Volkswagen Golf Variant with Menabo Diamond 500 Black roof box

On a Volkswagen Golf Variant with roof rails we fitted the roof box Menabo Diamond 500 Black, a 500 L box fixed on roof bars. We did the fitting in our shop at Drumul Lunca Corbului 2, Sector 3, Bucharest, Romania.

About the car: Volkswagen Golf Variant (shared body of the Golf V and Golf VI)

The car in this fitting is a Volkswagen Golf Variant, the 5-door estate version. The Golf V Variant debuted at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2007 and was built from April 2007 to 2009. The Golf VI Variant, built between 2009 and 2013, kept the body and underpinnings of its predecessor and received the front end, interior and engines of the new Golf. Both sit on the PQ35 (A5) platform. Without a photo of the front we cannot say for sure whether this is a Golf V or a Golf VI Variant, but the body, and so the roof, are the same.

This Golf Variant has raised silver roof rails, and the roof bars and the Diamond box are fixed to them. On an estate with roof rails, the roof bars do not hook onto the door frames but clamp to the roof rail, and the box is then placed on them with its own fittings. The car also has a towbar fitted, so the roof is not the only option for accessories: a bike rack can be fitted separately on the towbar.

What we fitted on this Golf Variant

The Menabo Diamond 500 Black has a capacity of 500 L and carries a maximum of 75 kg. It is made of gloss black ABS plastic, has an outer length of over 200 cm, opens on one side only, the right, and has an integrated lock. The empty box weighs 19.6 kg and is tested, certified and approved by TÜV and City Crash Test.

The standard fitting is the 20 mm Quick Fix T-track system, included in the package, which tightens on top of the bars. For other bars there is an optional Quick Fix clamp, item 000082500000; the product sheet requires it on Menabo Brio and Raven bars and on K39 K1 Steel and K39 King. On Menabo Tema, Delta or Sherman bars, on Thule WingBar and SlideBar or on Yakima ThruBar, the box fits without an adapter. The fitting instructions in PDF and two presentation clips are on the product page.

Video: Presentation of the Menabo Diamond roof box

Video: The Menabo Diamond roof box in detail

Technical details and what to watch for

• Capacity 500 L, maximum load 75 kg, empty box weight 19.6 kg.
• Calculation on the bars: a full box puts up to 19.6 + 75 = 94.6 kg on the roof bars. Compare the total with the capacity of the bars and with the roof load in the car's technical manual; the lowest limit is the one that counts.
• The box opens on the right, towards the pavement when you park on the right-hand side of the street.
• With a box over 200 cm long on an estate, check the first time you open the tailgate that it does not touch the box, and move the box further forward on the bars if needed.

Instructions and documents

• MENABO DIAMOND 450 500 Fitting instructions Compressed (PDF)
• Specifications – Menabo Diamond (PDF)
• Specifications 2 – Menabo Diamond (PDF)

Frequently asked questions

Which roof box fits the Volkswagen Golf Variant?

On a Volkswagen Golf Variant with roof rails, the roof box fixes to roof bars mounted on the roof rails. Here we fitted the Menabo Diamond 500 Black, 500 L and 75 kg, fixed with the 20 mm Quick Fix T-track system.

How much weight does the Menabo Diamond 500 roof box take?

The Menabo Diamond 500 Black roof box carries a maximum of 75 kg of luggage and weighs 19.6 kg empty. That means up to 94.6 kg on the roof bars, so the bars and the roof of the car must allow that weight.

Which bars does the Menabo Diamond 500 fit without an adapter?

The Menabo Diamond 500 fixes directly, with the 20 mm Quick Fix T-track system, on Menabo Tema, Omega, Delta and Sherman bars, on Thule WingBar, SlideBar and ProBar and on Yakima ThruBar/FlushBar. On Menabo Brio and Raven, K39 K1 Steel and K39 King it needs the Quick Fix clamp, item 000082500000.

What is the difference between T-track and U-bolt fittings on roof bars?

A T-track fitting tightens on top of the roof bar, as the Menabo Diamond 500 does with its 20 mm Quick Fix T-track system; a U-bolt fitting goes around the bar on the outside, so you need to check that the width of the bar allows this. We explain this in detail for ski racks in the guide How to fit a ski or snowboard rack on roof bars.

We are waiting for you in the showroom

Our SuportBicicleta.ro shop is at Drumul Lunca Corbului 2, Sector 3, Bucharest, Romania. We also have other roof boxes and, if you need them, roof bars that suit your car. You can also contact us through our contact page or at [email protected]. contact us through our contact page or at [email protected].

You can also message us on WhatsApp.

Sources: Wikipedia: Volkswagen Golf Mk5 (Golf V Variant, Geneva 2007, production 2007-2009, PQ35) · Wikipedia: Volkswagen Golf Mk6 (Golf VI Variant 2009-2013, body carried over from the Golf V) · Fitting photo: silver roof rails and the Menabo box · Fitting photo: rear of the Golf Variant with towbar · Guide: How to fit a ski or snowboard rack on roof bars · product pages on suportbicicleta.ro