FWIW - I was just in Palm Harbor MINI yesterday and there was a blue clubby proudly wearing a roof-rack in the showroom.

 

I asked my sales manager to provide the Bulletin being prepared by MINI covering modifications prior to installations.

He tells me that his installer knows how to do this...that it is a modification to the rack, not the vehicle.

And; that the rack can now be ordered and installed.

 

I'd love to know what the rack mod is.

 

I have to spend all day at the dealer on the 15th of September, so if someone has not come up with the answer before then i will definitely be getting it then.

 

I emailed my SA at Mini of Sterling (VA) yesterday with recent excerpts from this thread. He ordered a Roof Rack for me (with the -225 number) and indicates that it should arrive yet this week.

I will have the dealer install it next week (on Thursday) and I'll let you know how it goes.

Gary

 

I am so confused. I have a Clubman (2009) on the way and want to get a roof rack. I have asked my MINI dealer, ASK MINI and a site on eBAY who is a MINI dealer and no-one has any idea about the 225 rack. My MA is checking with the district manager (a week and no answer) but feels there have been no changes to the 2009 Clubman. Does anyone have any concrete knowledge of this? Can you pass it along? Will the 846 model fit on the 2009?
Thanks

 

Here is the answer to your question. The -225 will fit the 2009 but many of the parts departments don't know about it yet as they have not received there monthly parts update. Until the time that they do get the update they will have to call the parts warehouse to find out what is up with it and if there is stock on that part.

If they do not want to check into it for you, tell them that you expect them to get you an answer right away. If they do not ask for the dealer ships general manager and explain to him/her that you are disatisfied with the service you are getting.

BTW the -846 is now listed as being only usable on the R56 coop.

 

Hi all,

I purchased the original rack for the Clubman back in March. Does anyone know if MINI is going to accommodate those of use who purchased the old rack with the new rack?

Thanks.

 

k here is the deal, i just received my refund for my roof rack on my 2008 clubman and the dealer calls me today to let me know there is a fix. it involves some "spacers" that fit to the cross bars? and can be retrofitted to the old first gen racks. having put mine on a few times i bet they replaced the attachment brackets to have more of an vertical angle thus reducing the pressure on the roof holes. he stated that he was holding a bulletin and reading it to me. so dealers do now have a fix and your service advisor should be able to fax/email this to you.

 

Posted by HTClubman the hitch mount on a clubman. Did I miss a post on them? How do I get the hitch mount rack on my car? I like my roof rack but lifting my 40+lbs bikes up on top is getting old.

 

Perhaps this thread will be of help: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...ighlight=hitch? Hope so.

 

Yep I got my eye on that thread and a few others but none have any info other than tests. I think that pic was a car in CA and all the test fits seem to be around the East as far as I can find out.

 

So, Schatzy, were you able to extract an answer?

 

My car is still there and i have to go back as the reason it went in is a bad sounding stereo and they agreed. I was so shocked that i forgot about half the stuff i was supposed to ask them but I will get a response when i go back to pick up the car.

 

I'm typing this in the lounge area of Mini of Sterling. The Service Department has "Chili Fred" in the shop for the installation of the new Roof Rack. The SA (Mike) indicates that ours is the first new Clubman Roof Rack installation at the dealership.

I'll report back on how it goes.

Gary

 

Can someone clarify for me? Is the rack removable or does it always have to be on? What is involved in the install? I heard there are holes to drill? If it's off what does it look like?

 

Schatzy,
I know it's off topic, but what is the dealership replacing to improve the sound?

 

Read the sticky at the top of the Clubman talk thread. Is explained there (and elsewhere in this thread)

 

Here is a link to the mounting instructions by a NAM member (me).
https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...d.php?t=145279

As for your questions. On the clubman there are two types of systems for putting accessories ont he roof.

#1 "Roof Rack" these are installed per the instructions in the thread above. These run from one side of the car to the other and can have bike racks, kayak racks boxes ect. attached to them. They are REMOVABLE. And after doing it a time or two it will only take a couple of minutes. Ask NJClubman, he watched me take mine off and put it back on in a very short period of time something like two minutes on tow minutes off.

#2 "Roof Rails" which are completely different. The run from the front to the back of the car, one on each side. They only come factory mounted on 09's at this time and can not (at this time) be mounted to an 08. Thay are NOT REMOVABLE. These still need some sort of cross bar going from left to right to be able to mount something on.

As for the driling you have heard about that is what needed to be done to earlier coopers such as the 02 -06 models.

As for the look of the car. With the "Roof Racks" off the car looks normal as is they were never installed. and when they are onthe car they look like what you can seein my gallery or pictures in this thread.

The Roof Rails on the other hand look like wht you see on a SUV or minivan. the part that runs form the front to the back and they will always bee seen.

 

Never mind see above

 

I am pleased to report that the new rack was successfully installed on our Clubman this morning by Mini of Sterling (where we bought our car). I had their Service Department do the install because I didn't want any problems in the future regarding warranty, etc.

We arrived at about 7 AM and departed at about 11 AM.

The rack is solidly mounted (testing by hand). Now I just have to find a luggage box we like and figure out how to best mount it to the rack.

The rack came with special tools, hole covers and a manual. I've attached JPG scans of the English language pages from the manual.

My cost for the rack and installation was subsidized by a $ 400 credit that I received when we picked up our car originally. The credit was given due to some small paint scratches caused by the dealer technicians' belt buckles when washing the car after delivery. My out of pocket cost today was $ 75.83.

Regards,

Gary

 

Very kind of you to post those directions, Gary. I am sure they'll get quite a few close looks. And good for you on that bottom line cost, too - speaks well of your dealership.

 

Thanks those directions look to be the same as the ones I got with my rack.

 

Gary,
Congratulations! You are now part of a very small club -- those with a roof rack on a Clubman. I hope our ranks grow as folks gain more confidence that MINI has a workable solution.

By the way, I keep those tools in the car -- the secret compartment in the boot works well. I have a printout of Schatzy's installation instructions tucked in there, too.

Installation and removal are quick and easy -- quicker and easier the more practice one has. It is obviously your choice, but you should not view this installation as permanent.

As mentioned above, I will vouch for Schatzy's two-minute claim above. I timed him myself. In fact, he probably can do it faster, but he was thinking out loud as he demonstrated the process to me.

I think someone mentioned this, but it's worth restating: try to keep it under 75 if you will put bikes up there. I had a near tragic event on the NY State Thruway a couple weeks ago.

 

??? I got a ticket in NY the other day just out side Albany 86 in a 65 and had my 2 downhill bikes on top.