300TD (wagon) storage area

[JWJ]

I'm curious as to what other 300TD (wagon) owners - that don't have the 3rd seat option - do with that very thin storage area under the floor in the rear.

The only thing I have been able to put there are some tools.

Seems impractical.

[bill murrow]

I keep my roof rack cross bars in that compartment.

Cheers,

Bill

[Mismost]

I would think it would be a great place to store a breakdown shotgun....alas I have the 3 row seat, which is indeed very impractical....unless you are a small child!

[POS]

Nothing; not much room for anything.

[JimmyL]

I'm coming to the realization that a sedan with a trunk is far more compatible with day to day life. You can store a good size tool box, battery jumper, oil, towels/gloves, etc.....
It is out of site, out of mind. You throw all that stuff in the back of a wagon and it either looks trashy, or is a good window shopping area for your basic slime ball thief.
Sure, I could carry a TV home from the store, or haul some other larger item than a sedan, but how often do we do that?
I've just got a dark plastic storage bin back there with batt. jumper, gloves, towels, etc..... It sits back there making potential thieves wonder "Hmmm, wonder what's in there??"

Oh, and little flat storage area...........not much!!

[Mismost]

I have cut a pattern for a "elevated deck" to go in the cargo area...tall enough to slide my shotgun case and ammo under, strong enough to support my file boxes on top. Hoping to make the cargo hold function better for exactly the slimeball thief problem.

Agree, day to day sedans are nice....but to me, the wagon is just special somehow!

[dmorrison]

Originally Posted by JimmyL

I'm coming to the realization that a sedan with a trunk is far more compatible with day to day life. You can store a good size tool box, battery jumper, oil, towels/gloves, etc.....
It is out of site, out of mind. You throw all that stuff in the back of a wagon and it either looks trashy, or is a good window shopping area for your basic slime ball thief.
Sure, I could carry a TV home from the store, or haul some other larger item than a sedan, but how often do we do that?
I've just got a dark plastic storage bin back there with batt. jumper, gloves, towels, etc..... It sits back there making potential thieves wonder "Hmmm, wonder what's in there??"

Oh, and little flat storage area...........not much!!

Jumper cables are rolled up and stored inside the spare tire on the left. 25' long and 10 gauge wires

Oil is stored in the right side area, 1 quart only.

Tools Just a set of box wrenches in the right side area, and USAA roadside assistance.

Roll of shop towels in the right hand side, a 1/4 role

My wife put a large basket in the back. Its 2'X3' and holds all the loose stuff. The towel (see below) can be placed over the basket if neccessary

The wagon will hold (rear hatch closed), with the center seat down and the passenger seat full forward and slightly reclined, 10' lumber. Just picked up two 2"X10"X10ft pieces for a project I'm doing. I also carry an old hotel towel ( spent way to much time in hotels )to protect the front seat and armrest while carrying the 10' sections.
I also have a trailer hitch, a bumper mount only, to pull my 4'X8' folding trailer.

http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=90154

I use it to haul the 4'X8' plywood I get occasionally as well as any large items.

The wagon is my pickup truck.

Dave

PS I have a third seat in the floor of the wagon, so no storage there

[bill murrow]

Dave

Where did you get your hitch? Does it bolt up through the floor?

I forgot to mention that I do carry a plastic tote box with all the essential fluids with me.

Cheers,

Bill

[R Leo]

Originally Posted by dmorrison

The wagon is my pickup truck.

Same here and, if it won't fit in the back, I put on the little pig cart and pull it...on weekends at the farm, I put the dogs in the back of the wagon.

[winmutt]

Originally Posted by JimmyL

I'm coming to the realization that a sedan with a trunk is far more compatible with day to day life. You can store a good size tool box, battery jumper, oil, towels/gloves, etc.....
It is out of site, out of mind. You throw all that stuff in the back of a wagon and it either looks trashy, or is a good window shopping area for your basic slime ball thief.
Sure, I could carry a TV home from the store, or haul some other larger item than a sedan, but how often do we do that?
I've just got a dark plastic storage bin back there with batt. jumper, gloves, towels, etc..... It sits back there making potential thieves wonder "Hmmm, wonder what's in there??"

Oh, and little flat storage area...........not much!!

The solution is to own both of course. I just noticed that the rear head rests act as a dog proof wall to seperate my child from my over eager dog. God bless german engineering.

[dmorrison]

Originally Posted by bill murrow

Dave

Where did you get your hitch? Does it bolt up through the floor?

I forgot to mention that I do carry a plastic tote box with all the essential fluids with me.

Cheers,

Bill

It just bolts thru the bumper, not the floor.

Honestly, I can't remember. I purchased the car in 1990 and installed the hitch, then.
Here are some pictures of it.

Here is the web site or ACME hitches. I may have bought it at a local auto parts store. I think it's the class 1, Mult fit unit.

http://www.acmehitch.com/hitches.htm

Dave

PS. Getting a little rusted, wouldn't you say???

[bill murrow]

Yeah, a little rusty....

I don't feel safe pulling with a bumper mount. The bumper is held on by only aluminum brackets. I saw one friend pull his bumper right off. He was pulling a very light trailer too.

Thanks for pix!

Cheers,

Bill

[87tdwagen]

Depending on how you really want to use the space a wagon is great, it's configurable based upon your needs. I'm a die hard Jeep CJ guy, so I've always liked configurability in my vehicles and the MB wagons are good choices in this regard. Here are some of my uses and modifications, done, and planning to do:

1. 3rd row seat bottom area, the rearmost compartment can be used to store a veg oil tank of aprox 12 gallons for twin tank veg burners, excellent access to fuel filler neck and fuel hoses for piping in and unseen with the comparment closed.
2. The other smaller compartment is good for cables belt, small tool set etc.
3. Spare tire compartment is rather large sans spare. Your call but if you have run flats, choose to carry a fixaflat can instead or have AAA, then this space can be used to haul a lot of stuff out of site.
For me, the spare will be ditched in favor of a BBQ Propane tank which fits and will be my propane injection and tailgate BBQ grill.... Yeah I plan to build a plug and play version of the grill, heck my car already smells like somthing's cooking out of the tail pipe so why not actually cook

I also made a series of aluminum brackets that are the same size as the rear floor compartment covers. The brackets lock into place by sliding 1/2 in. into the gap around the covers which hold them securely. These brackets serve many functions and are designed to hold SCUBA tanks, Oil barrels, dog cage etc. When not needed, just pop out and store in the garage.

Even the space under the rear seat bench will hold several small items such as blankets, spare clothing and other small items out of sight. The worse of it is I have not found a good space to store my roofrack crossbars inside the car, Where do you guys store yours?

P.S. I do have an extra pair of w124 wagon roofrack crossbars if anyone is interested PM me.
Bill

[bill murrow]

Originally Posted by 87tdwagen

The worse of it is I have not found a good space to store my roofrack crossbars inside the car, Where do you guys store yours?

P.S. I do have an extra pair of w124 wagon roofrack crossbars if anyone is interested PM me.
Bill

Like I said in a previous post, in my 123 the compartment under the floor in the cargo area works great.

Don't know if it will work on a 124 though....

Cheers,

Bill

[87tdwagen]

Originally Posted by bill murrow

Like I said in a previous post, in my 123 the compartment under the floor in the cargo area works great.

Don't know if it will work on a 124 though....

Cheers,

Bill

Glad you 123 guys have the option on the 124 the bars are just a few inches too long to fit, even diagonally. I'll have to come up with something for these. Any 124 folks out there please chime in if you have a solution to share.

Thanks