A roof rack may seem like a great idea for hauling bikes, snowboards or luggage on your automobile. Roof racks, though, increase drag and reduce your car mileage very considerably. So is it work it to get the roof rack or is there another option available?
The effect of a roof rack
Roof Racks are surely good for hauling stuff. Merely having an empty roof rack on your car will reduce your mileage by as much as 10 to 12 percent. With a mountain bike, skis, snowboards, rooftop box or kayak on the roof rack, you will be reducing your mileage by 20 to 30 percent. Your Prius could now be a gas guzzler.
Other places you can put your stuff
Hauling many stuff on your roof rack reduces your gas mileage. That doesn’t mean you are able to give up hauling gear. So how do we work with this mpg situation? You’ve some options.
A mounted rear rack
Mounting a rack on the back of your car may be your best bet for small items like a bike. This will still provide hauling space and will improve your gas mileage by 10 percent over a roof rack. Rear-mounted racks can work on hatchbacks, sedans or station wagons.
A trailer that can be aerodynamic
A well designed trailer could be able to improve your miles per gallon. You will still take a hit, but in the end it will be much smaller.
Rent a different automobile
The best gas mileage will come whenever you have your gear within the car. It can be cheaper for you to rent a car that would be big enough to fit all of your stuff in. At between $ 10 and $ 20 a day, you could effortlessly spend less to rent a vehicle than you would in extra fuel.
