Anyone confirm overall height with VW bars and largest Thule

ChrisL · Post by **ChrisL** » Mon Mar 28, 2011 9:13 pm

Anyone confirm the overall height with VW city crash tested roof bars and the largest VW Thule box attached ?

I have a multi storey car park height clearance of 1.88m to clear !

Crossbone · Post by **Crossbone** » Tue Mar 29, 2011 10:10 pm

Kind of close. Car is 1.40, bars let's say 0.05-0.10 and the box around 0.3-0.35. So around 1,85m, but that's with the smallest and not the largest box attached.
Do you have the Thule bars? I think you're the first one around here...pictures would be appreciated.

ChrisL · Post by **ChrisL** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:19 pm

Photo journal of fitting a set of VW city roof bars and the largest Thule box.

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ChrisL · Post by **ChrisL** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:28 pm

Photo journal continues ...

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ChrisL · Post by **ChrisL** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:34 pm

Photo journal continues ...

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ChrisL · Post by **ChrisL** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:39 pm

Final clearance height 1.95 metres. Max load 50 kg. Fiddly job, took an hour first time. Probably 15 minutes next time.

ChrisL · Post by **ChrisL** » Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:41 pm

The box fit inside through the boot with the passenger seat down. Handy for multi-storeys.

ChrisL · Post by **ChrisL** » Sun Apr 24, 2011 5:42 pm

The assembly at first casued less noise whilst driving than I first thought. However after taking the top box off, a piece of plastic trip fell off the underside of the front bar. This is caused by the top box clamps dislodging it. Luckily I spotted the trim piece to show the dealer but there is a lot more air noise from it now.

No dealer or VW central have been so far able to clarify if any dealer can sort out waranty claims for accessories or whether it has to be the one the accessory was orginally bought from.

Crossbone · Post by **Crossbone** » Mon Apr 25, 2011 11:40 pm

How did it affect the mpg?

ChrisL · Post by **ChrisL** » Thu Apr 28, 2011 9:05 pm

Yup, at least 10 mpg less with the box on. I don't hang around so I dare say it could be less with lower speeds.

drpeej · Post by **drpeej** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 7:25 pm

Interested to see your pics. Very useful as I am about to sign on the dotted line for a new Scirocco and was concerned about how the bars would fit as the roof bars on the Golf in my local dealership fit quite differently.

Also interested to see that yours is Viper Green as that is what I am considering. My wife loves the colour but I am a little conservative but was wondering whether it was just too much of a statement for me! It certainly looks very pretty in the showroom.

Peter

ChrisL · Post by **ChrisL** » Mon Aug 08, 2011 9:18 pm

Not for one second have I regretted Viper Green. Are there really other colours ?

drpeej · Post by **drpeej** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 5:25 pm

I have now got the car and roofbars.

However I am really struggling getting the little plastic strip thingy under the rubber trim. If I do manage to persuade it to go in it just bends when I try to prise the rubber strip back.

Is there a trick I am missing?

Peter

Shorum · Post by **Shorum** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 7:42 pm

I start at the corner and slide it along

drpeej · Post by **drpeej** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:06 pm

Do you lubricate it? I tried sliding it along but it keeps sticking.

Shorum · Post by **Shorum** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:22 pm

No, I don't have this issue. I take it the card is clean from any possible residue?

drpeej · Post by **drpeej** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 9:27 pm

I have discovered that my B&Q Diamond card works better (its stiffer). I will probably try lubricating it with a little car wax.

Shorum · Post by **Shorum** » Thu Aug 18, 2011 10:22 pm

Make sure the rubber seal isn't folding in, so that the card is only touching the inside.

drpeej · Post by **drpeej** » Fri Aug 19, 2011 8:16 pm

Managed to get the bars on OK. The car wax idea worked a treat.

Can someone tell me how the torque wrench is supposed to work. I was really worried about overtightening. Nothing seemed to click or move on the wrench as I expected.

Other problem is that my Thule 591 bike carrier doesnt fix to it as the brackets dont open wide enough. The bars are much thicker than the Thule ones on my previous car. I suspect there might be an adapter of some sort. has anyone else come across this?

Peter

ChrisL · Post by **ChrisL** » Sun Aug 21, 2011 8:46 pm

Torque wrench has no click, just line up the arrows on the shaft. Do it in two stages.

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