I appologize to all for starting yet another thread regarding roof rails/roof racks. I've read several of the other threads. The problem is that I feel more confused after I'm done reading than before I started. The threads that I've read seem to be much more detailed than what I need.

I have ordered an 09 MCC that is scheduled for production in week 37.

I stopped by the dealership today and talked to my MA. He said, "I've been meaning to call you. Weren't you interested in a roof rack?" I said, "Yes." He said, "I want to add the roof rails to your order free of charge. I haven't seen them yet and want to check them out." Of course, I couldn't turn down free $250 roof rails!

So here's my question; how are roof rails functionally different than a roof rack? I understand that they run opposite directions on the roof and that you have to add cross bars to the roof rails in order to use the rails for carrying a bike or a luggage top carrier. I also understand that some may like the asthetics of one or the other better. However:

Are there different load capacities for roof rails vs. roof racks?

Is a roof rack better than roof rails, or vica versa?

If I get the roof rails, how much would the cross bars and the hardware for carrying a bike or a luggage carrier cost me?

Can I get that hardware aftermarket? If so, where?

Is there any reason that I should consider turning down these free roof rails?

 

The advantage of the roof rails is that they give you a secure place to mount after market rack system to the vehicle. Apparently there have been problems with the factory racks and that rack is only good for mini's.

A basic set of rails and clamps(feet) will run about $120 from Thule or Yakima. Both companies offer all types of accessories that mount to the base rails. When you change vehicles its a matter of buying new feet or clamps for the new vehicle not a whole complete system. I have had my thule rack system since 1975.

Generally when a new car comes out with new roof rails it takes about 6 months for thule to come out with a new clamp or foot to fit or at least list it in there catalog Thule currently dosent have the mini listed but from what Ive seen of the pictures of the rails they appear to be the same style as the ones on the VW tiguan ,and the BMW and Benz cross over vehicles they probable all come from the same manufacture. I therefore expect that the clamp already exists and that the mini will be listed in the 2009 catalogue.

Most sporting good stores sell both brands or you can buy direct online.

As far as the load go by the roof load rating of the mini.

 

1.How are they different: rails aren't a rack; they are points of attachment for the cross bars of a rack system. A regular after-market rack not using rails needs a car-specific piece that connects the rack (towers and cross bars) to the roof. Yakima calls them Q-clips. Thule calls them FitKits. About $75 for four. Functionally rails substitute for these clips/kits.
You don't need these clips with the rails.

2. Capacities vary by car and by rack style and brand. mini would need to answer what the capacity of the rails would be. I think the OEM rack is 75 kg.


3.Better: rack or rails?--Technically no diff, but people will have preferences and opinions.

4. Cost of additional parts? Minimum $260. You'll need: (1). adaptors to connect bars to rails. Yakima calls them "lowriders" $150 for four. Thule has "Crossroads" for $160-170. (2). Need locks for each adaptor (and for added bike or ski etc ) $45/4-pack, $75/8-pack. (3) cross bars are $65/pair or $100 for thule aero bars.
And then(4) you'll need whatever carriers you want, and locks for each, and maybe a wind fairing to reduce noise. Even within a single brand the prices vary for these.

5. Where to buy? Yakima and Thule are the two biggest names for rack systems. Equivalent quality. Yak has round bars; Thule has square bars and newer (and more expensive) oval "Aero" bars which are almost identical to the bars on the Mini OEM rack. Round and oval are more aerodynamic and less noisy than the square bars.
Both of their websites have features to "Fit my Car" and prices and links to retailers. I find the Yakima website less convoluted.

Adaptors are available to allow many bike, ski, cargo carriers to be used on the opposite brand rack.

Craigslist always has great deals from people selling parts of their rack systems.

6. Any reason not to take free rails?
As long as you like them aesthetically AND get double confirmation that they are not some bizarre shape that Yak and Thule lowriders/crossroads don't fit--- go for it.
It gets you off the hook of waiting for the MINI fix to the OEM rack. Or waiting on a Yakima or Thule fit kit for the Clubman.
It won't save you money over the OEM rack though because all the parts you still need to buy cost the same as the OEM rack.

Aesthetically-- personally on the Clubman I think its kind of weird to have both the Dunes and the Rails running parallel to each other. A bit cluttered for me. Not as noticable on black versus silver roof.

Aerodynamics---cross bars effect gas mileage but I don't think naked rails would do much (but Prius does go to lengths to make their roof as smooth as possible for air flow.)

