Roof bars for the born?

[pandamoanium]

Hi all,

Has anybody bought or investigated roof bars for the born? The dealer is trying to find out prices for me and the hartal search online brings up various options.
I just want to make sure before I make a purchase as they will be needed for our camping trips.
I think it was confirmed the born can not be fitted with a tow bar?

Thanks

 

[RobM]

Did you ever get an answer to this? I’m thinking ahead as well so I’d appreciate any info you have.

 

[Syphon]

@SEAT Motor Parts any ideas?

 

[Deleted member 123864]

According to the Facebook group, roof bars can not be fitted to the Born

 

[pandamoanium]

Hi,
Apologies for the late response and this long reply. I asked a few dealers before my purchase about roof bars and had varied responses.
I did my some research asking dealers, chatting to other owners and also looked on the VW ID3 forums to see what other users had done so far. The Cupra Born was built off the same VW ID3 chassis I was told and so I was told allot of the same parts can be used on both cars.
My own dealer confirmed roof bars should not be installed, when I asked why his answer basically said due to how it affects the range of the car and not an actual issue with having them installed on the car.
I have watched a few videos of ID3 owners using roof bars and one guy with a Born using roof bars which seemed fine. They do not seem to have issues other than it affecting the range of the car as suggested and it would make sense to me.
I plan to use roof bars & roof box for our camping trips which we do roughly 3 times a year and I will be able to provide feedback then. Unfortunately this feedback will only be in 2023 as it is already too cold for my family to go camping this year. If I do test it beforehand I will let you know. I do not plan to drive super fast and do not plan to load the roof box with heavy items so I do not see any issues having a roof bar & box on my car. I understand it will affect the range and am happy to accept the consequences.

Here is a company which offers roof bars and I have seen a few ID3 owners with these installed.
Roof Bars from DriveDen

 

[pandamoanium]

Just seen an option for a tow bar, see link below. It is not cheap, but might be an option for some people and looks good I think.

Tow bar option

 

[SRGTD]

Just seen an option for a tow bar, see link below. It is not cheap, but might be an option for some people and looks good I think.

Tow bar option

The tow bar at the link you’ve posted is more akin to a carrier for cycles and similar items rather than a traditional tow bar for towing trailers / caravans.

Its worth noting the Cupra Born doesn’t have a rating for towing a trailer or caravan, so fitting a conventional tow bar (if indeed it‘s possible) with the intention of towing a trailer or caravan would invalidate in the car owner’s insurance. The article below does confirm it’s possible to fit a towball mounted cycle carrier.

https://etowbars.com/uk/Can-the-Cupra-Born-EV-tow-towing-capacity-need-a-Born-towbar

 

[Electricmike]

The electronic manual says: "For technical reasons, the vehicle body is not designed for attaching a roof rack. The vehicle is not approved for the use of a roof rack. The use of a roof rack, or retrofitting the vehicle with a roof rack, is not allowed."

With a further warning: "Accidents and injuries can occur if a roof rack is installed on a vehicle that is not approved for the use of roof racks.
●Never install a roof rack on the vehicle.
●If despite this you fit a roof rack, it could come loose during the journey and fall from the vehicle's roof."

So I suspect it is possible but I'm not sure how your insurance company would view it.

The above is only about the roof rack but I think there are similar comments about not towing with a Born.

Mike

 

[SRGTD]

The electronic manual says: "For technical reasons, the vehicle body is not designed for attaching a roof rack. The vehicle is not approved for the use of a roof rack. The use of a roof rack, or retrofitting the vehicle with a roof rack, is not allowed."

With a further warning: "Accidents and injuries can occur if a roof rack is installed on a vehicle that is not approved for the use of roof racks.
●Never install a roof rack on the vehicle.
●If despite this you fit a roof rack, it could come loose during the journey and fall from the vehicle's roof."

So I suspect it is possible but I'm not sure how your insurance company would view it.

The above is only about the roof rack but I think there are similar comments about not towing with a Born.

Mike

If the vehicle hasn’t been type approved to be used with a roof rack and the manufacturer has also explicitly stated a roof rack should not be installed, an owner ignoring that instruction would very likely invalidate their insurance policy which would mean technically, they’d be driving uninsured. That could be very costly;

• driving uninsured is a criminal offence, resulting in a conviction and a criminal record.
• a criminal conviction would need to be declared when applying for motor insurance in future, and that could affect a person’s ability to get cover at an affordable price - or to get cover at all.
• if an insurer has paid compensation for injuries to others and / or damage to their property caused by a driver with an invalidated policy, the insurance company has a legal right against the driver to pursue recovery of the monies paid out as compensation. Considering the large size of some personal injury compensation payments, that could prove to be very costly for the offending driver.

IMHO I think that for anyone wanting to use roof bars, a roof rack or any other roof mounted carrying device(s), then they probably need to consider an alternative car to the Born.

 

[DanGCupra]

Hi all,

Has anybody bought or investigated roof bars for the born? The dealer is trying to find out prices for me and the hartal search online brings up various options.
I just want to make sure before I make a purchase as they will be needed for our camping trips.
I think it was confirmed the born can not be fitted with a tow bar?

Thanks

 

[DanGCupra]

Here’s the official Cupra Born manual exert. The Born is not suitable for Roof Bars or a Roof Rack.

 

[wimbledobs]

I must admit I didn't do my homework before I put my order in for my Born and was disappointed when I learnt that roof bars were not allowed.

The other day when I was washing my Born I noticed that there are a pair of female threaded fitments in the door opening of each door, which look very much like the roof bar mounting points I've had on previous hatchbacks and are in the right positions to be roof bar mounting points.

Why on Earth would they design these in and produce the body shell with them if they weren't intended for mounting roof bars?

 

[DanGCupra]

I must admit I didn't do my homework before I put my order in for my Born and was disappointed when I learnt that roof bars were not allowed.

The other day when I was washing my Born I noticed that there are a pair of female threaded fitments in the door opening of each door, which look very much like the roof bar mounting points I've had on previous hatchbacks and are in the right positions to be roof bar mounting points.

Why on Earth would they design these in and produce the body shell with them if they weren't intended for mounting roof bars?

The factory have advised me that the car wasn’t designed for a roof rack for aerodynamic / range purposes. The roof mounting holes you mention will be generic and caused by a similar manufacturing process to other CUPRA models.
They are planning to have a bike rack produced for the rear bumper if that helps?