Roof coffin carrier choice

[george_lopez]

Hi

I am looking for a roof coffin for extra luggage.  I have two big dogs and two small kids and need a place for luggage and a somewhat large dual parambulator (stroller).  Can anyone advise me on a choice.  I wanted a volvo one but they are almost priced out of whack or are not spacious enough for me.  (look at the new 2003 ski carrier.  Really sharp but it only holds some skiis and a snow board for a silly price of about $2000 USD.   NO WAY)  I needs good looks, girth and length to hold my stuff.  Matching paint would be a great asset too.  

The after market ones that I have seen on other vehicles often seem either too shoddy or too small.  If anyone has advice or a recommendation that would be greatly appreciated

George  http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/yin-yang.gif

[Low Tide]

Lots of opinions if you search for terms like: "roof boxes, thule, yakima, volvo accessories."

The Volvo boxes are Thule (http://www.thule.com)  made- same models. There is a BRAND NEW Volvo model as well- in shops now. It matches the New Thule line.

The Evolution is a very fine box if you want my biased opinion. Your looking at about $250-450 for Volvo, Thule, or Yakima.

Really now... search the forum pages....

[wiz]

Agree with LT on the search - there are tons of threads on this topic. Thule & Yakima are the quality reliable 3rd party solution. The biggest Yakima cargo box is their Loadranger 20 which has a 20 cu. ft. capacity and measures 87" long x 33" wide x 18" high - around U.S. $425. I think the biggest capacity Thule is the Evolution 2100 at 92" long x 36" wide x 16.6" high - around U.S. $500 with a 21 cu. ft. capacity. Both boxes will install to Thule and Yakima cross bars.

[Stu in Oregon]

George,

I am in the same basic stage as you in that I am finally about to purchase a cargo box as well. I have settled on a laid-up fiberglass box mostly for personal preferences. The "plastic" boxes weigh roughly half that of the fiberglass ones which makes them easier to handle and allows about forty more pounds of cargo capacity as well. But my problem with the plastic boxes is that they jiggle too much when I follow them down the road. And to me they have flimsy feeling floors. I know they are just as capable, but that lack of rigidity in the material bothers me. Maybe I should see a therapist for this http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/crazy.gif The other two reasons I have decided on fiberglass is that color-matching is possible and I would like that for our Ocean Race. Plus I like the tongue-and-groove styled seal the fiberglass boxes provide rather than the rounded overlap of the plastic boxes. It seems to be a better seal in my opinion.

I am going with a Packline model for us, but Packasport has tall box that might suit your particular needs better. Also there is a third brand called Bauer on the market as well.

[wiz]

I was admiring a Packasport box on a car the other day, and the owner was saying that the box was really sturdy but tough to get onto and off the car, which in this case was a Passat wagon.

FWIW, Consumer Reports did a review of cargo boxes a couple of years ago (all prices are 2 yrs old). They had three categories:

Wide boxes:  The Thule Classic 601, $400, scored best in the tests. It also cost $200 less than its second-place brandmate, the Thule Vision 663.

Narrow sport boxes: Thule Frontier 668, $250, top the rankings. The second-ranked Yakima SpaceBooster 7100, $250, is shallower and not as easy to use but holds as much.

Luggage boxes: The high-rated Thule Excursion 667, $240, was the top choice although it has a small capacity. The Packasport 90XP, $820, and System 60, $740, are well made but hard to handle.

CR stated that the weight of the Packasports may significantly lower the cargo weight your vehicle can carry. Combine this with the handling issue and their advice was to consider them only if you use a box all the time.

The criteria CR used were mainly ease-of-use and ease of installation and removal.

[littlewaywelt]

I love my Thule Mountaineer box.  Thule boxes are well made, handle really heavy loads and are easy to use.

I also have a Thule Adventurer which I got in 94 and it was running perfectly till we got the XC in late fall 00.  The thought of that sticker-covered roof box with a 8 inch dorsal fin riveted to the roof and painted on shark mouth (like the old WWII spitfires) on the new XC was enough for my wife to say "why don't you buy a new roofbox."   ...thus the Mountaineer.

