Car roof boxes

Elthamaddick

need one for our car for more space when camping, don't want anything to fancy, just plain black etc.

anyone got any experience of these?, we've got a Ford S-Max if that helps which should be able to carry a decent sized one.....found one on Halfords website which is £399 bought and fitted, claims to have the same space as a VW Passatt boot!

just wondering if by chance anyone has a recommended one?

ShootersHillGuru

Market leaders are I think Thule. Doubt they are much if any better than Halfords own brand.

Only advice is get it as big as you can afford.

T_C_E

It's bound to be cheaper on this site. http://www.roofbox.co.uk/?gclid=Cj0KEQjwk-jGBRCbxoPLld_bp-IBEiQAgJaftYkLr2bDB7JDuKqjISJgXXKRNdCLbfkrpnsfEP2RxsYaAoLw8P8HAQ

Rob7Lee

Thule are best & you get what you pay for. If you want top of the range for £475 you can get the Thule one (normally £600 in Halfords) from Volvo spares just have to remove the Volvo stickers!! It's also quite aero dynamic, I have one on the Cayenne, with Porsche stickers is £900!!

Rob7Lee

http://www.volvopartshop.com/roof-box-space-design-420-thule-dynamic-800-15064-p.asp

letthegoodtimesroll

Those things must screw up your fuel consumption and impact on handling

cafcfan

letthegoodtimesroll said:

Those things must screw up your fuel consumption and impact on handling

And your street cred.....

ShootersHillGuru

letthegoodtimesroll said:

Those things must screw up your fuel consumption and impact on handling

I've driven to Spain a few times with one on. They are quite aerodynamic but must impact as you say. That said if you're that laden you should trim your speed and manoeuvring anyway.

DaveMehmet

We went to France a few years ago and fitted one. Stupidly didn't test it before going and once we got over 55mph, the bloody thing whistled loudly. Tried to dampen it and block any holes in the frame but to no avail. Drove me f****g mad.

guinnessaddick

Don't ask AFKA to load it.

Elthamaddick

won't be going too fast with it as will be towing a folding caravan as well !

RaplhMilne

Bet Jeremy Clarksons a good mate of yours !

IanJRO

Got mine on ebay for £50. Has a few scuffs but only use it once or twice a year for camping trips and does the job! Worth keeping an eye out if you're not in a rush.

Robbo on the wing

I have one on the Allegro and has made it more aerodynamic

Exiled_Addick

Don't know if this brand is available in the UK, but we got one of these.

https://www.racksforcars.com/15010/Sportrack-SR7018-Vista-XL-Cargo-Box/

It was the largest one my local store sold that would fit on our Mitsubishi Outlander. About half the price of the equivalent Thule. Only used it once so far, but had enough room for luggage for a long weekend for 4 adults and toddler with third row seats up so virtually no boot space. Drove it the 8 hour round trip into the Rockies and had no issues. Fuel consumption was up a bit (not massively), but hard to differentiate between the aero effect and the consequence of carrying the extra load. The handling of the car was altered a tiny bit by the raised centre of gravity, but was perfectly stable and safe, and you're not going to go rallying with one strapped to the roof anyway. It was very quiet though. Most of the time I wouldn't have known it was there.

The advice I read when shopping for one was to get an ABS plastic one - apparently much more durable than some of the other plastics used. I couldn't see why Thule was so much more expensive, but other may disagree.

My tip would be to pack a little step stool when you go away - I am 6'4" and it was still a bit awkward accessing some of the more out of reach corners of it, albeit on a crossover vehicle a bit taller than a car.

Sillybilly

Remember, it doesn't matter how big your box is, there are limits to how much weight you can safely put in it.

McBobbin

I hired one, knowing it was a probably one-off (also, have nowhere to store it afterwards). Worth looking into though it looks like you go away a lot

DaveMehmet

Sillybilly said:

Remember, it doesn't matter how big your box is, there are limits to how much weight you can safely put in it.

