Roof Rack Advice

Decos

Hi guys,

i need to get a roof rack for my car soon (golf) to carry surfboards. Which do you think would be the best? Micksgarage is the cheapest. The less gammy looking the better! My choices are the following:

Micks garage: http://www.micksgarage.ie/roof-racks-bars-carriers/roof-racks-roof-bars/volkswagen/golf/golf-iv-5-door-hatchback-1997-2003/

Halfords: http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/GenericProductGuidedSalesCmd?action=getProducts&storeId=11101&categoryId=212453&catalogId=15551&langId=-1&storeId=11101&catalogId=15551&categoryId=212453&langId=-1&engineInd=0&makeName=46&modelName=4617&dvlaYear=46&subset=4617030&findPartsMMYS=Find+parts

Thule: http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/GenericProductGuidedSalesCmd?action=getProducts&storeId=11101&categoryId=212453&catalogId=15551&langId=-1&storeId=11101&catalogId=15551&categoryId=212453&langId=-1&engineInd=0&makeName=46&modelName=4617&dvlaYear=46&subset=4617030&findPartsMMYS=Find+parts

Any help appreciated

CJhaughey

No question Thule are the best.
But don't buy one from Halfords use an independant.
I'll PM you a good place that sells Thule.

ThisRegard

CJhaughey wrote: »

But don't buy one from Halfords use an independant.

Why not ? Get it from where ever it's cheapest, be it Halfords or elsewhere, it requires no specialist knowledge or training to fit.

MugMugs

Go to Halfords and get them to tell you what kit you need then eBay it for half the price.

ThisRegard

But why go to Halfords and tell them what you want ? This thread is making no sense.

If you're going to go down the line of eBay just go to the Thule website and that will tell you exactly what you need for your car.

nookie

This post has been deleted.

MugMugs

ThisRegard wrote: »

But why go to Halfords and tell them what you want ? This thread is making no sense.

If you're going to go down the line of eBay just go to the Thule website and that will tell you exactly what you need for your car.

Price comparison?

ThisRegard

Website.

MugMugs

ThisRegard wrote: »

Website.

Productive....

Just because web sites are generally cheaper doesn't mean they always are. Stores can kit you up there and then and also "sometimes" offer good value over websites. For the sake of a 60 quid saving a quick visit to Halfords isn't going to hurt.

Mugs.

L-M

if you plan on leaving them on the car get the Aero Thule bars, or any aero bar over the steel bars. Make way less noise.

MugMugs

Limerick man wrote: »

if you plan on leaving them on the car get the Aero Thule bars, or any aero bar over the steel bars. Make way less noise.

I really would not suggest leaving bars on after use.

Thule bars in general but also on VW are so easy to remove that it will take you no more than 2 minutes to do so.

I left my bars on my old Passat years back for a summer period as I was constantly using them. I literally had to peel the rubber feet from the paint work and it took me a lot of work restoring the area where the feet had sat.

Also, helpful point. Instead of measuring your bars on distance from the windscreen to the midway point as Thule direct you too, the Golf should have handy indicating arrows when the claw hooks in under the roof.

It's only after I had measured the car up for this that I noticed them.

Mugs

Indricotherium

Limerick man wrote: »

if you plan on leaving them on the car get the Aero Thule bars, or any aero bar over the steel bars. Make way less noise.

Is there any type of roof rack that it is easy to take off a car with cold mountainbike hands.

I mean when you really just want to go inside and warm up, one that just clicks off.

EDIT: thanks mugs!!

L-M

Anyone that buys them would use the box mostly for a summer period of holidays.

irrelevant, the Aero's are still better bars.

Anan1

I got a set of Prorack Whispbars a couple of years back and find them great, especially if you're leaving them on the car full-time: http://www.whispbar.co.nz/

They weren't cheap, but I managed to get a set of returned bars with new feet at a good price.

comanche_cor

Anan1 wrote: »

I got a set of Prorack Whispbars a couple of years back and find them great, especially if you're leaving them on the car full-time: http://www.whispbar.co.nz/

They weren't cheap, but I managed to get a set of returned bars with new feet at a good price.

I would second the whispbar - they are really good, got a set off these guys.
http://www.roofbox.co.uk/

would take mugmugs advice on removing them bars when not is use, I have a been using my bars constantly for the past 6 months - have a mark from the feet at the moment, not very noticeable but I can see it!

comanche_cor

Indricotherium wrote: »

Is there any type of roof rack that it is easy to take off a car with cold mountainbike hands.

I mean when you really just want to go inside and warm up, one that just clicks off.

EDIT: thanks mugs!!

If you are mountain biking don't perhaps look at getting a bike rack that fits on the back (tow bar ones are supposed to be the best). Reason being if you want to car pool its impossible with roof rack and you will have to have multiple bike carries. Also at a lot of the forest entrances there are bars across the entrance to prevent higher vehicles from entering - this is a pain if you have a bike on top!

Decos

great stuff lads, cheers for the info. Looks like Thule would be a winner. Why are Thule so much better, is it just that they are a better design and easier to put on/take off or is it that they are more solid?

Would they really only take a few minutes to take off and put back on?

Do they make a lot of noise while driving?

CJhaughey

Thule are just stronger better designed and better made than most other racks, they also have a new design that is more aerodynamic than the old aero bars.
Their accessories are great as well.
You can always sell the stuff after as well.

drBill

I have a set of the Thule bars on a 5 door golf for the last 6 years and all I can say is that they are brilliant. Rock solid, can be put on and off in about 2 minutes, and no fiddly bits to get lost when you take them off; all you have is the front and rear bar. Mine have a squared profile so there is a bit of wind noise from them and there would be a fuel overhead so I take them off when not using them which as I mentioned is easy.

The Halfords price seems a bit high at approx e170, their stores might be attractive but they'll try and fleece you on everything. Think I paid e150 for mine in Great Outdoors - they do some roofracks as well as kayaks in their watersports shop - and they wouldn't be the cheapest in everything either.

Decos

Well lads,
i went for the new Thule Wing Bars and i have to say they seem great so far, solid as hell. I have yet to test them carrying a load but will hopefully do that this week.

I need to buy a pair of rack pads to put on the bars but its hard to tell which ones would fit. The wing bar is quite a bit wider than the square and aero bars. Has anyone bought pads that fit the wing bars?