Thule Carrier rant

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Spinney

Bimbleur extraordinaire
Location
Back up north
Wanted to carry 2 bikes around with a better method than a strap-on carrier (i.e. something that would take more than a quick slash with a knife to remove the whole lot from the back of the car).

The Thule tow-ball carrier looked just the job, and could even be tilted to get the tailgate of the car open. So, got a tow ball fitted and sent for the carrier.

Works OK, except that the back of the car won't open with bikes on it. NOTHING on the packaging or Thule website says anything about the fact that it might not allow the tailgate to open on all models of car.

Wrote to Thule to complain. Got a phone call back basically saying there is nothing they can do, and had I tried it out first? I can just imagine wanting to buy one from Halfords. "Can I try it out?" "But it has to be assembled first" "That's OK - I'll just take over this corner of your shop for half an hour while I do it, then go and try it on the car, and if it doesn't work you can dismantle it all again and try to fit it all back in the box."

Bloody Thule!

(AND, it is apparently "Tool-aye"!)

/rant
 

I am Spartacus

Über Member
Location
N Staffs
Spinney said:
Works OK, except that the back of the car won't open with bikes on it.

/rant

Take some oxygen in... I would never assumed that with bikes loaded to still have access to the boot area...
hardly a tragedy izzit?
 
OP
OP
Spinney

Spinney

Bimbleur extraordinaire
Location
Back up north
I am Spartacus said:
Take some oxygen in... I would never assumed that with bikes loaded to still have access to the boot area...
hardly a tragedy izzit?
No - hardly a tragedy - but disappointing when their advertising made much of the fact that you could open the boot with the bikes on. I think if the packaging says the boot will open with them on, then I am entitled to assume that it will.
 

wafflycat

New Member
I am Spartacus said:
Take some oxygen in... I would never assumed that with bikes loaded to still have access to the boot area...
hardly a tragedy izzit?

It's a good feature to have. I have a (non-Thule) towbar-mounted bike carrier which has a tilt facility, so even if the carrier is on the tow-bar and there are three bikes on it, I can still have access to the boot of the car. The default line to take is that unless the carrier you're buying actually states it does this in its accomapnying blurb, then it is highly unlikely that it will.
 

wafflycat

New Member
Spinney said:
No - hardly a tragedy - but disappointing when their advertising made much of the fact that you could open the boot with the bikes on. I think if the packaging says the boot will open with them on, then I am entitled to assume that it will.

Yup.
 
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OP
Spinney

Spinney

Bimbleur extraordinaire
Location
Back up north
wafflycat said:
It's a good feature to have. I have a (non-Thule) towbar-mounted bike carrier which has a tilt facility, so even if the carrier is on the tow-bar and there are three bikes on it, I can still have access to the boot of the car. The default line to take is that unless the carrier you're buying actually states it does this in its accomapnying blurb, then it is highly unlikely that it will.

What kind have you got?
I presume yours actually does allow the boot to open? Mine states it does, but doesn't with my car!
 
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Spinney

Spinney

Bimbleur extraordinaire
Location
Back up north
Thanks wafflycat - that certainly looks as if it tilts further than the Thule one I got. Worth bearing in mind if I need to replace mine.
 
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