I have been looking for cages for my car and it is proving difficult as I have wheel arches and parcel shelf rests to contend with, so standard size cages just don't fit.
My car is an MPV and has rear seats that fold up behind the front seats, if I were to take the seats out it would give me a lot more room to play with, but a friend in agility has told me not to do it, as if I were to have an accident my Insurance would be null and void as I had modified the vehicle. ??? Is this true ?
Just wondered what people on here thought ? I assume if I leave the seats in and secured then that is ok as it is a MPV and designed to have various seating options.
The purpose built cages are very expensive, quotes I have had so far have been £400 -£500 + which if my car were new I might consider but it is a 2005 model, and has just saile through it's MOT and had a full service so I want to hang on to it for a while longer as I have more pressing needs for my finances at the present.
Basicaly I need a square cage with a good height, the standard ones all seem to be rectanqular. Any Ideas much appreciated.

Different insurance companies have differing veiws on what classes as modified, give yours a ring and ask them if taking seats out is a problem

Have you tried Barnesbrook? The chap who made mine couldn't have been more helpful and the price was brilliant in comparison to other quotes I had. I have a made to measure crate with a divider, two doors and two escape hatches and the crate is the same shape as my boot space - a Picasso - so has a sloping back and front to it but still manages to fold almost flat if needed to. It doesn't rattle at all and is very sturdy. He also increased the height of both doors for me as I have a large breed and wanted to make it as easy as possible for my dog to jump into the crate. Nothing was too much trouble for him and he even sent me a cardboard template so I could ensure the cage would fit perfectly as there are two different models and I wasn't sure which one would fit.

I too have heard that some insurance companies won't cover you if you remove seats from your vehicle - although as you rightly say MPVs are designed to do just that so that may be different to someone removing a seat that should be a permanent fixture. I would check with your own individual insurance company as to their own policy regarding removable seats.

I agree give barnesbrook a ring he is brilliant custom makes at agood price ---I paid 300 pounds for mine with escape hatches and dividers. Certainly worth at least a quote

Thanks for the information, I will look into Barnesbrook. I have been doing google searches and they did not come up.
Thought the people on here would come up with good suggestions. I have been looking in the back of cars at shows, but not all cages have names on, and I was a bit worried in case people thought I was trying to steal their dog. But show car parks are the best places to look what other people have.
I need something fairly strong as I did have one of the lightweight black ones, and my girl barged the front out of that when we were at a training class, ended up having to try and tie it up, she learnt that if she lifted the top up with her head the clips would just pop off !!! Too clever for their own good these dogs.

http://www.dogcages.net/  Hopefully this link will work

Do talk to the insurance company.  I've taken the back seats out of my van - my last insurance company said that they would accept it if it was done by a certified garage, but if I just left them out myself it would void the insurance.

At renewal I declared it on the application however so it's not an issue now.  It does bump the premium up though - as much as £200 a year with one company!

Thanks for all the info. I think I have now found a cage that will do the job it is a Croft Showman 42" and it is wider than the others I have been able to find online.
I looked into the purpose built ones, but as I may change my car, it was not really worth paying that amount of money, and this will be big enough and fit the car. I have a croft puppy pen and that has been fine so I will give this a try.
I did find another cage company The Dog Pod and they do made to measure cages from £250 so thought I would put it up in case anyone else is looking for cages.
Thanks Again.