Discussion
A growing family will be 3 little ones means MPV (sorting out S-Max/Albrahama oXC90 etc) but also need to get a roof box
As all the boots in these are not big and we certainly need the extra space for holidays/weekends away or whatever).
My parents have a small Thule which must be 20 years old and is great (small but fine for their needs). So the question is what roof box is the best one of theThule range to get for one of the previously mentioned vehicles? I'd rather more than enough space than just enough. We don't particularily pack tidily and I'm an impulsive buyer of stuff so need to transport it etc
Also roof rails? Aware some vehicles come with the rails but not he bars and some nothing at all
Given the low miles the Mrs does and that it will be the family car the box all likely be staying on the car all the time - yes I know it I'll burn more fuel and retard acceleration but it's negligible for the usage we will have.
It would be good if it also could fit on my F10 BMW too?
As all the boots in these are not big and we certainly need the extra space for holidays/weekends away or whatever).
My parents have a small Thule which must be 20 years old and is great (small but fine for their needs). So the question is what roof box is the best one of theThule range to get for one of the previously mentioned vehicles? I'd rather more than enough space than just enough. We don't particularily pack tidily and I'm an impulsive buyer of stuff so need to transport it etc
Also roof rails? Aware some vehicles come with the rails but not he bars and some nothing at all
Given the low miles the Mrs does and that it will be the family car the box all likely be staying on the car all the time - yes I know it I'll burn more fuel and retard acceleration but it's negligible for the usage we will have.
It would be good if it also could fit on my F10 BMW too?
If you need space, look outside of official UK cars - the Japanese make some really nice, proper sized MPVs.
Look on eBay for the Toyota Alphard, Nissan Elgrand. Depending on your views on age, the Toyota Regius is also worth looking at.
Yes, it'll cost more than an equivalently aged UK vehicle - but it'll be lower mileage, clean as a whistle underneath and be loaded with tech. and toys.
Look on eBay for the Toyota Alphard, Nissan Elgrand. Depending on your views on age, the Toyota Regius is also worth looking at.
Yes, it'll cost more than an equivalently aged UK vehicle - but it'll be lower mileage, clean as a whistle underneath and be loaded with tech. and toys.
Appreciate that - but the boss wants either of those listed and she has a preferred one so it's out of my hands.
Hence wanting a roof box for general family duties Easter Xmas this half term camping - and it would be something we would keep and use until it's fubar which I'd guess 20+ years given my old mans box which he uses a lot
Hence wanting a roof box for general family duties Easter Xmas this half term camping - and it would be something we would keep and use until it's fubar which I'd guess 20+ years given my old mans box which he uses a lot
Probably not a good idea leaving the roofbox on all the time on those cars. Nearly all the cars you describe and the XC90 are full sized MPVs. You'll encounter problems accessing council car parks. The older the car park the worse the height issue. Most modern roofboxes such as the Thule ones are simple crab pinch jaws that clamp around the cross bar which makes it minutes to remove a box.
I also have the full luggage set of 3 Thule soft bags and one smaller nose bag which are brilliant. One bag for each Viking - I get the smaller nose bag!
I also have the full luggage set of 3 Thule soft bags and one smaller nose bag which are brilliant. One bag for each Viking - I get the smaller nose bag!
vikingaero said:
Probably not a good idea leaving the roofbox on all the time on those cars. Nearly all the cars you describe and the XC90 are full sized MPVs. You'll encounter problems accessing council car parks. The older the car park the worse the height issue. Most modern roofboxes such as the Thule ones are simple crab pinch jaws that clamp around the cross bar which makes it minutes to remove a box.
I also have the full luggage set of 3 Thule soft bags and one smaller nose bag which are brilliant. One bag for each Viking - I get the smaller nose bag!
Good pointI also have the full luggage set of 3 Thule soft bags and one smaller nose bag which are brilliant. One bag for each Viking - I get the smaller nose bag!
Go onto a site such as www.roofbox.co.uk and check out the prices. For most of those cars you mention you should just need crossbars unless the roof rails are absent for some spec/supply early model issues.
Most people go for the Halfords/Thule boxes because they are the ones most readily available off the shelf. Auto Express/Bild tests favour the Kameis:
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-tyres/863...
Most people go for the Halfords/Thule boxes because they are the ones most readily available off the shelf. Auto Express/Bild tests favour the Kameis:
http://www.autoexpress.co.uk/accessories-tyres/863...
You must have some serious luggage if you see the boot on any of these cars as too small (unless you're always taking extra passengers)!
I'd go with Thule personally - I've still got a full width/full length box which I bought new 12 years ago for about £350 (They've pretty much doubled in price since). I also had a smaller box secondhand off ebay as a proof of concept - for £19. I cleaned it up, neatly taped over the small hole where the previous owner had damaged it, used it extensively, and gave it to a friend after 5 years. Finally I've got a fabric box which was great on top of our trailer tent - remove contents, pack it away, open tent. This probably needs selling in the spring as they fetch good money.
As stated elsewhere you'll restrict access to many car parks with a box on any of those cars, although the S-Max is lower, so ideally you need somewhere to store it. Also they do fade in the weather although 2 of my boxes have been left on for months at a time (the small secondhand box was effectively the boot on our V70 for 2 years straight and still watertight when I took it off)
Roof bars: get something shaped. Square rails will drive you nuts with the wind noise, more so when it rains. I've got Thule Oval bars, but they've since produced wing-shaped ones.
For the cars you're looking at you need a full width box which opens at both sides and has easy-fitment clamps. You also need a small, stable step-stool or step-ladder which you can fold up and pop in the boot unless you're particularly tall.
