I wish I could say that I love this hitch basket but I cannot.  It is fine for what it is but is less than impressive.  I purchased this basket to increase the amount of cargo room in our shrinking Rav4.  I plan on using it to transport our camping gear for our growing family as well as those things (e.g. dirty tools, harvested animals, naughty children, etc.) which don't deserve a place in the cabin.

My initial impressions are not good.  Here is my overview of this basket.  It is constructed using low grade steel covered in cheap paint which scratches/chips easily allowing minor (cosmetic) rusting even prior to arrival.  Whether the steel will stand the test of time, I don't know but have little confidence.

The Good:
1) This item was very reasonably priced.  I purchased it on an Amazon Lightning Deal and saved quite a bit.
2) Free shipping is a huge plus with such a massive (50lbs) item.
3) The item was very easy to assemble (although it lacked required hardware, see "The Bad").
4) The bent receiver bar will allow most users to customize the height to meet their personal/vehicular needs.
5) I have 2009 Rav4 and was pleasantly surprised that I could open the rear gate (with about 1" of clearance) with the basket installed in the highest position using my standard U-Haul hitch.

The Bad:
1) Free shipping is good, but when the item arrived it looked like it had been mauled by a rabid wolverine.  The box was so severely damaged that the UPS man wanted to make sure the contents weren't damaged before he left.  They were but we didn't realize it at the time.
2) The item was damaged due to poor packaging.  The basket arrives in two pieces which seat together, held by the nameplate.  Two of the female receiver ports on one half were smooshed which didn't allow mating with the male plugs.  Using handtools, I reshaped the ports and salvaged the unit.  Being so easy to manipulate, I am forced question the integrity of the steel tubing...
3) The item did not arrive with all required hardware.  One of the three long bolts which attach the receiver bar to the basket was missing.  That can be easily resolved with a trip to the local hardware store.  More worrisome, however, is the missing cotter pin for the included hitch pin.  While this is a non-issue for me, someone may be relying on that item which is lacking a key safety requirement.  Hopefully, users know what they need to safely attach equipment to their hitch but I wouldn't count on it.  Regardless, do yourself a favor, all, and get a locking hitch pin.
4) The tack welds on the basket/frame do not instill much confidence.  While I'm not an expert on the subject of welding, I do recognize quality engineering when I see it; this is not quality engineering.  This wouldn't pass my QA and I don't expect them to hold up very long under load while exposed to road vibrations and shocks.

The Ugly:
1) The basket and railings arrived scratched, rusted, and slightly bent in various places.
2) The basket itself does not sit level in my hitch.  I believe one side is slightly heavier but I do not believe this to be the cause.  I weighed down the opposite side attempting to level the basket to no avail.  Hopefully this will prove to be a cosmetic annoyance rather than a functional or safety concern.

The Bottom Line:
After some harsh but justifiable criticism, I would still recommend this basket to the Amazonian looking for a cheap solution to an overcrowded vehicle but only if said shopper, like me, either: 1) can get this at a significant discount or 2) just doesn't care enough to invest any more for a steel basket towed behind my car.

I got what I paid for...
I wish I could say that I love this hitch basket but I cannot. It is fine for what it is but is less than impressive. I purchased this basket to increase the amount of cargo room in our shrinking Rav4. I plan on using it to transport our camping gear for our growing family as well as those things (e. g. dirty tools, harvested animals, naughty children, etc. ) which don't deserve a place in the cabin. My initial impressions are not good. Here is my overview of this basket. It is constructed using low grade steel covered in cheap paint which scratches/chips easily allowing minor (cosmetic) rusting even prior to arrival. Whether the steel will stand the test of time, I don't know but have little confidence. The Good:
1) This item was very reasonably priced. I purchased it on an Amazon Lightning Deal and saved quite a bit. 2) Free shipping is a huge plus with such a massive (50lbs) item. 3) The item was very easy to assemble (although it lacked required hardware, see "The Bad"). 4) The bent receiver bar will allow most users to customize the height to meet their personal/vehicular needs. 5) I have 2009 Rav4 and was pleasantly surprised that I could open the rear gate (with about 1" of clearance) with the basket installed in the highest position using my standard U-Haul hitch. The Bad:
1) Free shipping is good, but when the item arrived it looked like it had been mauled by a rabid wolverine. The box was so severely damaged that the UPS man wanted to make sure the contents weren't damaged before he left. They were but we didn't realize it at the time. 2) The item was damaged due to poor packaging. The basket arrives in two pieces which seat together, held by the nameplate. Two of the female receiver ports on one half were smooshed which didn't allow mating with the male plugs. Using handtools, I reshaped the ports and salvaged the unit. Being so easy to manipulate, I am forced question the integrity of the steel tubing... 3) The item did not arrive with all required hardware. One of the three long bolts which attach the receiver bar to the basket was missing. That can be easily resolved with a trip to the local hardware store. More worrisome, however, is the missing cotter pin for the included hitch pin. While this is a non-issue for me, someone may be relying on that item which is lacking a key safety requirement. Hopefully, users know what they need to safely attach equipment to their hitch but I wouldn't count on it. Regardless, do yourself a favor, all, and get a locking hitch pin. 4) The tack welds on the basket/frame do not instill much confidence. While I'm not an expert on the subject of welding, I do recognize quality engineering when I see it; this is not quality engineering. This wouldn't pass my QA and I don't expect them to hold up very long under load while exposed to road vibrations and shocks. The Ugly:
1) The basket and railings arrived scratched, rusted, and slightly bent in various places. 2) The basket itself does not sit level in my hitch. I believe one side is slightly heavier but I do not believe this to be the cause. I weighed down the opposite side attempting to level the basket to no avail. Hopefully this will prove to be a cosmetic annoyance rather than a functional or safety concern. The Bottom Line:
After some harsh but justifiable criticism, I would still recommend this basket to the Amazonian looking for a cheap solution to an overcrowded vehicle but only if said shopper, like me, either: 1) can get this at a significant discount or 2) just doesn't care enough to invest any more for a steel basket towed behind my car. I got what I paid for...