Hello everybody,

I am just wondering about the lifestyle of a typical musician. He most likely has a family and kids; he has to carry more equipment, and precious ones too, than the average person. But many times finances are limited.

That leads to the following two POLL questions:

a) What is the ideal vehicle of choice for you to do you work?

b) What is the practical (with the limitation of finances) vehicle of choice for you?

Dodge Caravan ......
http://auto.consumerguide.com/auto/new/reviews/full/index.cfm/id/23197

Honda Element...indestructable...lots of room...AWD

When I gigged I wouldn't use anything but a caravan. There's so much space in those things when the seats are out. Heck any decent minivan would work well.

Squeak

[This message has been edited by squeak_D (edited 02-20-2004).]

Here in Europe (where a "small car" really means a SMALL CAR ), and particularly in Portugal, there is a concept that works great for one man band independent musicians. It's called the "commercial car". Originally it's designed to serve small scale commercial activities, but lots of independent people or couples without children buy them. The great advantage here is that the taxes are significantly lower than "normal vehicles". What is this concept? Take a small european car, remove the back seat and you get a considerable volume for luggage. More than enough for what we carry to our jobs. Of course, not a family car (only 2 seats), but it's the cheapest (and great) solution one can have around here (my car in the picture).

-- José.

BTW, I'm your "good old" 'matias' buddy, just changed my name to a more american one!

I have used Caravans, Suburbans, full-size vans, and a Toyota Previa (very nice) but now use a Ford Aerostar extended van. It hold everything easily even when I leave four seats. 22 mpg. It only has 181,000 miles now, so it's just getting well-trained.
They quit making them in 97 so when this one dies I'll have to make a change.
One of my friends used a little Chrysler PT Cruiser and removed the back seat as Jose mentioned.
DonM

I use a Voyager Se[Plymouth] extended van..I also have a Ford Aerostar extended van[a workhorse literally] ..BTW I am a GM preference customer..but when good deals come by I look at the other guys...My Ford, I have had for6 years..The Voyager, I bought last June...They both seve me well....You can't beat a mini van for all around use..

Dodge Grand Caravan, just got it in Dec.03
I will never be without one again. (if it's up to me)
Minivans are just great when it comes to hauling equipment.
Easy in & easy out, saves on the old back.
Denny

Last month I bought myslf a birthday/Xmas present... an '03 Buick Rendezvous. Rear seats are removable in a flash and for 17K (was a demo) its gotta be the best $/cargo space deal around, not to mention great comfort and handling.

Ford Windstar. Why?

10. Rear Seats lay flat
9. Oodles of cup holders for after-gig drinks.
8. Rear Climate control to keep keyboards nice and warm in the winter and air-conditioning in the summer.
7. Rear Dark tinted windows to keep prying eyes from thinking about stealing my equipment.
6. Height of vehicle allows old bones like mine to slide easily in and out of the drivers seat.
5. Seven Passengers for my 3 teens and some friends when not gigging.
4. Drives like a Cadillac, we just drove to Florida and back in December with a family of 5 and she performed like a champ!
3. Rear hatch keeps you dry whilst you load and unload your equipment.
2. Large engine is fuel efficient, great climbing the mountains of the Catskills, great electronic info center for finding your way around to gigs.

And the number #1 reason to own a Windstar for a gigging musician with a family...


1. Dual Remote Electric sliding side doors for loading and unloading equipment.

LOL
Hope that helps.
Al

Well I have a Honda CVR that I rarely need because the gear I use for most gigs actually fits in my teeny VW Cabrio. But you said "ideal and practical", and my ideal/practical vehicle is my Ford Champion Transvan motor home, which is unbeatable not only for hauling equipment but as a dressing room and nap place.

Windstar for me too. Aside from feeding my father's retirement accnt with Ford Motor Co. it's the most comfortable, best use of space I can think of.Even fully loaded, I have room for my 4 kids with no boxes or cases to lean on. Everything fits BEHIND the rear seat. If you wanted to sit with legs crossed, you could even use the rear seat for more people, but it's pushed all the way up to the mid row at present.

Mini Vans ..... the way to go baby.

Full size 1989 Ford conversion van for me. Real comfortable, rides better than an old Caddy, room for all the gear, lousey gas milage. This old heap still has no rust anywhere on the body or frame, runs like a Swiss watch, and as of today, has 240,000 miles on it. Now that I have it broke-in, I guess I'll put another 100,000 or so on it before I have to install another 302 V-8. This thing has the orriginal engine, shocks and just about everything else. The last Ford van I had was traded in on this one and it had 244,000 on it and still ran great. Like I said, lousy gas milage, but built like a Sherman Tank!

Gary

just closed a deal on a 1999 plymouth
voyager . lot of miles but new trans and
very clean engine. my 1988 buick skyhawk
station wagon just can't run any more. she
was a good car while she lasted. oh well,
time to move on.funny,everything i got will fit into a small toyota, but this mini van is nice.

My ol' pickup truck with a cap on the bed works fine, but only about 7- 8 months out of the year, because I don't like exposing my gear to extreme cold or heat ( OK.... we don't have much heat up here... )

My Kia Sportage works fine too, with the back seats down. A windstar or caravan might have been better though, in that I could have more easily transported a 76 key machine.

AJ