I found out this weekend that our long-term has fold-down seats. This gorgeous sport-coupe can be somewhat practical, but probably won't be useful for your next home remodeling job.
I was going to show some photos of a 42-inch plasma TV in the back, but it's not on sale right now.
So instead, I have photos of...
... a box. As long as the object you load isn't too tall, you can probably fit it in here.
(Is a big-sceen TV the benchmark of cargo capacity that most men [and some women] have in the their heads?)
The drawings from the Audi media site show the trunk to be about 39" wide by 42" deep, with the seats up. Audi lists the EPA luggage capacity as 12.0 cubic ft. There's also a trunk pass-through if you have skis or 2x4s.
So you have the means, but are worried about carrying a few things?
You may be able to make do with the sexy S5/A5 as your sole vehicle.
Albert Austria, Senior Vehicle Evaluation Engineer @ 6730 miles
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sherief says:
02:47 PM, 08/10/09
Go easy on it. Transporting plasmas on their side like that should generally be avoided, because the glass screen will flex from its own weight and could possibly be damaged.
Either way, cool, and good luck.
bc1960 says:
03:10 PM, 08/10/09
Yep, plasmas and larger-size LCDs should not be transported horizontally. Even without bumps and shocks, the glass panels can crack from their own weight, as after the TV is assembled they are supported only at the edges.
nealibob says:
03:35 PM, 08/10/09
Oh how I wish that my 335i had fold-down seats. My wife has vetoed anything resembling a pickup truck, and I have vetoed anything else big, so I run into problems when I want to move big things around. I am considering a roof rack, but it would have to be easily removable (since it's automatically ugly) and stowable in a basement locker. I hate not having a garage.
Having always had cars that had fold-down rear seats, I was shocked to learn that it was not standard in the 3 series. I have heard comments about it having to do with rigidity, but I have to wonder if there are actually any cross members in the seat area, or if it is something more like the S5 here where there is a cross member at the top of the seat backs.
Now that I have a full size spare, that big trunk does not seem so big anymore, so fold down seats would be a huge plus.
lowmilelude says:
04:31 PM, 08/10/09
Unless you're buying a demo model, the TV in its box isn't going to fit anyways.
New Game: If it fits, you get one for free. If it doesn't, I do!
robert4380 says:
05:32 PM, 08/10/09
Mr. Snake Doctor (if that is your real name), do not, I repeat, DO NOT bring home your plasma TV laying down like that, especially if the seats don't fold completely flat. If you do, you'll have your TV only supported by the ends and it will flex in the middle. Even if you lay it completely flat, the screen will still be far more likely to flex and crack than if it is standing up vertically in the box. If you're going to spend, presumably, around a thousand bucks or more on a TV then take the time to get a vehicle where the package can stand vertically.
Maybe you could stand it up in the back seat? Oh, and if you're buying said TV at a club store like Costco, make sure that they actually have the televisions standing upright on the racks, and not stacked flat! Keep this TV UPRIGHT in the box!
roadburner says:
05:49 PM, 08/10/09
Hunt down a 50" Pioneer Kuro Elite. Some places are selling them for 40%-50% off MSRP.
The HD bargain of the decade.
felonious says:
10:01 AM, 08/11/09
That's good advice, robert4380, but I brought home a LCD laying flat and nothing bad happened. Just FYI.
SnakeDoctor says:
10:21 AM, 08/11/09
All -
Thanks for the advice on transporting the TV.
I (and some others apparently) have moved TVs on their backs, with no problems.
But now you've got me paranoid, so I won't take the chance.
roadburner -- thanks for the tip on the Elite. I'll consider, but I've seen a few Pioneers that are still in the $3K range (I'll check the internets). And Pioneer is getting out of the plasma or TV business altogether -- I forgot which. Love the new Samsung/Sony LED LCDs, but probably will get an X series Pana plasma as they can be had well below $1K, even for a 50".
Regards,
Albert
roadburner says:
11:03 AM, 08/11/09
Albert, there's certainly nothing wrong with Panasonic plasmas. Panasonic builds excellent HDTVs and offers them at a great price. In fact, I was planning to pick up a 50" 800U but they sold out before I could pull the trigger. A couple of weeks later I found the 111FD for 50% off(with 0% interest for 24 months) and I decided to splurge.
bbechtel16 says:
03:17 PM, 08/12/09
+1 to Panasonic. I am a certified fan boy.