How 'free' are they? Will you still get free floor mats? Or did the dealer just shift what their freebie would be for you? I got a set of rubber floor mats and set of carpet floor mats for free, and a portion of cost of boot mat free--total $200.

Finally, if you need someone in person to walk you through some of this, I'd suggest that after you look through the Yakima and Thule website that you go to REI, which sells both of these, and have someone that works there show you what is what.

 

Thanks Mr Ray and Zeddy. That's exactly what I needed to know.

As for how 'free' they are...I had already negotiated free floor mats of my choice, free boot mats (top carpet and bottom rubber) , free sport stripes and various goodies to be named laters (shirts, valve covers, etc.). Even before the roof rails I felt like I was getting a fair deal based on what I've seen posted on other threads.

Like Zeddy said, I'll have to check on the shape of the rails, but it sounds like I should take the freebie.

Thanks again.

 

Sounds like you are getting a great deal. My Clubman is configured with them and I'm very excited to have them on the car. Beyond the functionality I personally like the look of roof rails, makes the Clubman sportier looking IMO. What I like about it also is how much easier it is to take the additional rack off when not in use than the ones that mount directly to the car and of course with less risk of marring the car.

I don't know if there is a Rack N Road by you, but this is the company that I have used for roof rail adapters in the past and they can help with the setup. Though, we may have to wait for Thule or Yakima to catch up with the new design.

Make sure to post pics when you get the car. I spoke to my MA yesterday and now that I've switched from a base to an S, I would be very lucky to get it before 2009.

 

I wouldn't say that. I have that type of rack on my Outback and know the mini factory rack comes off quicker than that. I have also sold many of the racks like the one the clubman is going to use it will have the edge on marring it up but t tell you the truth I had no problems with that anyway.

 

+1

I have the same style roof ralis on my BMW that they are putting on the Clubman.

It takes about 20 minutes to the the cross bars off the roof of my BMW because of the way the foot and crossbar lock together. I also need a rubber mallet to get them to lossen up. These racks go on thecar and stay on the car until it goes in for a professional detail job once a year. Then when i go to put them back on it takes about 15 minutes and there is a lot of fiddleing to get tehm lined up so that they are even on the car.

With the clubman OEM Racks I can have both the crossbars off the roof in less than 2 minutes. I can also put them back on in less than two minutes.

If you question the timeing just ask NJClubman he is the one that timed me.

In fact with never having ever put them on, NJClubman put them on my car in less than 4 minutes.

As for marring or scratching the paint on the car you are more likely to scratch the paint with an aftermarket cross bar and foot than you are with the OEM because the OEM has special rubber bumpers to avoid that problem.

 

Thanks Schatzy62 and MBX5.

I picture leaving the crossbars on like Schatzy62 does on the BMW. My wife has a Scion Xb with a roof rack. Her cross bars are round. It sounds like going the roof rail route will allow me to use the same kind of round cross bars that are on my wife's car. I'm imagining that this will allow us to share accessories more easily. I think I'm more concerned with the ability to share and with the current inavailability of OEM roof racks than I am with speed of instalation. Plus, the roof rails are free, whereas I'd have to buy the roof rack. Other than speed of instalation, do either of you see any negatives to the roof rails?

 

You will still have to buy feet, cross bars, and locks for feet to put on the rails to make them a rack. This will cost $260. The OEM rack cost $265.
So no cost savings even if the rails are free.

Accessories can usually be used interchangably between the various bar types using inexpensive adaptors.

If you get the rails, when you buy locks for you rack look at the locks on your wife's and get the code off the lock barrel so you can get locks keyed the same for both car racks.

 

Sounds like you have the Yakima rails on your Scion. or a compatable manufacuturer to them. They probably make a clamp that fits the roof rails.
In 30+ years of using mine ( 10 vehicles ) Ive never had to use a mallet or spent 20 minutes to put them on or off after the first setup sounds like they werent set up properly to begin with,and Ive never scratched a roof. In any case a good dealer will let you take the mounts out to your car and try them first. With any luck the ones on the Scion might work without buying anything.

 

woist, very nice that you're getting those roof rails as a free option.

 

I know they were installed properly. They are Yakima's and i have had this style on two cars.

The foot mounts around the top, outside, bottom and inside of the roof rail. The clamp that mounts the bar in place moves in for the outside and when clamped tight against the round bar and the plastic coating on the bar, will not release from the bar with out persuasion. To pull the foot out as needed to release it from the roof rail only makes the clamp on the bar tighter. The mallet is needed for light taps to cause the clamp to release from the bar so that the foot can slide out on the bar and come off the roof rail.

