Most Popular Etrailer for 1998 Toyota Avalon

Super disappointed in this etrailer purchase. The product came in a large box that was fully intact and not damaged. The actual cargo basket was meticulously wrapped and appeared to be brand new as expected. The other components however, like the arm, were in boxes that were smashed, old, worn, and had multiple layers of old tape. The arm itself was scratched and banged up, even rusty in spots. Clearly it was used or had been a returned item. If I wanted a dented, gouged,and rusty Cargo Carrier I would have purchased one used, for half the price. This is not the quality I expect from etrailer.. I have purchased many racks and other items from this company and usually the quality is outstanding. This time they dropped the ball. I have since read other reviews and it is apparent that this is not an isolated incident. I'd have sent it back if it wasn't so damn heavy and awkward to lug around.

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This carrier worked out great. The tilt down feature is helpful to have but I didn't really need it. However, the fold up feature was helpful when driving around, so I recommend that as a convenience. The only thing I had trouble with was the hitch bolt. I have a Thule bike rack that I've used with my truck hitch receiver and never had a problem, but this rack's hitch bolt was a real pain to get in at first. Don't be dismayed. With the rack off of the vehicle, I used some WD-40 and some lithium grease on the bolt and then used an adjustable wrench to screw it in and out a number of times. I noticed a bunch of either paint or metal shards gumming up the threads on the bolt each time I removed it. After about 5 times of screwing it in and out, wiping off the bolt with a towel, adding some more grease once in a while, it got to the point that I could screw it in and out by hand pretty easily. Problem solved. I'm really happy with this rack. It fit two big coolers of food and beer plus beach umbrellas and other stuff. It's really strong and sturdy. The biggest issue was not the weight on the rack, but whether the rear suspension on the Highlander could hold it with our other junk in the back plus passengers. :-)

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