[pray4dirt]

i am considering on ordering the roof rack for the r56. i am interested to see how this new clamp system works. could someone post pics of the new rack on their car. how has instillation? my mini dealer states that the car has to be "prep" by them for the rack to be placed. is this true?

[steeve]

If its the one I'm thinking of it includes four holes in your roof........ with some body coloured plugs when you remove it. (this may be just the roof mounted cycle carrier)

[paulr]

AFAIK, the new R56 clips on to the gutters like a Yakima or Thule. No drilling required

[Martin F]

I ordered a roof rack for my R56 in November on the basis that it clips to the gutter. I have been assured that this is the case. But the roof rack is apparently still in development and I am still waiting so i don't suppose anyone has actually got one yet.

[pray4dirt]

Quote: Originally Posted by Martin F (original)

I ordered a roof rack for my R56 in November on the basis that it clips to the gutter. I have been assured that this is the case. But the roof rack is apparently still in development and I am still waiting so i don't suppose anyone has actually got one yet.

if it clamps onto the gutter, then why does the car need to be "prep." i was informed by my MA that the care needed to be done "prep" before the roof rack can be placed. let us know when you get your set up. the more information i know, the less likely the dealer will experiment with my future car. i am going to order today. thanks

[paulr]

Quote: Originally Posted by pray4dirt (original)

if it clamps onto the gutter, then why does the car need to be "prep." i was informed by my MA that the care needed to be done "prep" before the roof rack can be placed. let us know when you get your set up. the more information i know, the less likely the dealer will experiment with my future car. i am going to order today. thanks

Maybe they're not aware of the differences with the new rack.

[Avantone]

Looks like we've got a roof rack from MINI that doesn't involve any drilling .



http://motoringfile.com/2007/03/23/o...roof-rack-pdf/

Nothing yet on mini.co.uk - does anyone know when they'll be available?

[Martin F]

I am still waiting for my dealer to call me to let me know it has arrived.

[Evergreen]

Hey Everyone,

I am curious myself about the roof rack system for the R56. When we ordered the mini, I reserved myself to the idea of having to use our CRV to tranport our road bikes, but learning about this roof rack is giving me hope of a mini solution to bike transport. If anyone can let us know how this rack works (practically speaking), I would be interested to know if its worth getting. Thanks ahead for the 4-11.

[pray4dirt]

does anyone know if the roof rack system was made by Thule?
this would be important to me because i would prefer a fork mount rack rather than the Mini bike rack carrier.
i know that BMW had Thule supply their roof racks in the past and had it rebadged.
thanks in advance

[Mark"H"]

Has anybody managed to find out if the R56 roof rack actually exists yet?

[Interludio44]

It does, I've seen it on at least 2 cars posted over at NAM.

[Martin F]

My dealer told me last week that it had still not been approved for release in the UK

[Martin F]

The roof bars are now available

[AMT]

did you get a price martin?

[AMT]

oops just saw ur post in other thread - £120 all in. Not too bad a price, I paid more than that for a Paddy Hopkirk one for my old R50 Mini.

[Mark"H"]

My dealer called me yesterday to confirm that he has one for me to see (& buy) on Friday.

Wil be good to be able to take th bikes away again

[Martin F]

I picked mine up today. To fit it you have to find some slots behind the rubberstrip which backs the gutter. They are not easy to find. I plan to try mine tomorrow. It should make a good strong fixing and looks like a real quality job

[Martin F]

Well, I fitted the roof bars. Not easy but a very good strong job once fitted.

One of the hardest bits is at the start when you have to find two perforated strips in the part of the gutter resting against the roof. These strips are about 3ins long and about 1/4ins wide and are perforated, but are very hard to see. For reference, the front of each strip is about 9ins and 36ins from the rear edge of the front door pillar.

Once the strips are removed there is a slot behind each one which has a steel ear on each outer edge. The feet of the roof bars slide into the slots and are then tightened using a little torque wrench provided with the bars. Getting the feet into the slots is fiddly but once in the tightening process makes the feet move outwards to lock with the steel ears on the sides of the slots. This gives a very secure fixing.

On removing the bars there are little plastic covers to go in the slots.