Help - car boot capacity info needed

guitars4you

So a potential change in vehicle is due -  I exhibit at  quite a few guitar shows so just for an exercise at this stage

an oblong guitar case is 104cm x 40cm x 13cm  - so assume boot capacity at 1740 litres, how many oblong cases fit in that space ?

Flink_Poyd

Roughly works out at 54 litres per case. All depends on stuff like wheel arches etc as its probably not a square box

guitars4you

Flink_Poyd said:

Roughly works out at 54 litres per case. All depends on stuff like wheel arches etc as its probably not a square box

appreciate not a square/oblong box - equally not all guitars I take are in oblong cases - but just trying to suss out what 1700 litres means - so 1700 divide by 54 ='s 30/31 cases

thanks

Flink_Poyd

What car are you looking at? Id guess you mean seats down with that as well

ICBM

guitars4you said:

So a potential change in vehicle is due -  I exhibit at  quite a few guitar shows so just for an exercise at this stage

an oblong guitar case is 104cm x 40cm x 13cm  - so assume boot capacity at 1740 litres, how many oblong cases fit in that space ?

Only about two thirds as many as you would expect from the cubic volume, because none of the dimensions will work out right to get as many as you think you should be able to in... even if the boot space has perfectly straight sides.

32, from the dimensions given - so I would expect about 20, or 25 if you're lucky.

guitars4you

Flink_Poyd said:

What car are you looking at? Id guess you mean seats down with that as well

not sure yet - currently use a Merc Vito - obviously get more in and can run as commercial vehicle but boring to drive etc outside shop usage - so looking at large estate and/or 4x4 so just an idea at this stage and looking at what 1700 ish capacity  might mean

ICBM said:

Only about two thirds as many as you would expect from the cubic volume, because none of the dimensions will work out right to get as many as you think you should be able to in... even if the boot space has perfectly straight sides.

32, from the dimensions given - so I would expect about 20, or 25 if you're lucky.

generally take 20-30 guitars to most shows - but some used/budget models go in gig bags and some in LP style cases, so might manage 25 and make that work overall

ICBM

guitars4you said:

not sure yet - currently use a Merc Vito - obviously get more in and can run as commercial vehicle but boring to drive etc outside shop usage - so looking at large estate and/or 4x4 so just an idea at this stage and looking at what 1700 ish capacity  might mean

A decent-sized MPV will beat all but the hugest estate cars and 4x4s. The Renault Grand Scenic has over 1900l with the seats folded, and even more if you take them out completely (which is easy) - 2063l. It also has a wide tailgate and a low, sill-less opening - I use mine for carrying multiple amps etc for repairs and I wouldn't drive any other type of car now.

Funkfingers

Total cubic capacity is less helpful than you might imagine. Some guitar cases will not care much for being stacked more than three or four deep. Also, a load that begins to obstruct your view through the internal rear view mirror may attract the unwanted attention of the rozzers - not to mention thieving gets.

Vito van may be boring but, with proper timber panelling and anchoring points, your cargo should be secure. 

Older readers may remember public information films in which, under emergency braking, unsecured rear seat car passengers are catapulted past the front seats and through the windscreen. secured guitar cases are also capable of doing that.


If a car will suffice for daily transport and you only really need a commercial van for guitar exhibition trips, would it work out cheaper to own a car and, when necessary, rent a van?

Gulliver

Just take a bunch of guitars in cases to a dealership and waste a load of their time trialling to see if you can get them in the back.

When I bought my car, I took an acoustic in a hard case to make sure I could get it in the boot without any issues.

hywelg

When I was researching cars to see what would fit my requirements I found this site very useful.
http://www.ridc.org.uk/2443

I bought a Caddy Maxi Life because the seats actually come out. Most MP's have them fold down which loses a lot of headroom. And I have a load bay of 2.0m plus. I came to the conclusion that I didn't really want a van as it becomes a problem putting stuff on the roof, you need a ladder to secure the ladder to the rack. 

