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Looking for ideas and thoughts for a raised bot floor to store things out of sight while out riding. I could just take the parcel shelf with me and fold the seats back up but want to minimise messing about before and after riding. Currently have home made fork mounts on a length of plywood that works well and there's plenty of room to raise that up. I don't like leaving things on display or just covered with a towel in the car.
Idea at the moment I to make a plywood floor the size of the boot before the seats fold down. Then cover it in carpet so it's not so obvious and looks like it houses a spare car tyre. I've seen people make drawers too which can't be seen with the boot shut.
Anyone done similar? Car is a new shape Berlingo. Would get the modutop overhead storage box but can't be fitted to my model.
Thread not showing up for some reason. Is now. How odd.
what stuff are you trying to store? i just throw my wallet etc under the drivers seat..
what stuff are you trying to store? i just throw my wallet etc under the drivers seat..
that'll fool em.
what stuff are you trying to store? i just throw my wallet etc under the drivers seat..
that’ll fool em.
Well it'll be as effective as a plywood shelf......
Berlingo does have a handy pull out non obvious drawer under its comfortable driver's seat. -its meant for the handbook but would work fine for phone and wallet sized valuables.
Get a set of these?
https://www.carshades.co.uk/shades-citroen-berlingo-multispace-full-rear-p-4413.html?currency=GBP
I have a set and they're brilliant. Stop people casually seeing what's in the car and stop it being like a greenhouse when it's been sitting in the sun.
Fit or remove in seconds.
Thinking about any tools, clothes, jackets, etc. The storage area would only need to be about 15cm tall for that kind of stuff.
Get a Mercedes GLC - they have a lockable boot floor with plenty of storage space (as do many other cars I assume but it's the first car I've had with one).
I did pretty much that in my old Berlingo for a 3 week euro road trip.
I built mine fairly tall to maximise space under there but you could be a lot more minimal. I incorporated a pull out, folding picnic table in mine too which was great for the 3 of us.
You just need ribs going long ways to support your base and then some sort of pull out drawers so that things don't get stuck miles away out of reach.
I would build up your support ribs to the level you want, and then use cardboard to get the floor shape, then maybe 9-12mm mdf/ply on top then carpet.
That looks really nice. Like the table idea too. What thickness ply did you use for the floor the bikes sit on?
Vw golf mk7 estates(not the r) have storage under boot floor 🙂
I removed mine as I needed the extra depth for dog crate.
Not any help I know unless you have a golf
what stuff are you trying to store? i just throw my wallet etc under the drivers seat..
Can I send you the bill next time my windows get smashed?
what stuff are you trying to store? i just throw my wallet etc under the drivers seat..
Can I send you the bill next time my windows get smashed?
Obvious question is obvious but, unless you find they're getting smashed for things that aren't in your car, why would they be getting smashed for things which are but are out of sight?
I absolutely get leaving your wallet/imac/collection of pristine star wars dolls in view might tempt someone to break a window and grab them but anyone inclined to break a window and have a look under the drivers seat, just in case, isn't likely to steer clear of your glove box or boot are they?
Out of sight is best. That's why I want some kind of fitted storage box that looks standard. About 15cm tall and carpeted so it looks like part of the car.
Fwiw, is there nothing specific available if it's got a sunken boot well? My c3 picasso had one for a level boot floor which is great for keeping things under (roof bars, track pump, other don't leave home without stuff) as well as making loading and unloading washing machines and the like vastly easier.
Can I send you the bill next time my windows get smashed?
Strange comment of the day award goes to this one.
As above, if it is hidden somewhere out of sight in the car (such as in a footwell, seat back pocket etc), then it will only be stolen if somebody smashes a window for a random rummage around hoping to find something.
With your elaborate boot floor idea, that same person would be just as inclined to smash your window for a random rummage. Granted, your boot floor thing gives another hiding place for your wallet, but doesn't solve the problem, or reduce the likelihood of having your window smashed.
I do like the idea though of the shelves in the Berlingo photos from a practical storage view, and get the benefit of a raised floor to keep things that are long term stored in the car out of the way from everyday use (jump leads, emergency kit etc). And if you have something like this then using it to store your wallet doesn't feel like a bad idea.
I just keep a couple of old tatty decorating sheets in the boot. They keep the worst of the dirt off the carpets when carrying bikes, and get used to cover anything stored in the boot when not. In fifteen years of estate car ownership I've never felt the need to carry or used a parcel shelf.
I’ve never felt the need to carry or used a parcel shelf.
I'm a bit of a "kitchen sink in my ride bag" type, but even I'd think that was a bit excessive and it certainly won't go in a jersey pocket.
