Snow is about to fly here and there is no way my skiis are going to fit into my new 04 MC!! Does anyone have any advice or suggestions on roof racks? I am not looking for something ski specific - a basic multi function roof rack is preferred.

Thanks!!

 

I have a Yakima set up for bikes and snowboards and it has been fine.

 

i reeeeally like the look of this one, makes me want to get one also


this photo is of rioman's car click for larger image

 

Does the Yakima require drilling into the roof?

 

I have the Yakima rack, no drilling required, u use tower things that mount on top of rubber spacers, so no scratchs.

 

How 'bout sunroof? Do you have one? Can it open/vent/close?

Thanks-

 

i have the thule and there is no drilling into the car. goes on in about 10 minutes and as usual for thule, solid as a rock....hth

 

Yes, but I found I had to move my bike mounts (Steelhead) to the outermost sections of the rack bars, outside of the towers. Otherwise the sunroof would not clear when opening.

 

Okay, think I got ya.

You're saying the sunroof works okay as far as the rack itself is concerned, but you've got to be careful about what accessories or whatever are attached to the rack, because they might not clear. Is that right?

Thanks!

 

You got me.

 

Mini really blew it in the roof rack department. It probably would have been easy to design a rack that screwed to the roof attachment points but has quick release towers that would come off when not needed. Also there should have been a white model for white roofed cars. Not much chance of a redesign, though. I do not think they sell enough to make it worthwhile. It could have been a thing of beauty!

 

I have owned and still own several Thule and Yakima systems for various cars and I bought the factory, drill in the roof, model. I like it. It carries much more weight than the aftermarkets and to my eye is by far the best looking. I got tired of having rain gutters collapse and be bent etc. One vote for the factory. (I'm ducking)

 

Vote #2 for the factory rack. I tried one of the aftermarkets but didn't like the rain gutter clamps, the way it looked, etc. Yes, Mini could improve on the roof rack, but I still like it much better than the alternatives. For those with white roofs, I wonder if you can't "powder coat" the black rack into a white rack.

My rack whistles between 25 mph and 55 mph, but at highway speeds it's quiet.

I do have to shave my roof caps down by a millimeter or so. Otherwise, they impact the roof when they are installed and would leave a mark in the clear coat.

Does anyone else's roof caps touch the roof?

 

for those who are considering the aftermarket rather than drilling holes in the roof, the thule does not clamp the gutters as the mini gutters are not structural. they are plastic and are a basic press fit to the body. the thule goes behind the gutters and will not damage them...hth

 

Hmmm,

The Yakima and Thule are both nice systems, the one reason I like the Factory is that you can take the bars off when not in use so the whistling doesn't drive you nuts.

The Sport-Link from Mini-Fini is pretty awesome as well, I would encourage you to take a look, http://www.minifini.com/shopdetail.aspx?id=7

I would go with the Sport-link, I have scratching the roof.

dc

 

Another Yakima vote here.

I had mine on and the sunroof was able to open with *barely* a tap on the rear load bar. The front mounts do need to be pretty much on the inside of the Q-Towers, but I was able to keep mine between the towers and still operate the sunroof.

I like the idea of the removeable racks, especially since I recently drove into the garage with my bike still on.... and the rack came off and the bike was okay. Might have been a different story had I gone the factory rack route.

And don't think you won't ever do it...it's just a matter of time.

 

At least the sunroof is big enough that you can check for clearance when going through drive-thru's and ATM's, etc.

 

Ditto :smile:

 

does anyone else have pics of your racks ?

and what do the yakima racks go for?

thanks!

 

I have some pics somewhere...I'll see if I can find 'em.

I built my Yakima parts at a time through eBay and from friends.

Generally, I think you can expect to spend around $400, which would include:

Qtowers (4)
Loadbars (2)
Bike Mounts (2) prices vary here depending on style of mount
Lock Cores (4 or 6 etc.) price varies also - 4 will lock the rack to the car, 6 will lock the rack to the car and the bikes to the rack
Fairing - keeps wind noise down

I know that REI sells Yakima and lots of people like to go there cuz they get a member kickback. Also, your LBS will be very helpful with choosing components, and your friends will help the best, cuz they will sell you stuff for cheap and know of other people who have parts!

Good luck...let us know how it goes.

 

I put mine all on Mini2 a while back. If you do a search for Yakima in the gallery you will find all my pics

 

here are some pics including the attachment points

 

Where can I get a Thule rack?

 

just do a simple google search and look for the best price...it is all the same regardless of which dealer you buy the stuff from.

 

Or better yet - support your Local Bike Shop!!

They'll be thrilled to help you get what you want on the car and give ideas for future use. Plus, the service should be better than what you'd get from a computer screen.