Topic: Advice on roof bars for saloon (Read 2915 times)

Paul M · « **on:** 07 January 2007, 18:04:11 »

I'm looking for some roof bars to fit my saloon, to carry snowboards on. For the full details see my post in the wanted section here. There are a few on fleabay such as these but hardly any have pictures of the actual ones for sale so I have no idea of the quality or ease of fitting etc. You can buy them as accessories from VX, but as always they seem to work out the average market price and multiply it by 5 then add VAT, so seeing as I'm not yet a millionaire I'll give them a miss (unless a used pair come up).

Anyone got any advice in this department? Also my car has a little groove running along the length of the roof on both sides just above the doors, I take it this is the "gutters" for roof bar mounting they talk about?

TheBoy · « **Reply #1 on:** 07 January 2007, 18:07:57 »

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I'm looking for some roof bars to fit my saloon, to carry snowboards on. For the full details see my post in the wanted section here. There are a few on fleabay such as these but hardly any have pictures of the actual ones for sale so I have no idea of the quality or ease of fitting etc. You can buy them as accessories from VX, but as always they seem to work out the average market price and multiply it by 5 then add VAT, so seeing as I'm not yet a millionaire I'll give them a miss (unless a used pair come up).

Anyone got any advice in this department? Also my car has a little groove running along the length of the roof on both sides just above the doors, I take it this is the "gutters" for roof bar mounting they talk about?

Not something I've checked, but I imagine the genuine ones somehow clip in the black strips on the roof...

JesterRT · « **Reply #2 on:** 07 January 2007, 19:22:22 »

This is something I would be very interested in too.

I've got some roofbars for my saloon, and to be honest, they're crap. I originally bought Paddy Hopkirk when I was due to go on holiday in preparation to pick up a kayak on the way. I got to the hire shop and found that the bolts in the Paddy Hopkirk bars were too short. They work by nipping onto the trim around the window, with a bit of rubber trim around the edge to 'protect' the paint.
I had to buy some bars there and then from a motor accessory store next door (no - they didn't sell bolts - gits). The bars I got were almost identical but with a longer bolt, and cost about 25 quid. They were the same design - a little bent bit of metal which bolted to another, nipping the gutter.

The saloon just doesn't seem to take to roofbars very well at all. I'm a kayaker, and have a mixture of things to carry, including an 18ft sea kayak and the problems seem to be the distance achievable between the bars, the bars touching the roof and the fragility of the window trim. If it's just snowboards you're going to strap up there it'll probably be fine, but anything of any weight or length (roofbox, kayak, timber etc) and I wouldn't trust the gutter style bars at all. I'm also extremely wary of bending and creasing the door trim. I get really nervous with things on the roof of my Omega - more so than any other car I've had.

The Mont Blanc ones look to be the 'nip the gutter' design - and I'd be really interested if Vauxhall have something different that is more secure. I can't understand it - the Vectra of the same age has captive nuts in the body to receive bolts and it's extremely sturdy - but the omega saloon has nothing like it (that I've seen).

Are Mont Blanc and Paddy Hopkirk the same? Not sure - perhaps they are the same company...

Let us know what you go for - and if you do get the chance to see some Vauxhall ones what they're like and how they fit!

Chopsdad · « **Reply #3 on:** 07 January 2007, 22:57:12 »

Lose the snowboard and buy a set of skiis. Then you can use the Ski flap like me. No need for bars

Paul M · « **Reply #4 on:** 07 January 2007, 23:04:46 »

Not when you've got a dual-fuel Omega

Besides, skiing is for middle-aged toffs

HI2DVY · « **Reply #5 on:** 07 January 2007, 23:11:13 »

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I'm looking for some roof bars to fit my saloon, to carry snowboards on. For the full details see my post in the wanted section here. There are a few on fleabay such as these but hardly any have pictures of the actual ones for sale so I have no idea of the quality or ease of fitting etc. You can buy them as accessories from VX, but as always they seem to work out the average market price and multiply it by 5 then add VAT, so seeing as I'm not yet a millionaire I'll give them a miss (unless a used pair come up).

Anyone got any advice in this department? Also my car has a little groove running along the length of the roof on both sides just above the doors, I take it this is the "gutters" for roof bar mounting they talk about?

I have a set from halfrauds which do the job. They seem to be a standard fitting for "gutterless" cars such as the facelift meega. Biggest problem using roof bars on the meega is the curvature of the roof which means that the bars sit at an angle to each other. Not an issue for me cos I use them for bike racks but I use a set which kink in the middle to compensate.

I see you're in Scotland Paul M - I'd be happy to lend them to you for a few days so you could try them out.

Cheers

Dave

Chopsdad · « **Reply #6 on:** 07 January 2007, 23:12:54 »

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Not when you've got a dual-fuel Omega

Besides, skiing is for middle-aged toffs

Who spend less time on their backsides than the boarders we have to ski round ( or over)

Martin_1962 · « **Reply #7 on:** 07 January 2007, 23:58:38 »

Halfords seem OK carried wood or inflatable dingies on mine

stevebubs · « **Reply #8 on:** 08 January 2007, 00:55:50 »

Got a Thule set for mine.

Took 4 bike racks without drama on one occasion, and a roofbox on another.

JasonH · « **Reply #9 on:** 08 January 2007, 08:06:57 »

If you buy a genuine Vx specific set they'll probably only fit an Omega. If you ever change your car then the bars are useless. The problem mulitplies when you start buying attachments for bikes etc.

If you buy a quality set like Thule then there's more chance of adapting them, or at least using the attachments on a new car.

I got burnt on BMW roof bars (1) they only fit specific BMWs (2) they need BMW brand cycle carriers.

