Official BMW MINI Roofrack. Is it a messy solution?

28845 Views 40 Replies 16 Participants Last post by Cinimod, Sep 5, 2002

waynef

Discussion Starter · Dec 16, 2001

Does anyone have a MINI with roofrack modifications?

If so, what does your MINI look like with the bars/rack off?
Does it look a mess?
Are you supplied with cappings?
Do they stand 'proud'?

I am a mountain bike rider with a sense of style. If a roof-rack spoils the syle of the MINI I'll have to reconsider (perhaps I'll take up basket weaving instead and take the MINI sans roof-rack!)

1 - 20 of 41 Posts

lightbody

· #2 · Dec 17, 2001

Is there any other car that requires holes to be drilled in the roof then capped in order to fit a roofrack?

I was speechless when I read this in the dealer accessories brochure AFTER I bought the car.

I'm an occasional cyclist/skier and would have found a roofrack very useful but there is NO WAY I'm having the roof of my expensive wee car drilled!

kjs

· #3 · Dec 17, 2001

like wise, I'm not taken by the idea of a black&decker savaging the roof of my Cooper... Can they really do that and not drill into the airbags?????

I was intening putting a sculling boat on the top. Oh well, I guess I'll be looking at roof bars for my girlfriends car.....

kjs

Mr T

· #4 · Dec 18, 2001

I seem to remember there was a company that produced inflatable roof racks that attach through the inside of the cabin - don't know if they are available any more or would work.

Basil

· #5 · Dec 19, 2001

Im sure I have seen a picture somewhere from the top, that showed small elongated oval "patches" at each corner of the roof which i suspected at the time was for a roof rack of some kind...... I just wish I could remember where I saw it.

Doesn't the mini have roof gutters ?

Where are you going to put the tow bar on the "S"..... huh!!........nowhere i'd say.......

Basil

· #6 · Dec 19, 2001

kjs said:
like wise, I'm not taken by the idea of a black&decker savaging the roof of my Cooper... Can they really do that and not drill into the airbags?????

I was intening putting a sculling boat on the top. Oh well, I guess I'll be looking at roof bars for my girlfriends car.....

kjs

Maybe a sunroof is an option...... foam rubber front and back.......tied through the sunroof...... probably highly illegal.......but then so's copyright infringement......how'd that creep in here....damn

kjs

· #7 · Dec 19, 2001

Basil said:
Maybe a sunroof is an option...... foam rubber front and back.......tied through the sunroof...... probably highly illegal.......but then so's copyright infringement......how'd that creep in here....damn

eh, what? you've lost me about that copyright infingment bit!!!

Basil - have you been on the turps with zooooooooooooom?

Can't do the sunroof bit, - nobody is taking a black&decker to my roof, and I'm certainly not having anyone taking a tin-opener to my car to retrofit a sunroof......

kjs

Basil

· #8 · Dec 19, 2001

kjs said:
eh, what? you've lost me about that copyright infingment bit!!! Basil - have you been on the turps with zooooooooooooom?

Can't do the sunroof bit, - nobody is taking a black&decker to my roof, and I'm certainly not having anyone taking a tin-opener to my car to retrofit a sunroof......

kjs

Oh well, Big boat.......small car........good decision

(I'll ignore that reference to zooooooooooooooom and the turps.......I would never ever drink turps.....metho's cheaper).

Ps.
G'day Jakx

kjs

· #9 · Dec 19, 2001

Basil said:
(I'll ignore that reference to zooooooooooooooom and the turps.......I would never ever drink turps.....metho's cheaper).

kjs

noahe

· #10 · Feb 1, 2002

The sunroof hardly requires a can-opener. It is a factory-fit option, and the brochure claims it does not affect body rigidity. Of course, it weights more.

Did you think that they dealers would be hacking the roof up with a saws-all? No, the sunroof, roof liner, roof and everything are factory options.

Also, the 'plugs' that are installed for the roof rack... The dealer fits a template to the roof and cuts 4 holes. The roof-liner is also loosened, and 4 bulkheads are fit under the roof to support the weight. It's all sealed, and the threaded receiver is a milled unit. It's not going to leak through the roof like someone just drilled holes in it, even if you did leave the plugs out.

This isn't just the dealer drilling holes with a cordless drill, willy-nilly anywhere they please, and fitting some self-tapping metal screw in the hole.

There are a lot of dealer-fit options that are quite good. I'm even considering the roof-racks myself. 75Kg seems like a reasonable load.