I'd go with Thule personally - I've still got a full width/full length box which I bought new 12 years ago for about £350 (They've pretty much doubled in price since). I also had a smaller box secondhand off ebay as a proof of concept - for £19. I cleaned it up, neatly taped over the small hole where the previous owner had damaged it, used it extensively, and gave it to a friend after 5 years. Finally I've got a fabric box which was great on top of our trailer tent - remove contents, pack it away, open tent. This probably needs selling in the spring as they fetch good money.
As stated elsewhere you'll restrict access to many car parks with a box on any of those cars, although the S-Max is lower, so ideally you need somewhere to store it. Also they do fade in the weather although 2 of my boxes have been left on for months at a time (the small secondhand box was effectively the boot on our V70 for 2 years straight and still watertight when I took it off)
Roof bars: get something shaped. Square rails will drive you nuts with the wind noise, more so when it rains. I've got Thule Oval bars, but they've since produced wing-shaped ones.
For the cars you're looking at you need a full width box which opens at both sides and has easy-fitment clamps. You also need a small, stable step-stool or step-ladder which you can fold up and pop in the boot unless you're particularly tall.
Welshbeef said:
We don't particularily pack tidily
You need to practise the art of packing the box tidily otherwise you may have difficulties in locking the box up. Thule are very good and solid. I'm sure when I bought a few of them in the past, I visited Thule's website and entered in my vehicle details and a list of appropriate bars, footings and boxes appeared that fit the car.
One good tip to determine what length box to get, is open the boot fully, and measure the distance from the upright boot lid to the windscreen. You wouldn't want the box to overhang the windscreen and allow room for the boot to open fully.
Edited by MYOB on Saturday 22 October 09:25
The s max boot should be a whopping size if you can fit all 3 little ones in without having the extra seats up. We used a mk1 kuga with a roofbox and quick release roof bars that gripped the roof rails. That worked well going to centreparcs a couple of times every year, then we just removed the box and stored it on brackets on the garage rafters. No need to keep the box on all year round.
I have an S-MAX and as a family bus, it's unrivalled. It does the family stuff so well and is huge inside. In 5 seat mode it's unlikely that you'll need more room except for your family holiday. For that I use a Thule 900 box, which I think is the largest you can get. I can't store one at home so I rent mine with the bars every year from Simon at Tow-B-Fabs in Hemel Hempstead (who's brilliant).
Earlier this year I changed my car for the new shape S-Max which is even better but Simon hadn't had the spec through from Thule on which bars fitted the car, so I ended up buying the bars from Ford and then renting the box only. The bars are Ford branded but made by Thule. You have to be very careful that the bars are absolutely correct for the car, particularly if you have the panoramic roof, as if you crack that you are in an expensive world of pain. I think the limit for the S-MAX with the glass roof is 60kg which is fine for beach toys, kiddy bikes and lilo's ect leaving the boot free for luggage.
Removing the box is a 30 second job but the bars are a bit more hassle so you could leave those on all the time.
As an aside, and given this is PH, it's worth pointing out that the S-MAX is a really decent drive. I have the Toys-R-Us spec Titanium X Sport with the 240 bhp ecoboost petrol and it goes really well. Couldn't recommend it highly enough.
Earlier this year I changed my car for the new shape S-Max which is even better but Simon hadn't had the spec through from Thule on which bars fitted the car, so I ended up buying the bars from Ford and then renting the box only. The bars are Ford branded but made by Thule. You have to be very careful that the bars are absolutely correct for the car, particularly if you have the panoramic roof, as if you crack that you are in an expensive world of pain. I think the limit for the S-MAX with the glass roof is 60kg which is fine for beach toys, kiddy bikes and lilo's ect leaving the boot free for luggage.
Removing the box is a 30 second job but the bars are a bit more hassle so you could leave those on all the time.
As an aside, and given this is PH, it's worth pointing out that the S-MAX is a really decent drive. I have the Toys-R-Us spec Titanium X Sport with the 240 bhp ecoboost petrol and it goes really well. Couldn't recommend it highly enough.
It's the reason we have a Skoda Octavia - largest boot space, plenty of interior room. A lot more subtle than an MPV and does the trip up to Scotland on a single tank without breaking a sweat.
That said, incoming puppy means that we can't fit four suitcases in the back any more - Thule here we come.
That said, incoming puppy means that we can't fit four suitcases in the back any more - Thule here we come.
Tuna said:
It's the reason we have a Skoda Octavia - largest boot space, plenty of interior room. A lot more subtle than an MPV and does the trip up to Scotland on a single tank without breaking a sweat.
That said, incoming puppy means that we can't fit four suitcases in the back any more - Thule here we come.
Sadly you cannot fit 3 isofix next to each other in the back row. That said, incoming puppy means that we can't fit four suitcases in the back any more - Thule here we come.
We have a Honda Accord estate which is large boot space/probably on par with the Octavia but still that's tight. Think travel cot travel system pram toys bag bedding suitcases wellies boots and it's maxed out /no room for anything
Welshbeef said:
Sadly you cannot fit 3 isofix next to each other in the back row.
We have a Honda Accord estate which is large boot space/probably on par with the Octavia but still that's tight. Think travel cot travel system pram toys bag bedding suitcases wellies boots and it's maxed out /no room for anything
Yes, we're lucky only having two kids. The isofix standard is great, but it's really quite wide.We have a Honda Accord estate which is large boot space/probably on par with the Octavia but still that's tight. Think travel cot travel system pram toys bag bedding suitcases wellies boots and it's maxed out /no room for anything
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