I've been looking for a very cheap estate car (under £400!). I'm a musician and need a vehicle I can put all my keyboards in when gigging... Well there are aren't many half decent estates around at this price and the thought struck me that a hatchback could do the job too IF the back seats fold down flat.
I've never owned a hatchback. Wondering if hatchbacks usually have back seats that fold completely flat?
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I've never owned a hatchback. Wondering if hatchbacks usually have back seats that fold completely flat?
Yes, they do! Good luck.
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Almost all, if not all hatchbacks have folding seats. some do not fold completely flat though.
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You need to check the specific model you are looking at.
Some hatchbacks have split folding backs to the rear seat but the base is solid meaning, if you want a completely flat load space you can't carry a rear seat passenger as well.
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Autotrader lists 78 estates under £500...
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Of course if they fold flat then that's because the squab tips forward - like on our SEAT Ibiza.
Downside is that the thickness of the squab then limits the load deck length available, and it also prevents the front seats from being pushed back very far (not a problem unless you're tall).
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The Toyota Prius' rear seats fold flat without the base tipping forward, because the boot deck is unusually high.
(The battery's under the boot floor behind the rear base cushion, and there's a hidden storage area under the main boot floor, behind the battery).
I've no idea whether that's a net positive or negative - kind of depends on how you're intending to use it, I guess.
Certainly gives you a very long load space, although it's not that high. The shallow slope of the rear window limits the height too.
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The Toyota Prius' rear seats fold flat
And who knows, what with their recall for randomly variable assistance in the braking system, Priuses in driveable nick may soon cost less than the OP's £400 budget.
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Jeepers, £400! I read it as £4000 in the first post.
What on earth sort of vehicle can you expect to get for £400? Not sure I'd be happy booking someone for a gig if I knew that was their transport!!
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Well you can get a 70 K miles 1.6 Mondeo for that on Autotrader.... I just had a look .
If you can stretch to £500 ( Autotraders lowest figure ) you could have your choice of around 900 cars . Admittedly you may have a job fitting your gear in a Seicento or Micra but plenty of choice of the bigger stuff as well..
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Thanks for the replies. It's nice to know I have some more options...
I've seen some real bargains out there and I'm quite sure it's possible to get a reasonable car for £400! I don't mind if it's scratched, dented, ugly or even a Skoda as long as it's mechanically ok! Of course it's possible to get a complete pile of you know what too...
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Actually saw a quite nice old Corolla, fairly straight externally, faded metallic grey, some internal bling of the Middle East taxi driver type, a bit of pink plastic here or there, easily removable... in a forecourt near here, not far from Notting Hill Gate, expensive country, the notice in the window saying it has so many months of licence left, but no mention of MoT... could be a good car at I think £270... If the OP is within reach I will try to remember where it actually is.
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Saab 900 hatchback - you could get a small truck in the back of it! And it was completely flat!
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Having carried guitars, amps and p.a. speakers around for many years, I'd certainly recommend looking for an estate rather than a hatchback. Make sure that the vehicle that you get doesn't have a load-lip - even some estates can have them. Lifting heavy gear over the lip is an absolute back-breaker at the end of a long evening's playing.
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I gigged for many years in a six piece and the manager always brought the amps etc in a Granada, amps went in the boot with music and other stuff went on the back seat. Bit of a squeeze but worked. An old Volvo 240 estate would be ideal as the back seats go down and its like a big van. Maybe a van would be worth considering anyway. Good luck with the gigs.
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