ron_e_e

Dear all,

Let me start by saying I have searched through the forums and reviewed pics of and comments on other roof racks which have definitely been helpful. I decided to post some additional info and my thoughts in hopes this would be interesting to others and to get feedback.

I own a 2008 C300 and have recently purchased a Yakima basic rack with round crossbars and a Raptor Aero bike rack (not the factory crossbars). I am not 100% sold on it and I can still return it for a refund for a few weeks.

Overall it seems cool with various options. There are a few drawbacks but I'm not sure if I would be better off with the factory crossbars or not.

Here are my general ideas about the various bike rack options, comments and suggestions are welcome:

1. Hitch mount - for this car from what I have read this option seems expensive if possible at all and personally I think that they are less visually appealing.

2. Trunk mount - there are lots of options here but I have found none that allow the trunk to open without removing the rack, for me this is not an option. If anyone knows of a rack of this type that does not have to be removed (even if only when empty of bikes) then I am interested. Also it seems there are fewer security options here, while one can lock ones bike(s) to the rack the rack doesn't usually have a way to lock to the car. Again, comments?

3. Roof rack - so far this seems to be the best option with the following drawbacks:

- More wind drag involving wind noise especially at high speeds
- Possibly with the other racks it is easier to place/remove bike(s), less lifting but for me this is not a major consideration
- Most difficult to remove from the car completely if desired

For me the advantages of a roof rack outweighed the disadvantages.

I ended up going with the Yakima option (basic rack) due to their Raptor Aero bike rack product easily fitting while also being compatible with factory preinstalled crossbars on another vehicle we own (without having to purchase additional adapters), the idea being the rack(s) could be moved from one car to the other easily. (I checked Thule but with their products this was more expensive, more difficult and on one of the cars we wanted to use these racks on, we would only be able to carry 2 bikes max, really not very desirable considering the price especially of the round bar option, $350+ just for the basic rack - towers & crossbars.)

Pros with the Yakima basic rack system which breaks down to 4 Control Towers, 4 Landing Pads (#11) and 2 48" crossbars:

- They lock to the vehicle (not sure if the factory ones lock or not)
- A fairing is available that will fit them without issue to cut down on wind noise (don't think this is available for the factory rack but not sure how the noise level compares between the two either, the Yakima one is pretty noisy without even with no bikes mounted)
- They can be used with a variety of other products easily to carry other items, accessories, etc.
- They could be moved to another car at some point, at worst case for a similar type of car most likely only the la.nding pads would have to change

Cons:
- wind noise
- the landing pads seem a bit large, the pics of the factory ones seem smaller and might look a bit better but hard to tell from the pics I've seen, the Yakima ones do look overall OK

I would be interested in any opinions on this preferably from those who have used these or similar products.

Particularly, I am curious about noise level of the factory crossbars with and without bikes mounted, also curious about the lockability of the factory bars to the vehicle and ease of use with Yakima bike racks in particular.

I am also interested in any opinions on appearance positive or negative comparing the yakima basic rack to the factory rack.

Also if anyone prefers trunk/hitch mount racks I would be interested as to why.

Thanks in advance

fattysnax

Thanks for starting this thread cuz I'm interested in a solution as well. I installed a Thule trunk mounted bike rack last night and I simply wasn't convinced that it would work; it's going back to the store today. Unless I'm doing it wrong, the little hooks that strap onto the side of the trunk slide around and are never actually secure. I can tighten the straps but that just increases the tension on the metal-on-metal bits that I feel will scratch the paint after prolonged use.

A roof rack solution seems to be the way to go. Can I attach bike/ski mounts from Thule or Yakima on to the factory base rack? These guys are selling the MB rack for $258 which seems like a good deal and a good starting place.
http://www.mercedespartspeople.com/S...+Basic+Carrier

ron_e_e

Yes there are a lot of options out there. The point about the trunk rack is definitely another good one -- higher likelihood of scratches, definitely another possible drawback however I would imagine that there are probably trunk racks out there that would not, just a matter of trying them. Also the trunk racks are less expensive. For me as mentioned the dealkiller on that was I need to have use of my trunk and unloading bikes and dismantling a rack to reach my trunk just isn't an option for me.

I found the factory base rack for a similar price that you mention, the Yakima one I ended up ordering was a bit more but not by much especially as I found it with nearly no shipping cost. Also the Yakima one was returnable while the factory one was not.

While I think it's possible to add bike/ski racks to the factory one there seem to be less options than with the Yakima or at least less tested options as far as I can tell. (A fairing for instance which I am probably now going to order to see if it cuts down the wind noise.)

There have been mentions in forums that the factory rack is actually made by Thule however when I spoke to Thule specifically about the 2008 C300 there was no mention of that although I didn't directly ask that question -- it might be worth calling them and asking.

It would be interesting to hear from anyone that has the factory rack to comment on wind noise and compatibility with various types of items.

Also, when I spoke to Yakima I was told that the factory rack wasn't one they tested and therefore while it might work, they couldn't guarantee it.

If you do get the factory rack I'd be interested in your experience with it.

And also I need to decide if I'm going to keep my yakima rack or not.

Thanks