Aug 04: Roof Boxes
Roofboxes effectively add another boot to your car. Here’s our verdict on the best around | |
ROOF BOXES: AN INTRODUCTION
Roofboxes all have a base,
a lid, some form of lock mechanism, and hinges. So why does price vary
so much? Well, they come in a choice of sizes and they’re made from different materials; budget models tend to be high-density polyethylene (HDPE), which isn’t as durable or attractive as the ABS plastic of premium brands. The way the lid operates is another important factor. Basic boxes often have clamps and separate locks. Premium products have central locking, which means a single key operates
all the locks at once. With the locks released, some lids raise automatically – traditionally pushed up by gas struts. Some premium brands have developed sprung knee joints instead.
THE FULL REPORT, AND DETAILED WRITE-UP FOR EACH ROOFBOX, MAY BE FOUND IN THE AUGUST 2004 ISSUE OF THE MAGAZINE. |
Kamei Grizzly M
Price £240.00
Tel 08700 766326
Website Click Here
Size 400 litres/
1.56m x 0.94m x 0.43m
Comments Many roofbox aficionados reckon Kamei boxes are among the best on the market, and the Grizzly M certainly seems well thought out. Unlike most rivals, it doesn’t have sporty, aerodynamic styling. In fact it almost looks dumpy. But there is a reason. As the tallest part of the box is in the middle, the box is completely symmetrical.
FULL WRITE-UP IN THE MAGAZINE
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Autoplas A354
Price £89.99
Tel 0800 9701462
Website Click Here
Size 350 litres/
1.35m x 1.00m x 0.37m
This is the cheapest box in our line up, and it’s rather more basic in appearance than Autoplas’ A415 model. The black lid certainly isn’t pretty and it makes the box look rather dated. But don’t be fooled into thinking there’s a major
difference in quality between the two products. Despite the lower price, both boxes share exactly the same base; the reduction in volume in this model is purely down to the shallower lid.
FULL WRITE-UP IN THE MAGAZINE
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Karrite KC380
Price £139.00
Tel 0800 9701462
Website Click Here
Size 380 litres/
1.50m x 0.90m x 0.40m
A firm favourite with the clued-up roofbox buyer. Karrite, though
a British firm, is owned by a rather better-known Swedish box manufacturer. Despite many of the mouldings and plastics coming from the same, good-quality supplier, Karrite is still marketed as a slightly budget brand. So that means high quality products at very reasonable prices. This KC380, for instance, weighs in at 13kg, is made from ABS plastic, and features single-key, multi-point central locking.
FULL WRITE-UP IN THE MAGAZINE
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Carpoint 320
Price £129.00
Tel 01332 290833
Website Click Here
Size 320 Litre/
1.29m x 0.75m x 0.36m
In every product test, something
has to come last. But it’s always good when the backmarker isn’t actually that bad. The Carpoint 320 is a reasonable all-rounder that falls foul of our scoring criteria. The first minus point is that it comes in ‘Airfix’ form: you have to assemble it, which is a bit much when the Autoplas A354 is £40 cheaper and arrives ready for action.
FULL WRITE-UP IN THE MAGAZINE
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Fapa 480 Alto
Price £285.00
Tel 08700 766326
Website Click Here
Size 480 litres/
2.29m x 0.68m x 0.40m
Rather like Kamei, Fapa roofboxes are often perceived as a cut above the rest. They most definitely look good, with a glossy, silver-metallic finish that outdoes even Thule’s Evolution. The lid and base are very close-fitting. They’d probably even feel tight if the gas struts didn’t kick in the minute you release the single lock. As you’d expect, this is made from ABS plastic, has a max load capacity of 50kg, and weighs in at a fairly heavy 23kg.
FULL WRITE-UP IN THE MAGAZINE
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Karrite Contour 470
Price £169.00
Tel 0800 9701462
Website Click Here
Size 470 litres/
1.65m x 0.95m x 0.41m
Another box from the thrifty buyer’s favourite brand. As with the KC380, this Karrite is British-made using quality bits from the same source as certain other premium brands. It may seem pricey, but don’t forget that’s for a whopping 470 litres of storage – that’s 36 pence per litre, so not so bad after all. Build quality isn’t on the same high plane as the Fapa, but it’s vastly better than most budget models. For a start, the box and lid are made from well-finished ABS plastic. So they look smart, and fit is impressive.
FULL WRITE-UP IN THE MAGAZINE
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Thule Evolution JE900XT
Price £370.00
Tel 0800 9701462
Website Click Here
Size 600 litres/
2.32m x 0.9m x 0.41m
Thule is the biggest and best known roofbox brand in the UK and, judging by the capabilities of this box, that’s no surprise. It’s almost as if everything Thule has learnt, after years of making these products, has been crammed into one super-versatile box. Despite its gargantuan size, it’s the quickest to fit. That’s for
two reasons really.
FULL WRITE-UP IN THE MAGAZINE
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Thule Ocean 700
Price £225.00
Tel 0800 9701462
Website Click Here
Size 450 litres/
2.32m x 0.70m x 0.39m
The first of the so-called ‘sports’ roofboxes in our line-up. Narrow boxes aren’t called sports purely because their long, thin shape is very well suited to carrying skis. It’s also because the box only takes half a standard car’s roof width – leaving space for bike racks on the other side. So how does this Thule compare with the top-class Evolution? It’s not as striking to look at. It’s smart enough, though, in a matt grey, and it’s nicely shaped to give deep storage at the rear. It’s also made from the same material – ABS plastic – so the two halves fit together cleanly and tightly.
FULL WRITE-UP IN THE MAGAZINE
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Halfords 460L Roofbox Carbon
Price £219.99
Tel 01527 513555
Website Click Here
Size 460 Litres/
1.65m x 0.95 x 0.41m
It’s always good to be different, but it makes you wonder why Halfords chose faux carbonfibre to cover its premium roofboxes, perhaps it’s targeting a younger customer. In shape, it’s reminiscent of Thule’s Ocean range, and many of the other features are similar, too. Build quality is pleasing, with the ABS construction giving a close fit between the lid and base.
FULL WRITE-UP IN THE MAGAZINE
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Fapa Solo 460
Price £195.00
Tel 08700 766326
Website Click Here
Size 360 litres/
1.82m x 0.70m x 0.41m
A stylish shape, terrific build quality, and even a chromed logo. Turn the key to release the multi-point central locking and the gas struts sedately raise the extremely close-fitting lid
– but not enough for our liking. Max opening clearance is just 34cm, which isn’t good and feels
obstructive when you’re reaching over to the hinged side of the base.
FULL WRITE-UP IN THE MAGAZINE
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Thule Ocean 100
Price £159.99
Tel 0800 9701462
Website Click Here
Size 360 litres/
1.39m x 0.90m x 0.39m
As well as the skinny, sports-style Ocean models, Thule also has a full range of standard-shape Oceans. This is one of the most popular sizes, but the group ranges from the 320-litre 80, at £139, to the capacious 200 model. That costs £209 and offers 450 litres of storage volume. In many ways, this is a cross between the previous featured Ocean model and Karrite’s KC380. In terms of style this mimics the sports Ocean range, with pleasing sculpted lines. But in every other way, there are great similarities with the Karrite.
FULL WRITE-UP IN THE MAGAZINE
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