Anybody know a temporary roof rack system that I can put together for a 2007 Prius? I've been considering a 1345 kit for a 480 traverse foot pack. I would like to be able to install and take it off casually. A Thule cargo box will be mounted on. Any suggestions/comments/pictures will be appreciated. Thank you in advance.
It will destroy your gas mileage. I tried putting a yakama rack on my gen2 a couple of years ago. Mileage tanked to around 20 mpg. You would protbe better of to put a trailer hitch on and get a box to tow. Something that will draft rather than act like a parachute. I wouldn’t tow anything other than a small storage box.
I use a Yakima rack set with mounts that clip to the top of the doors. They can be put on and taken off easily with a key. And we have a fairing mounted on the front to bump the window over top. The fairing is really important - it helps the aerodynamics and reduces substantially wind noise from the rack. And then we use bike holders and the Yakima Rocket box. That's the largest box they make, about 8 feet long. We've been using this setup regularly on our 2007 gen 2 for almost 12 years, without any problems.
I tried that with the fairing and it ate up my mpg.. you may have different luck though. I was considering trying a hitch for a small cargo box for light storage, but never did it. My thinking is that the box would draft and not have aerodynamic problems.
That's my biggest concern, I don't know how my prius will take it. From what I've heard, some people's mpg's suffer more than others. 20 mpg though?! that's heartbreaking...
