Hatch backs/small cars that fit drums

Duck Tape

Platinum Member
Hi guys, maybe the wrong section but I guess it's technically about gear and this seems to be the busiest part.

So I want a sports hatch that will fit a standard sized drum kit. I know it's a little bit of a tough ask but I've seen it done with a nissan pulsar (I think it's called a sentra in the US).

I live in Australia, want it to be a zippy little car that looks nice enough, has a H pattern gearbox and fits drums.

I'm not sure of my budget, I might get something old and cheap or I might finance a new car.

I've been told the nissan cube fits alot, and the honda jazz has a flat floor, so with the seats removed it's like a panel van inside... but both of these cars are a little dull IMO. I know it's a random question but please try and help.

:)
 
i fit a 4 piece, cymbals, hardware, throne, practice pad kit, and more with ease in my '05 mazda 3
 
You can fit a standard size kit into pretty much any of today's modern hatchbacks.

I've got a '05 Kia Spectra 5 that I can fit my kit and a passenger in with room to spare.
 
I can fit my 12-16-22 kit, two snares, all my hardware and electronics, and a big bass cab in my Toyota matrix and still have my passengers seat open and a clear view out my rear window.
 
Honda Fit is perfect. Inexpensive. Great mileage and tons of room.

Larry I test drove a Jazz, which is what we call a Honda Fit in Australia.

It does have alot of room... I was going to take it to my place on the test drive and try and fit my drums in but I forgot the key to my rehearsal room and I didn't have enough time.

Just curious to know what you put in yours and how much room there is to spare?

Btw guys toyota Matrix isn't sold in Aus, can't do much there.

Thanks for the suggestions so far!
 
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I once managed to fit a 5 piece kit w/hardware into a Mini convertible, with 2 people in it!! Should've taken a few pictures, lol. It was a tight fit.

I have a 2003 Mazdaspeed Protege. (323 or Familia everywhere else in the world). Plenty of space. Kick and floor tom go in the backseat. I like the Protege 5 wagon a lot as well.
 
My mazdaspeed 3 is about as sporty as hatches Get.

Used to tote around my 5 piece and 6 cymbals no problem, 22x18 bass


..and I can still do a quarter mile in under 13 seconds../flex
 
Our Nissan Versa hatchback easily holds either of my drumsets, and some PA gear too. Peace and goodwill.
 
I've have a Saab 9-3 Convertible, and I can fit a 6-piece with cymbals and hardware in there pretty easily. Putting the top down gives you easy access to the backseat, where I put the bass drum, one of my floor toms and a rack tom, then the other floor tom goes in the passenger seat and the snare goes in the footwell in front of that. My 13" side snare then goes on top of the passenger seat floor tom. I then put up the top to open up the full space of the trunk, where I put my hardware bag, cymbal bag, stick bag, pedal bag, etc. And of course, everything's in soft cases, so it won't scratch up the leather.

Because it's so convenient to access the back seat with the top down, I think as far as small cars go, a convertible makes a lot of sense. That is, as long as it has a decent size back seat and trunk. The Saab, Audi A4/A5, BMW 3/6 Series, etc. are all similarly sized that way and should work. The only downside is if it's raining when you have to load/unload. But since I live in Southern California, that doesn't happen often.
 
I live in Australia, want it to be a zippy little car that looks nice enough, has a H pattern gearbox and fits drums.

i can fit my whole drum kit in my old kia rio.... its quite small.. im 100% sure you can fit drums into a nissan pulsar, but be wary that most pulsars (especially the n14 and n15 series) have fan belt problems.

hyundai i30's are great, i think a honda jazz might be too small...
you could fit them in a corolla, but i've always hated the dash on any corolla older than 2003.
maybe you should look at a VW golf or a suzuki swift. im 100% sure you could fit a 4 (or even 5pc) drum kit in one of them.
my drum teacher drives a mazda 323 astina (the astina is hatchback, 2003 model) and they're freaking amazing! i was tossing up between one of those, or a brand new VW caddy, and i settled with the caddy.


so here's actually a list of cars:
mazda 323 astina
mazda 3 hatch (might be getting too big?)
nissan pulsar Q (don't bother with the SSS also try get an n15 or n16, n14's are rubbish)
VW golf (any model, maybe the turbo diesel? great on fuel)
hyundai i30 (might be too big?)
suzuki swift (sports model is VERY freaking fun)
toyota corolla (ugly dashboard imo)
honda civic (newer models are ugly imo)

nissan cubes are ugly imo
honda jazz too small - if you're looking that small get a VW polo imo.

i've bolded what i like the most.
 
The Honda jazz is super roomy with the flat floor and foldable seats, did you try one? I didn't put drums in but I test drove one and had a good look, seemed like the ideal choice for lower cost hatches. Only thing that bugs me is the new shape is so much cooler, so I'd want to spend more just to get it.

I've seen drum kits fit into n15 pulsars but it's a tight squeeze, I don't want to be climbing over things and playing tetris if I can avoid it.

I tried a type r civic yesterday, the latest shape, and it has alot of room! But at that price bracket performance really comes into play and I don't like the power delivery (nothing happens until 6000rpm). I almost enjoyed the jazz more. The dash is just huge too.

I drive an s15 (silvia) and I really need my engines to have torque, they dont have to be powerful or even fast but I like acceleration as soon as the car is in gear. I'll check out more cars this weekend, hopefully I can test the sporty golfs.
 
I drive an s15 (silvia) and I really need my engines to have torque, they dont have to be powerful or even fast but I like acceleration as soon as the car is in gear. I'll check out more cars this weekend, hopefully I can test the sporty golfs.

you can't go past a turbo diesel for torque dude... my VW caddy 1.6lt is freaking insane. no joke i beat an es lancer (lower model, but still) in a drag.

best VW dealership in sydney and melb is a place called "barloworld" check them out.

if you want to burn 45k though, get an r32 golf, or if you want to spend a bit less GTi golf.... or theres the tdi (turbo diesel) ones..
 
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