Halfords thinks i need 3 bars across because there are no fixing (Thule wanted specificly) but i think the guy was clueless! anyone put roof racks on an 08 3dr yet?
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I had a 3 door 2000 SDI which I used to transport a kayak on the roof with.
I bought a set of roof bars but after breaking the first two clips that hold the plastic roof channel in place, I didn't want to pull it any further back. PLUS, looking at how the feet just expand into a parallel sided channel, I had no confidence that the kayak would arrive with me at my destination so went for Plan B.
Plan B was to get an inflatable airbed (just over a fiver from Tesco) and unscrew the aerial, (no effect to reception?) pop it on the roof inflated, pop the kayak on top of it and then fix it down with two ratchet straps. One going through both open doors and the other passing beneath the two hinges on the tailgate.
It gets some 'looks' admittedly, but it does the job!
I collected one kayak back from Oxford to Bromsgrove and then another back from Great Yarmouth both without a snag.
I will give you one tip...
Give the strap on the front a twist between the kayak and the door aperture. If you don't, you will experience the vibration from HELL! (the noise also causes more 'looks', kids to point and dogs to run away)
If, like me, as a kid you stretched an elastic band between the brake levers of your bike to get the vibration hum as you cycle along, you'll know the sort of sound I'm on about.
Now, back then it was just a bit of fun. When you have two lengths of ratchet strap pulled tight at 50mph it feels and sounds like someone has held the handle of a pneumatic drill on your head!
