a freelander they have weak rear diffs as do ford rangers
second a jeep
third a shogun

ValMc said:

We are thinking along the lines of getting a trailer which we can keep loaded and stored in the garage when not in use. We looked into buying another designated vehicle but old land rovers are so expensive and then you have all the running costs etc so we thought a trailer was the best option.

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I have to be careful what I carry in my small 5' trailer as it bounces over every road defect. I've stopped routinely carrying boxes with undrawn frames as the constant bashing was damaging and dislodging the wax sheets. I've heard of people putting ballast in them to try and prevent this, but don't know if it would be effective as I've not tried it.

Depends if the trailer has proper road springs and shock absorbers not the rubber one's

REDWOOD said:

landrover disco, freelander

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Both hairderesser's cars.
I have a jeep cherokee at the moment (second only to a landrover in more than one person's opinion)
Otherwise it would be a landrover - any series as first choice - don't particularly like the coil springs, but an older defender rather than the new ones with so much electrics you need to be computer programmer to drive it. Probably still have a landy now but SWMBO wanted something a bit more conventional/luxurious!

I agree a discovery with rear seats removed is perfect. mine with 210000 miles still going strong

psafloyd said:

A lot of beeks use Citroen Berlingos and an older one can be had cheap.

I have a C3 Picasso as SWMBO vetoed the Berlingo. I did get to choose the colour, however.

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kangoo is renault equivalent they even do a 4x4 version
kangoos and berlingos are available in Van config ... which is what we have
note these have more room than a discovery

I wouldn't buy anything French unless it has garlic in it

jenkinsbrynmair said:

Both hairderesser's cars.
I have a jeep cherokee at the moment (second only to a landrover in more than one person's opinion)
Otherwise it would be a landrover - any series as first choice - don't particularly like the coil springs, but an older defender rather than the new ones with so much electrics you need to be computer programmer to drive it. Probably still have a landy now but SWMBO wanted something a bit more conventional/luxurious!

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We look after a discovery (1998) that get's hammered on a land fill site 24/7 and I was amazed how durable it is but if your buying second hand then buy one with a T5 engine.

Depends on how much stuff you want to carry but we've got an old Vauxhall Frontera Niagara. With seats down, it's got a good sized rear space. Door opens sideways, it carries hives and loads of other gear. 4-wheel drive, petrol, it cost us £500.

8 year old Toyota avensis, massive boot area when back seats folded down, my kids named it the Beebus

We don't use it for bees but we have a Fiat Doblo mpv. It's like the Berlingo etc. van with rear seats but will take a blue skep pallet with the seats down. It's 2003 and does 50+ mpg pottering around locally. We did have a Berlingo from new once and it was the biggest PITA ever, we were forever heading to the dealer.

Tim.