JesterRT · « **Reply #10 on:** 08 January 2007, 08:38:47 »

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Biggest problem using roof bars on the meega is the curvature of the roof which means that the bars sit at an angle to each other.

Pipe lagging wrapped in duct tape helps alleviate this

Marks DTM Calib · « **Reply #11 on:** 08 January 2007, 08:41:38 »

The genuine ones are the best fit etc.....try ebay, often appear on there for sub 50 quid.

Phil · « **Reply #12 on:** 08 January 2007, 12:10:41 »

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They seem to be a standard fitting for "gutterless" cars

You mean cars with gutters.

Omega has them Vectra doesnt

I use Paddy Hopkirk folding ones from Halfords.

If you look in the gutter there are a couple of small ridges, this is where the seam is strengthed to take the feet of the rack

Ghosts in my machine · « **Reply #13 on:** 08 January 2007, 12:58:56 »

I don't have bars for the Omega as I find that everything I carry fits through the flap or the seats (including house doors, timber, bikes, copper pipe, concreete posts etc). Which I reckon is pretty damn good for a saloon car.

However, on previous cars I've had several types of bar and I agree with the comment re: Thule bars. As you buy the bars and then a separate fitting kit for your model of car, when you get a new car, you just have to replace the fitting kit. There is a fair chance that they'll fit anyway. My last set went on 3 very different cars no problems.

Paul M · « **Reply #14 on:** 08 January 2007, 20:45:11 »

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Quote
I'm looking for some roof bars to fit my saloon, to carry snowboards on. For the full details see my post in the wanted section here. There are a few on fleabay such as these but hardly any have pictures of the actual ones for sale so I have no idea of the quality or ease of fitting etc. You can buy them as accessories from VX, but as always they seem to work out the average market price and multiply it by 5 then add VAT, so seeing as I'm not yet a millionaire I'll give them a miss (unless a used pair come up).

Anyone got any advice in this department? Also my car has a little groove running along the length of the roof on both sides just above the doors, I take it this is the "gutters" for roof bar mounting they talk about?

I have a set from halfrauds which do the job. They seem to be a standard fitting for "gutterless" cars such as the facelift meega. Biggest problem using roof bars on the meega is the curvature of the roof which means that the bars sit at an angle to each other. Not an issue for me cos I use them for bike racks but I use a set which kink in the middle to compensate.

I see you're in Scotland Paul M - I'd be happy to lend them to you for a few days so you could try them out.

Cheers

Dave

Cheers for the offer Dave, I stay in Edinburgh these days so it'd be pretty easy to pop over one evening

. Where abouts are you? How much do the halfrauds ones cost?

Martin_1962 · « **Reply #15 on:** 08 January 2007, 21:24:43 »

The Halfords ones are about £20 or so, I needed them due to the contents of my boot!

Paul M · « **Reply #16 on:** 08 January 2007, 23:15:49 »

I'm surprised they're that cheap, probs go for a set then if they're secure enough. VX ones are going on £80

The Barge Captain · « **Reply #17 on:** 09 January 2007, 00:12:15 »

My old man has a set of genuine ones for his saloon. I'll have a look at how they fit next time i go over to visit.

Paul M · « **Reply #18 on:** 09 January 2007, 00:50:55 »

Cool cheers that would be awesome. Ask him if he wants to flog 'em too

Jimbob · « **Reply #19 on:** 09 January 2007, 08:10:35 »

Paddy Hopkirk have renamed to Mont Blanc
So lots if interchangable boxes.
Ive an estate so their universal roofbars are fine for me.
I have seen inflatable roof bars for anything! nylon webbing straps go through the doors and join in the middle to hold them on!
just pump up the other bit to carry <100kgs!
Only ever seen em in a camping shop in Keswick though!

Jimbob · « **Reply #20 on:** 13 January 2007, 13:31:17 »

Found em online....

http://www.handirackuk.com/

may be worth a look depending on you needs.

HI2DVY · « **Reply #21 on:** 13 January 2007, 23:09:41 »

Quote

Quote
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I'm looking for some roof bars to fit my saloon, to carry snowboards on. For the full details see my post in the wanted section here. There are a few on fleabay such as these but hardly any have pictures of the actual ones for sale so I have no idea of the quality or ease of fitting etc. You can buy them as accessories from VX, but as always they seem to work out the average market price and multiply it by 5 then add VAT, so seeing as I'm not yet a millionaire I'll give them a miss (unless a used pair come up).

Anyone got any advice in this department? Also my car has a little groove running along the length of the roof on both sides just above the doors, I take it this is the "gutters" for roof bar mounting they talk about?

I have a set from halfrauds which do the job. They seem to be a standard fitting for "gutterless" cars such as the facelift meega. Biggest problem using roof bars on the meega is the curvature of the roof which means that the bars sit at an angle to each other. Not an issue for me cos I use them for bike racks but I use a set which kink in the middle to compensate.

I see you're in Scotland Paul M - I'd be happy to lend them to you for a few days so you could try them out.

Cheers

Dave

Cheers for the offer Dave, I stay in Edinburgh these days so it'd be pretty easy to pop over one evening . Where abouts are you? How much do the halfrauds ones cost?

Hi Mate - sorry for the delayed response - been offline for a few days. I still have the roofbars if you want to try them out. I'm in South Q and in Edinburgh most days. PM me and we'll sort something out.

Dave

Paul M · « **Reply #22 on:** 14 January 2007, 01:01:41 »

Cool cheers, will drop you a PM.

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Author Topic: Advice on roof bars for saloon (Read 2915 times)

Martin_1962

Martin_1962