i think the Thule option is expensive but the Terrapin is a great product. I got mine in 07 and it's still works great. It has a life time warranty and i have replaced it twice, once while off roading a friend hit me from behind and it didn't lose any of it's contents locked inside but it was pretty messed up. Second time some one tried, and failed to pry it open when locked at a truck stop. Both times rei replaced it free, plus they always have 20% off on thule products. The Terrapin is the swing out model over the swing down model currently on Thule's site. I just didn't want to swing it back up fully loaded. A lot of the cheaper ones i found had no options built in, where cheaply made, and squeaked and rattled a lot. Terrpain has lighted plate mount, box lock, hitch lock w internal mechanism that takes away ALL vibration/sqeaks, same key both locks, tail lights, internal drain (makes a great huge beer cooler). I use it a lot for scuba, after dives i pack my gear into it, put some cleaner in w gear, back up into the lake and fully submerge the lower half in the water and drive home, by the time i get there my gear is clean and mostly dry, lights never short, box never rusts, wiring an internal light was simple even for non-DIY me, top of box is visible through rearview mirror and those cool mirrors in the rear headliner on my 05 w/o obstructing my view, mpg never changes when it's attached, and its light enough to easily remove all by myself, plus everywhere I go when ever outdoorsy people see it they seem to have to ask about it!
