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Boot Space for fishing tackle

Roger Cramer

Roger Cramer

Senior Member & Supporter
Just thinking of ditching my current transport (Ford Focus) for a different
(used) model...namely a Nissan Juke. I've become increasingly at odds with the struggle I have always had (specially now at 76) in exiting the Focus with its really low-level wheel base!!
Having previously owned an X-trail (prior to the Focus) which I sadly had to part with due to heavy fuel, tax and other spiralling costs, I loved the fact that you were sat in a brilliant elevated driving position and dismounted from it rather than crawled out!! With that in mind, I considered that with its similarly higher wheelbase but in a 1.6 petrol version I might solve my current situation...except I'm not too sure about appropriate boot space for the all-important provision for barbel tackle etc. (Although when reading up recently in various trade publications, it seems to provide somewhat greater luggage area than the Focus!!)
Anyone have any thoughts? Or is anyone an actual Juke owner?
Any info/advice would be most welcome.
 
If you can, try and get a Skoda Yeti 4x4 petrol with the raised loading area. Skoda don't make them anymore which is a great pity. I think the last models were released in the UK in 2017, but good condition low mileage ones are still about.
I have the L&K version with all the gizmos. Great car and every year I load it up with 2 x lots of barbel gear and we go off for a week on the Wye. The car drives well on motorways and even Clarkson was impressed with its off road abilities.
Good luck
 
Cheers Paul. To be honest now that I'm based "oop North" since December and mainly concentrating on The Ribble, there's no real necessity for a 4WD, as there's no actual direct vehicular (bankside) access for the majority of its club stretches- just nearby car parks and then walking (unlike most of the Trent that I fished for most of the past sixteen years or more! One of the main reasons why I'm so delighted that I won't now be "surrounded by bivvies" as far as the eye can see up here!!)
Incidentally, I had actually given the Yeti some thought quite some time ago but decided on forgoing the "cross country" aspect due to the aforementioned costs etc.
There is the other consideration that it must also be vehicle that "the other half" would be happy driving around town etc!
 
Roger
My wife is on her second Juke and she has always been pleased with them. We have never had any major problems with either. I have just tried putting my barbel rods ( already set up and in a quiver} and it fits but does extend some way over the centre arm. There is a panel that can be removed to give a deeper boot area . Overall the boot space is not bad at all but depends on how much gear you take with you.
One thing I would mention is that the original model we had was a 1.2 with turbo and it certainly felt better in acceleration than the 1.6 we have now which in economy mode is very sluggish and even in sport mode seems to be only a little better but more noisy.
Bear in mind the Juke does not have all wheel drive.
My brother has two of the Skoda Yeti's that Paul mentions and he is very pleased with them. One for fishing and one for normal use.
I suggest whatever car you look at, take your rods and tackle bag and try fitting them in the vehicle.
Good luck with your selection.
P.S. My own car is a Volvo XC90 mild hybrid which is absolutely great for fishing but tax etc is expensive so I can quite understand about the spiralling costs.
 
We (I mean I !) have a Fiat Panda 4x4 and a Nissan Nismo Juke. Both are not very 'easy' as fishing wagons, the Panda being the worse of the two with regard to space and rod room. At least the Juke allows easy folding of the seats.
Hope this helps and wish you luck in your search.

Cheers
Bob
 
Hi Mike, I am in awe of your brother who has TWO Yeti's! One for fishing and one for normal use!! That's very impressive! I am on my 3rd Yeti and panicking as although it's only done 43,000 miles there will be a time when I have to change it. So, I will be watching this post for recommendations
 
One of my friends has a Juke. He's away at the moment Carp fishing. He gets all his kit in - just, and he takes quite a lot of gear, so Barbel tackle should be ok.
 
That's absolutely brilliant👍. Thanks to everyone who has responded so far, both informatively AND so promptly (just why I love this great site so much!!).
I had noticed that the Juke's boot area has a removable bottom panel but it's really reassuring to hear confirmation from fellow barbellers that it should work pretty well (particularly as I don't burden my ageing bones with quite so much gear nowadays:- 3-rod quiver (1rod used for bait-dropping, of course!), average-sized knapsack, carry-bag for bait, leads etc. and Korum lightweight seat (most of these will fit on my trusty Browning fold-flat trolley when a longish walk is required!).
The model I've been mainly searching for is the Juke 'Tekna' which just the one down from the "top end" 'Nismo' offering pretty comprehensive spec but marginally cheaper.
Here's hoping I can follow through fairly soon and get one at a decent "used" price, factoring in my Focus as a part-ex 'discount'!
 
