A few extra large garbage bags have always taken care of dirty bikes in the car. If you do it a lot then a soft bike bag would be useful or get a canvas bag made up.
I prefer putting the bike in the car when on my own, except my car is now too small and besides the hatch is full of amps.:)
The X5 is my wife's car. She is short too so would never be able to reach a bike on the roof.
This is mostly for a quick ride to the bike track on weekends with the kids, rather than heading bush.
I like "Crackinfails" a fav bike, I used to race them, Vets, in XC and DH mid 90s. In those days it was the same bike for both events.