Yeah, you don't want to tear it, bloody painful.

cafcnick1992

Are you the same bloke who was trying to buy a 1.0 ford fiesta?

Athletico Charlton

Got one from Freecycle. Cost me £0. Thurle. Wife then Drove into a multi storey car park with it on top and got stuck! Came out ok fortunately. Read they add 24% to fuel consumption the other day but with 2 kids it is needed no matter what!

AFKABartram

Got a Halfords one, it's cheap plastic rubbish but it does the job. Don't know how anyone with more than one kid can go away in this country and not have one. Not with the amount of stuff we seem to take anyway.

Don't forget you've got it on and drive into a multi-story car park. Can make a hell of a noise and frighten the bejesus out of you. So I've been told...

MrOneLung

They just don't look like they can hold the same amount as a car boot though. Surely a couple of head bags and some sleeping bags and that's it?

pickwick

420 l is the size of a decent boot, I certainly can pack a lot in ours.

markmc68

If you'd like to borrow mine. No problem. Pm me.

EastTerrace

The S-Max has different roof bars for Panoramic and Non Panoramic roofs, just as a reminder.

Oakster

I have a Thule - one of the biggest we could find! It'll hold a ton of stuff, multiple bags & sports equipment.

We go skiing several times a week so it's invaluable, also great for all road trips & bizarrely frozen food shopping in the winter over here - where you can lob your frozen food in it & because it's 20 below outside it'll stay frozen all day!

Do agree with @AFKABartram about the height of the thing - multi story car parks are now out of the question.

cafcfan

Robbo on the wing said:

I have one on the Allegro and has made it more aerodynamic

But does that matter when it's got a square(ish) steering wheel? In case any of our younger viewers don't believe me or understand why British Leyland went bust.....

SuedeAdidas

Elthamaddick said:

won't be going too fast with it as will be towing a folding caravan as well !

Why don't you pack your gear in the caravan? It'll come out ironed when you put it up.

Sorted!

MuttleyCAFC

cafcfan said:

Robbo on the wing said:

I have one on the Allegro and has made it more aerodynamic

But does that matter when it's got a square(ish) steering wheel? In case any of our younger viewers don't believe me or understand why British Leyland went bust.....

I am a fan of car design with a particular interest in family cars although the Lotus Esprit (designed by Giugiaro) always does it for me. He is my favourite designer, but I do admire the work of Harris Mann who was the chief stylist at Leyland. The problem was not him - if you saw his initial designs for the Allegro, it was a very good looking car. The problem was the Leyland management was incompetent and they were unable to translate good designs into the final car - the British old school tie syndrome unfortunately!

letthegoodtimesroll

.

cafcfan said:

Robbo on the wing said:

I have one on the Allegro and has made it more aerodynamic

But does that matter when it's got a square(ish) steering wheel? In case any of our younger viewers don't believe me or understand why British Leyland went bust.....

The whole design of that car was revolutionary, apart from the front wheels/axle of course which from memory had a tendency to collapse...

cafcfan

MuttleyCAFC said:

cafcfan said:

Robbo on the wing said:

I have one on the Allegro and has made it more aerodynamic

But does that matter when it's got a square(ish) steering wheel? In case any of our younger viewers don't believe me or understand why British Leyland went bust.....

I am a fan of car design with a particular interest in family cars although the Lotus Esprit (designed by Giugiaro) always does it for me. He is my favourite designer, but I do admire the work of Harris Mann who was the chief stylist at Leyland. The problem was not him - if you saw his initial designs for the Allegro, it was a very good looking car. The problem was the Leyland management was incompetent and they were unable to translate good designs into the final car - the British old school tie syndrome unfortunately!

I agree. Take the Harris Mann 1975-82 Princess. A fine car by the standards of the day. Good engines and very comfortable with great interior space. It might not even have needed a roof box if they'd made it a hatchback! (I believe Crayford Conversions did one?) But the reliability/quality issues killed it dead with the likes of BMW and Audi bringing out new quality models in the late 70s. What could have been!