GETTING AWAY
There’s a whole host of products available that make longer journeys more enjoyable and stress-free. Here’s what to go for...
The fact you are reading this special section is proof positive that you think of your car as something to be enjoyed, and not just a tool for getting from A to B. Most cars are great for those everyday journeys to work or the shops, but for weekends away and holidays you can make life a lot easier by adding an accessory or two. And, of course, many third-party products can make driving more pleasurable during the daily commute, too. Here’s our handy guide to enjoying your car to the full.
Roof boxes
WINNER - Kamei Corvara 390 - £279.95
When it comes to meeting all our requirements, this Corvara is close to perfect. It’s well made with metal clips and clamps, and has a six-year guarantee. Loading and fitting is a breeze, as both sides open, giving easy access for luggage and tightening clamps on roof bars. Central locking is great, as it releases all locks at once, but each can be latched separately. It really boxes clever!
COMMENDED - Kamei Delphin 380SL - £204.85
If the Corvara is too pricey, then the Delphin could be a worthy substitute. It shares the tough plastics, superb build quality and metal clamps with its bigger brother, but not the great locking system, and it also lacks a central release. But it does have the separate latching that makes loading easy when the box is full.
COMMENDED - Thule Ranger 90 - £144.95
Roof boxes are great, but storing them can be a pain – though not with this clever Thule. The top can be unzipped and folded back for easy fitting and loading, then folded away for storage when not in use. It works well, too, taking our two suitcases; the only drawback is that it isn’t as secure as a conventional box.
WINNER - TomTom Go 740 Live - £234.98
Market leading firm TomTom continues to show rivals the way to go with a series of innovations that leave most trailing. Latest versions now boast Road Angel trap alerts updated via a built-in GPRS link, pinsharp traffic monitoring and local Google search for more points of interest than most of us could want. It’s also dead easy to use, with nigh-on perfect mapping. A star turn.
COMMENDED - Garmin Nüvi 256W - £147.34
It’s £100 cheaper than Garmin’s upmarket 765T, but you still get lots for your money. The POI database is one of the best around, mapping was good and the interface is one of the easiest to use. It has TMC traffic alerts, but you do have to cope with a windscreen aerial.
COMMENDED -Navigon 2210 - £119.40
Can’t stretch to our champion? Then, at a third of the price, the 2210 is for you. Despite the 3.5-inch screen, Navigon has crammed a useful lane-assist system into the 2210, and there is also a traffic message channel (TMC) aerial incorporated into the power lead.
WINNER - Halfords Rear Mount 3 Cycle Carrier - £54.99
Neat design touches secured this win, as there are rubber holders with Velcro straps for the cycles, making fitting and securing simple. And we liked the quick-release adjusters, which made tailoring it to our car quick and easy. Once strapped on, it was firm and felt very secure, and held the bike high and clear of the lights. It took longer than some rivals to construct, but the instructions were clear and concise, and the finished result was well worth the extra few minutes needed.
COMMENDED - Mont Blanc Hi Mount 3 Cycle Carrier - £59.99
If you don’t have time to spare to assemble carriers, look no further than the Mont Blanc, which is a lesson in simplicity. It arrives ready to be fitted on the car – and we had our bikes loaded and all set to go in under two minutes. It comes with a choice of clips, doesn’t obscure the lights and was rock solid on the road.
COMMENDED - Halfords Value Rear Low Mount 2 Carrier - £39.99
Occasional users should check out this easy on the wallet rack from Halfords’ budget range. Okay, so some of the fittings show where money was saved, but it was simple to fit and, on our test car, we managed to keep the bikes clear of the rear lights. Also, just look at that price – a major saving over many rival options.
WINNER - Belkin Tunebase FM - £36.73
You will want for little with this Belkin transmitter if you are an iPod user. It powers Apple’s popular player and also holds it securely in place, thanks to a range of snug adaptors. The audio quality is good, too, and it can automatically adjust to suit signal strength. And it will still be useful when used in a car equipped with an auxiliary input (AUX), as it has a line-out and linking lead. Sound thinking.
COMMENDED - Macally FMCup-B - £27.35
Former champ Macally’s FM Cup is showing its age, as it will work with but can’t charge an iPod Touch or iPhone. However, it still has a lot going for it. Sound is superb, with a depth few can match, and the design means it can be held securely in a cup holder. It also has a headphone jack for non-Apple MP3 players.
COMMENDED - Griffin RoadTrip - £59.99
This latest incarnation of the RoadTrip came close to taking the top award, as there is little to choose between it and our champion. The Belkin held the iPod a little tighter and is cheaper, but the Griffin matched it for sound quality and resisted signal interference well
