Anyone Purchase/Install the Long Thule Cargo Box??

My local dealer has the "Long" Cargo box, 0000-8L-F05, on clearance for only $270. It's normally $399. This is the Cargo box that is specifically made for carrying Skis, as it's 92 inches long and has an internal ski carrier for up to 6 pairs of skis. This is NOT the Cargo box that is shown in the CX-9 Accessory catalog or online at Mazdagear.com. This model comes in a black finish.

I'm curious if anyone has purchased this cargo box and if so, what is your opinion of it? I really like the idea of the internal ski carrier in the box and the price can't be beat, as it's pretty much at dealer cost.

JP

I wouldn't do it. 92 is super long. Look at my poll to see approximations of different boxes on top of the CX-9. for comparison purposes, the 1800 is 84", and the 1600 is 74". The 74 still covers over half the sunroof. 92 is going to be well out over the windscreen.

TinMan said:

I wouldn't do it. 92 is super long. Look at my poll to see approximations of different boxes on top of the CX-9. for comparison purposes, the 1800 is 84", and the 1600 is 74". The 74 still covers over half the sunroof. 92 is going to be well out over the windscreen.

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Thanks for the feedback. I'm not sure what the 1800 and 1600 refer too, but I'm assuming cubic feet for the storage area. I know Thule makes all of the cargo boxes for mazda, but I don't know the cubic feet on the box i'm looking at. I'd guess it's around 14 or so since it's not as tall or wide as the medium or short boxes.

I realize it's going to be very long, as it's 92" long, but I need the length for carrying Skis. I really don't need a cargo box for storage or carrying a lot of gear, but need it for carrying Skis. I like the idea of a cargo box over a standard ski rack for weather, ability to store other things, etc. I really don't care so much about how it "looks" on the car, as I need more functionality out of the box, not style. I was just curious if anyone has one and what's their thought of driving with the big box. I ski on anything from 190cm up to 200cm so I need something that will hold a ski over 6 feet. The 76" box isn't long enough, as the inside room isn't long enough.

Thanks again.

JP

Look at the thule Atlantis 1800 then. 18cu ft. 84in long, plenty of room for 200cm skiis, plus all your gear. I only ski on 180s so the 1600 worked fine for me at 74in long.
If you don't want the extra space, the Atlantis 1200 is 82 inches long and will also take 200cm.

http://www.thuleracks.com/box_comparison.asp

I prefer the extra space for luggage and gear though. Plus the wider boxes that open from wither side are easy to mount centered on the roof and load from either side. I just picked up a 1600 and will post pics of it sometime soon.

TinMan said:

Look at the thule Atlantis 1800 then. 18cu ft. 84in long, plenty of room for 200cm skiis, plus all your gear. I only ski on 180s so the 1600 worked fine for me at 74in long.
If you don't want the extra space, the Atlantis 1200 is 82 inches long and will also take 200cm.

http://www.thuleracks.com/box_comparison.asp

I prefer the extra space for luggage and gear though. Plus the wider boxes that open from wither side are easy to mount centered on the roof and load from either side. I just picked up a 1600 and will post pics of it sometime soon.

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thanks for the heads up. I wonder what "model" the Mazda dealer sells. The 1800 looks like a nice compromise and 84" should do the trick. The only thing is then, is price. Where did you wind up getting yours from? I see you are in Loudon cty, va. I'm in C ville in FFX cty. The pics sound good to me.

Thanks again!
JP

Mazda sells this one:
667TT Excursion 13 cu ft. 38 lbs. 55.5" 18.2" 35.2" N/A Rear Opening

Rear opening? Ugh. If anyone wants a short box, buy the Ascent or Cascade 1500. Short enough to have full use of the sun roof, and nice and wide, plus dual side opening.

I tried finding the "Medium" and "Long" versions of the Thule boxes that Mazda sells, no luck. The box dimensions of the one at my local dealer are not as wide nor tall as the Atlantis 1800 you mentioned. The Atlantis 1800 is about 8 inches wider and about 4-5 inches taller. That box seems huge to me, just not as long, 8 inches shorter. I'd really have to see the Atlantis 1800 in person. Where did you purchase your 1600? REI or EMS? I need to see it in person.

Thanks!

JP

Here are the specs on the Atlantis 1800 box:

687 Atlantis 1800 18 cu ft. 44 lbs. 84" L 16.9 " H 34.4" W 6-8 pairs Dual Side

The specs on the "Mazda" Thule Long Box at my local dealer:

14 cu ft. 44.8lbs 92.1" L 15.3" H 27.5" W Internal ski carrier for up to 6 pairs

As you can see the Mazda one is longer but also not as tall or wide as the Atlantis. I don't care about the Sunroof, as I will be using it in the winter and don't mind the box covering the roof.

One huge difference is the price though. On EMS' site, they want $560 for the Atlantis 1800. My dealer wants $270 on clearance but is normally $399. I'm going to trek to REI and EMS and see what it looks like.

JP

I went to ems. The 20% Thule sale ended yesterday thought I think. They had both the 1600 and 1800 in stock. Along with a 1700 and a 2100. You can check online to see what they have in stock. REI is great, but full price. They have boxes in stock and knowlegable sales people. They will show you anything and probably tet fit one on your 9 if you ask. I love REI, but not enough to pay full price for stuff, usually. I also saw the ascent boxes at REI and a local ski shop. The ascent is new and cheaper than the atlantis, but the shell isn't quite as nice IMO. I almost bought the Ascent 1600, but decided on silver, which isn't an option on the ascent. Plus the atlantis 1600 is a little shorted and wider, and still fit my skiis, so was a better fit for me.

autoanything.com has good prices on line with free shipping. John at x107 will even give you an extra 5% off or so. They seemed to have every atlantis in stock, so if you want something shipped, they are the place to go. I searched everywhere and it came down to shipping it from them or picking it up at ems for the same price. Now that ems sale is over, the choice is limited.

Something else to consider with the long boxes: The CX-9 rails only extend just into the moon-roof area. All boxes have certain places or zones where the crossbars need to attach to the box. The forward zone of the long box may be beyond the range of the furthest roof rail crossbar position, even with after-market crossbars. I checked the zones on the Atlantis 1600 and 1800 with a tape measure and both can fit the forward crossbar position into their adjustment zone. You might want to check that long box to see where the front attachment zone falls in relation to the factory rail length.

TinMan said:

Something else to consider with the long boxes: The CX-9 rails only extend just into the moon-roof area. All boxes have certain places or zones where the crossbars need to attach to the box. The forward zone of the long box may be beyond the range of the furthest roof rail crossbar position, even with after-market crossbars. I checked the zones on the Atlantis 1600 and 1800 with a tape measure and both can fit the forward crossbar position into their adjustment zone. You might want to check that long box to see where the front attachment zone falls in relation to the factory rail length.

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Thanks Tinman! That's some good advice. I'm going to take the CX9 by the dealer this week and see how it would fit. I'm gonna stop by EMS and REI as well to see how those boxes fit/look. Thanks for the online site info.

JP