And BTW I also have 4 years of school and 28+ years knowledge in mechanical engineering and have used a roof rack of some sort on ALL my vehicles. The way these go together just makes them difficult to get off.

 

I'm with you on the mallet. In the last 10 years I have used this type of bar on 4 or 5 different cars and all need the light tap to release. Like I said I also have been selling racks for more than 15 years. Give them a bit of road salt like they use in the East or some Mag-Chloride like we use in CO and you will need some taps to free that clamp. The plus side you people with the new rails get to use longer bars so you can add more things at one time

 

Only a coupe of inches though as the car is so short I would hit my head on the bar if is was more than about 8" longer, and i am only 5'6" tall. I've done that (hit my head) on the bars on my BMW and when I try to get up off the ground I find I have something sitting on top of me like a box, Kayak, or bike. It's not fun.

But i guess the extra few inches does make it easier to get more than three bikes on the roof.

 

It's true. Schatzy can probably do it faster, but he was "narrating" for the 2 minutes, and that might have slowed him down.

When was the last time someone reported the problem with the window gap (and leak) here? With cars built now, does anyone think that issue still exists (the too-narrow slots and/or club window gap)? I have one of several successful OEM installs (as well as Schatzy). I would not let earlier issues with the rack cause you to go with the rails. Go with the rails if you like them -- plain and simple.

Another thought/question that might apply: with the rails, is the capacity limited by not having the whole width of the car? The OEM rack gives you roughly "dune to dune" width for installing equipment. Will the rails give you more, less, or the same?

 

With the rails in place you should be able to get a bar any length you want. It could stick past the edge of the car by a foot or more if you really wanted it to. It would make it difficult to get in and out of the car but it could be done. Practical length is still only a couple inches more than the OEM Roof Rack. but them you have the foot mounting in father on the roof which takes up valuable space on the bar, creating possibly less room. That is something i would have to measure when i see one.

 

Exactly why I'm opting for the 2009 Roof Rails. I need to carry at least a kayak and two bikes (and up to four bikes alone at times). The OEM racks seem a bit narrow for that. (Though smacking my head on bars that extend 6" past the roof line will not be pleasant. )

 

You learn quick not to do it again! I carry 6-7 white water kayaks on my outback and have to run long bars. I've hit my head a few times but others hit more than I do. Being how low the clubman is I would watch the eyes as it seems like the bar is at that hight

 

With my Thule trays as far to the side as possible, I can tell that a third tray will fit on the OEM rack. Four would take a lot of creativity and maybe a disregard for physics.

 

I already have my Clubman S - does anyone know if I'll be able to get these roof rails as a dealer-installed accessory, or am I out of luck because I bought my MINI "too early"? Thanks.

 

From everything I've read and been told, they are factory installed only. However, I did receive a note from DPMINI Aaron, who has a thread on MINI2 in their Future Variants forum, in which he wrote that I wrote back to him to clarify that he meant they now had a part number for the factory installation and have not heard back.

I suggest, that if you don't want to depend solely upon what you've been able to read on NAM and MINI2, that you ask your dealerships (go to the Parts Department Manager if your MA or SA or Manager doesn't know), or MINI USA to be clear.

I know, I know - it's all been quite frustrating but they should know this information now. Good luck and I'll let you know if I learn anything more...the MINI2 thread has not been updated since the post in which it was stated that these roof rails were only going to be factory installed. If you haven't already had the pleasure you can start on page 6 here: http://www.mini2.com/forum/future-va...i-aaron-6.html in which you'll find information about the rails and updates to all MINIs, as well.

 

I just spoke with my parts guy at MINI and these are not available yet here in the US. They are working on the federal regulations part of it at this time but have no date as to when these will be available. As he put it to me "We are working with the US Government who knows how long it will take".

We can only hope that it is soon. He would not give me anymore details on its mounting as that is the part that is being worked out with the government safety people.

 

Interesting. At least it's not "Homeland Security" that has to get involved with the parts.

Schatzy, were you under the impression that these, now apparently available in Europe, were meant to be dealership installed (and possibly for the 2008 Clubman) as opposed to the rails that are factory installed options on the 2009?

 

From the conversation these should be able to be fitted to a 08 clubbie but my feeling is the problem is with the government regulations. It has to be secure enough and pass certain testing. If this testing passes then yes they would be available but if the testing fails then there is other considerations that must be made. Possibly things like how many are going to be sold, if not enough to cover redesign costs then it would not happen.

It really is still up in the air.

 

Thanks for your explanation. Appreciate it.