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Greetings Everyone,
I am looking to transport a Christmas Tree on the roof of my car without a rack and I want to be sure its protected. I know some use a blanket but I`m afraid that it will still scratch. Does anyone have any advice ? I was thinking of wrapping the tree with plastic wrap then add it on the roof of the car.
Let me know what the pro`s think.
Thanks
I know this isn`t the answer you want to see but I`m not simply taking the easy way out. I believe this to be sound advice. There is little you could wrap your tree in and drive for any distance that will protect your paint from a tree on top of it. Find a friend with a truck, seriously.
The blanket or quilt would probably be better than plastic.
thats what I am afraid of.... Maybe i just lower the back seat and let it stick out of the trunk... I had a old car last time i did this but Im afraid to do it now !
How far is the tree place from your house, plus a Home Depot?
My local Home Depots let you rent a pick up truck for 20 bucks an hour (20 for the first 75 minutes, 20 per hour after that), or 110 for a whole day.
But here`s the kicker, unlimited mileage, just bring it back with a full tank.
I recently moved 90 miles away for a new job. Enterprise, Uhaul, Penske, all other truck rental places, expensive as hell, and the mileage would have murdered me, I calculated around 300+ dollars for any of those other options, plus gas. Loaded up a couch, refrigerator, and a bunch of plastic bins from Costco full of my stuff.
If you can go to Home Depot, pick up the tree, bring it home, and bring it back to Home Depot in less than 75 minutes, then you should do that instead of sticking it on the top of your car. I drive a Honda Fit, and it was actually fun driving the pick up truck 90 miles with my friend (Best bro ever).
Here`s a pic of the truck that Home Depot loans out.
http://www.autopia.org/forums/attach...id=28970&stc=1
I would wrap the tree in a big moving blanket - it will probably not scratch it because it will be a clean blanket, right ?
Plastic will be harder than a blanket and I think it would scratch the car top more easily..
How are you going to secure the tree to the top of the car ?
Most of the Choose N Cut Christmas tree farms up here will put your tree through plastic netting and that helps keep the branches all together and make a smaller footprint..
Be sure to cut about 1" off the bottom of the tree when you get home, and then immediately put it in the stand full of water, and it will live a lot longer...
I used to love doing this when I was married... :)
Dan F
Let it hang out the window,dont put it on the roof,your only asking for trouble if not the tree then the straps to tie it down with,it sounds to me to be easier to stick it inside the car and out the window.
I would have just tried to find a friend with a truck.
if you use a blanket, plastic or whatever make sure to give your roof a waterless wash wipedown. Make sure it is clean before putting ANYTHING on top of it. Also make sure whatever you put on it is clean as well.
Buy an artificial tree and have it shipped to your home. :) FWIW, some of the better artificial trees are very hard to tell from real. Some come pre-lit with LED lights. They also don`t drop needles and are very durable, likely will last for 10 years.
Example: Fraser Fir Christmas Trees with Easy Plug™ Lights | Balsam Hill
Seriously...as they say in New Jersey...forget about it....if you care anything about your cars paint.
Maybe the Christmas tree place will deliver it for? Might be worth calling around. Like everyone said above - w/o a roof rack its guaranteed that you`ll scratch the bejesus out of your roof ...
X2 on "Rent a truck". Or a minivan or somesuch.
My Tahoe *has* a roofrack and there`s still zero way I`d ever put a tree on it.
Heh heh, I`d rent a truck to bring home an artificial tree and never have to consider the whole thing again.
Thanks for the advice ! I`m going to stick it out of the trunk... i can fit a 5 ft tree without sticking out so if we go even a little bit larger the trunk will kind of close and its alot safer / cheaper.
silver2Kws6- Well...try to keep it from messing up the rear bumpercover.
Definitely gonna need a good shop vac for all those needles