Homebirtha said:
Ok, so if we do the Prius as our family car, there will be times when we'll need to carry more cargo then will fit inside. (For instance, camping) How feasible is it to use a roof rack? Are there racks that fit that are easy to take on and off? I'm thinking we'd want something removable since I imagine it will significantly cut down on fuel efficiency.
We'd want to carry things like a tent, an EZUp shelter thing-y, maybe luggage or a big cooler.
I bought my '04 just prior to the start of ski season. At that time neither of the major rack makers (Thule, Yakima) had a roof system for the new Prius. You can check their websites to see if they have released anything yet, but I decided to go for a trailer hitch ski/bike system and it is working great. Here's where I got the hitch mount--
http://www.coastaletech.com
As you will see, they are custom Prius accessory specialists. The hitch was easy to install and is universal to anything designed for a tralier hitch connection.
(Note: Hitch mounts come in 1 1/2" or 2" sizes. If you go that route you need to make sure any add-ons you get later match the size you have. I went with the 2" size because that allowed me to get a bike rack that will hold more than two bikes.)
Anyway, look around a bit and you'll find lots of choices for ski and/or bike racks, as well as racks intended to carry car camping gear such as tents, coolers, etc. In fact, if I remember correctly, coastaletech might have one on their web site. (In case you are wondering, I don't work for them.) One thing to remember: the Prius is not meant to tow or haul anything, so don't plan on hanging too much stuff off the back.
All that said, three of us took off last weekend with sleeping bags, knapsacks, a small cooler, groceries, two sets of golf clubs, a guitar and an industrial sized bag of Nacho Cheese Doritos (a road trip neccessity) and half of the back seat was still clear for easy riding.
Drive happy,
Moo
