Roof Rack for a CLK - Do MB make one and are they easy to pu

[Rochelle]

HI.  As we have to transport some garden furniture from Swindon to Kent we were considering putting a roof rack on our CLK230.
I suppose there is a special MB roofrack?  And also that it can be removed when not required?  But has anyone used one?  Does it affect the car's drving? and Are they expensive?

 

[Andy]

Roof Rack for a CLK

Hi Roch*ll
e,

1. Your vehicle will drive perfectly ok unless that is you've got it stacked as high as the double decker bus.

2.They will be expensive. But as a rule fit like a glove & as strong as the rest of the car.

Although you get a few looks. I have never seen a CLK with a roof rack on.

If its a cabriolet then you no chance. He He,

Regards

Andy @ www.mercedesservicing.com

 

[Anonymous]

Roof Rack for a CLK

Roch*ll
e, I have just got some alustyle MB bars at £208. They are easy to put on with two people but as secuity is an issue you do have to unlock and unscrew the 'feet' to get them off.

The quality is good even though you can get Thule bars at Halford for just over £100.

 

[Rochelle]

Roof Rack for a CLK

Thanks guys,
I've never seen one with a roofrack on either.
Better wear a disguise.
Guess I'll contatc my local dealer then.

Regards
Roch*ll
e

 

[Arnie]

Roof Rack for a CLK

Bear in mind that there is probably also a weight limit of about 70kg for the roof. If fully loaded, the car's centre of gravity will also be higher and you might notice a small effect on cornering (slow down), but nothing major.

 

[Spike]

Roof Rack for a CLK

I have a genuine mercedes one for my 230 CE. Maybe it will fit yours. (I'll have a look at a CLK outside).

Anyway, if it fits, I am in west London and its sitting in my garage so you are welcome to borrow it for a few days.

 

[Spike]

Roof Rack for a CLK

Just had a look and its not good news.

My coupe has some special clips along the roofline which the rack bolts onto. The CLK does not seem to have this.

Perhaps you will have to buy one after all.

(Edited by Spike at 3:23 pm on July 10, 2002)

 

[Rochelle]

Roof Rack for a CLK

Thanks v much Spike & Arnie

 

[fuzzer]

Roof Rack for a CLK

Stop press  ... IKEA  have a sale on roof racks just now . We just got cross bars for our w220 e class est for £15 and i did not leave the 0 from the end of that one. the dealer wants 127 for the same things .... sale ends on the 14th.

 

[fuzzer]

Roof Rack for a CLK

Stop press  ... IKEA  have a sale on roof racks just now . We just got cross bars for our w220 e class est for £15 and i did not leave the 0 from the end of that one. the dealer wants 127 for the same things .... sale ends on the 14th.

 

[Arnie]

Roof Rack for a CLK

There may well be cheaper alternatives available, but I would strongly consider purchasing a genuine MB roof bar, as these will have been designed and tested for the particular car. If the roofbar were to fail, then the damage caused would cost a lot more than the £100 or so saved with buying a 3rd party alternative. It's not worth cutting corners on safety.

 

[simon]

Roof Rack for a CLK

I too would be extremely wary of fitting an Ikea item to my car.
Ernest Sidesman

 

[dave elcome]

Roof Rack for a CLK

Before everyone jumps on the band wagen here, there are  points worth noting.

Ikea don't actually manufacture roof racks, any more than Tesco make corn flakes!! If Ikea are selling roofs racks at £15, then i suspect that these will have been made for them by a reputable company, possibly even Thule, after all, both companies are Scandinavian, the obvious reason why they would sell them at this price, is that they are a loss leader to get you into their stores, and it looks to me as though its working, after all, Fuzzers post is available for all the world to read...........now thats effective advertising!!

Ikea are a massive company, with a reputation to keep, do you really think they would put their name to a crap roof rack, any more than Tesco would put their name on the side of a packet of Corn Flakes that taste like sh*t!!

A classic example of this has to be Halfords own brand roof rack, they don't make them, they just sell them, they leave the making to Thule, and then put Halfords stikers on them, and sell them at lower prices, just like Ikea are doing.

 

[Arnie]

Roof Rack for a CLK

...of course ikea themselves don't make roof racks, and probably neither do MB.

However, it's quite likely that the ikea roofrack will be a kind of one-size fits all type with certain design compromises.

It's a bit like putting halfords alloy wheels on your MB or 3rd party brake discs etc.

They may fit OK, but it's not the same thing.

MB will place much higher spec requirements on the materials and construction, even if it comes from the same manufacturer as the ikea one.

Anyway, everyone is free to make their own choices.

...just that I, personally, would not wish to risk it from the point of view of safety and the possible risk of damaging a nice CLK.

 

[Rochelle]

Roof Rack for a CLK

Ikea rack doesn't really appeal, although their furniture is ok sometimes...
If we get one, it will be an MB for the reasons raised  by Arnie and others.  £204.80 from my dealer.  

 

[dave elcome]

Roof Rack for a CLK

Roch*ll
e.

I don't know were abouts in the country you are, but you might like to visit www.roofracks.co.uk this is the same company as Snowchains LTD, who are situated in Borough Green in Kent, I am very fortunate here, as they are only marginally closer than my nearest Ikea.

These people are complete proffesionals, and will offer any amount of free expert advice in their given field.

I have taken the trouble on your behalf to visit their site, and input the details of your vehicle in the roof bar guide facility, the cost comes out at £120.80!! this is for a Thule system.

Please believe me when i tell you that Thule make the BEST roofs racks that are available, and it is pure fiction on Arnie's behalf when he tells you that Mercedes specifcation will be higher. This is a shame, as the guy has obvious knowledge with regards to motor vehicles, unfortunately on this occasion, he is allowing his opinion to mask fact.

Its worth adding here that this is a bit of a pet subject of mine. I spent 17 years in the motor trade, and i've seen nasty damage caused to vehicles,  by poor fitting, inferior quality roof racks. For the last 13 years i have been a Traffic Police officer in Kent, during that time i have retrieved numerous roof racks from the carriageways, without exception these will de an offering from someone like Paddy Hopkirk, or Auotmaxi, never Halfords, and certainly never Thule  

 

[Guy]

Roof Rack for a CLK

Whatever you decide on, go for quality...

I too have seen the result of a cheapo roof rack when a car in front of me let go its load. I stopped on the HS, and had to restrain the family in question from running across the motorway to collect favourite items of clothing!

 

[Andy]

Roof Rack for a CLK

Hi all,

To add my threepence worth. When MB make a roof rack. There is nothing to touch it. You could strap half a ton to it and it wouldn't move. If you have the money they buy MB everytime. I checked them and they are a cut above the rest. A close second in my humble opinion and very well made indeed is Thule.

MB first, Thule a very close second. But there no way the MB rack will scratch the precious motor.

Regards

Andy @ www.mercedesservcing.com

 

[Anonymous]

Roof Rack for a CLK

The CLK bars have a 100kg limit and you are not going to get bars with feet from another model to fit.

I've got some 3 year old MB genuine C Class bars going cheap if anyone wants them?

 

[Anonymous]

Roof Rack for a CLK

By the way, the quality of the bars is the best i'd seen and I spent some time hunting.

Is it worth saving £100 now to have all sorts of problems and possibly end up buying the genuine artical later anyway?

I certainly don't think so.

Jonathan