Motoring Discussion > MINI - Thule roofbars Miscellaneous
Thread Author: PeterS Replies: 15

 MINI - Thule roofbars - PeterS
When I ordered our MINI Clubman I didn’t bother specifying roofbars... firstly because I think they little odd unless on a proper estate car, and secondly because despite having had 8 cars with factory roof rails I’ve only ever used them on 2 - a 1999 A4 Avant and a 2003 A4 Avant. However at the beginning of this year I bought a paddle board, well before lockdown and their subsequent elevation to the must-have accessory of the year. But getting a 10’6” board in a MINI is a challenge. Are the roof bars that us3 feet which clamp to the roof via the door openings any good? Any experience?
Thanks!
 MINI - Thule roofbars - Runfer D'Hills
Now y'see, if you still had that E Class estate...

They are the correct answer to most questions.

;-)
 MINI - Thule roofbars - legacylad
Every weekend I strapped a big ‘ol sailboard and humongous mast onto a 205 Gti almost 40 odd years ago. Damn thing almost reached V1 rotate going down the M1 south of Wakefield.
 MINI - Thule roofbars - PeterS
>> Now y'see, if you still had that E Class estate...
>>
>> They are the correct answer to most questions.
>>
>> ;-)
>>

Handy though they are, I’m pretty sure that a 10’6” paddle board won’t fit inside one of those either, so it’d still have to go on the roof!! And while a MINI Clubman looks sort of OK with a board on the roof, a Merc estate looks somehow tragic so loaded. Really a VW California is the answer ;)
 MINI - Thule roofbars - No FM2R
>>I’m pretty sure that a 10’6” paddle board won’t fit inside one of those either,

I'm not so sure. With the passenger seat laid flat it might just.
 MINI - Thule roofbars - Avant
"....A Merc estate looks somehow tragic so loaded. Really a VW California is the answer ;)"

But a Skoda estate looks to the manner born so loaded. When I had an Octavia vRS estate and SWMBO had a Mini Cooper, the Skoda was not only a lot faster but used less petrol. One to think about?
 MINI - Thule roofbars - No FM2R
>>Are the roof bars that us3 feet which clamp to the roof via the door openings any good?

No. Not in my opinion.

Depending on the board the wind can get underneath it and cause quite an upward force. Something which is clamped on is not sufficient.

You either need a rack which is both bolted to the car and bolted together, or you need additional security; typically a strap all the way across the top and through the car and then close the doors on it.

Obviously people do carry them on clamp-on racks without additional straps, but not me. I've seen what happens both to the board and to other traffic if they come off.

Even on my Explorer, and the roof rack bolts on, I still throw a strap over the top and through the car. I carry several boards at a time.

Of course if you're driving 30mph down to the beach it doesn't matter. But if you're travelling on the motorway it most certainly does.
 MINI - Thule roofbars - PeterS
Thanks! That I think is why I’m reticent - they can’t be as solid as the roof risk attached to a car when built. Thorough the road is not littered with things that have fallen off round here, so perhaps I’m being unduly cautious. It’s fine locally as the board does, just, fit in a MINI (well, sort of) with the front and rear seats folded if I push it up onto the dashboard! I have to leave the right hand rears door open though. Which means that none of the board projects beyond the car ;)
 MINI - Thule roofbars - Dieselboy
If you open your doors do you not have holes in the underside of the roof? Plenty of aftermarket roofbars available to fit these that are as secure as...
 MINI - Thule roofbars - henry k
>> If you open your doors do you not have holes in the underside of the roof ?
>>Plenty of aftermarket roofbars available to fit these that are as secure as...
>>
The roof bars for my Mondeo were that type.
They had rubber pads to rest on the roof and then the clamps had pins that located in holes under the roof.
I retained them but I quess I will bin them.

My X type Jaguar saloon has hidden holes in the roof ready to accept bolts for the Jaguar specific roof bars.

( The bars are significantly narrower than the roof.)
 MINI - Thule roofbars - PeterS
No, unfortunately there are no locating holes in the door aperture. The rack must mount on by grip alone! I could always look at getting a trailer I suppose ;)
 MINI - Thule roofbars - No FM2R
>>I could always look at getting a trailer I suppose ;)

And then you would have to choose carefully. If you were being serious.

Given that the board needs to be reasonably balanced the majority of trailers will hold it too close to your car and poke holes in it.

A reasonable approach is to have the trailer as a box which carries all your kit and then the board(s) sit on a frame above the board and angled up so that the front tip will clear the car. Or, of course, a very long trailer but then they are a pain to tow.

Though often the longer trailers will also carry bikes on them.

If you will go often then a trailer makes sense provided you have space to store it. I kept mine in a garage and could easily hook up and go without ever having to load up or deal with stinky stuff in the car.

And if you go often, and I did/do, it will surprisingly quickly start damaging the car. Wet suits inside, constant lifting on and off, especially if it is windy etc. etc.
 MINI - Thule roofbars - PeterS
I’ve used it about 20 times this year using the ‘shove it on the dashboard’ approach, though after putting it in a bag and, so far, there’s no damage to the car interior or exterior. But, having one of the boot doors open is less attractive as the weather gets worse... so the roof would be preferable. I don’t envisage taking it far...usually I go to Bosham, Dell Quay or Emsworth - a maximum of 10 miles. It’d be nice to go further, but the reality is I’m very unlikely to. Quite happy manoeuvring a trailer though, and long ones are easier to manoeuvre than short ones IME... I could then, in theory, use the Merc... Research shows that a towbar is not compatible with the foot operated boot opening on the MINI (a facility that, it has to be said, I can never get to work anyway...)
 MINI - Thule roofbars - legacylad
Useful things trailers. I bought one from a friend when I had my 330 convertible pre Macan days. He had it custom built to carry his Honda Gold Wing behind his motorhome on extended European road trips. I used it to haul kayaks, camping gear, friends bikes, inflatable rafts etc. In recent years I lent it to friends to tow around Europe, full of similar toys. 6’ x 4’ with ladder rack & jockey wheel I occasionally forgot it was attached. As you do.
I’ve decided to sell it as it’s been stored in my mums garage since late 2019 and the ‘free hire service’ is now terminated!
 MINI - Thule roofbars - Bobby
What about this sort of thing? Seem to be plenty variants on the market.
www.amazon.co.uk/BOARD-RACK-SNOW-BOARDS-SKIS/dp/B01BMKM7PM/ref=psdc_303955031_t1_B07HZ3NWYP
 MINI - Thule roofbars - PeterS
>> What about this sort of thing? Seem to be plenty variants on the market.
>> www.amazon.co.uk/BOARD-RACK-SNOW-BOARDS-SKIS/dp/B01BMKM7PM/ref=psdc_303955031_t1_B07HZ3NWYP
>>
>>

That looks like an interesting approach, thanks! Will investigate :)
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