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Any body used a roof rack on a new age. I want to know how well they fit as the frame less doors dont inspire secure confidence. I have just used a soft rack for snow boards, usually for surf boards and with the weather conditions I had a lot of noise as the door seals were compressed and allowed a gap. I have an 06 model but presume would be much the same as all new age models. I know you can get a thule rack wondered if any body has one or used one??

mike2.5subaru

Hi, I would love to be able to use a roofrack, but the thule, which fits to the black alloy strips around the door seal would probably pull them off The Subaru one is quite time consuming to fit, if your concerned about your paintwork, you first fit a fixing kit, 4 little brackets intended to be left on the car are the worst bit, then you fit the roofrack to these. I've got the Thule kit but would never fit it, I still haven't found anything other than the Subaru one, which I still have't bought, one year on This is only my opinion, based on the risk of damaging the car. I'd be grateful if you do find a roofrack that you let me know your thoughts

Andy-pay

used a Thule one for a couple of years (02-03) when we needed to take pushchairs and kit for the kids on holiday.

didnt have any problems with it - fits to the black coated strips around the windows . these were a sort of plastic coating on my 01 and 03 cars, which seemed to be marked when I took the rack off, but these went after a couple of days, after the plastic 'recovered'.

only left the rack on for the days journeying, always took it off and stored somewhere when we'd arrived on holiday.

hope this helps!

mike2.5subaru

Hi Andy, the black (look like mini rain shields ) are only held on with plastic clips, so I'm told and look flimsy at best, but you didn't cause them to loosen, is that right? also did the feet pads mark your paint work? mine WR blue scratches if someone touches the car next door !! thanks

sorry for highjacking the thread

wide

Well the Subaru one is £160 ish which seemed excessive and service manager at CVC in Cardiff said really need to be a jap proffesor to fit it, what with removing trim and bits so was put off. Thule is one that always seems good quality on any other car I have bought for, so was just trying to get views. Cheers Phil

Andy-pay

no clips removed or anyhting - just fitted on with hooked type feet. these had rubber feet - just cleaned the paint before fitting, to avoid scratches, then followed the instructions; was a bit of measuring and stuff to get them level, but no probs.

pj748r

I used the Subaru rack after looking at the Thule version a mate had on his Sti.I didn't like the idea of the pads resting on the paintwork for obvious reasons.
The Subaru one took me about 30mins to fit.

The plastic strip along the gutter does not need to be cut or removed permanently. You do have to raise the strip in order to fit the mounting brackets to the fixed mountings hidden under the strip.

The strip is secured to the roof channel by five or so plastic clips that simply slide like a small car on a track underneath the strip. You have to get a screwdriver (heavily covered with tape so as not to scratch the paint) and put it in front of the clip underneath the strip and push the clip back towards the boot . An inch movement does it. Do this to four or five of the clips and you will have unfettered access to secure your clips to the roof.



I paid £70 off E-bay for a vitrtually brand new one.I leave the clips in place when not using the roof box/cycle rack.

Hope this helps

Phil

Agreed leave the clips in place

pj748r

There's a set on Fleabay at the moment,low price and no bids.

1168

nooooooooooo,dont do it!buy an estate car for camping

pj748r

Why buy an estate car when I can have loads more fun in this when its unloaded.

madey

I've got roof rails for a classic saloon (uk my98), they came with the car, free to anyone who wants to collect them. Location Somerset. Mick.

edthedoc

Does anyone know the maximum length of a roof box that you can put on a 4-door newage WRX (with Thule bars) before it looks weird (the roof is quite short)?

BMWhere?

I use the Subaru one. Fitting is a bit of a pain lifting the guttering, but just do it the once at the beginning of the ski season then leave the clips in place. Fitting the rack to the clips is a 1 minute job! Usually remove the clips again in the Sprng!

gpssti4

iTrader: (6)

Be carefull with 'universal' roofracks.

I borrowed one from my dad a few years ago to carry bikes on top my old classic. My dad used to fit it to his 205 with no problems. When I fitted it to my classic is crushed the roof!!!!!!!!!!!!! As you tighten the screw clamp, it compresses the roof and left 4 nice big dents! Lucky it was a company car eh.

edthedoc

BMWhere, any idea the length/volume of that box. ta.

pj748r

My one's a 320litre roofbox from MotorWorld.

speedking

I completely agree with Andy-pay.

Here is a pic of us with the dinghy on the Thule roofbars.



The boat weighs 43kg and the spars another 10kg. Cruises quite comfortably at 70+ with no ill effects. It is tied down at the front to prevent lift, but still experiences a significant wind load.

Does that help you edthedoc? The boat is 3.4m long

Sport160

I use a thule kit on my MY03 wih aero bars and a halfords roof box, its fine.

The kits has left marks in the black plastic around the door seals, but nothing to obvious, the paintwork is fine as long as you ensure a) the paint and mounting feet are clean b) that its fitted properly and doesn't move.

I went for the Thule kit as it fits lower to the roof the than the subaru one, however I've since discoverd that if you drive in the rain mine makes the most god awful whistling noise at anything over about 60, drives me insane. Its fine in the dry.

Based on the above, if I were buying again I'd just buy the standard subaru one.

RobsyUK

iTrader: (2)