Texas tuba player on Car Talk

[sloan]

VW GTI

I took the hard case to the car dealer to be sure it fit. It fits, but only with the rear seats folded. Most of the time, my King 2341 travels in a gig bag - and then it fits in the hatch area with the seats up.

Well...it *almost* fits. The privacy shelf doesn't drop all the way down - but it all works well.

hint: the hard case fits in the VW Jetta Wagon with all seats up (but it's a RealTight fit).

My wife and her flute fit in easily. (we could even fit in two MORE flutes...)

My older son and his euph fit in easily (perhaps not if BOTH instruments are in hard cases).

My younger son and his trombone fit in easily (even with two hard cases).

My younger son doubling on Eb helicon also works (gig bags necessary).

When there are three of us...we have to be creative. When there are four (or just the three brasses)...it's hopeless.

[tubadoctor]

I was practicing while listening to that bit, and if I remember correctly he was looking for something on the cooler side? I had the Honda hatchback for about 7 years... Worked great, carried 3 horns, got great mileage, but wasn't the coolest to look at... I could have spent tons of money on it and had a Honda that looks like every other pimped-out Honda out there, but I went with an 03 Wrangler instead... It doesn't carry as many horns as the Honda, and it only gets about 18 MPG, but it looks a hell of a lot better driving down the strip in VA Beach with the top down and the horn in the back... hehe... Anyway, I hope he reads all of our responses on here and lets us know what he ends up with!
Shane

[Michael Woods]

EVERY TUBA PLAYER SHOULD OWN A BRICK.


AND BY BRICK I MEAN A 200 SERIES VOLVO WAGON.
If you can find a turbo.


My wagon has 245,000 miles and going strong. It takes me back and forth to DC all the time.

If you want a car that will literally run into the ground and never die until getting there, then you want a 240 volvo.

I am fanatical about my volvo along with many others.

[tofu]

You really can't beat Honda's reliability.

That brings up an interesting question (well, at least to me it's interesting).

First, please bear in mind that I'm in no way knocking Hondas, my mom has owned two and they've served her very well. But I know how she drives and she's not likely to have the problem I'm asking about.

I pick up on the average three bad transmissions from our Honda dealership every week. I'm told they've got a recall going on, it seems to me that it's been going on for a long time. They don't disclose to me exactly what gives, but surely they're not replacing them just for fun. Have you heard of any transmission problems inherent in Hondas?

Are we talking manual or auto? I've had four Honda's with manuals and put hundreds of thousands of miles on them (including racing one) and never ever had a problem. Honda probably makes the nicest manuals outside of BMW.

Auto transmissions I have no idea how they fair except I know they were having big problems with the automatics in their Odyessy Van. It seems that all van makers have problems with the transmission.

Talked to a Chrysler rep at the auto show and he claimed they were now using a German Transmission in the Chrysler vans and no longer had problems. Anybody know if this is true and if they have solved their van transmission issues?

[oldbandnerd]

I know an old leader for a local Venturing crew here . He is big into canoeing. He can can get 5 aluminum canoes on the roof of his old "brick" . I don't know how many miles is on it but it has hauled those canoes half awayacross this country many times in search of some good waters . It is a 1981 I believe .He will not part with it because he has had very little trouble it .
It is really something to see the old Volvo going down the road with all those canoes strapped down to the roof .

[Tabor]

I can fit a lot of tubas in my full size van.

[Michael Woods]

Vans are way lame.

VOLVO WAGONS ARE THE SHIITE!!!!!


[/quote]

[pulseczar]

I sorta broke the plastic lining of the door in my mom's toyota camry when i tried to shove a sousaphone in a skb hardcase throught it.

It went in, but it takes time and alot of effort though,

[windshieldbug]

EVERY TUBA PLAYER SHOULD OWN A BRICK

I had a pre-brick (145) that went 100K+ and had a CIS fire before I got it, I sprayed the hood with primer, bought another one for the CIS, put two SU's on that, ran it for another 200K, then sold it to a guy that is still driving it.

BRICKs RULE!!!

[Tom Mason]

I heard that one as well.

He was looking for a tuba carrier and a babe magnet.................

1997 GMC extended cab truck. Black in color, with 175000 miles.

5.7 liter (350) V-8 with a speed control chip that doesn't seem to have an upper limit.

Of course, you would impress her with your never ending flow of gas money; but hey, you are looking for a babe magnet and a tuba carrier.

Tom Mason

[tubatooter1940]

Tubas are sexy-believe it . Alls you have to do is use it to rock her world.
You should drive a car just like mine.

[MartyNeilan]

Vans are way lame.
VOLVO WAGONS ARE THE SHIITE!!!!!

