Does your drum set fit in a car? How much space is needed for a car to fit a drum set? Can I leave my drums in a car? Drum owners who frequently travel to their gigs using their car are really the ones who are curious about traveling with their drum kits with them, so if you are one of them, you are now going to find out if you can bring your gear with you or not.
As a drummer, you would feel more comfortable if you were using your own drum kit every time you are performing. There is always a comfortability of using your own gear rather than using a drum set that you are not familiar with yet. You know how your drum kit would sound, and you know how to tweak it for your liking, but with other drum sets, it can be hard for you.
This is why more and more drummers bring their own drum kits every time they perform, and the easiest way to transport your set is by using a car, preferably your own. Transporting a drum kit using a car is the most convenient way for a drummer who prefers to use their own kit. The only problem is that would a drum set fit in a car?
Depending on the size of your car, most of the cars can fit a drum set in them with ease.
Can You Fit A Drum Set In A Car?
Micro Car
Of all cars that will be tackled, this would be the smallest of all. These cars would also have the smallest passenger capacity, but can a drum set fit in this car? Yes, if all the toms are removed from the bass drum, then it can fit inside a microcar.
You would have to place the cymbals and stands in its trunk, but all the toms, snare, and the bass drum can fit in the back row. If you are planning to carry another passenger aside from the driver, then the most you can have is maybe only one, but it would really be tight because of the space that the drum set will take up.
Sedan
If you have a 5-piece drum set, then there is no problem fitting it in a sedan. All the drum shells can fit in the second row, while the stands and the cymbals will be placed in the car’s trunk. Just make sure that you separate the rack toms with the bass drum so that it would be easier to put it in the car.
Sedan cars have an average passenger volume of 90 cubic feet and a trunk space of 13.6 cubic feet. So, if you are planning to fit your drum set with these dimensions, then yes, your drum set will fit without a doubt. You can also carry one passenger aside from the passenger. A perfect example for a sedan is the Toyota Corolla.
Hatchback
Hatchback cars have a larger trunk space and a bigger passenger capacity volume compared to the car types. If you are planning to bring your 5-piece or 6-piece configuration drum set with you to your gig, then using a hatchback car is a great way to do it.
Hatchback cars have an average trunk space of 20 cubic feet and a passenger volume of 92 cubic feet, so fitting a 5-piece or 6-piece kit is not really a huge problem. You should put the cymbals and stands in the trunk so that you can still have more toms in the back seat if you want to. You can carry one another passenger with this kind of setup.
Sport Utility Vehicle
For bigger cars, you can also carry more drum sets, so for a sports utility vehicle, you can put a 7-piece configuration drum set in it without any problems. These cars have larger interiors, so you can put two floor toms, two racks, a snare drum, and a bass drum in its back with ease. You can also place the cymbals and the stands in the back of the rear passenger seats.
Sports Utility Vehicles have an average passenger volume of 145 cubic feet and a trunk capacity of 21 cubic feet, so all the parts of your huge drum set can fit without any problems. You can also have an additional two passengers.
Crossover Utility Vehicles
Crossover Utility Vehicles have one the largest capacity of all the cars available in the market. So, if you plan to bring your drum kit with two bass drums, then it will still fit without any problems. With two bass drums, three rack toms, two floor toms, and a snare drum, it will still fit with ease. You can still carry another two or three passengers even with all the space that the drum set will take up.
Pickup Truck
If you have a pick-up truck, then you can easily place a 5-piece in the pick-up box, but it would be a dangerous thing to do, especially if you are traveling, as cymbal stands can fall, which could damage the drum set and the cymbals, as well.
The best way is to put each drum component in a separate bag or case and tie it up in the pickup box. Make sure it does not move freely, so it does not fall off the pickup truck. You can put the cymbals and stands inside the truck so it would be safe.
Can I Leave My Drums In My Car?
If you need to leave your car with your drum set inside of it, then yes, you can leave it. Drum sets can fit easily in cars, especially if you do not have any passengers. The only problem is if you leave your drum set inside the car for too long, you are going to expose it to high temperatures, especially if you turn off the air conditioning, which can damage the shells of the drum set.
So, can a drum set fit in a car? Yes, absolutely. With the correct way to place them in the car, you can fit them without any issues. It would be better to disassemble the drum parts and place them in separate bags or cases so that you can easily fit them in the car.
