Secure bed storage options?

We are road tripping it to go see the Reno Air Races and visit my wifes family in the Reno (NV) area next month. I have been advised by the CEO of the family (the Wife) that it is not in the budget to buy a shell for the Taco. Because of this, and gas prices she wants to take her VW Jetta. Here are the problems.

1. Jetta's are gay. She looks hot as hell in it, but when I am forced to drive it I feel like smuggling sausages.
2. It's a VW with 64k on it. It WILL break down.
3. It is small and gutless. 1600 miles round trip with 2 kids....ah hell no.
4. It is not my nearly new, sweet ass reliable, fast, room for the kids, 20+ mpg highway Toyota Tacoma.

So, I can not afford the 2k for the Snugtop or Leer shells I have been looking at.

Besides selling pictures of my wife to make the money, what is a cost effective way to hall luggage and personal items with out them being stolen, blow out or rained on? Any ideas?

 

Get a roll up tonneau or hard roll up (between 400 and 900) and a locking handle (60 or so)...??

Get Locking luggage and chain it to the d-rings??

Make the kids ride in the bed and put the luggage in the DC??

 

Hmmmmm

 

That's a triple bonus- There is your answer man...."Kids get in the bed and hold on tight!!"

 

Steel cable and lockable storage boxes from wally world or some such place.
Lets face it if they want your stuff you can not keep them from breaking into you truck.
Lockable boxes secured in the bed look like not much and make it easier to move to next truck.
I would do a soft bed cover also if that is what you want .
I have the undercover which is somewhat secure .
More because they cant see it then keeps a crowbar out but it works so far on different things I have driven

 

Here is an idea if you wanted a hard cover and not the high price, lockable (two) and you wife can help you take it off and hang up (brackets included)

 

that's what i'm talkin' bout!

 

Damn dude, you may be on to something there! That is worth looking into. Oh, and the bags are a good idea too. Thanks SilverB.

 

+1

 

Longbow (AH64?), that is one sweet ass truck. What kind of lid is that? It looks nice.

 

X2, thanks.

 

'till Longbow comes back....I believe it is a "Under Cover" Tonneau. www.undercoverinfo.com

PDF for the install on 05-08 Double Cab SB http://www.undercoverinfo.com/install_guides/uc_ig_toyota_tacoma_4050_d.pdf

 

My friend has a Undercover and it is secure , easy removable and watertight. They come in black no sun-fade PVC.

 

I just purchased the Undercover from 4Wheelonline...
658 shipped. I ordered it this past Monday and got a call today from UPS about a truck part delivery this Friday. That is pretty awesome in my book. Now we have to see if Brown works out ok.

 

Undercover was the best choice in my humble mind .
It locks and keeps weather out .Comes off so easy I have my 10 year old hold it while I unhook the struts.
Little pricey but then you cant open it with a swipe of a $2 pocket knife.
My back was out and I installed in less than a hour .

 

I've always heard people say that a pocket knife will get thru a soft cover and then they get it your stuff- but has anyone actaully SEEN or HEARD a story of someone who had their stuff jacked thru a cut open cover??

 

Seen one cover cut at the local pub.
I had my soft top jeep cut twice in MN and the doors were not locked.
Crooks are lazy by nature so they take the path of least effort if possible.
Can they still get into my truck = Yes , can they get into the soft one two spaces over with little to no effort maybe which one would you choose .
Scumbags are not always stupid and will do the least to get the most .
JMHO

 

Take the jetta, you drive the jetta. You save money on gas, have the wife give you a hummer while driving said jetta.

There you go, problem solved.

Is it a 4 banger jetta?

I had a '97 Jetta GT. That thing was pretty reliable, 65k is just getting broken in for a 4 banger jetta.