Car roof box?

Due to an expanding family and large dog we are running out of space inside the car and so are considering getting a roof box 🙁 . It’ll only be needed for occasional trips ooop north to see family and holidays etc and the main thing that will go in it will be the pram/travel cot and then small bikes etc. Is there anything to consider when getting one or are they pretty much all the same (apart from size)? I’m thinking that I’ll attach it to the roof bars and just remove it all as one each time, is this practical? Thanks.

We’ve got Wispbars on the car permanently and pop the box (Kami Husky) on as we need it. http://www.Roofbox.co.uk FTW!

Cheers,
Jamie

As above roofbox.co.uk are ace.

We borrowed one of the neighbours last summer, it was great. We’re getting a long narrow one over the winter so we can carry a bike on the roof at the same time. Much cheaper/easier than forking out to run a bigger car for the rest of the year.

http://www.Roofbox.co.uk FTW!

Even better: 5% off

As an aside they are blooming awquard to store so I bought some of those Lidl bike storage pulleys and hoisted it to the garage roof out of the way.
Like this

https://www.google.co.uk/shopping/product/4007094685711296001?q=bike+hoist&client=safari&hl=en-gb&biw=320&bih=372&dpr=2&sa=X&ei=pRZdUp6iJeeH0AX7qIH4Ag&ved=0CGIQ8wIwAA#hsec:overview

Any roofbox big enough to be useful is going to be a pain to put onto the car while preloaded onto the bars. Would definitely be a two man job to avoid dinging the roof. We have the biggest Karrite,580 I think, and it leaves just enough room to mount a single bike beside, if you shuffle it over to one side. (Big cars, you wouldn’t get away with that on a Fiat 500.)

+1 for the roofbox company (next day for my kamei husky xxl!) AND the supply free hoist straps to store it in your garage. cant fault it really and improves any holiday experience as you dont have to overload the boot so you cant see out of the back!.
Edit, yes they are a PITA to fit on tall cars (Zafira) and as far as i know you cant fit one to a 500 😉 (well not mine anyway)

+1 Roofbox

Bought a Kamei from them a couple of years ago. Very happy with it. Better VFM (and some would say quality) than Thule etc.

Any roofbox big enough to be useful is going to be a pain to put onto the car while preloaded onto the bars.

Doesn’t have to be. Our’s is IRO 350l and I just carry it over my head.

EDIT: Doh, preloaded = yes, I see now.

ebay..

I picked up a “shop-soiled” one from a volvo dealer.
Branded as a “Volvo weekender”, is made by Thule, so is the same shape as one of theirs, but is a more flexible and lighter plastic, so easier to lift around, and more durable to impacts.

Similar to you, it gets used for summer and xmas holidays. I keep it in the cellar at work as we’ve no space at home. I do keep the roofbars (also bought off ebay from a ford dealer) at home in the loft though.

Box cost me £80, bars cost me £60. Cheaper than buying and running a bigger car!

thinking that I’ll attach it to the roof bars and just remove it all as one each time, is this practical?

That’s what I do….I have to put a blanket on the roof though top stop it getting or scratched or get a lift putting it there

thinking that I’ll attach it to the roof bars and just remove it all as one each time, is this practical?

That’s what I do….I have to put a blanket on the roof though top stop it getting or scratched or get a lift putting it there

I used this method to try out ours but concluded that once it was on I could get to all the fixings without problems and by leaving it on the bars I just gave myself more of a storage problem once it was off the car.

You can always keep them in the garden – someone close to our office did this and as an added bonus was able to store the body of his wife in it after murdering her.

hinking that I’ll attach it to the roof bars and just remove it all as one each time, is this practical?

+1

Use mine less nowadays but wouldnt have been without one with 2 kids.

as an added bonus was able to store the body of his wife in it after murdering her.

😆

Are the fixings used to attach the box to the bars fairly standard or are some better than others?

We’ve got a half width Karrite Odyssey 360L roof box as the idea was to put bikes on half the roof and roof box on the other half.

It worked OK up to the point where we got 4 bikes, these now go on the back of the car. Ideally we should have got a full size ‘box to fit all the camping gear in.

Definitely recommend getting one…

Are the fixings used to attach the box to the bars fairly standard or are some better than others?

They usually have large U Clamps, but Thule IIRC have a mechanism that allows them to slot directly in to Thule Roof Bars.

Karrite Odyssey here (can’t remember the number, but it’s a great big numb thing). It’s Thule’s budget brand (I think) and was the cheapest big box with reasonable reviews I could find. It’s been incredibly useful for family holidays, without it I’d probably have had to change the car or hire something bigger (logistical nightmare if driving abroad).

Thanks All (especially sing1etrack for the additional 5% off!), I ordered from roofbox.co.uk on Monday and the box and roof bars arrived yesterday. I’ll fit it today to check it’s all OK and then put it in the garage until it’s needed (probably for the Christmas trip oop north) 🙂