Roof cargo for the Vibe

[chefdrew]

What do you all have/ recommend? I have the factory rack and cross bars and I just want something that will fit. I also guess that it can't interfere with the antenna of the back...

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[Cougar Vibe]

I've been using this Thule (Amazon: Thule 846 Quest) canvas bag for three years now and it's been an excellent low-cost alternative to hard-body cases. It's expandable (13 cubic feet), waterproof and easy to store, plus it can be had for around ~$75 (I got mine at Target).That said, if you want your sunroof to remain accessible, you'll have to push your rear crossbar all the way back and remove your antenna; if that's not going to be an issue, the bag will fit with your antenna attached, though the base of the antenna will be touching the bag. I've always removed it though and never noticed a real reduction in FM signal quality, though AM is nil.Also, if you want it to ride on your factory crossbars (which is probably safer than having the weight of your stuff riding on the roof), you'll have to put a piece of 1/4" plywood or similar in the bottom; I bought a cheap sheet of peg board (<$10) at Lowe's and then used a jigsaw to form it. Throw in some extra-long lashing straps ($10 - Harbor Freight) for added security and you're in pretty good shape for less than $100 total.

[lovemyraffe]

I've had several different configurations of roof racks on. I've used both Yakima and Thule. Currently I use a Thule Atlantis 1600 for cargo, with Thule towers to support the cross bars. If you want to put a soft cargo bag, you should be okay with the stock bars. For a hard cargo box, they require at least 24" of spread. The stock bars will keep the box really far back, so if you want to keep using the stock bars I would recommend a soft bag.

[treilly123]

I have a Yakima Space Cadet. It fits the car perfectly--not so long that it looks out of proportion. It's deep/tall enough that I can carry tons of stuff in it. I always have two chairs, two big collapsible dog crates, a dolly and a few odds and ends in it. I needed a Yakima crossbar for the front and use the factory crossbar for the back. I ordered it from REI and they put it on for $50 or so, which was definitely worth it. The only problem I've had is that the front crossbar has worn out the rubber gasket where it sits on the front window. It doesn't leak, fortunately, but I think it could. It's dropped my mpg about 1-2 mpg.Theresa

[455SD]

We just returned from a 3 week tent camping vacation out west. I used the Thule SideKick and it worked peerfectly. We were able to leave the antenna mounted and still open the sunroof into the vent postition(as well as allthe other positions). The antenna gets "pushed" to the left side a little bit, but there was no deformation after the carrier was removed. Very happy with it! It carried two tents(1 three person, one two person), a canopy, three collapsible chairs, two day packs, our marshmallow and pie cookers and three sleeping bag pads. Trip was with three adults and one very happy Chi-Weenie! We went through two hard downpours and had zero water intrusion. This carrier mounts directly to the factory crossbars and does not require buying the more expensive Thule rack to attach to.

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