John_P

When I last changed vehicle I had to search for the boots space looking the dimensions rather than the volume - a discovery and a Nissan Pathfinder are pretty good sized if you’re looking at a 4x4.   I went for a hilux in the end and it’s pretty big. 

The other option you could look at is a trailer although that assumes you have space to store one and don’t mind driving with one. I work with a few guys that carry the PA that way.  

Strat54

Hire a van for shows and buy a smaller more fun vehicle for the rest of the time. 

Guitar_Slinger

^ ^ Thiis - that's what everyone else seems to do,  And get one with a sliding door, so you don't have to keep climbing in n' out of the tail end to fill/empty it. 

Phil_aka_Pip

Gulliver said:

Just take a bunch of guitars in cases to a dealership and waste a load of their time trialling to see if you can get them in the back.

When I bought my car, I took an acoustic in a hard case to make sure I could get it in the boot without any issues.

I did that with my flightcased AC30. I should have taken a guitar as well, as the AC30 fitted OK but the guitar case was too long to put sideways across the boot. Doh!

underdog

I've just bought myself a nissan Elgrand, it's an MPV in that it can seat 8, but the best thing is rear seats fold in, 2nd row spin around and you're left with a huge van. 

Actually, no, the best thing is a 3500cc V6 and a 0-60 time of sub 7 seconds

ICBM

underdog said:

I've just bought myself a nissan Elgrand, it's an MPV in that it can seat 8, but the best thing is rear seats fold in, 2nd row spin around and you're left with a huge van. 

Actually, no, the best thing is a 3500cc V6 and a 0-60 time of sub 7 seconds

I really want one of those - they're fabulously 1970s custom van looking - and the fact that they do a model called a Highway Star just makes it even more tempting ... but I can't justify it really. Presumably it uses fuel like a 1970s custom van too...

underdog

ICBM said:

underdog said:

I've just bought myself a nissan Elgrand, it's an MPV in that it can seat 8, but the best thing is rear seats fold in, 2nd row spin around and you're left with a huge van. 

Actually, no, the best thing is a 3500cc V6 and a 0-60 time of sub 7 seconds

I really want one of those - they're fabulously 1970s custom van looking - and the fact that they do a model called a Highway Star just makes it even more tempting ... but I can't justify it really. Presumably it uses fuel like a 1970s custom van too...

Judging by the custom van comment, you like the E50 they have a couple of different engine choices, some of which are fairly (relatively) economical. 

The E51 that I bought come as 2.5 or 3.5 V6 petrol only, and both do around 24mpg, maybe a bit more on a long run, but I bit the bullet and brought one in from Japan as the closest affordable match for what I required.

ESBlonde

Someone should be stating the obvious by now, Volvo Estate.
Other vehicles now can match the volume, but the long unobstructed flat floorpan is legendary for a reason. I think TopGear did an episode about something else that now matched the unobstructed space but i can't remember what it was.

ICBM

underdog said:
Judging by the custom van comment, you like the E50 they have a couple of different engine choices, some of which are fairly (relatively) economical. 

The E51 that I bought come as 2.5 or 3.5 V6 petrol only, and both do around 24mpg, maybe a bit more on a long run, but I bit the bullet and brought one in from Japan as the closest affordable match for what I required.

Yes, although the E51 is very cool in a more 80s/futuristic-looking way too.

24mpg.... ouch.

ESBlonde said:

Someone should be stating the obvious by now, Volvo Estate.
Other vehicles now can match the volume, but the long unobstructed flat floorpan is legendary for a reason. I think TopGear did an episode about something else that now matched the unobstructed space but i can't remember what it was.

One of the big Ford estates - going by someone I knew who was an undertaker. The 'unmarked vehicle' was a large black Ford (I forget which model, probably an early Mondeo or whatever came before that) because it was the only car he could find that a coffin would fit into.

The guitarist in my band has a Volvo estate, and it's nowhere near as good as my Grand Scenic - it's no longer, and the wheel arches intrude into the load space.

Nitefly

Pfft, just buy @hassleham's ; Fiesta - job done!

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/131544/who-needs-a-band-van

bobblehat

Mitsubushi Outlander last generation . The space in the back is huge.