Rooftop Cargo Box Experience?

Who has experience with rooftop cargo boxes? How noisy are they? Do they suck as much gas as I think they do?

I am looking at getting something like a Thule Force XT 16 cu ft box. It will most often get used on the Sequoia for road trips to make room for the dogs in back or give the kids more space and let us use the rear seat on longer road trips. I will probably make provisions for mounting it on the shell on my tundra, but that's less important. My folks had a cheap one years ago and it was noisy and, well, cheap, so I didn't like it.

What are your experiences with them?

 

Do yourself a favor and look on FB Marketplace and other local classifieds and save money.
I bought a Sport Rack brand (Thule’s economy line) new on Craigslist like 12 years ago for $75. This thing has been all over the country and on top of at least 5 different vehicles. They are great. Even if you have to pay full price if you use them a bunch they are worth it. It’s wild how much stuff you can fit in them.
As long as the front of the box is not sticking over the windshield, noise and mpg impact will be minimal. All the vehicles we have had them on were big enough it did not hang over the front.
Only thing I would change about ours is I would get one you can open from either side. Not a huge deal but just nice to have options.
Never used it with the Tundra. Have thought about getting cross bars for the bed to mount it on if I needed.
https://www.sportrack.com/product/horizon-l-cargo-box/

 

Thanks. I was definitely checking out the local for sale sites. Found a few decent deals but $75!!?!?? Dang, that's a smoking deal.

I didn't realize that Sport Rack was a Thule brand.

 

Granted this was 12 years ago.
They only had one key when I bought so I called the number on the website and they answered “Thule Customer Service”

 

My brother in law rents his out. I forget what he charges, but it’s not bad, like $100/week (I don’t recall the exact amount).

It is always in use, I think people love that they don’t have to store it.

He said a lot of people when they come to borrow mention they live in a townhome or apartment and simply don’t have room.

Check your local Facebook, OfferUp, etc.


To answer your question, I’ve never personally used it, but he uses it on his Tacoma roof rails and said it is definitely noticeable noise-wise.

 

We have one, and we use it all the time - on a sequoia and now a Highlander (Wife’s). It’s a Yakima Skybox 16 Carbonite, opens from both sides and works great. I would recommend getting as big as you can handle, it’s always nice to have more room. It probably lives on the car 6 months out of the year.

Similar to your use, we use it to give ourselves more room in the car with 2 dogs in the trunk and a family of 2 adults and a 2 year old. We are actually on a trip now and it would be impossible without the box.

On the Highlander and on the sequoia, with the sunroof shade closed, I do not notice any increase in wind noise. I would estimate we lose 1-1.5 mpg with it on.

I currently run a Softopper on my truck but plan to swap to a fiberglass topper and will make sure we can mount the box there as well.

Would highly recommend. They are on pretty good sale right now at REI.

 

Thanks for the info. 1-2 mpg loss is about what I would expect and, in my book, acceptable. 4-6 mpg loss would be too much; I think I get better than that pulling an empty flat bed. haha.

 

Yeesh. I must be looking for a used rooftop box at the wrong time. Earlier this week I found some decent looking deals that were close-ish to me, but I hadn't done my homework yet. Of course, they've all disappeared now and most of the used prices are 70% of new. Looks like I might get a new one. Oh well.

I'm thinking the Yakima Skybox NX 18. Maybe 21. Gonna measure the Sequoia and see what will fit better without blocking the sun roof (not that blocking it is a huge deal, I just think it will keep the cabin quieter.