Bass Car suggestions?

JeremyKurtz · #1 03-22-2006, 12:03 PM

I've been driving a '91 Subaru Legacy Wagon for quite awhile, and it's starting to give me trouble. I have always driven wagons (and my '77 Volvo could fit a bass trunk without it even going between the front seats!), but I'm thinking about getting something smaller this time around.

I need something that will easily fit a bass . . . 2 basses and 2 people would be ideal . . .and it needs to be able to fit a bass trunk (I have a Stevenson.)

Does anyone have any suggestions? Here's some that I've thought about:
Ford Focus Wagon or Hatchback (although they don't seem to last as long as some others . . .)
Toyota Matrix
Mazda 3 or 5
Subaru Outback Sport
Prius (will it fit a bass?)

--Jeremy

Ed Fuqua · #2 03-22-2006, 12:28 PM

There are a raft of cars that would fit a bass and two people (and you can find those threads by SEARCHING cars in the double bass forum), but of the ones in your list:

Ford Focus Wagon or Hatchback - I haven't driven the wagon (but Arnold says you can get two uprights in a wagon), but the hatchback easily fits an upright in the soft case, and a passenger in the front passneger seat.
Toyota Matrix - no worries, with the back seats down you can easily fit your bass, amp and drum kit in back. If the drummer has a small kit; you can fold the 60 portion of the split 60/40 back seat down, turn your bass so it rides on the bouts and not the back and fit the tenor player in as well as the drummer
Mazda 3 or 5 - the Mazda 3 5 door/hatchback/wagon has almost the same interior space as the Matrix. The 6 hatchback version can fit your bass and you can take a passenger, the bass has to lie flat on its back, so the passenger is going to have to have little in the way of stuff - no drummer, a keyboard player if the amp and keyboard is kinda small, tenor player etc.
Subaru Outback Sport - sorry haven't driven one of these, but if it's the wagon version, no prob.
Prius - mmm, futurecar. They're a hatchback so, again, the bass can fit inside lying on its back only. The last gig I did in Joisey, me and the piano player got - my bass, my amp, his keyboard, keyboard stand, Roland keyboard amp, collapsable dolly - and us both into the Prius. It's fun to drive, it's surprisingly zippy and solid on the road. A personal favorite.

Bruce Jackson · #3 03-22-2006, 12:39 PM

Mazda Protege
passenger seat down facilitates easy transport, driver and bass only.

fish slapper · #4 03-22-2006, 12:53 PM

I have a PT cruiser. Fits bass, amp, etc. and two people but the passenger is in a half seat in the back. Fold down front passenger seat and put neck up there.

Mark

Ed Fuqua · #5 03-22-2006, 01:20 PM

DISC LAPPER - I only drove a PT Cruiser a couple of times, but why can't you tumble both rear passenger seats ALL the way forward and put your bass in on floor from the rear, flat on it's back? And have your passenger sit next to you?

blindeddie · #6 03-22-2006, 01:33 PM

man, my neighbors oldest son is the chief mechanic at the local JD Byrider car dealership. and he is allowed to buy cars that they take in on trade, for what the company pays for them. needless to say, he's bought alot of cars and sold them to friends for profit.

i bought a '93 mazda MPV minivan from him for $500!!!

this thing runs great. not trouble whatsoever. only some ugly paint. and ratty interior. but i gutted the thing, and threw all the middle and rear seats away. now i can fit my upright AND a full stack in there at the same time! and still get at least two passengers.

SCORE!!

ctcruiser · #7 03-22-2006, 04:39 PM

I have a PT Cruiser as well. I can fold one back seat down and fit 3 people and 1 bass. Or, fold both back seats and have room in the front for one passenger and have room for 2 basses.

dhosek · #8 03-22-2006, 04:41 PM

I drive a '94 BMW 318i Convertible. The convertible top makes load-in and out really easy (unless it's raining as was the case at my rehearsal Monday night... my last band tended to cancel rehearsals on rainy days).

fish slapper · #9 03-22-2006, 06:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

DISC LAPPER - I only drove a PT Cruiser a couple of times, but why can't you tumble both rear passenger seats ALL the way forward and put your bass in on floor from the rear, flat on it's back? And have your passenger sit next to you?

Cause I prefer to transport my bass on the bouts rather than on the back. Plus, I support the body so that the neck isn't resting on anything (I take the bigger of the two back seats completely out). That way no danger of neck displacement if I hit a bump. Besides, the wife loves being cheuferred(sp) to a gig.

