Cycle Rack - VW Roof Bars or Thule aftermarket?

[monsta]

Official VW Roof rack in place;





Gonna test out the cycle carrier over the weekend.

[monsta]

Got the cycle carrier on there and tested out putting my bike on it, very happy with it 

[M1EWK]

Just picked up a brand new set of official VW bars from the dealers for my mk7 GTD. Tried fitting them tonight ready for taking the bikes away over Easter. Fitted the front bar fine. Came to fit the remaining bar to the back only to find the box contained 2 front bars rather than a front and a rear. So much for biking this weekend unless the dealer can get another set tomorrow .... :

[Gnasher]

Just picked up a brand new set of official VW bars from the dealers for my mk7 GTD. Tried fitting them tonight ready for taking the bikes away over Easter. Fitted the front bar fine. Came to fit the remaining bar to the back only to find the box contained 2 front bars rather than a front and a rear. So much for biking this weekend unless the dealer can get another set tomorrow .... :

or they have given you a 5 door version which (I think) fixes the rear bar in a similair way to the front.

[monsta]

Yeah sounds like a 5 door set to me, but still a big cock up on your dealer's front!   

[M1EWK]

Sorted eventually. The 3 door and 5 door rack kits seem to be the same apart from if you have 3 doors you get a plastic card to help lever the rear bar bracket under the window rubber. The front bars gave a raised peg which locates in a hole above the front door but the rear bar doesn't. In my kit there were actually 2 front bars which wasn't really the dealers fault. Anyway they got a replacement kit next day which was fine... Fortunately 

[monsta]

Glad you got it sorted, that rear one is a bit of a pain the first time you do it. I found subsequent times much easier though 

Great that they put little arrows on the glass to show you where it should fit 

[mcmaddy]

Is the general consensus to go Mont Blanc route or stick with official VW roof bars? Does the roof bars screw into the hole thats in the door opening at the top?

[monsta]

Is the general consensus to go Mont Blanc route or stick with official VW roof bars? Does the roof bars screw into the hole thats in the door opening at the top?

Very happy with my VW ones, not sure if the Mont Blancs are cheaper? 

The fronts have a little metal thing that goes into a hole in the inside top edge of the front door frames then you tighten the clamps and it pulls down onto the car.  The rear (3 door) sticks in between the rear window and the roof, a little awkward the first time you do it (the recommend lubricating it with soapy water) but subsequent times it's quite easy.

[mcmaddy]

Has anyone tried the Whispbar roof bars? About 50 quid cheaper than vw but looks much the same fixings. I can't find any genuine vw ones at a sensible price. Dealer wouldn't do any discount at all!