Seriously, what would you use it for? I'm talking about that rubberized storage tray on top of the dashboard of our long-term 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor.
You wouldn't want to put your sunglasses, radar detector, or navi up there as they would probably get fried in the direct sunlight. And if you put your wallet or phone in that shallow tray it would fly around if you ended the pathetic streak and drove at speed on the dirt roads with the idiots.
What about a book? C'mon. Most Raptor drivers are illiterate (that's a joke.)
If that tray was covered with a door it would protect the contents from the sun and from flying around the cabin (although I've never used those, either.) But it's just easier to use the center console storage and the cupholders for your small things instead of any type of top of the dashboard storage.
What would you use that tray (or any of those dashboard trays) for?
Albert Austria, Senior Vehicle Evaluation Engineer @ ~29,000 miles
bthayer23 says:
02:42 PM, 08/ 9/11
I have a portable GPS unit that I move between multiple cars. Instead of leaving suction cup marks on each windshield, I use a heavy sandbag style base. This tray would be perfect for that. Often a suction cup mark is enough to entice a smash and grab.
tjpark01 says:
02:47 PM, 08/ 9/11
My friend left a lighter up there once on an older 5 series BMW. Came back to the car, windshield was shattered. D'Oh!
sniperruff says:
02:54 PM, 08/ 9/11
Your man card for all to see.
esoterica says:
03:05 PM, 08/ 9/11
Maybe it's just me but I fail to see how sunglasses or a radar detector could get "fried." They're both *designed* to be in the direct sun.
banhugh says:
03:11 PM, 08/ 9/11
This is easy:
http://www.dollysmixtures.com/bobbleheads/hula.jpg
banhugh says:
03:17 PM, 08/ 9/11
@esoterica: Car interior temperature can reach 154degF which is very close to the max operating temperatures of most electronics. http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/116/1/e109.full
hybris says:
04:08 PM, 08/ 9/11
Various bits of paperwork that cover most work truck dashboards.
And yes at least in the KCK Metro area there are at least 10 different Siding/plumbing/document destruction companies running Raptors usually with trailers behind them with the rest of their tools.
lucien4 says:
05:22 PM, 08/ 9/11
I could see bad for electronics but would sunglasses really get fried?
chris80233 says:
05:45 PM, 08/ 9/11
I have a covered bin on the top of my dash and use it all the time. The contents: sunglasses (in a case), iPod adapter (but never the ipod), gum/mints and some fast food napkins.
kplacer says:
07:17 PM, 08/ 9/11
Back when people used to smoke, that would be where the cigarette pack lived.
zoomzoom22 says:
08:07 PM, 08/ 9/11
Looks perfect for a cell phone or pack of cigs (or cigars, or whatever). I also hate sitting on my wallet on long trips, and it looks like it would fit in there perfectly.
uncanny_man says:
08:15 PM, 08/ 9/11
Not every storage cubby needs to be a closet. You use a tray like that for sunglasses on a long road trip if you take them on and off, or for a toll stub, or parking pass, etc.
cantdrive92 says:
08:38 PM, 08/ 9/11
Perfect spot to put your 9 for easy "bustin' cap" access.
On a serious note, I use that spot in my Toyota Pickup to put my cell phone while I'm charging it.
eddie_vedder says:
08:57 PM, 08/ 9/11
I imagine most Raptor owners keep their chewing tobacco there.
lostboyz says:
04:05 AM, 08/10/11
Most likely its there because you can pry it up and will reveal a screw that lets you take something apart. Thats what the majority of those are for.
tomslick2 says:
05:24 AM, 08/10/11
The nice thing about the Raptor is that only giants are tall enough to see what is in there to steal
ocramidajzj says:
07:12 AM, 08/10/11
Sunglasses wouldn't "fry" but you'd certainly fry the bridge of your nose and ears if you wore those glasses right when you got in the hot car.
My iPhone would sit happily there. And BTW not everyone has to deal with the single season single temp of CA. Some of us actually have a thing called "winter" which doesn't create nearly as much solar heat through a window.
Hows about the IL editors think outside the box a bit. (That's a joke) :-)
ed124c says:
07:21 AM, 08/10/11
If it didn't have those ribs, you could mount your GPS with the suction cup.
(I have no flat surface in my OB, including the windshield, that will secure my suction cup or the sticky black ring.)
6sptl says:
10:30 AM, 08/10/11
If you guys werent so cheap you would have discovered that's where the center speaker resides on navigation models.
greenpony says:
10:40 AM, 08/10/11
The iPass sits in the tray around Chicago. Cigarettes and/or a lighter may sit there. A styrofoam box of leftovers fits well. A small book can fit. The GPS, sometimes. A pen and steno book. It varies.
Basically, we use the tray for stuff we don't necessarily need to access while driving, but may need easy access to once we stop.
bdj1 says:
11:45 AM, 08/11/11
I use it for my parking garage receiver. Great spot as it reads immediately upon pulling in, I don't have to mount it to the windsheild and the rubber keeps it from sliding around.