Bobby King · #10 03-22-2006, 09:22 PM

I have a '96 Honda Accord wagon which will accomodate 2 basses with the back seats down. I bought it around 3 years ago and it's been a great car. I recommend Japanese made station wagons. You can buy one with 100,000 miles on it and still have a good reliable car.

jimclark68 · #11 03-23-2006, 05:40 AM

I dropped $1800 on an 89 Volvo 240DL wagon. It's a straight drive, so it gets 30mpg. Holds the entire band plus gear. Unstoppable. It will run until the sun burns out. No cupholders, though.

Steve Killingsworth · #12 03-23-2006, 05:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ed Fuqua

Ford Focus Wagon or Hatchback - I haven't driven the wagon (but Arnold says you can get two uprights in a wagon), but the hatchback easily fits an upright in the soft case, and a passenger in the front passneger seat.
[

I recently bought an '01 Focus wagon and while I have never tried putting two basses in, I believe it would easily hold a second one.

Marcus Johnson · #13 03-23-2006, 09:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jimclark68

I dropped $1800 on an 89 Volvo 240DL wagon. It's a straight drive, so it gets 30mpg. Holds the entire band plus gear. Unstoppable. It will run until the sun burns out. No cupholders, though.

Good move, that's a great musician's car. I was just checking out my friend's version of that same car (his second one). The back of that thing is like a frickin' pickup truck, there's so much room. I asked him if the new ones were like that, and he said "nope...that's why I buy the old ones". Apparently the space was sacrificed to the swoopy styling of the newer ones.

Monte · #14 03-23-2006, 07:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marcus Johnson

Good move, that's a great musician's car. I was just checking out my friend's version of that same car (his second one). The back of that thing is like a frickin' pickup truck, there's so much room. I asked him if the new ones were like that, and he said "nope...that's why I buy the old ones". Apparently the space was sacrificed to the swoopy styling of the newer ones.

I don't know, the back of me 98 V70 has tons of space, more than the Explorer it replaced.

Volvo wagons are LOOONNGG.

Marcus Johnson · #15 03-23-2006, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Monte

I don't know, the back of me 98 V70 has tons of space, more than the Explorer it replaced.

Volvo wagons are LOOONNGG.

Yeah, I think he meant the newest Volvos. They are really loooong....looks like you could haul plywood in there.

I'd be looking at the diesels, since I live on an island with a flourishing biodiesel plant. Gas is 3.00+, and heading upwards again next week.

Peter McFerrin · #16 03-23-2006, 07:53 PM

KUNG FUQUA is referring to the Saab-style hatchback version of the Mazda6. The wagon version could easily accommodate a DB on the bout, as long as you removed the endpin (which I assume most of you do when you move a DB in a car).

I don't play REALBASS but I know my Mazdas, so I figured I'd chime in. Carry on.

Marley's Ghost · #17 03-23-2006, 08:10 PM

Now this baby just screams Bass Player Mojo!

ToR-Tu-Ra · #18 03-23-2006, 08:16 PM

I had one of those, only it was a couple years older, round front lights. Oh, I miss her

**Matthew Tucker** · #19 03-23-2006, 11:28 PM

my daughter sprung this on me.

Her: "Oh by the way Dad, we gotta take my bass to school this morning cos we have a performance"

Me: "No way, I have a rehearsal tonight, I need to take MY bass today"

Her: "Dad, I HAVE to have my bass today"

Me "Grrrrr"

But, not willing to make a 40 minute round trip in peak hour just to come back for my bass, I managed to fit both on the front seat of my Toyota Camry. A rolled-up towel stuffed between them.

Needless to say, I probably wouldn't do this to a carved bass ...

jimclark68 · #20 03-24-2006, 05:37 AM

Quote:

Good move, that's a great musician's car. I was just checking out my friend's version of that same car (his second one). The back of that thing is like a frickin' pickup truck, there's so much room. I asked him if the new ones were like that, and he said "nope...that's why I buy the old ones". Apparently the space was sacrificed to the swoopy styling of the newer ones.

Yep, there's an acre or two back there. I had an old Trooper that was really good, too, for hauling the bass, but the Vo beats it, especially with regard to mpg. I've also found it to be surprisingly easy and cheap to work on compared to the comments I'd heard about them in the past.

However, I do find the Scion xBox to be very cool, and will probably look into one in the next couple of years.