School me on rooftop luggage

[Rot Box]

The wife, kids and I are wanting to spend a week or two touring the Oregon coast again in 2016. In the past we've taken the pickup and while there's plenty of room for everything fuel economy wasn't great and parking in some of those touristy areas was a nightmare.

I'm thinking if I had one of those cool cargo boxes (Thule Yakima etc) on top of the Jetta I should be able to fit all of our camping/travel gear inside of it and in the trunk. Looking around I'm kinda overwhelmed with the options and prices I'm not sure what I need :chris:

Any advise? Not planning on visiting the ghettos however I'm thinking theft protection is the highest priority. I'll be making an effort to pack super light but there are four of us. Four sleeping bags, four mats, four person tent, four, four.

Does it just boil down to brand preference and size of cargo box or are there other things I need to consider? Thanks,

Andrew

 

[Kevin B.]

You're going to fit four people + gear for two weeks in a Jetta with a roof pod? We just went to Ouray for three days and needed the 4Runner plus a trailer to haul all our crap. I wanna see pics of your loadout before you pack please.

 

[Rot Box]

Haha I know right We pull it off in the CR-V fairly well (don't get me wrong it's definitely a tight fit) but the Jetta is a sedan and not a wagon which makes for a bit less room. I'd take the CR-V but it's getting super tired lately.. Not sure if it would be up for the challenge even though it has never let me down.

It's more or less packing for several 'one nighter' camping trips in a row if that makes sense. We don't bring a fraction of the stuff I normally take because the entire route is near a towns or cities and the temperature is normally perfect so no need for cold weather gear. All the stuff that normally adds up and takes space simply isn't there.

That said I'm starting to second guess myself LOL!

 

[Jeromy]

Would the cost of the rack and all that offset the saving in fuel by leaving truck home enough to justify it's self?

 

[Rot Box]

Would the cost of the rack and all that offset the saving in fuel by leaving truck home enough to justify it's self?

Cost wise it wouldn't justify itself on the Oregon trip alone unless I could find something used. From what I'm seeing the cargo boxes and mounting hardware are pretty expensive and outweigh the cost of fuel driving the truck :-\ That said I think I could justify the cost over the course of a few years. We've been on a several trips (not camping) already where a rooftop carrier would have really come in handy.

 

[Gravy]

Ksl a big ugly locking brown type one and buy some black plastic spray paint.

 

[Spork]

One of my co-workers picked up a rocket box off KSL before his last trip, he really liked it he has a Pilot and probably could have fit, but he said it was nice to just get everything out of the vehicle so the kids could spread out and reduce the stress. I think he said he picked his up off KSL for $100. Most the ones I see on KSL are more than that... but who knows find the right person that wants to get rid of it...
in Idaho for $125 --> http://www.ksl.com/?nid=218&ad=36184151&cat=&lpid=2&search=rocket box&ad_cid=6

 

[rholbrook]

Come borrow my great big Thule box

 

[lime chev]

I just got back from Disneyland the other day and used my friends Yakima box again and it was great. I loaded two duffel bags, a large stroller, extra shoes, and all our smelly clothes in garbage bags. My advice is a newer Yakima or Thule. I am always on the look out for one for myself. I am specifically looking for one that uses no tools to attach, aerodynamic, silver and wider not the long skinny ones. The one that I borrow fits that bill and mounted on my rav4 perfectly. I also had no change in gas mileage. I think the one I borrow is a 16 cubic foot one. approx 77x30x16
http://www.ksl.com/index.php?nid=218&ad=36522088&cat=&lpid=&search=yakima&ad_cid=4
deals can be had. wish I were closer.
might be too long for a jetta though

 

[Skylinerider]

I've got one of the big sears xcargo boxes (made by Thule) that I'll sell you. Probably way too big for a Jetta. Fit well on my Commander.

 

[rholbrook]

Here is mine Andrew. This was in February which is the last time I have used it. I sold the Expedition but we load the skis in it and toss it on the my brothers tracked up Rhino and go do some skiing with it.

I am looking for a solution for my truck using a bed rack of some sort so I can mount the box above the bed and still have room for motorcycles. Everything I have found isn't high enough to clear the bikes. Does anyone have any ideas. I have looked at Thules' version and TracRacs but I dont think either is tall enough.

 

[Spork]

View attachment 101182View attachment 101183Here is mine Andrew. This was in February which is the last time I have used it. I sold the Expedition but we load the skis in it and toss it on the my brothers tracked up Rhino and go do some skiing with it.

I am looking for a solution for my truck using a bed rack of some sort so I can mount the box above the bed and still have room for motorcycles. Everything I have found isn't high enough to clear the bikes. Does anyone have any ideas. I have looked at Thules' version and TracRacs but I dont think either is tall enough.

Maybe like a side mount ladder rack? like http://www.amazon.com/Side-Mount-Pickup-Truck-Ladders-Kayaks/dp/B00EF3VSIG

 

[Rot Box]

Thanks for all the help and offers everyone Probably going to hold off on buying one until the date gets a bit closer for now.

How universal do you think the boxes are? I think Yakima uses round bars but Thule uses square.. I have a pair of Yakima cross bars which would save me a bit of money.

I'm thinking buy new Yakima towers (unless I can find some used for a VW), use my Yakima cross bars then find a used Thule/Sears/Yakima/other box.

 

[Kevin B.]

Yakima makes a set of mount adapters that'll let you put their stuff on a Thule load bar. I couldn't find anything to adapt Thule stuff to Yakima bars though.

 

[lime chev]

Newer boxes are fairly universal. the box I used mounted just fine to my factory Toyota crossbars.