has anyone seen this yet? http://www.miniusa.com/?#/build/conf...r/mini_clubs-m ,
i think i like it? resembles the roof rails on the old 3 series wagons but better.

 

Oh yes, we've seen them. There's a thread about the new 2009 US Configurator...and believe me there's been discussion on the never ending Roof Rack thread as well.

 

sorry but it's not the roof rack, i've seen those threads, this is the roof rails. MUST SEE.

 

Yes, yes, I know they're roof rails and I think they're great, too! It's just that some of us, on the Roof Rack thread, wished we had these on our 2008 models.

 

Otra,

read this thread in its entirety there is a lot of talk about the roof rails there.

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=148035

 

Right, I posted on it. That's where I wanted eyevin68 to take a look - thanks for posting the link.

 

Sorry i got confused i am having trouble reading due to the nature of this thread. It's just so sad
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=148706

 

Otra got it! thanx schatzy62. are the roof lines any different 08 -09?
i'm configuring roof rails on my clubbie. only 1 last thing - i think silver roof rails would look killer on a silver accented clubbie over the black.

 

I'm very happy that they put roof rails on the '09 but there was no reason they weren't on the '08 as well. I've posted before on some thread about roof rails on the SAV and we can only hope they will be on the SAV release year model.

 

I am in the process of configuring an 09 and noticed that the roof rails would not be saved as part of my configuration. I posted a message on the web site and got this response:

[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=3]Hi, [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=3]Thanks for writing MINI. We are sorry to hear about the problems you are having with the website.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=3]My understanding is that the roof rails at this time are going through some testing, and that accessory choice may be taken away completely if the part ends up not meeting our quality standard. There is no ETA on this as an available option.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=3]If there are further questions I can assist with, please feel free to drop me an e-mail. I will be happy to lend a hand.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=3]LET'S MOTOR.[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=3]Doug Cavin[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=3]MINI Customer Relations and Services [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=3]Representative [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=3]866.ASK.MINI (275-6464)[/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT]
[FONT=Consolas][SIZE=3] [/SIZE][/FONT]

 

Just add a wooden look wrap to the exterior and you have yourself a mini woody. humm.....

 

I just configured a 2009 Clubman with the roof rails and it worked fine. Sent the configuration to my MA at Otto's and they're waiting on their 2009 allocation before submittal. I hope it doesn't get bounced. The MA seemed to think it was ok. (You can't configure roof rails and a spoiler together, though.)

 

I was when the option first came out last week that the option would not save. I sent the email to MINI over the weekend and I noticed on Tuesday that it started working. I just got the response from MINI today. Between my MA and this response from MINI, I hope the car is of better quality than those representing it.

 

I guess my question is irrelevant at this point but am still curious to see whether people would have preferred the re-designed roof option to be: (1) the roof rails; (2) rack tracks--flush with roof rather than raised like the roof rails--e.g. use Yakima Landing Pads #1-5; or (3) permanent mounting sites--usually in covered track-like things --e.g. use Yakima landing pads #9.

For clarification look at the pdf for "Instructions" on http://www.yakima.com/racks/rack-sys...ding-pads.aspx

Personally, I think I'd go for option #2 above because the tracks are less obtrusive than the rails; and because you can choose where to position cross-bars as opposed to option #3.

What would others choose it they had the factory option of 1-3 above?

 

zeddy,

Thanks for bringing up the Yakima landing pads. I used those on my truck along with permanent mount tracks. here is a picture of what i have.



I had totally forgotten about this way of mounting.

The only problem with this type of mounting is that it does require drilling holes in the roof but i have never had a leak in my truck so they do seal very well.

There tracks come with mounting hardware that is specifically designed for truck caps or an interior surface that is not covered by a head liner but the proper size cinch nuts are available.

Cinch nuts for those that do not know what they are. You drill a hole in flat steel and then press this nut into place and with a special tool or extra nuts and a bolt "cinch" the nut down to the flat steel impressing the nut to the steel.

This is how many manufacturers hold their roof rails to the roof of their cars.

NOTE: These may not work on cars with sunroofs as the track arrangement for the sunroof sits under the area where these would need to be mounted.

When i get home this evening if the weather is okay (we have bad thunderstorms predicted all day) i will measure out the racks on my truck and see if i can come up with a solution for this type of mounting. i do have a sun roof so i can calculate for that.

I just wonder why i did not think of this earlier.

