[OctaneZ]

I added a Rola Roof Basket to the 2016 Forester XT. It adds a bit of wind noise, particularly with the sunshade pulled back on the moonroof, but I love the look and the ability to just throw stuff up there.

Basket: https://smile.amazon.com/59504-V-Tex-Rooftop-Cargo-Basket/dp/B004R34HDC

Extension: https://smile.amazon.com/Rola-59505-Vortex-Mounted-Extension/dp/B001G4Z5NQ

Picked them up on Amazon Warehouse for less than $110 shipped together.

Assembly was awkward but straightforward enough that I did it with a power drill/screwdriver in about an hour. The most annoying part is getting the rubbber seals to properly ciover where the steal tubes meet.

 

[OctaneZ]

The Night of the "build"

 

[OctaneZ]

Daylight Photos

 

[OctaneZ]

Hauling Lumber for a new Deck! (Yes it was all properly fastened down.)

 

[OctaneZ]

Hauling Recycling

 

[JonDeeZee]

How do feel about the mpg drop?


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[JonDeeZee]

There’s so many bars for wind to interact with. Eek!

I have a curt cargo basket. On a drive where I could get 28 mpg highway at 70mph, I’ll get 20 mpg highway with my basket.

My friend goes by his avg mpg instead of highway. He was getting 23 avg mpg after installing his BFG KO2’s. But after putting up his Thule cargo basket, his new average is 16-17mpg.


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[yoimdre]

There’s so many bars for wind to interact with. Eek!

I have a curt cargo basket. On a drive where I could get 28 mpg highway at 70mph, I’ll get 20 mpg highway with my basket.

My friend goes by his avg mpg instead of highway. He was getting 23 avg mpg after installing his BFG KO2’s. But after putting up his Thule cargo basket, his new average is 16-17mpg.


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true story! i took off my yakima rack and ko2 for a long drive and def saw the MPG shoot back up almost didnt put them back on! made me think about function over looks, for a second! yes i put them back on after the road trip.

 

[a1penguin]

I had a friend who drove from SF to LA for the Death Ride with a bike on his roof and he said it had a huge impact on gas mileage. I should get my Foz in 7-14 days, but am not looking forward to the drop in mpg. My 23 year old Honda Civic still gets about 30 in mostly local street, 35 if it's highway miles. Gas here is over $4/gallon.

 

[BluecornNM]

Depends quite a bit on the basket but a drop from 27 to 20 seems pretty extreme. I've recorded between a 1.5 and 2 mpg change with mine. I had a larger basket on my OBXT that cost me a solid 3-4.

 

[StanF]

My mileage dropped 3-4 mpg when I put on my Thule cargo basket.

StanF

 

[DragonSubie7]

Well...
Mpg reduction by putting hauling hardware on top of the car is well documented..
If you are loading the basket very often or constantly, I can see a semi-permanent attachment, but for most people is the noise and fuel loss acceptable?
I have aero-bars on top that add very little wind noise and have a negligible impact to mileage.
I can strap lots of stuff on top (great for carrying lumber), but a basket would be nice on the rare occasion when I need it...
The answer to occasional use would logically seem to be a design with quick disconnects so you would have the advantage of extra storage without the considerable downsides of reduced mileage and wind noise (the highways here are 75mph, and anything on top makes a BIG difference) by something that isn't a pain in the rear and takes an hour to install...

Of course if you are willing to sacrifice quiet and fuel because something "looks cool", a practical solution might not be as appealing, but I wonder what might be out there for those who would rather not suffer the constant downsides for an occasional use...


There doesn't seem to be much out there...

 

[Rolando7001]

This is the Option from Thule (Sweden).
Regards

 

[tayunz]

This is the Option from Thule (Sweden).
Regards

Do you have more pics of your Forester somewhere?

 

[Rolando7001]

My Garage