Home › Forums › Coffee Break › How many of you drive a NON Harp car??
- This topic has 12 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 11 years, 8 months ago by kreig-kitts.
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June 29, 2012 at 8:23 pm #103427J PParticipant
I’ve been toying with the idea of keeping my jeep as my harp mobile and getting a much more fuel efficient vehicle for the many times I’m not hauling my harp. was just curious how many of you have done this? Did you love it? hate it? indifferent? what’s up!?
JP
June 30, 2012 at 5:57 am #103428Tim KellyParticipantIs your goal to save money or is this mainly for convenience? How much does money factor into your decision? Personally, I like keeping things simple with one car. Over the long run having two cars could be cheaper, but initially the amount you save on gas wouldn’t be worth the price of a new (or used) vehicle. : )
June 30, 2012 at 1:44 pm #103429SylviaParticipantIt’s not just gas.
June 30, 2012 at 1:48 pm #103430jessica-wolffParticipant2008 New Beetle. Will fit a small harp.
July 1, 2012 at 8:23 am #103431Tim KellyParticipantGood point. Having another car seems like it would be more trouble than it’s worth.
July 1, 2012 at 1:32 pm #103432jennifer-buehlerMemberDepending on
July 3, 2012 at 5:42 pm #103433kreig-kittsMemberYou’d have to drive a ton for the gas savings to equal the extra maintenance and insurance of a second car, let alone the amount to obtain the vehicle itself. If I were in your shoes, I’d stick with the Jeep, and if I were getting a new car anyway, I’d get the most fuel efficient car I could reasonably afford that would carry my harp and other accessories.
July 4, 2012 at 2:42 pm #103434AlisonParticipantNo way.
July 4, 2012 at 3:09 pm #103435barbara-brundageParticipantWell, in the US you can always get a van from a rental agency in an emergency, or in many cities (not where I am, alas) you can request a station wagon/van taxi if you don’t have any friends you can call on.
If you have a breakdown that’s going to prevent you from being able to get a loaner or rental that will serve, you’re most likely to have this happen on the way to a gig. It’s rare to be without your car for more than a day for a repair, although it’s not impossible, but I sure wouldn’t keep an extra car just for that rare occurrence.
To J P: I did what you’re suggesting in reverse when I first started playing out–I had a VW beetle and I bought an old clunker just to use when moving the harp. But for me it’s more sensible to have a single vehicle. There are reasonably efficient options out there if you can divest yourself of the prevailing mentality that a car needs to have room galore for everything you might conceivably sometime, someday want to tote in addition to you and your harp.
Another thing to keep in mind with this plan is your housing situation. If you have a single-family home with adequate parking and you plan to stay there long-term it’s not a problem, but over the years I’ve lived in several different complexes where there was only one assigned space per unit and people weren’t encouraged to take up the guest parking with extra vehicles.
Personally, I would love for there to be a more cost-effective version of the Tesla X or a wagon version of the Chevy Volt, but then I wouldn’t have anywhere to plug it in, anyway. 🙂
And if you live in some urban areas you may be able to use a zipcar when you don’t need the harp with you.
July 4, 2012 at 5:09 pm #103436louise-vickermanParticipantI have only owned a Mazda Miata roadster.
July 18, 2012 at 10:07 pm #103437Sarah MullenParticipantMy harp car is a Mazda MPV minivan.
July 20, 2012 at 1:10 am #103438sharon-avis–2ParticipantI drive a 2005, Chevy Malibu Hatchback.
July 20, 2012 at 1:55 pm #103439kreig-kittsMemberSharon, when you said “both my 85 CG and my 44-string pedal harp”, did you mean at the same time? If so, that’s quite impressive.
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