Roof top or trailer hitch cargo carrier on the Bonneville?

[sleguy]

As I mentioned in another section, we're car shopping at the moment. I'm getting rid of a 2002 Buick Rendezvous that's been giving us a lot of trouble and I'll probably be replacing it with an 07-08 Grand Prix. Twice per year or so, the whole family piles in to the car to visit family in the Detroit area, a 6 hour drive from Chicago. That's 2 adults and 3 kids, ages 10, 6, and almost 2. Add in our stuff and we were filling the Rendezvous pretty well. I really don't want to buy an SUV based on the 2x per year that we need that space. So I'm looking for other ways to fulfill that need. The next most logical car to take is the Bonneville, as the cabin and the trunk is larger than the GP. If we need some extra cargo space, though, I thought about getting some kind of cargo carrier for the roof. Has anybody used one of these on their Bonneville? They're kind of dorky looking, but if they can be removed fairly easily without damaging the roof, I could live with it.

[willwren]

Never used one, but I can tell you your fuel mileage is going to SUCK ASS with one on there.

[vogie01]

If you decided to look at the hitch rack, remember that they require you to purchase a Class 3 hitch, and it look huge and ridiculous. A class 3 will be the only hitch size that will give you the 500lbs weight rating on the hitch/tongue that you will need to be able to use it.

I have seen people put on a class 2, and then purchase an adapter that turns into a class 3, but then you will be losing 200lbs of capacity plus whatever the adapter weighs.

[LeSabre in Buffalo]

Why not rent an SUV/minivan for the 2 times you need it? It's about the same price as getting a hardshell rooftop carrier, your fuel mileage will be about the same as the Bonne with a rooftop carrier, and then the kids aren't crammed in back with a carseat for your little one.

You'd almost be better off getting a hitch and a 4x8 trailer for your extra gear fuel-economy wise. The aerodynamic drag from the rooftop carrier is what kills your fuel mileage. The trailer is riding in the dead zone behind the car, so it's a wash aerodynamically. Plus then you'd have a utility trailer to do whatever with.

[00Beast]

You could also get a used Minivan instead of a GP....

[sleguy]

Well this is all part of my grand strategy to replace both of our cars over the next several years. The Rendezvous needs $2000 in work that I know about. I have no confidence that will be the end of it based on its history. I also have to be concerned about replacing both of our cars too close together. The Bonneville is getting up there in age. I'm pretty confident about the next few years. Beyond that, its hard to say today. So I want to dump the Rendezvous now, get something that I'll be happy with as a "Bonneville replacement", pay it off, then replace the Bonneville with a crossover or something. If I get the crossover now, it'll be more expensive (since they're newer), which means I'm financing over a longer period, which means the Bonneville must last longer. So the next few years are kind of an interim period that we'll have to get through.

So yes, putting a roof carrier on the car for these trips will cost a lot of fuel economy. But its still cheaper than taking 2 cars, spending more on a fuel-efficient modern crossover/SUV, or driving an older model gas guzzling SUV year-round for the foreseeable future. I'm liking what I see with the 2010+ Chevy Equinox with an I4 engine.

It sounds like the trailer hitch on the Bonneville is just not a very good option. So I'm weighing the roof option...

[willwren]

Get/build a small utility trailer and put a hitch on the car. I run that setup on one of mine, and it works great.