I've got an Indi Blue MINI on order for end of November. White top. No Sunroof. Spoiler added. I'm strongly considering the bike rack option from the dealer and have a few Qs:

1 - Should I get the bike rack installed by the dealer or go after-market?

2 - If I get the bike rack, does anyone know how it would impact any roof decal I might get?

3 - The dealer claims that w/o the rails, the only imprint on the roof is the 4 "buds" that the rails clip into. Any idea how hard/easy it is to remove/reattach the rails?

4 - Has anyone tried to transport a bicycle via the "unofficial user's guide" instructions? (Basically, push the front seats up, put the back seats down, take the front wheel off (the bike, not the MINI as they point out), and slide it in. I'd be concerned about scratching/getting oil from the chain on the interior.)

Thanks for any help.

 

I have the bike rack from the dealer. They drill 2 holes per foot into the roof of the car and then bolt the rack onto that. The rack is removed using torx bolts and a special key to unscrew the foot screws. The bike transports very well and the road noise is at a minimun. I would suggest the factory rack over a 3rd party. Also if the dealer installs it and it leaks or something, you have recourse to get it fixed properly.

Hope this helps,

Kesh

MCS LIC# BIGINIT

 

I have the factory racks, but no roof decal. Road noise is bad when there is nothing on the racks, but they come off pretty easily. I took some Yakima bars and used a couple of hose clamps to attach them to the factory bars to make them wider. My wife and I have 2 kayaks and it made putting them on the racks side by side easier. I will post pics later. The kayaks are longer than the mini!