The original is still going strong and I refurbished it this year by re-riveting all the hinges and installing a new locking core.   All I need now is a car to put it on.  http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

A little tip for roofbox owners that has worked great for me:  Go get a large piece of cheap thin carpeting at Lowes/Home Depot and cut it to fit the interior of the box.  Duct tape all  four sides in place.  Items will move around far less and any subsequent moving is much more quiet.  Additionally small items won't get lost in the labrynth of channels.

[Low Tide]

Stu- no offense meant here, just a jolt.

Go see a therapist! Plastic Boxes paint just as well as fiberglass boxes- don't let anyone else tell you otherwise.

Yes, the fact that they weight so damn much makes the point a bit "pointless." If you really have stuff to pack up there in the first place, why reduce its capacity 30% because of the weight of the rack?

Plastic molded boxes are light for a reason-yet exceedingly strong. Look at the construction of Thule and Yakima's newest models... they are more rigid, more aerodynamic, and even easier ergonomically to mount and dismount.

You can go with fiberglass (and its pointlessly high cost), but its likely you'll find they are wolves in sheep's clothing.

Why not buy a Hummer H2 while your at the roof-box store? They should both "fit" in your garage with only minimal "adjustments."

[Hiro's XC]

http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/happy.gif  http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif  http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/hehe.gif  http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/tounge.gif  ROTF!

H2!    You guys know they are now making an H3! Yep, It will have the trailblazer's inline 6.

And speaking of boxes....I'm looking too so thanks for the opinions.

Jason

[Stu in Oregon]

Low Tide,

Don't you think the H2 bit was a little below the belt. If I was of Hummer ilk then would I own two XCs?

Dont let anyone tell you that painting a plastic box is just as easy as fiberglass. One of my closest friends owns two body shops and he will not paint plastic boxes anymore. The flex and the temperature expansion/contraction of plastic boxes makes for finish issues after a few seasons and he is tired of dealing with disatisfied people despite his warnings. To make the paint pliable enough you have to add so much plasticizer that a good match is very difficult as well.

Plus, the ratings on roof racks are so understated because of liability issues that I am completely comfortable with exceeding it's limit by upwards of 100 pounds. And no I would not try to go after Volvo if I experience a failure, which I wont.

And I know you are not the one who brought up handling, but if one's wagon is so loaded that a roof box is necessary, then sporty driving is ill-advised anyways. Plus face it, these cars really do not handle well in the first place.

Now your remarks about the "pointlessly high cost". I own a pair of $43,000 station wagons. If I want to spend an extra $400 to $600 dollars to have a color matched fiberglass box which I feel is built better and looks better, then so what! Being cheap on accesories for $40,000 plus vehicles is disingenous when one flaunts one's frugalness in a negative manner.

No offense intended - Stu

[Low Tide]

Ah... the H2 ref is a common one in my dailylanguage these days. I see more and more every day. In fact, I saw more H2's than I did MII XC's yesterday. 6 vs. 5.

I didn't mean to associate you with the H2.. other than the visual shock I had last week when I was "passed" by an H2 that had 3 (THREE&#33http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/wink.gif fiberglass "roof coffins" on it! They were all painted that lame H2 WHITE. Who would order an H2 in white that WASN'T a complete PUTZ? Three boxes? For what? Mineral water? Gym shorts? Maybe the overflow of the driver's superior EGO!

Sorry Stu. Your an Oregonian, and we all know that during the pioneer days the smart ones went to Oregon and the __ones came to CA.... (I lived in PDX while an undergrad in college)

Best of luck to you....

LT

Oh yeah.... one last thing.  Take a look at the new Thule box that overpainted Silver already.  Its clearcoated- you could paint that to match pretty easy.  Its a neat box- and studier than the old line.  Evolution- Largest Model (http://www.rei.com/online/store/ProductDisplay?storeId=8000&catalogId=40000008000&productId=13631474&parent_category_rn=4501515)

[Stu in Oregon]

Thanks Low Tide.  The irony is I am a California transplant living in Oregon now twenty one years!  http://xc70.com/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/hehe.gif