The problematic Tonneau (Curtain in UK) Gen 2 & Gen 3

Hi Prius owners/drivers,

My job involves me accessing the Boot (yes I know, Trunk in US) frequently, and apart from the cursed water showering the Toneau after rain, or a car wash if you open the hatchback in a normal fashion, there's also the matter of the Tonneau slipping out of your grip etc.

So, as a lot of you will be aware, may be Feedback/common sense finally got thru to the Toyota Factory and hey the Gen 4 has a neat, easy to grab handle right where you need it. However, no surprise, you can only buy this 2 piece plastic handle/grip as part of the entire Tonneau (@ huge expense).

Recently, I was fortunate enough to have a Gen 4 on loan (impressive, especially performance and mpg) so it seemed natural to remove the Tonneau grip handle (3 small bolts) examine, note plastic mould no's check against Gen 3 Tonneau to see whether it could be fitted (yes, with minor mods).

Knowing that here in the UK Toyota had already confirmed I had to purchase a complete Gen4 Tonneau in order to obtain this grip handle (£100's) so I wrote to Toyota Headquarters, Tokyo to beg for this much needed addition to my Gen3. They of course put the UK Toyota in touch with the original response, so nothing gained.

Does anyone know whether there is a suitable grip/handle available as a mod to both the Gen 2 & Gen 3 Tonneau please.

I've waded thru Amazon/ebay handles/grips, nothing suitable.

May be I'll have to craft it from wood??

Let me know?

Regards

CJL

 

Many thanks ASRD, good idea.

I did pursue that route a while back and the cost for 1 piece was WoW!!!!!

Thanks anyway.

I'll keep trawling Amazon, ebay + specialist 'handle makers' and see if I can strike lucky.


Regards

 

Hi Pluggo,

Yep and I originally called it a curtain in the boot, but US guys told me it's a Tonneau. The latter was what I would cover my old sports car hood with once collapsed/taken down, then you'd typically clip it on above the dash and there would be a zipper up the middle (you could un zip jump in and drive; cool man.

 

Yep, thanks PC. As I say, I'm fairly sure that my best solution is to craft it from ash wood etc. Then set up a production line and sell 100's to all those Gen 2 and 3 Prius owners, particularly Uber drivers (nearly all seem to have a Prius).

Thanks.

Once again, many thanks ASRD.

I'll pursue that route and let you guy's know if I strike lucky.

Thank you.

Regards


CJL (UK)

 

Many thanks PC.