Car Top Carriers

[OhMickey]

I need some advice. I am considering buying a car top carrier.

Are they safe?

Do they change the way your car (or van in my case) handles?

Which is better a hard sided or a soft sided?

How much can you actually put inside? I know the car manufacturer must specify a weight limit for the roof of a car.

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me.

 

[peg2001]

Consumer Report magazine recently did an article on car top carriers. You may want to read that before buying. It reduces your gas mileage since it adds extra wind resistance. The article did warn against using car top carriers on vehicles with a higher center of gravity (SUVs and some vans, maybe) as it could potentially increase the likelihood of a rollover.

On the plus side, it gives you more room inside the vehicle!

 

[imgoingtodisney]

MIL uses a car top carrier on all her trips back and forth from Mass to FL. She has winter home in FL and summer home in FL. This summer MIL and nephew are going to ME with my son and I and we will definately need her car top carrier.

 

[DisneyHumbug]

We drove to WDW in a mini van once and used a Thule car top carrier. It's hard sided and fit a lot of "stuff" in it - we used mostly duffle bags as you can just toss them in. We purchased ours at a ski shop. We have also used it on the Suburban - it just needed a different set of racks.

 

[tinaluis]

I'd recommend a "hard" car-top carrier. We used a soft one for a trip to the Grand Canyon in 1998 and you could literally feel the drag. I think a hard one would be more aerodynamic and, thus, produce less of a drag and afford better mileage than a soft one.

 

[Mr. Bildo]

I'm not going to argue with CR's, but I calculated my estimated MPG on our trip from MI to WDW. With the car topper I didn't see any noticable difference (2001 Pontiac Montana [minivan]) between my calculations and our actual MPG. We have a soft top from Cabela's. It stayed very secured there and back. We were able to fit A LOT of soft items in. It was real life saver. Also, we drove through two very serious rain storms and had no problem with anything getting wet. I would highly recommend getting a car topper.

-Bill

 

[Heidi]

Where can you buy car toppers at???

After putting a family of six in our van there realy is no luggage space!!!!

 

[Mr. Bildo]

As I had said before, we purchased ours at Cabela's. You can go to their site at www.cabelas.com and order on-line. Also, www.autoaccessory.com had some as well. We didn't have any luck with Sears or any stores like that, but I've heard you can get them there.

Hope that helps some...

-Bill

 

[bcinohio]

We purchased a hard top car carrier from Sears. It is the 18cu feet of space and we love it. We put it on our Windstar and didn't notice a lot of difference in the milage. We used it two years ago for our trip to WDW and will use it again in 15 days when we go back. It really helps if you use duffle bags that you can push together better than suitcases. You can get more in them. I think we paid around $120. I hope this helps.

 

[MinnieMe2]

Our CR-V has very little luggage room, so we bought a hard-sided roof carrier. It's a Sears brand, and we paid $25 for it at a yard sale . It's definitely a life-saver for longer trips or even if most of the family is taking off for a weekend.

 

[pooh2001]

We own a SEARS hard top carrier. We place it on the top of our Voyager mini-van.

1) Buy only a carrier which will fit your car. Do NOT buy one which does not fit your
car size.

2) READ the carriers instructions CAREFULLY ! The carrier company is not liable for an
error by the comsumer - if they have provided a warning !

3) We only pack light bulky items in the carrier.... sleeping bags, some clothes in
a SOFT duffle bag, pillows.

4) Our carrier says you "have to have some weight in carrier at all times" while driving.
We used to leave a stoller in it when our kids were small. No stroller needed anymore-
so we REMOVE the carrier at our destination and store it in the room.

5) READ the carrier instructions CAREFULLY !

Good luck in your hunt for a carrier

 

[MaryJ]

We also have the hard top carrier from Sears for our Chrysler Town and Country.
When we go camping, we sometimes store our food in it as it is completely racoon proof!

 

[Dizzy-Disney4]

We just purchased a soft-sided one. Its nice to stick soft thing in like clothes, pillows, & sleeping bags. These are water resistant, NOT water proof so you must protect whatever you put in with plastic or something else. We found that out last week while on a camping trip. On our way up to NH it started to pour out...wet sleeping bags are not fun. Told DH to pack it with plastic to protect from water but he didn't listen. Boy did he get an ear full!
Also, follow the car manufacturer's reccomendation for carriers. My Lumina minivan said not to exceed I think it was 150 lbs on the roof.