Sorry for posting this on every Berlingo/micro-camper thread, but seems like something similar would fit the bill. Part of the reason I built it is to keep things out of sight, and unlike Kayak's it doesn't look very professional and I hope thieves will assume someone with car full of bits of plywood, invariably covered in mud/sand/sawdust/dog hair won't be keeping anything valuable in there 😁
https://www.flickr.com/photos/136120472@N08/albums/72157669167209187
Photos show it in my old shape Berlingo, it's currently in my new one, but needs a new base making so it fits a bit better because the holes are in a different place and the floor's a different shape.
Can I send you the bill next time my windows get smashed?
Strange comment of the day award goes to this one.
....
if it is hidden somewhere out of sight in the car (such as in a footwell, seat back pocket etc), then it will only be stolen if somebody smashes a window for a random rummage around hoping to find something.
HTH
Won't you end up with a limp?
Thanks Kayak! 😁
HTH
Not really? You'd be as likely to end up with a smashed window whether your wallet was under the seat or not.
Well it does help it shows that someone else thinks the comment is somewhat non-sensical
I could just take the parcel shelf with me and fold the seats back up but want to minimise messing about before and after riding.
Given the messing about that being broken into causes, I'd say the parcel shelf option might not be so bad
Wife’s car has 2 positions for boot floor, with a height differential of about 20cm. Useful storage so we usually leave it in the high position. Audi Q2.
Fwiw, is there nothing specific available if it’s got a sunken boot well?
Doesn't have a sunken floor. It's almost completely flat. The rear seats fold down to the same level as the boot and slope up slightly towards the front seats.
My idea is to design something so it doesn't look like a storage area from the outside. So a thief wouldn't know the storage area even exists. Sure, windows can still be smashed but the risk wouldn't be any higher than before.
Also, I'd never leave a wallet or phone in any car. That's just silly.
There are quite a few cars that have a lift-up boot board with storage space underneath, some have a second cover over the spare wheel, or the tools and inflation kit are underneath - the Ford Puma has a deep plastic well with a drain plug in the bottom, so mucky clothes, shoes, pot plants or anything wet can go in there, and it can be hosed out afterwards. My EcoSport has a shallow space under the boot board where my waterproof hi-viz jacket is stowed, plus some jump-leads and other bits, along with the inflation pack and towing eye. There is a parcel shelf as well, so anything in the boot itself is hidden anyway, but a space like that is handy to have.
There are a few existing storage spaces such as the floor of the rear seats. There are two under floor boxes, but can't get to them when the rear seats are down. There's also an over head shelf the full width of the windscreen above the rear view mirror, but stuff up there can be seen from the outside.
Also, I’d never leave a wallet or phone in any car. That’s just silly.
I frequently leave wallet and phone in the car and nobody had ever nicked them. Mostly I remember to put them out of sight, but I've been known to forget. I've even been known to forget to lock the car and its all still there - where are you parking your cars to go for a ride that you worry that someone smashes your windows to nick stuff that's not immediately obvious and valuable and do you worry that (a) they are watching you so see your fake floor anyway or (b) will just wait for you coming back with your valuable bike to rob you for it?
Well it does help it shows that someone else thinks the comment is somewhat non-sensical
Dunno if it was the same on all berlingos, but on mine the drawer is under the passenger seat. The Drivers seat has a little clip on tray which is less useful. Think I've stuffed a waterproof seat cover in there just in case I'm ever muddy, but for some reason care about the interior of the car at that point in time.
That and you only have to look at the airbag/seatbelt wire funny to set off the warning light on the dash. So I put wallet and keys in the glovebox and just take bank card, £20 and the car key with me.
Tools live in the boot, bike lives on a rack and a naieve trust in the decency of fellow humans means I don't worry about it except on long motorway trips where the bike comes in the car to avoid issues at motorway services.
do you worry that (a) they are watching you so see your fake floor anyway or (b) will just wait for you coming back with your valuable bike to rob you for it?
or (c) tape one of those Apple tag things to your car to find out where you live and nick your bikes later?
If (c) happens, can I order a new iPhone and send TheGeneralist the bill? I think that's how this works
tape one of those Apple tag things to your car to find out where you live and nick your bikes later?
Im ok jack. Won't happen to me.
I always scan the area and shut down any apple tags when I get bKc to my car.
Something like this?
Yes, but not as tall. In the top photo there are two low profile drawers; I'm thinking the hieght of one of those. Then covered in carpet so it's not obvious from the outside.
I have one of these in the back of my Navara. It may be a little long for your boot though.
I was thinking of one of these for my new Discovery.
https://www.car-bootbox.co.uk/shop
I bought a very dark brown sheet from tkmax and throw that over everything in the back of the car.
It covers the bike when I'm out of the car, and the stuff when I'm out for the ride and weighs nothing so I don't waste fuel dragging it around.
The new car has tinted rear windows which help.
I imagine a plethora of morris dancing stickers would stop most thieves wanting to risk being seen near the car?