Dont forget about the roof box

[BMW C1]

Hi, just completed a 750 mile trip around Ireland with 4 adults on board + luggage and a rather large Halfords roofbox attached. I averaged 30 MPG (3.0 Diesel) We stayed at the Camden Court Hotel that has underground car parking and I nearly hit the Hotels rather low heating and ventilation system in their underground car park. Granted an X5 with a roof box presents a tall vehicle but surely a building design flaw? I dread to think of the potential damage caused to my car not to mention the Hotel and on closer inspection it was obvious other drivers were not so fortunate. 

[graemeX5]

Sounds very fortunate you didnt damage your car I have that fear when I think about using car parks with height barrier especially multistorey ones.

So generally I try and avoid using them wherever possible.

I remember when at college on a geography trip the minibus the driver hit a height barrier to a car park and the roof rack and the luggage was damaged. It all had to come off and be re loaded but some case were badly dented.

[BMW C1]

I feel it should be the responsibility of any hotel owner to clearly display a height restriction and mention it in their brochures. When I eventually got the car safely parked I was unable to open the roof box due to the height restriction and had to exit the car park then remove the suitcases from the roof box and then re-park the car and had to renegotiate the low ceiling again. I'm selling my top box lol!  

[X5Sport]

The Health & Safety Executive states that wherever the 'standard' height of 5.03m (16'6") is breached then there ought to be warning signs giving the height (minus a 75mm clearance).  To me that means the Hotel should have had some king of warning in place.  They din't use the words 'should' or 'must' so it's not mandated as it's not over a public road, but I think their 'suggestion' should be taken as a very strong one!  Given there is public access, I suspect the HSE would ask the questions about signs in the event of an accident.  But then it could have been nicked.... >:(

I used to have a Dymo label stuck on the drivers side vanity mirror cover with the height and width of the X5 so that when entering a Car Park I always could quickly check.  I ought to do the same for the X6, although with that it's the width that matters!  Mrs X5Sport thinks the X6 has a 'fat bum'!

Richard