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Roger Cramer said:
That's absolutely brilliant👍. Thanks to everyone who has responded so far, both informatively AND so promptly (just why I love this great site so much!!).
I had noticed that the Juke's boot area has a removable bottom panel but it's really reassuring to hear confirmation from fellow barbellers that it should work pretty well (particularly as I don't burden my ageing bones with quite so much gear nowadays:- 3-rod quiver (1rod used for bait-dropping, of course!), average-sized knapsack, carry-bag for bait, leads etc. and Korum lightweight seat (most of these will fit on my trusty Browning fold-flat trolley when a longish walk is required!).
The model I've been mainly searching for is the Juke 'Tekna' which just the one down from the "top end" 'Nismo' offering pretty comprehensive spec but marginally cheaper.
Here's hoping I can follow through fairly soon and get one at a decent "used" price, factoring in my Focus as a part-ex 'discount'!
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My daughters diesel Juke was bought new but spent most of its life back being repaired at the garage. I realise this could be a ‘one off’, but the after sales service was poor also. Good luck.
 
The Focus has a very small luggage area compared to its rivals. Skodas, especially the Octavia have enormous boots. The Yeti is very similar. In my opinion Nissan are not the cars they used to be, possibly due the Renault influence.
 
Clive Kenyon said:
The Focus has a very small luggage area compared to its rivals. Skodas, especially the Octavia have enormous boots. The Yeti is very similar. In my opinion Nissan are not the cars they used to be, possibly due the Renault influence.
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I have an Octavia, 1.6tdi, first diesel ive owned, boot space is brilliant and mpg compared to previous petrol cars ive owned is amazing, two of us can sleep in it quite comfortably as well lol
 
If you want luggage space and a comfortable seat height try a Peugeot Partner Tepee Outback (awful name!)
I wish I had discovered these cars long ago, nothing to complain about with ours. Decent for driving, plenty of space, rear seats can be removed and even an interior "roof" rack which is great for fishing rods made up! The interior rack may be an optional extra on base models.

LeVin outbound - Edited.jpg


This was our fully loaded Peugeot when we moved to France almost five years ago. The suspension at the rear is not normally that low - but it made the 1000 mile journey from Scotland without any problems!
 
Said it many many times before, a 2nd hand hackney cab, ( ive drove one for over 36 years ), looked after, it will serve you well for over 1 million miles.( how many cars can claim that ) High seating position. Gobbles up 6ft rods no problem, whats not to love.

Even ya bird would look cool in the front.
:D 👍
 
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Derek Funcks said:
Said it many many times before, a 2nd hand hackney cab, ( ive drove one for over 36 years ), looked after, it will serve you well for over 1 million miles.( how many cars can claim that ) High seating position. Gobbles up 6ft rods no problem, whats not to love.

Even ya bird would look cool in the front.
:D 👍
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You'll soon get fed up with people flagging you down and asking: "How much is it to Morrisons?"
 
Joe Winstanley said:
Is not essentially the same vehicle as the one Steve recommended, just a different badge?
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No idea ? all I do know is they are a very popular Carp fishing wagon always getting recommended on the carp forums as a cheap to run reliable wagon with loads of space and my old manager retired to France and bought one about 10 years ago and until lockdown was traveling backwards and forwards to france and had clocked up 280 thousand miles with just the normal servicing and zero problems

the newer models are £30 tax and can get upto 70 mpg
me personally like an estate car I have an old Peugeot 406 estate and love it lol
 
Thumbs up for the skoda yeti, we,ve have the elegance 2 litre diesel done 106000 miles now , 4 wheel drive ,back seats completely removable, only let me down once on the humber bank when the original battery went after i had landed my largest humber cod yet , why skoda or should we say VW stopped making them is crazy , still see lots around unlike the newer bland totally forgetable named cages .
 
Alex Dalton said:
Thumbs up for the skoda yeti, we,ve have the elegance 2 litre diesel done 106000 miles now , 4 wheel drive ,back seats completely removable, only let me down once on the humber bank when the original battery went after i had landed my largest humber cod yet , why skoda or should we say VW stopped making them is crazy , still see lots around unlike the newer bland totally forgetable named cages .
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I agree Alex, why oh why did Skoda stop making the Yeti? Styling perhaps? When I bought my first Yeti years ago I thought I'd join the Yeti Owner's Club forum. Blimey, I know us lot bang on about barbel, but the Yeti forum members get very excited about light bulbs and wiper blades. Can't understand it myself. Mind you they could say the same about us! 😂
 
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