no strap to pull boot lid shut

littlerock

I am not quite sure of the technical term, but on my Skoda fabia, I have a strap on the boot lid which I use to pull it closed. This is very useful for me as I am on the small side. The equivalent strap on OHs Peugeot Partner van is even more useful.

Yesterday I was out with my sister in her new Vauxhall Corsa. At one stage I need to fetch something from the boot, and I found to my surprise, there as no strap to pull down the open boot lid to close it. I currently have a medical condition which means I should not strain to reach or lift things excessively and so this made trying to close the boot even more stressful.

When I mentioned this to my sister, she said that the Corsa did not have any such strap. Her husband has a new Toyata estate, and she said that did not have one either, nor did her son's Astra.

I said all our recent cars had one. She said I must have been fortunate as she had never had one on any of the cars she had driven. When I pointed out it made it difficult to close if you were on the short side, she said I should contact Vauxhall if I wanted to complain. (She took offence at any criticism of her new car, she is like that I am afraid.)

I have always found the strap to pull down the boot lid very useful. Have I really been lucky? Are they unusual?

TonyMMM

Just lucky - some cars might have a strap, some might have a handle/recess to grab, some have nothing at all and some have automatic closing systems.

Carrot007

littlerock wrote: »

I have always found the strap to pull down the boot lid very useful. Have I really been lucky? Are they unusual?

Yes and yes.


Of course if depends on ther cars you dirve (and spec). I have had around 10 cars I think, never seen such a thing.


Sure anyone could fit such a thing if needed anyway! Does not sound like something hard to add.

littlerock

maybe it was specific to hatchbacks and estates?

spadoosh

I can imagine the situation of someone describing closing a boot as stressful and difficult led to the reaction you received.

It sounds like you need my friends car, he presses a button and it closes for him. Reet posh.

spadoosh

littlerock wrote: »

maybe it was specific to hatchbacks and estates?

The sales person takes note of who is buying the car, if theyre short they attach the 'boot recovery system'.

littlerock

I see you can get them as a mobility aid. I am not disabled, just short at 5' 2" tall. I am surprised they do not have them on Japanese cars given how short many Japanese people are. An average Japanese woman is the same height as me.

molerat

Many cars just have a moulded in handle / recess, I have never had a car with a strap. The only car I know of is my SIL's Skoda Fabia estate and the dogs have chewed that !

motorguy

littlerock wrote: »

When I mentioned this to my sister, she said that the Corsa did not have any such strap. Her husband has a new Toyata estate, and she said that did not have one either, nor did her son's Astra.

I said all our recent cars had one. She said I must have been fortunate as she had never had one on any of the cars she had driven. When I pointed out it made it difficult to close if you were on the short side, she said I should contact Vauxhall if I wanted to complain. (She took offence at any criticism of her new car, she is like that I am afraid.)

Yeah i can imagine not too many people would take criticism of their new car over a feature they dont want or need, particularly as you seem to have laboured the point.

alan_d

3 cars here, no strap.
I don't recall any of my previous 20+ car history having one.

littlerock

Well all I can say, on behalf of the vertically challenged, is that a tailgate strap (I think that is the usual term) is very useful for us.