Thanks again zeddy

 

Right Schatzy62--
Thanks for the picture. So that would be what I called "option #2" --except I was thinking of them as factory installed for 2009 onwards. But self installed is an option for 2008 owners that have to retrofit.

Yakima also has Landing Pads that can be mounted directly and permanently without tracks, just the 6 inches or so for the pad base is drill mounted onto the roof without taking the liner down.(Landing Pad #7 in the Yakima .pdf). Maybe hold less weight--I'm not sure.

And then there are the factory installed 'tracks' that are closed but have rectangles that pop off to reveal the site where a Landing Pad attaches. Cosmetically nicer than open tracks but less adjustable. #8,9, 10 in Yakimas .pdf).

 

I was thinking of going with the yakima rail option as well but was concerned with the rack shop drilling holes into the top of the clubbie along both sides of the sun roof. They didn't seem to think there would be any issues with installing the rails on either side of the sunroof, but I didn't want to be the guinnea pig. They did mention that going with the rails is better then using the four individual landing pads since over time the landing pads can cause a dimpling affect on the top of the car (or slight warping of the roof metal).

 

I wondered if the Landing Pads alone without tracks would be too much focal stress on the roof and it sounds like your feedback from Yakima is yes to that. Thanks for the info.
Again the tracks sound like a good and better option; stress dispersed and adjustable crossbar positioning. I wonder if the cap nuts supplied by Yakima are short enough to fit between the headliner and the metal of the roof?
Just have to get over the mental block of the installation drilling.

 

I measured the Yakima Roof Tracks on the top of my truck. They will not fit on the MINI, There is not enough room between the sunroof and the upturn on the mini roof edge.

Please note that the tracks i have on my truck are 3-4 years old, so the new ones may be a slightly different size.

The Yakima tracks are 1-3/4 inches wide and the narrowest flat spot between the sunroof and the upturn is only 1-5/8". So that means that the roof track is 1/8 wider than the flat area on the roof meaning these will not fit.

Of course if you do not have a sun roof then this is not an issue and these would work very well.

The Yakima website states that the current tracks are 1-5/8 inches wide so they current tracks may actually fit but i would not commit to putting them on until i had some to actually put on the roof and see where they would lay.

with out actually taking down part of the headliner (it was starting to rain again) the mounting hardware it does not look like there would be any interference with the sunroof housing. In the length of the roof there would need to be 5- holes drilled to mount each rail as they need to be bolted down every 12".

So this is a possibility. If some precautions are taken to verify the space between the headliner and the roof skin

Maybe this weekend if it is not raining i can get to pulling down part of the headliner to see what is there.

 

As I've posted before, I like the roof rail option. Even though at present (and future???), MINI is saying that they will not offer a retrofit, one would think that a professional rack place could do it without compromising the car. Perhaps once they're out, and after market companies get a look, they'll be available that way.

But I have to agree with ftttubrgcm, that they could/should have been offered at the outset.

 

Drum roll.

After another go round, I have spoken to a different Customer Rep who listened to my questions and called me back within about 40 minutes. Here is the word on the roof rails that are an option on the 2009 Clubman: MINI will be issuing cross bars that one can purchase and the weight for use with these rails and cross bars will be "up to 165 lbs" and she said they will be like the ones that BMW has on their X whatever models (my terms are the "whatever"...I can't remember which ones she said). I believe this info should be helpful to those who are considering this with their 2009 orders. *She did say that this information should be going out to their dealerships very soon.

She reiterated that they are going to be putting out a new roof base system with the mounting parts changed so that they will work more easily with the existing Clubman...no exact time for release. (nothing new here)

When I first called she did say that they had received many calls from customers about the roof rack base kit and that they knew that people were upset that it had been pulled from sale for the Clubman. So calls do help and are registered (remember I believe Schatzy posted about how they do track owners calls).

 

As soon as anyone gets an 09 with a roof rail system let EVERYONE know so we can find a vendor out there (perrycraft, thule, etc) that has a close match.

I thought I saw where the rails were ALSO still in the testing phase and would not be shipped with the first 09's. We'll see.

By the way, I can't see the rails on the MINIUSA configurator anymore. Did they move them to another section or remove them from the website?

 

The '09s that are being produced in September will have them if ordered, that I do know. They are on the Configurator under Performance/Handling....all the way over to the right.

 

That's not a bet i would be willing to take.

 

Well, maybe I've not stated it correctly. What I meant to say is that cars that have been ordered for delivery in October are being ordered with roof rails.