I had a early 80's Volvo sedan for a while, and it held a surprising amount of stuff in the trunk.
I was able to get a CC AND F in the Volvo 240 trunk, or a bass trombone and a 6/4 Martin with the bell attached! And, the thing got respectable mileage - very high 20's. Acceleration was just OK, but the handling was superb.

Not bad for a $700 car. Of course, there was the time Lee Stofer had to come rescue me in the middle of the night in one of the worst parts of Atlanta...

Marty - who now drives his wife's old car with the leaking tranny, check engine light, busted heater, and way too many noises under the hood

[windshieldbug]

Das Brick

[tofu]

Someday I want toget a 4x4 diesel with a solid axle (screw off GM!) and do some of those things the diesel nuts do.
Probably a regular cab long bed. I test drove a regcab longbed superduty (2003 or 4) with the 5.4, auto, and manual 4x4, and completely bare bones.
I loved it, and at 6'10" I even had massive room.
Double torgue and horsepower, better mileage,... I might wanna make sure to get a manual
Bob"Got dizzle?"1062

Hi Bob!
Don't rule out the extended or crew cabs. You can scoot the seats back just a hair further in those than you can with a regular cab, though i'll admit that the Ford regular cabs do seem to have more head and leg room than the others. The Ford Powerstroke is just flat nice, more power than any one man should have access to legally. I'll say the same about the Dodge Cummins Turbo-diesel too, dad's got one and it'll scald the rubber off the rims in neutral.

At 6'7.5" tall, I feel your pain. You might as well get something that'll fit. My Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab 4x4 mit Hemi suits me just fine. Oh, I got an automatic. I shift gears all day long for a living. I'll be danged if I'll do it on MY time.

Have you seen the Dodge Mega Cab? Holy crap - this thing is huge inside. Makes the Quad Cab look small. Saw it at the Chgo Auto Show. I haven't ever seen anything with the room in front and especially back. Haven't seen one on the road yet, but a really nice truck for hauling a lot of folks and for me a car trailer as well.

[Donn]

och den unbrick. 1973 - yes, that is a Volvo station wagon. Sort of. Hauls tubas, too, though not sousaphone with bell attached.

Older model that really did rack up 2 million - http://www.car-data.com/xpage.features/ ... irv.gordon

[Matt G]

I don't know if it's automatics or manuals that I've been picking up. I know my mom's cars have the automatics in them and so far she's not had any problems. Still, I pick up at least three a week. It's kinda got me a bit curious.

Auto's mainly from the Odyssee. Also possibly the Pilot.

Problem is Honda didn't engineer the tranny to handle the typical American driving style (Binary: On or Off). A lot of the folks driving these vehicles are just putting a lot of stress on the auto by taking off at 1/2 throttle or more. Plus the fact that the Vehicles weigh in at a full 2 tons unloaded (Honda isn't quite used to this) it is a lot to ask fron a compact tranny.

This is akin to the mid 80s to early 90s Mopar Minvan Autos failing.

Manuals arne't having problems. Neither are the automatics hooked up to the 4 cylinder motors.

[Rick Denney]

Subaru Outback VDC. The VDC version is the cool part, and that model has the hot-rod H6.

I have the L.L. Bean (a little more suburban, to be sure), but with the same engine and fancy wheels and tires. Mine will hold my Holton and Miraphone 186 tubas, in gig bags, sideways across the back behind the back seat, which can stay upright. My wife's Audi A6 wagon (cooler than the Subaru) won't hold the Holton sideways, and I have to fold down the rear seat and remove the trunk-area cover to get the Holton into it.

Rick "who thinks any vehicle with $200 255/55-17" V-rated tires ought to be considered cool" Denney

[IkeH]

I too drove a brick for years. After 287k I finally sold it to get a 960 wagon which was hard to find. Had to go to Pittsburg to get the rear wheel drive classic. Pretty good deal on an 8 year old with 54k. I was getting a little concerned with all the out of town drives I do. The other day this thing hauled an upright bass, bass guitar, sizeable amp, luggage, acc. box, etc. with room to spare. We still have the 86 brick that was bought new.

[Chuck(G)]

EVERY TUBA PLAYER SHOULD OWN A BRICK.

Yup, got a 760 Turbo. Have hauled 2 tubas and a bass with room left over. Belonged to a Volvo service manager who emigrated here from Arizona--it has dark-tinted side and rear windows--my friends call it the "mafia Volvo". Gets about 28 highway and about 23 around town on regular.

I know someone who just bought a new Volvo and he's had a lot of trouble with it. The Ford influence seems to be telling...

[windshieldbug]

Volvo station wagon

... and the 1800 station wagons actually looked better than the sedans! (would hate to replace that glass rear door these days, though!)