I purchased one of these (http://www.birdautomotive.com/Bike%2...Cooper%20S.htm) and received it earlier this week.

The rack is a system that Sam Bird (the owner, inventor, designer, chief cook and bottlewasher) refers to as "peashooter pipes". Basically a plate is installed on the underside of the battery box that holds two parallel mounted tubes (peashooters). The rack is inserted into these tubes. Without the rack, the tubes (painted black) look like a couple of recessed afterburners or Bond-like machine guns.

I just spent about 3 hours installing it (I work slowly). I suspect a more talented person could do the install in about 1 1/2 to 2 hours. The most frightening part of the installation requires drilling four holes in and around the battery box. You are provided with templates for 3 of the holes and detailed directions for the fourth. The holes are small (5/16") and it doesn't take much time to drill them (Well, if you use a drill ). I found it easier to remove the battery when doing the work but it is possible to work around the battery and you are supplied with a small piece of tubing to help you install the bolts if you take that route.

The kit comes with very detailed instructions with many photos for each step of the process but oddly enough no single master instruction sheet indicating which step you ought to start with - although one may logically deduce that you ought to start with the base installation. The kit also helpfully comes with a couple of allen keys of the appropriate sizes - to save you from rifling through your toolbox, I suppose.

I chose this setup over the Mini Fini and the other two trailer hitch setups (insert names here) because:
1. I only wanted a bike rack (not a ski rack and a trailer hitch and a luggage hauler and...)
2. I didn't want to drill really big holes in the rear bumper cover
3. I wanted to maintain the integrity of my rear fog light
4. I didn't want to spend $1000 on a bike rack

The rack itself is quite functional. It cost me about $450 shipped with the "security kit" ($25 for 2 padlocks and a Kryptonite cable). The rack can easily hold 2 bikes and maybe 3 if you arrange them carefully enough. The base plate that holds the rack (that is bolted to the bottom of the battery box) looks quite professional in its manufacture but the bike rack itself has more the look of the work of a talented fellow who has his own machine shop. The rack is held in place by a cross brace, locking pins and additional strapping that connects to the hitch points inside the trunk. It appears to be fairly stable although some additional padding on the rack would be helpful since the bikes are likely to swing a bit during carriage and knock against the rack. With the rack in place, the boot can be opened about 2/3 way to allow access but you must do so carefully to avoid knicking the paint on the boot as it hits the rack.

Overall, I am pleased with the product and think it's pretty good and certainly the best value on the market. Sam Bird provides careful explanation and guidance over the phone before your purchase and is available to help troubleshoot installation issues should they arise (none did for me).

Just so you know, I have a Milltek exhaust and the rack base worked fine with no clearance problems (since it is installed under the battery box, it replaces the aluminum base plate. The aluminum plate sometimes touches the lower-hanging aftermarket exhausts - this replacement does not).

The only other thing I might indicate, and I believe this is true for all rear mounted bike racks - when you get into reverse with the bike rack mounted, the backup sensors go into "you're way too close" mode, screaming at the top of their lungs.

Oh and if you do want a ski rack or a golf bag carrier, you can get one from Bird Automotive that fits into the base as well

 

. . . oh! . . . at first glance I thought the peashooter pipes went up the dual exhausts! Whew!