My '12 R55 does not have roof rails. I found a base support rack on ebay that is supposed to fit the R55 (my dealer says it fits sedans only, but I don't think that is right). I watched a YouTube video on how to install the rack, and I could find only one of the mounting points under the weather seal. The video says to feel along the seal for perforations, but I was only able to find the one on the driver side, rear.

Can someone that has the rack please measure the distance from, say, the A pillar corner to the front leg of the support, then to the rear leg. That should give me an idea of where to expect to find the mounting points.

Thanks!

 

I have the OEM rack on my Clubman. The slots in the weather strip were difficult to find, even with the measurements. I should be able to get measurements this afternoon, if someone else doesn't before then.

 

OK, I have some measurements for you...
From the front corner of the door window to the middle of the rack mount is about 10.5"




From the middle of the front rack mount to the middle of the rear rack mount is about 30"

 

Perfect! Thank you very much. That is exactly what I was looking for!

 

I chickened out and had a local indy do the roof rack installation. I could've done it, but I did not feel comfortable cutting into the weather seal. I am 74 years old, and I have had lots of experience turning 30-minute jobs into 5-hour ordeals on motorcycles and automobiles

One question I have - it looks obvious that water can get into the weather seal at the roof rack mounting points. Is that a problem? Where does that water go?

In addition to being old, I am ****!

 

mine came from the factory and i've had zero issues with water from there

unless the indy bodged the cutting i'd imagine it tucks in nicely and seals

 

I put the rack on ours in 2013 and took it off in 2020. The car lived outside in New England that whole time in rain, snow, whatever, and not a drop of water or any rust on the car when I took it off.