I ordered the Parcel Shelf since I thought I wanted some privacy for stuff in the hatch.. but sometimes I don't need/want it installed... and due to it's design, it won't fold flat, so it takes up a lot of space either in the rear seat or on the floor of the hatchback. It would be much better if I could lay it flat and load stuff on top of it. Has anyone tried slicing the edge with the taught cloth at the hinge to release the folding pieces so it lays flat? Thanks.
Until someone who actually owns one - I don't - chimes in - I thought the folded-up shelf was designed so that it fits nicely in the frunk. Not wholly flat, but reasonably unobtrusive.
If you don't have the rear facing kids seats, you can fold it in half and store it under the rear compartment if you don't need it temporarily.
I haven't tried the frunk yet, but I will. I think it's too big, though. I do have the rear-facing seats. Not that I have kids, it just came that way as an inventory car.
So far, I've only removed the parcel shelf when I have the rear seats folded flat - and the parcel shelf fits fine folded on the floor between the front and rear seats.
Yes, but it doesn't fold flat, and when it's folded, it takes up a lot of volume in the back seat or on the floor -- not great if you have back seat passengers. It's really a lot of wasted space to have to store that thing somewhere. If it folded flat, it would take up almost no space on the floor of the hatch or in the frunk (if it fits there). It just seems like a really bad design to not have it fold flat for storage.
I guess I'm not getting "fold flat"? Mine folds over on itself and is maybe an inch or two high. I typically lay it in the trunk (no kid seats) or flat on the back seat or the back floor. It's never been an inconvenience to me.
You must have an entirely different model. Mine (purchased 5 Dec 2013) is like the OP's. Doesn't fold anywhere near flat.
Mine folds at about a 45 degree angle. It's also a pretty flimsy piece of cloth covered cardboard for $250. I could have made one just like it for $30. If I knew what it was before I got it, I never would have bought it. It's really pretty crappy compared to some of the hard-shell, formed plastic and covered parcel shelves in other cars I've had, and what I was expecting. It's almost like an afterthought just thrown together.
Yeah mine is the same. We have the earlier version. Some owners had them replaced foc at service centers with the upgraded version (but only if they were broken...)
Interesting. I just picked up my car in February, 2014. It was an inventory car, but I bought the parcel shelf "new" when I took delivery. I'll have to enquire about the alternate style (new?) next time I'm in for service, but that's probably going to be a while. I may email my delivery guy and see what they have to say about it.
Cannot you flip it over, so the underside's tongue-in-grove sticks up? Ought to lay flat that way, though obscuring access to the hidden foot well.
Not sure what you mean... there's no tongue-in-groove on mine. Without breaking the unit, there's no way to force it to lay flat.
Yeah, I wish mine folded at least that flat. It doesn't. I'd like it totally flat, so I can put stuff on top of it without it breaking.
I'm tempted to run staples all along both sides of the inside folding edges, and then cut the cloth that keeps it from folding flat. I just have to find so nice black staples.