Modern Day Station Wagon

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 11:02 am

Us tuba guys are always looking for a vehicle that is appropriate for hauling large instruments. I think I've found one. I bought this Kia 'Rondo' on December 5th. It's the largest of a line of three five-door vehicles that Kia makes before going up to the mini-van line. I think we're going to get along just fine. The first picture shows the Kia configured for five passengers and there's plenty of room for my Miraphone 186 in a gig bag, music stand, and the grocery cart I haul everything in. The second picture shows the rear seat flipped down to make the deck flat so there is plenty of room for my stuff and my friend's percusson stuff for today's gig. Neat car with a great price!

Captain Sousie · Post by **Captain Sousie** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 11:41 am

How does it do on the white stuff, or have you had a chance to find out? Looks like there is a little on the ground in your photo but I don't know how much you've had out that way.

Sou

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 3:37 pm

Captain Sousie wrote:How does it do on the white stuff, or have you had a chance to find out? Looks like there is a little on the ground in your photo but I don't know how much you've had out that way. Sou

We just got a 'dusting' of snow last night. The Kia Rondo is a front-wheel-drive with anti-lock brakes and the latest 'electronic stability control'. I'm expecting good things in the handling department.

Chuck(G) · Post by **Chuck(G)** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 4:05 pm

Dan, can you fit a tuba and a double bass in it?

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 8:52 pm

Indeed. It's very similar to my Chevy Aveo, and with the back seat that folds down, it's surprising how much you can carry in what looks to be such a little car from the outside. My tuba will lay flat in the back seat, but if I need more room, as for bass guitar, amp head & cabinet, & tackle box w/cords, adapters, spares of all kinds, etc., the back seat folds down and I still have room for more!

Yes, Indeed!

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 10:03 pm

Chuck(G) wrote:Dan, can you fit a tuba and a double bass in it?

I would think so. You could put the bass in the middle with the neck on top of the console between the front seats and then have room for TWO large tubas... one on either side of the bass. There are three KIA five doors... the smaller RIO could handle one large tuba. The middle-sized SPECTRA would take on two tubas. The larger RONDO (like mine) should be able to handle the bass and two tubas.

Tubaryan12 · Post by **Tubaryan12** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 10:59 pm

That is a cool car but it came out too late (I bought a Pontiac Vibe). I wanted the Mazda 5 but I didnt like the way it fit me

. Is the seat height any higher in the Rondo than it is in the Spectra5? The one thing that made me buy the Vibe is that I no longer have to climb up to get out of my car

.
I have always liked this type of car. I was also the proud owner of a Dodge Colt Vista

http://www.locomobilia.com/images/lit_b ... sta_xl.jpg

Tubaryan12 · Post by **Tubaryan12** » Thu Dec 07, 2006 11:23 pm

Doc wrote:You guys who can use small cars and suv's don't know how good you've got it.

Yes I do. I love getting 32 miles per gallon.

LoyalTubist · Post by **LoyalTubist** » Fri Dec 08, 2006 12:59 am

A car like that in Vietnam goes for about $40,000. And Kia is a popular make here--Vietnam's major trading partner is South Korea!

MichaelDenney · Post by **MichaelDenney** » Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:53 pm

Tubaryan,
I'm right there with you on the Dodge Colt Vista. We kept our '84 model for about 13 years. Would probably still have it if Toyota had built it. It was thoughtfully laid out, visibility was excellent, it got 26/31 mpg as I remember it, and was as fun to drive as some sport cars I've had. It incidently had space for our 4 kids.

dtemp · Post by **dtemp** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:08 pm

My Honda Fit looks similar to that. The back seats fold down PERFECTLY FLAT! I can fit two horns plus all the other neccesities (music, stand, etc...) no problem. I love it!

Tubaryan12 · Post by **Tubaryan12** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 4:52 pm

I tried one out today. It's basically a Kia Optima stationwagon (not a bad thing mind you, the wife's car is an Optima).

Wide storage area in the back without the 3rd row of seats. It could easily handle 2 horns without folding the 2nd row down. 4 full sized adults could take a trip in it with ease. Drivers seat height is about the same as my Vibe. The only negative I found with the car is the gas mileage (21 city / 29 highway), and the fact that the 3rd row of seats is a pretty pricy option (they told me about 2 grand!). I can say without hesitation, if the Vibe has an untimely death I would definitly snatch one of these up.

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 6:10 pm

Tubaryan12 wrote:... the 3rd row of seats is a pretty pricy option (they told me about 2 grand!).

They had two Rondo's on the lot when I bought mine. The 3rd seat added about $500 to the price. Your dealer may have been quoting you the V-6 option, too. I had no use for the 3rd seat option but thought it would have been a small price to pay if I had six kids!

Tubaryan12 · Post by **Tubaryan12** » Wed Dec 13, 2006 7:17 pm

TubaTinker wrote:
Tubaryan12 wrote:... the 3rd row of seats is a pretty pricy option (they told me about 2 grand!).
They had two Rondo's on the lot when I bought mine. The 3rd seat added about $500 to the price. Your dealer may have been quoting you the V-6 option, too. I had no use for the 3rd seat option but thought it would have been a small price to pay if I had six kids!

Could be...they did know I wasn't buying

tubatooter1940 · Post by **tubatooter1940** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:47 am

You guys with just two tubas have got it made. I've got more junk than Doc.
Tuba, trumpet and stand, Gibson guitar and effects pedal, 6 EON speakers and stands, rack box, tuba stand and drum throne, cord bag, junk bag, two mike stands and my hand truck.
I had to pull the second and third seats out of my Dodge mini-van to accomodate all this and have no room for passengers.
So far I have not had to use the roof rack.

Dan Schultz · Post by **Dan Schultz** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 7:01 pm

tubatooter1940 wrote: trumpet and stand,

What's the trumpet for? Door stop?

TubaRay · Post by **TubaRay** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 7:18 pm

TubaTinker wrote:
tubatooter1940 wrote: trumpet and stand,
What's the trumpet for? Door stop?

Trinket?

iiipopes · Post by **iiipopes** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 8:31 pm

OK, I'll confess before tubatooter1940 does: having started on trumpet in 5th grade band, I have one also. Occasionally I get called to fill lower parts when there is a scarcity of trumpets and someone actually does show up with a tuba besides me. Unfortunately for the Shrine band I play with occasionally, this happens much more than it should!

But one thing: even though I also have a late H N White King 3B trombone, I don't show up with it anymore unless the number of trumpets and tubas are each more than the number of trombones if I were to be playing bone.

Tubaryan12 · Post by **Tubaryan12** » Thu Dec 14, 2006 10:02 pm

iiipopes wrote:having started on trumpet in 5th grade band, I have one also.

Ditto

JHardisk · Post by **JHardisk** » Fri Dec 15, 2006 9:24 am

I bought the Vibe in '04 too.. great gas mileage, and holds tubas/kids/wife/animals very well. If I could do it again.. I'd buy its sister car.. the Toyota Matrix. Better resale, but the exact same car.

This Kia looks like a nice addition to the crossover wagon category.. maybe in 5 years... like Joe said.. I'll buy one. That's the unfortunate thing about Kia... low priced, low resale.