Does anyone know if the factory rack option has been updated so nobody needs to drill holes into the roof?

An old Saab that I owned had factory mounts hidden in the door sills that worked great and made for a perfectly clean installation. . .

I was just thinking today that it would be great if MINI did something like that this time around.

The tiny photo on the configurator makes it look like the rack mounts closer to the sills so maybe they thought about a better design? But it also says there is an "installation kit" which suggests that some modification may be necessary.

 

check here: http://www.recrudesce.co.uk/mini_r56_manual.pdf

go to manual page 82 (which is page 41 on the PDF file).
it seems like the mounting points are already there :]

 

That would be awesome if the mounts are there and no more drilling into the roof, I'm interested in any more info on this as well.

-Dave

 

This is what my MA said about that rack, I was also interested as it looked like it was an adjustable rack, however it's still not according to him.

The roof rack is drilled into the roof of the MINI. There are four pre-installed holes under the roofs outer layer. If you decide to remove the rack itself, the kit come with 4 white or black caps to cover the holes.

 

To quote someone else, "Wait...dude...what?"

So the holes are already there?

Or they drill holes when they install the rack?

Still, even the hole-drilling might not be that bad -- better than a permanent fixture -- but I'd worry about the caps leaking.

-W-

 

From what I have heard, the 07 rack will mount in the same fashion as the 06. There are fasteners under the roof skin that the roof rack brackets screw into. The brackets are two round disks that stick out over the roof skin. They are set in silicone to make a watertight seal. The brackets can be covered up with black plastic covers. These stick up over the top of the roof. I haven't put them on yet because I need to remove some silicone from the brackets. I'm afraid that they will fly off. I had the rack installed on my 06 MCS and have many problems. First, the dealer scratched the roof. They sent the car in for a repaint on the roof. I got the car back and they had painted over the silicone slop the dealer had left. The paint is already chipping away around the brackets. To top things off, I just noticed that the head liner is starting to discolor on the passenger side of the car. It just went through its first rain.

As of now (meeting with dealer this morning) they are going to decide if they are going to repair the car or buy it back from me. I don't know which one I would prefer.

If they buy it back, I will order an 07 with the rear bike rack. It will cost a little more, but no one will be cutting into my roof.

I will post pictures later when I have the car back.

 

Wow Civil MCS, sorry you have been having such a bad time of it. I've been following your suffering in the other thread and if it were me, I would make them by it back. Then order an 07 from anywhere else.
Crossing my fingers for ya...

-Dave

 

Word from my MA, according to the factory rep, the roof will NOT have to be drilled on the R56. it will have clamps instead.

Excellent news...
-Dave

 

Very cool, my MA didn't know, so I'm holding off on this since it can be added later.

 

Went to the dealer today and after considering all of the options for my 07 I am going with the factory roof rack. I had a few questions and My MA took me to the shop and a mechanic in the shop showed me how the rack attaches.

NO Drilling! But they cut a slot and a slight crimp on the plastic strip on the roof. then the rack clips to the car. With rack off you will have a two or three inch by 1/4 inch slot. Not too noticable to me.

I it very easy to take on and off.

Beleive me I looked at everything and I have a great deal of experience with racks - bikes. This is the most secure options.

Attention bikers it looks like to allow the boot to fully open you may have to cut your rails on the trays. For the Spoiler or S models

 

If you look VERY closely at the rain gutters on each side of your roof you will see two sets of dents in the rubber touching the roof (dents are about 2.5" apart on each set). Look between the dents 1/4" from the top of the rubber and you can barely see there is a perforated line between them. This is the part that gets removed. Both the dents and perforations are very hard to see the first item you look for them but not so hard after you know what to look for.

You can fully open the boot without the spoiler hitting the racks. Ditto for the sunroof.

Taking off or putting on the racks can be accomplished in under 10 minutes once you've been through the process a time or two.

There are plastic tab thingies that fill in the slots while the racks are not installed.

only the 02-06 MINIs had to have holes drilled in the roof.

 

Consider buying 07 roof rack after reading this thread. I was concern drilling holes on the roof to install the rack.

 

I put the rack on my MCS 3 weeks ago. As noted above, slots are hidden by the sill. Not too hard to remove the segments. Goes on pretty easy, but I wouldn't want to put on and off every week. I plan to leave mine on most of the time. There are little plastic caps to put in place when the rack is off.

The rack feels very solid. I got the Mini fork mount trays. Also as noted above, you need to cut about 2" off the end or the MCS spoiler will hit them. I added a Thule fairing up front. A little wind noise, but very bearable.

 

mini997, did you have alot (unbearable) wind noise without the faring?

what size fairing did you use, did you have to mod the fairing any?

 

I have the MINI rack. It doesn't make any noise and is a huge improvement on the R53 rack. You will not be disappointed.

 

Anyone know the weight capacity of the new factory racks?

 

I am sure this has already been found out but I'll post the info I have found out anyway. And no you dont need to drill holes in the 07 Cooper S according to the instructions.

 

Does this mean all the thule acc. for the rectangular thule bars will fit OK?

 

I have the R56 roof rack. No drilling, it locks into sockets that are on the sides of the car. It is not adjustable, so you only get one distance between the cross bars. It looks so sharp, I decided to leave the cross bars in place all the time. Getting the fork mounted bike kits for it soon and the ski kit over the winter.

 

+1!! I've not taken the bars off since I put them on. I really like how not one part of it touches the roof - including the little rubber bumpers.

I did have some roof noise after I installed it. After a week of too much metal frame creaking I loosened the adjustment bolts under each tower (it's in the manual) and re tightened them. Problem solved

Yes... with one exception. Look for parts that fit the Thule Aero bars. I bought two Criterium racks and attached them to the MINI bars using the Thule XSporter Adapter 8. I also added a larger washer to each Adapter 8 post just in case. If you get these parts, you'll see what I mean. The coolest part - the locks are all the same! So I bought an 8 pack of locks and now can remove all the parts with one key

 

I have my Mini now, and put the roof rack on the first day with the intention of taking it off when not needed, but it looks great with the two fork mount bike holders on it, that I am just leaving it on.

 

Stupid question but if I put a roof rack on my new 07 cooper and left it on daily would this reduce gas mileage?

 

Yep, count on it.

 

Yes. My MCS has dropped to 27mpg

 

went to get a rack installed yesterday only to find out (after they kept my car for two days) that the bike rack piece i need is on national backorder.