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Up to now I never strapped but reading the above makes me think.

I've got one of the Thule Atlantis boxes and it is superb.   Not the cheapest box around but then I think it's the adage "you get what you pay for"

Has anyone with a Thule Atlantis box ever had it spring open?

I've got the Alpine 500. I understand the point about getting to the mounting screws on a C-Max having done it for the first time this weekend!

This model also has the side bar & three locking points. The fact that you cannot remove the key from the lock without closing the box is a real plus for me. You know it is secured properly once you can get the key out & if you have the roofbox key on the same ring as your car key you can't drive off without locking the box. A nice couple of failsafes.

Paul

Quote: Originally posted by Skilly on 06/06/2005

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Up to now I never strapped but reading the above makes me think.

I've got one of the Thule Atlantis boxes and it is superb.   Not the cheapest box around but then I think it's the adage "you get what you pay for"

Has anyone with a Thule Atlantis box ever had it spring open?

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My Thule box is about 10 years old and is still going strong.  Perhaps I was sold a line, but the guy I bought it from reckoned that it was made from a longer-lasting plastic than other cheaper boxes and wouldn't be as affected in high temperatures.  Anyway, it's been used 8 or 10 times a year and carried some pretty extreme loads in all weathers, for up to 3 weeks at a time for 10 years.  That can't be bad.

The 3 point locking mechanism has never let me down (touch wood!) ....... it won't lock if there is anything stopping a locking point from closing properly and the key cannot be removed unless the lock is fully engaged.  The modern Thule boxes are probably better.

Having followed an earlier link to the Thule web site, I found the 'car matching site' where you can select your car and then 'load' different boxes.  Very impressive!   http://www.thule.com/upload/matchmaker/thule_mm_v2_1.swf

The prices are shown on the same page and they look similar to the price I paid 10 years ago!!   They certainly haven't kept pace with inflation.  Perhaps it's time I renewed mine!!

Oozat

Quote: Originally posted by Oozat on 06/06/2005

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The prices are shown on the same page and they look similar to the price I paid 10 years ago!!   They certainly haven't kept pace with inflation.  Perhaps it's time I renewed mine!!

Oozat

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I'm not having much joy pasting links today!  Try again .....

http://www.roofrackshop.co.uk/boxes/thule_atlantis.htm

Paul, my box is the type where it has a lock that you can't remove the key from unless the box is locked and also a 3 point locking mechanism - it still came open on the motorway, albeit at only two of the points.

My Halfords box came open at 70mph on the motorway in France last year but luckily most things were in big bags - the type you keep garden cushions/spare duvets in.  I think I may have forgotten to close the end clamps and the wind got under the end, opened the box and the hinges snapped with the force.  Managed to retrieve the couple of things which landed on the motorway - lucky it was a quiet French one and not your usual packed UK motorway !   Was able to use the internal straps around the outside of the box for the rest of the holiday.

Bought a new one this year - a Karite (Thule) Contour 450 which is a long box so that I can put two bike carriers on the roof as well.  This has the 3 point central locking but I'm still going to use a strap - probably use the ones from the old one.  Having read above posts, I had not considered reaching across my Zafira to do up the U-bolts - that should be fun !   Don't fancy the new of fixings where you either turn a clamp inside the box onto the U-bolts or the clamps grip the roofbars.

When we had to put the straps round whilst in France (see above) did find the noise increased, however, and there was a constant humming sound