I'm looking at a Thule cargo box for my '09 Outlander. The box I'm looking at is 91" long and I'm wondering if there will be problems opening the trunk given that the box may overhang the rear of the car a bit?

Any experience here?

 

Lay a lump of wood or similar of the right length on the roof and see.

 

if I knew what the clearances would be (overhang at the back and height of the box off the roof - it doesn't lay right on the roof as you probably know), I would do that. The purpose of my question is that I don't know what the clearances are and was wondering if anyone had had problems with this set up (or similar). I've seen lots of discussion of this issue in an Subaru forum, but I don't have a Subaru, I have an Outlander.

 

if you want to save on gas mileage and wind drag check out the hitch mounted thule terrapin 684 it swings away while still attached(unless you also need to haul a trailer or boat). I just ordered my hitch today and will hopefully getting the box when I get paid next. I sold my $950 yakima set up(box,2 bike racks, 2 door extenders,etc.) last summer because I didn't think I was going to put it on my 09 lancer gts, now I regret it I would have only had to buy new towers. Check this out if you have not purchased the box and rack yet, I have researched this topic extensively. I just got a draw tite hitch #75555 for $177 shipped to my front door. Went into the dealer and they said the best they could do was $300

 

thanks for the suggestion DelSolTaker. I had actually looked at these and would prefer to go this way if it was only cargo I needed to carry. Unfortunately, the reason we need extra storage is because we have a great dane puppy that will eventually take up the whole back of the car. When we need to go someplace with the dog, cargo and bikes, for example, we will need a solution that will allow one of these things on the roof and one attached to the hitch. I'd prefer to have the cargo on the roof rather than the bikes so that my wife can remove the bikes if she needs to.

 

FWIW, I have a Thule carrier on my Nissan Armada. First carrier we have had that has NOT impacted our gas mileage. Very well designed and quiet.
I cant tell you about the fit on the Outie. Sorry
Good Luck,
Chek6