Basil

· #11 · Feb 1, 2002

noahe said:
The sunroof hardly requires a can-opener. It is a factory-fit option, and the brochure claims it does not affect body rigidity. Of course, it weights more.

Did you think that they dealers would be hacking the roof up with a saws-all? No, the sunroof, roof liner, roof and everything are factory options.

Also, the 'plugs' that are installed for the roof rack... The dealer fits a template to the roof and cuts 4 holes. The roof-liner is also loosened, and 4 bulkheads are fit under the roof to support the weight. It's all sealed, and the threaded receiver is a milled unit. It's not going to leak through the roof like someone just drilled holes in it, even if you did leave the plugs out.

This isn't just the dealer drilling holes with a cordless drill, willy-nilly anywhere they please, and fitting some self-tapping metal screw in the hole.

There are a lot of dealer-fit options that are quite good. I'm even considering the roof-racks myself. 75Kg seems like a reasonable load.

If your happy with the design, you go for it buddy.

corkmini

· #12 · Aug 29, 2002

"No" to BMW rack

Spoke to my dealer's parts person this morning who most definitely did not advocate the official BMW roof rack. Instead he recommended a guy locally who is looking at providing bespoke parts. I think the parts guy was horrified at the prospect of drilling holes.

Does anyone know anything about the Paddy Hopkirk rack, or, has anyone already come up with a solution they're happy with? I want a rack for a board and/or bike.

stellablade

· #13 · Aug 29, 2002

I'm keeping an eye on the Paddy Hopkirk web site (http://www.paddyhopkirk.co.uk/) for the MINI rack. In another thread, someone mentioned it was due for release around September time.

corkmini

· #14 · Aug 29, 2002

I'm going to have a look at what my local guy is up to and will report back with findings.

Thanks for that info stellablade!

stellablade

· #15 · Aug 29, 2002

Not sure if you've seen this thread, but some discussion on the Hopkirk model with pictures: http://www.mini2.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5495&perpage=15&highlight=saris&pagenumber=2

Look forward to your findings.

santacruz

· #16 · Aug 29, 2002

IMO you'll wait a long time for the Paddy H solution and even then it's likely to be an ugly brute. Any rack that relies either on the rain gutter/hooking into the door opening or pressure pads on the (very) thin roof skin will cause more damage long term that you think. The gutters are plastic and bonded onto the roof and I know one that has been ripped off by a conventional type aftermarket rack system.

Check out the other thread on this subject and you'll see there is only one solution and thats the BMW/MINI one. The little covers are not very visible especially on a black roof and if you have a body coloured roof they can be sprayed. There are pictures of the mounts on the thread I started in this forum.

The parts guy who was "horified" obviously hasn't read the BMW/MINI intranet instructions. And dealers are reluctant to fit the rack because they have to be careful while they're doing it so it takes them considerably longer than the 2hrs recommended by BMW and as they can't really charge much more than a couple of hours labour they make a big loss on it...and as we all know nobody likes making a loss

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stellablade

· #17 · Aug 30, 2002

Personally I think a boot mounted rack will be the best option for me. Not only do I not like the idea of having holes drilled in the roof, I don't fancy lifting a bike up onto the roof, I dread to think what may happen if my hand slipped

The Saris Bones seems to work well but is untested and not recommended by Saris themselves, at the moment. Saris is unavailable here anyway. Thule say they've got one for release in the Autumn. Guess I'll just have to wait.

corkmini

· #18 · Aug 30, 2002

I understand the scepticism about my BMW parts guy, except he's driving one himself and just wouldn't do it. I'd love to see one fitted - I agree with the point that having straps is not ideal either. I'm actually tempted to buy a banger and just put a board on top of that.

I hope to get a look at an alternative solution over the next couple of days. Thanks for all the suggestions!

Raas

· #19 · Aug 30, 2002

It seems the Saris Bones 3-bike rack is available from Halfords in the UK (both in real shops and from the on-line store) for £100.

http://www.halfords.com/shop/item.asp?id=379289&cat=3&sub=66

Ross

stellablade

· #20 · Aug 30, 2002

Thanks for that. Good spot.

Raas said:
It seems the Saris Bones 3-bike rack is available from Halfords in the UK (both in real shops and from the on-line store) for £100.

http://www.halfords.com/shop/item.asp?id=379289&cat=3&sub=66

Ross

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