Does anybody use a roofbox whilst towing their caravan. I have a much smaller car this year (A4 Avant) than the last time we went to the continent (Nissan Nivara) and obviously cant hold as much luggage. We never loaded the caravan, it all went into the back to the car, but now towing at 85% I need to watch the load in the caravan. Doe the roofbox have that much effect on drag even though theres a van on the back.
I have read on other forums that the use of a roof box while towing a caravan has infact improved slightly their normal MPG due to suspected improved airflow much like the roof mounted wind delecters of old. however they dont help mpg when traveling solo.so what you May gain towing you may lose while touring around solo
We started to use one a couple of years ago because we were travelling around and wanted somewhere to store all the bits and pieces. When in Germany we found having the roofbox to slightly improve economy because towing speeds are slower than say in France. However when towing at higher speeds there did not seem to be any advanatage. This is on a 4X4 so it could be different on a lower profile car. As Old Chap points out if you do a lot of solo touring with the roofbox in place economy will suffer. We tended to leave ours on as we had no where safe to store it.
I tow with a Ford Focus estate 2.0 Diesel and always put my roof box on when towing the caravan if we are staying out for 4 nights or more. The items I put in it are usually a bag of clothes for the two of us, a bag of shoes, trainers and sandals and any other light items. I find the extra space handy as well as I put my Aquaroll and Wastemaster covers in there out of the way so I also use the space without cluttering the caravan or car. My mate also leaves his roof box on all the time but he has 2 vehicles and only uses the 4x4 when towing so he has his roof box on permanently regardless of time out in the caravan. We think that the roof box is a great advantage but you have to remember that the towing vehicle also has a maximum payload too that you have to take into consideration. If the roof box is on, I usually balance the weight out a bit more with the caravan and put some heavier items on the floor over the axle. I have been doing this for many years and can't say there has been any disadvantage at all. The down side is that when set up and on site, the car will be used solo so will create a bit of drag with the roof box but then you have 2 choices, to leave the roof box off or put it on. I always choose the latter.
Hi we have towed both with a roofbox fitted and without, for the last couple of years and have not noticed any noticeable difference either way or the other
my observation while using a roof box,Travelling 370 miles overnight to cornwall without roof box, front of caravan plastered with dead flies.
With roof box on, no flies on the caravan at all, so i would say the airflow is directed over the caravan helping to give a better ride, a little bit less than feeling like your towing a brick???????
I`ve towed one trip to Durham to Bodmin Cornwall, and the last three years from Durham to Weymouth overnight and returned during the daytime. The second time was without my roofbox, economy wise maybe a slight improvement with box on and I agree with Alpiner a better tow, more so against the wind
Awning and poles go in mine too, TBH the ton or so of metal on the back of your car is going to make more of an impace on the mpg than the box, we dont tend to do that much touring around once we are there though...
I have a small car and a biggish but light van and I do sometimes have issues with Stability, I had a need to use a roof box when towing last year and the stability problems disapeared. I have towed about 8 times since and used the roof box everytime bar 1. Stability was perfect except that 1 time with the roofbox.
I will not tow with this car and van combination now without the roofbox as it makes towing so much easier. I also have to make sure the rest of the stuff is also done like getting weights right, tyre pressure, etc.
MPG is definately effected but its a small price to pay for a safer trip. I will of course be looking for new car next years but I have to live within m means for now.
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Did try once with a roofbox (didnt need it, just thought the comparison would be worthwhile)and found no difference to stability - although i never had any issues before anyway.
I wasn`t happy to find that my fuel consumption when towing was a good 2 mpg less (about 8%) than towing without it. And economy when running around solo when oh holiday was considerably worse.
It is also possible that there might have been a lot of wind noise if I had exceeded 80mph when solo.
We use one on longer trips - awning and other bits go in there while on the road, and we take box off car and chain to back of 'van onsite, where it becomes a useful, lockable storage box for barbecue, folding chairs and other bits of kit. Also, somewhere to put dirty laundry!
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Topic: Roofbox with caravan
