"Out Of MY Way I'm A Motorist!"

i'm finally going to take my driving test soon, but as i've only had 15 lessons my instructor said i should get a car to practice in...
this is where u guys come in, i have no idea what to get. so here are my options:

i only have up to £7000 to spend as that was all i could carry from the bank safe while holding a shotgun, it has to be pretty reliable, has to be big enough to fit my guitars, amps, a drumkit, 2 dogs, 5 people, loads of general stuff (as i have to move in july), a body and a table to do my magic tricks on (not all at the same time... tho that would be a plus...). it cant really have a bigger engine than a 1.4 as i wont be able to afford the insurance.
it simply has to have a cd player and an onboard wet bar and jacuzzi would be nice, but not essential.

any suggestions are welcome :D .
i was looking at a second hand mazda 2 or a 323 as a possibility or some sort of ford (focus probably). does anyone know if these are big enough to fit in the above items?

I think you're going to need a van, but maybe a good sized estate car will do it for you if you fold all the back seats down.

Get the van!!!
I LOVE vans, those sleek things with sexy aerodynamic bodies. I dunno how much they cost, but they're darn nice.

Originally Posted by: kingdavidGet the van!!!
I LOVE vans, those sleek things with sexy aerodynamic bodies. I dunno how much they cost, but they're darn nice.

Depends on how old and/or run down they are.

But there is truely no greater friend to the gigging musician than a good van.

They do really good on gas,too. My bro used to have a 90 sumthing chevy van , white. Not only was it sweet looking, but when we drove from south jersey to maryland, the needle barely moved. This opposed to my dad's f350 witch we would have to refill coming back. Van is the best way to go.

Originally Posted by: killerqueeni only have up to £7000 to spend...

How much is that American?
Don't really know what cars they have over there in Europe, but oldsmobile makes some good reliable "boats". A van would be good if you need to hold a lot of stuff. Just make sure you have a huge system in it and custom fiberglass the whole thing. A truck might be something to look at too if it is possible for you.

£7000 = $12,971

well ya cant have a van if ya want 5 people in it so give up on that one...
ya could get a honda jazz, they hold alot as the seats go flat (so acts like a van when they are down), looks good i reckon and could get a decent 2003 second hand one for bout £6500 with 13000 on the clock and a 1.4 engine and they drive pretty well. just google honda jazz for reviews (they review pretty damn well) an go on autotrader.co.uk to see prices of them inthe area around you. not that dissimilar to a ford focus, but not sure if the seats drop flat like they do on the jazz (it is quite shockingly good, was surpised how much room there is when the seats are down)

Originally Posted by: Jimmi431well ya cant have a van if ya want 5 people in it so give up on that one...

One time, I had six people, a PA, my bass rig and a drum set in my old Econoline. If it had had conventional benches and not "Captain's Chairs" I would have been able to fit a lot more.

It's all a question of what you can find and how good you are at arranging things within a confined space.

Get a renualt espace!! Older ones are only like 5k!! Check ebay!!!

What about a hearse. They have a lot of space, and i'm sure you could put a bench seat in one if you want, or a couch.

Originally Posted by: crazywolfWhat about a hearse. They have a lot of space, and i'm sure you could put a bench seat in one if you want, or a couch.

[font=trebuchet ms]For obvious reasons, the back has no room to put seats of any kind. It's only usable for packing gear in. Only one bench seat is installed, up front.[/font]

One time, I had six people, a PA, my bass rig and a drum set in my old Econoline. If it had had conventional benches and not "Captain's Chairs" I would have been able to fit a lot more.

It's all a question of what you can find and how good you are at arranging things within a confined space.

so you play a lot of tetris as a kid?
dunno bout the vans in america but over here they are generally either transits or car vans (poneyone call em panel vans? basically an estate car with no back seats or windows.)

Originally Posted by: AkiraSounds like you need one of these

Gas guzzler. :p

Ever thought about getting a trailer?

Originally Posted by: Lordathestrings[font=trebuchet ms]For obvious reasons, the back has no room to put seats of any kind. It's only usable for packing gear in. Only one bench seat is installed, up front.[/font]

Hey, ever heard this joke about a hearse driver who gave a guy a lift at the back, since for some reason there was no space in front, and then when the guy wanted to be dropped off, rather than speaking, he [u]taps[/u] the hearse driver's shoulders.
As you can imagine, the driver was NOT AMUSED, which is understandable considering his usual passengers, well, do not touch! :D

Originally Posted by: crazywolfWhat about a hearse. They have a lot of space, and i'm sure you could put a bench seat in one if you want, or a couch.

that'd be so cool! i could go up to peoples houses in black robes and a hood and say in a demonic voice "i've come for you" while motioning to my hearse... know where i can get one in england??

btw akira, do you know if i could fit that in a garage?