Car Roof Boxes v Roof Racks

K

kilteragh

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Can anyone recommend the best place to get a car roof box? We're driving to the Vendee this summer (as a result of recommendations from this site!!) and would like to have a bit more storage space on the car (Opel Astra 1.4L saloon).

Alternatively is a roof rack just as good / better?

All advice welcome.
 
I'd go for the roofbox and go for a large one while you're at it. The brudder originally bought a smallish one and now borrows mine (reasonable rental terms - currency - French wine)

I bought mine in O'Meara Camping, Bridgefoot Street, Dublin a couple of years ago. For me, it's far handier than a roof rack. You just pack all your stuff into black refuse sacks and load up. It can swallow a lot. Unlike a roofrack, you are also not worried if things are properly tied down and ready to blow off.

It's also rainproof.


Murt
 
I recall a survey/article in Consumer Choice a few years ago; Paddy Hopkirk roofboxes performed extremely well and perhaps weren't as expensive as Thule etc.
www.paddyhopkirk.co.uk
Article covered items such as security, ease of use while mounted on car and real volume in practice as opposed to stated volume. It's unlikely you'll be moving it about in the middle of winter, as opposed to ski boxes, but it discussed which ones were liable to break if dropped at low temperatures. (all this is from memory, but at the time I thought I was in the market for one! )


I'm sure there are plenty available second-hand as indicated by Dr.
 
You may be limited in choice because of your model of car.

When I drove an OPEL Vectra, I bought roofbars and a roofbox from OPEL. The roofbars fixed into the roof using 'fitted holes', i.e. they could not be used on another car. The roofbox was seperate and could probably fit on other roofbars.

Now I drive a Zafira so the roofbars are redundant. If I wanted to use the roofbox on the Zafira, I'd need another set of bars.
 
I have a roofbox for sale. Only used once... on a trip to the Vendee too as it happens.

All you would need to is buy the roofbars and generic ones can be picked up cheaply enough in Halfords etc.

PM me if interested.
 
TarfHead said:
You may be limited in choice because of your model of car.

When I drove an OPEL Vectra, I bought roofbars and a roofbox from OPEL. The roofbars fixed into the roof using 'fitted holes', i.e. they could not be used on another car. The roofbox was seperate and could probably fit on other roofbars.

Now I drive a Zafira so the roofbars are redundant. If I wanted to use the roofbox on the Zafira, I'd need another set of bars.
Click to expand...

Yes the "fitted holes" are on the Astra as well. I may need to ring the garage to find out if I can only use a particular set of bars and then what boxes, if not all, will fit.

Thanks to all for the info. Most helpful
 
kilteragh said:
Yes the "fitted holes" are on the Astra as well. I may need to ring the garage to find out if I can only use a particular set of bars and then what boxes, if not all, will fit.

Thanks to all for the info. Most helpful
Click to expand...

If you have trouble, or major expense, in getting them for the Astra, PM me cos the OPEL ones I have are gathering cobwebs in my garage.
 
Car roof boxes are a great idea if you use it REGULARLY. In my case we used it once in France and that was it. They do hold loads of stuff, especially if you have a seven seater with not much boot space. Don't do what I did and drive into a multi-story car park with a 2 metre roof space. I won't go into that just now !!!
 
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