What do you guys drive?

[bassbuddy]

I'm going to be needing a new car soon; the Explorer 's got quite a few miles on it. I'm looking for something more "car like" and comfortable for travel that'll still fit may bass and rig without folding down the front seat. 4x4 or AWD preferred, as we can get some sloppy weather in the winter. I guess the obvious answer is the Volvo XC wagon. Any other ideas?

[Marcus Johnson]

That's a beautiful car, just checked one out.

Along those lines, I've had great luck with a '99 Subaru Forester. Nice, reliable drive. Everything fits in the back.

Right now, I'm looking at the VW Jetta diesel wagon (don't really need AWD). I've got a biodiesel plant right down the road, and with gasoline pushing three bucks, that 45 mpg highway (at about $2.25 per) is looking pretty appealing to me.

[JimmyM]

I drive a Dodge Intrepid and a Nissan Altima with my DB, EB, 4 x 10", and a 4 space rack, cord bag, 2 mic stands, music stand, a 3-guitar stand, and I still have room to fit my B-15 if need be. Don't have any room for my wife but she almost never goes to my gigs anyway.

I realize this doesn't answer your question, but I thought I'd throw it out anyway

[bassbuddy]

How the hell do you manage that?

[godoze]

saturn 4 door

[Ed Fuqua]

The thing I like about zipcar is I get to drive a buncha different cars:

Scion xA - bass, amp, tenor player +stuff
Scion xB - bass, amp, drummer, drum kit
VW Bug - bass, amp. REALLY tight fit, didn't like it much
VW Golf - bass, amp, keyboard, stand, amp, keyboard player
didn't like it much either, didn't seem to be put together very well
Toyota Matrix - bass, amp, keyboard, stand, amp, keyboard player OR bass, amp, drummer, drum kit. I liked driving this pretty much.
Mazda 3 5 door - NICE car. Bass and amp, but I coulda taken either drums or keyboard too.
Ford Escape - bass, amp, drums, drummer, tenor player+stuff.
Easy to drive, gas mileage is for ****. PLENTY of room.

I'm gonna check out a Prius for a gig on the 9th, I'll let you know about that.

They also have Volvo V50 station wagons and MiniCoopers, when I feel like splurging....

[mister_k]

I also drive a Subaru Forester. 2001 for the record.
suits me well.
Can fit the bass, a 4x10, big ol' Ampeg SVT head in a road case, our guitarist and all his gear (fender tweed, pedal board, telecaster, 6 string banjo, lap steel, guitar stands) and some luggage if needs be.

but i did fit the bass and some gear into a VW Golf on more than one occasion. (don't recommend it.)

[srxplayer]

I have a 2000 Ford F-150. It has no poblem hauling around my bass gear and drums, and PA systems, and guitar amps etc. I won't give it up.

I also have a 2001 Toyota Avalon. It's my company car. It will hold my Ampeg combo and one of basses plus a backpack full of pedals, cables and other stuff in the trunk.

I just found out that the company I work for wants me to turn in the Avalon. They have ordered me a Ford Explorer to replace it. At least I can carry more stuff (gear) in the Explorer

[Edwcdc]

I DRIVE A DODGE STRATUS

[Marcus Johnson]

We're not deaf; maybe you're looking for the slab forum.

[maverick]

i don't know much about some of the above named cars,i've heard of some of them, im sure that most of them are from across the pond. me, i drive an old banged out ford sierra which i'm changing soon to a ford scorpio. a bigger ride with a nice V6.

[Joe Nerve]

I drive a brand new (to me ) 1998 Hyundai Tiburon. Bought 2 weeks ago in excellent condition with 54,000 miles. I've owned different cars for the past 20 years and this is the first REAL one I've ever had. Actually, I had a pretty decent Subaru a while back.

I have become a master at fitting tons of gear into the tiniest of spaces. This one is practically a 2 seater and so far I've fit me, my bass, my amp, my guitarists amp, his 2 guitars, effects board, a couple of bags of crap, my new EUB, and the 2 of us - with room to spare.

[christ andronis]

Toyota Echo

upright/electric...amp...dolly...tux...me


..it's tight, but 34mpg helps ease the pain....

[JimmyM]

Originally Posted by bassbuddy

How the hell do you manage that?

LOL...not as hard as it sounds. DB in the front and rear passenger seat (fold down the seat), EB under it in a gig bag, 4 x 10" in the rear passenger seat, and those cars have really big trunks for putting doodads in. You just have to pack smart. The downside is that I have nowhere to put food while I'm driving, so I have to be careful what I eat on the way to the gig, i.e., no Taco Bell slopritos.

[Jeremy Allen]

1997 Saturn SW2 (wagon). Holds a ton of stuff, depending on how good at Tetris you are...amazed peers must acknowledge that it is the Gig-Mobile. 38 MPG highway (it's a stick, of COURSE), front-wheel drive that has never gotten stuck in rain, sleet, or snow, and after 140,000 miles it still runs like new. Even after Providence, Boston, and Brooklyn roads/vandalism (there's a distinct ass-shaped dent in the hood that appeared one morning in NYC).

The stereo kind of sucks, though. But then again, I'm deaf.

[EJ_Dad]

2000 Focus Wagon. DB, stool, EB, plus 2 teenagers & their soccer stuff. Soccer practice after the church gig. 25 MPG.

[Alla]

Fiat punto like this one ....
The bass case fit between the seats ...

[Aussiephoenix]

This is my baby.
Doesnt have a lot of room, but then again im not a pro, so I dont need to take my rig everywhere... though if I needed to, I'd probably only be able to fit one cab in there, + bass + pedalboard + amp...

But so what? for most shows thats good enough anyway... and I love this car

[ctcruiser]

The CTcruiser drives a PT Cruiser.

[Wil Davis]

1993 Toyota Corolla Wagon. For details on how to fit DB into a car of this size (I've also transported The Bass in the sedan version of the Corolla, and also an old Honda Civic) - see previous threads (at least 6 of them…)

- Wil