MB, Thule or Yakima rach for my E500S4?
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Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 44
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2008 C300 Sport 4matic
MB, Thule or Yakima rach for my E500S4?
just leased an E500S4. It looks great in platinum blue with ash. I need a rack for skis, bicycles, kayak, etc. which attaches to the factory rails. I had a Yakima on my old 300D, and the large round tubes made quite a lot of noise at highway speed. I would like to get a ski box and paint it to match the car, so I would be interested in a used one. Yakima is much cheaper than MB(no suprise) Any advice and or suggestions?
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Joined: Jun 2002
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From: Las Vegas, NV USA / London, UK
GL320CDI / C63 Edition 507 Coupe (EDP) / E63 S (on order) / G500 / Smart Brabus
Originally Posted by SCHUTZEE
just leased an E500S4. It looks great in platinum blue with ash. I need a rack for skis, bicycles, kayak, etc. which attaches to the factory rails. I had a Yakima on my old 300D, and the large round tubes made quite a lot of noise at highway speed. I would like to get a ski box and paint it to match the car, so I would be interested in a used one. Yakima is much cheaper than MB(no suprise) Any advice and or suggestions?
-s-
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 693
Likes: 1
From: Mansfield, TX
11 ML350W2 / 17 GLC300
I have the Thule solution for my W210 wagon. It isn't cheap and it does make some noise. I already had the cross bar and bike carriers so replacing the old towers with the new attachments that connect to the rails wasn't quite so bad.
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Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 216
Likes: 1
From: Albuquerque
2003 E320
At least for 211s, the OEM Mercedes racks are made by Oris. They only sell through new car dealers. Their website is:
http://www.oris-gmbh.de/
I have the OEM Oris rack for may 2003 E320 sedan and it is great. I like it mainly because the rack does not touch the paint. It mounts using screws to the four mounting places on the roof of the car which leave the rack being held above the top of the car. I have never seen any other rack like it.
I got mine on E-bay for $100 (sometimes you are lucky!). At the time I got it, I was trying to find an adapter for the Thule racks that I already have but could not find any. After I saw how the OEM rack mounted to the car, I would not even consider anything other than the OEM rack. In this case, I truly believe it is worth the big MB bucks.
I have also heard that Thule ski racks, bike racks, etc would bolt on the Mercedes basic OEM rack. In the case of the 211 OEM racks, that just is not true. MB parts only.
http://www.oris-gmbh.de/
I have the OEM Oris rack for may 2003 E320 sedan and it is great. I like it mainly because the rack does not touch the paint. It mounts using screws to the four mounting places on the roof of the car which leave the rack being held above the top of the car. I have never seen any other rack like it.
I got mine on E-bay for $100 (sometimes you are lucky!). At the time I got it, I was trying to find an adapter for the Thule racks that I already have but could not find any. After I saw how the OEM rack mounted to the car, I would not even consider anything other than the OEM rack. In this case, I truly believe it is worth the big MB bucks.
I have also heard that Thule ski racks, bike racks, etc would bolt on the Mercedes basic OEM rack. In the case of the 211 OEM racks, that just is not true. MB parts only.
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MBWorld Fanatic!
Joined: Jun 2002
Posts: 3,559
Likes: 4
From: Las Vegas, NV USA / London, UK
GL320CDI / C63 Edition 507 Coupe (EDP) / E63 S (on order) / G500 / Smart Brabus
Originally Posted by pfphipps
At least for 211s, the OEM Mercedes racks are made by Oris. They only sell through new car dealers. Their website is:
http://www.oris-gmbh.de/
I have the OEM Oris rack for may 2003 E320 sedan and it is great. I like it mainly because the rack does not touch the paint. It mounts using screws to the four mounting places on the roof of the car which leave the rack being held above the top of the car. I have never seen any other rack like it.
I got mine on E-bay for $100 (sometimes you are lucky!). At the time I got it, I was trying to find an adapter for the Thule racks that I already have but could not find any. After I saw how the OEM rack mounted to the car, I would not even consider anything other than the OEM rack. In this case, I truly believe it is worth the big MB bucks.
I have also heard that Thule ski racks, bike racks, etc would bolt on the Mercedes basic OEM rack. In the case of the 211 OEM racks, that just is not true. MB parts only.
http://www.oris-gmbh.de/
I have the OEM Oris rack for may 2003 E320 sedan and it is great. I like it mainly because the rack does not touch the paint. It mounts using screws to the four mounting places on the roof of the car which leave the rack being held above the top of the car. I have never seen any other rack like it.
I got mine on E-bay for $100 (sometimes you are lucky!). At the time I got it, I was trying to find an adapter for the Thule racks that I already have but could not find any. After I saw how the OEM rack mounted to the car, I would not even consider anything other than the OEM rack. In this case, I truly believe it is worth the big MB bucks.
I have also heard that Thule ski racks, bike racks, etc would bolt on the Mercedes basic OEM rack. In the case of the 211 OEM racks, that just is not true. MB parts only.
-s-
Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 216
Likes: 1
From: Albuquerque
2003 E320
The bar itself is different on the wagon but all of the things that attach to bar are the same. It seems the bar should be simplier for the wagon but it costs more. The bar's attachment to the sedan, which I like a lot, is different for the wagon but in general, everything seems to have been done right. Just costs too much.
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 693
Likes: 1
From: Mansfield, TX
11 ML350W2 / 17 GLC300
The Thule load bar is a 50 inch bar that is universal among all vehicles. The feet or towers are what is different. The sedan towers screw into the sockets under the little flaps in the roof. The feet for the wagon wrap around the wagon load rails. The #450 feet work for both 210 and 211 wagons.
Since the OEM crossbars come with the wagon, it would have made more sence to me to have the attachments fit the oval crossbars. But that is just me. I suppose that there would not have been enough demand to make those special fittings and of course we are talking cost versus profit.
Since the OEM crossbars come with the wagon, it would have made more sence to me to have the attachments fit the oval crossbars. But that is just me. I suppose that there would not have been enough demand to make those special fittings and of course we are talking cost versus profit.
Thread Starter
Junior Member
Joined: Mar 2005
Posts: 44
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2008 C300 Sport 4matic
My wagon came with the rails only, no crossbars. I would like to get the OEM crossbars and use a Thule or Yakima box. Can I get the crossbars at a discount online or only at the dealer? Thanks
Member
Joined: Nov 2001
Posts: 216
Likes: 1
From: Albuquerque
2003 E320
The only place I know to get the OEM crossbars is from the dealer but some dealers will discount them. As I said, I found some for the sedan on Ebay but I suspect the chances of finding them for a wagon are slim. As far as using the Thule or Yakima accessories on them, they will not just go directly on the MB crossbar. You might be able to adapt them but they are not a direct fit.
Super Member
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 693
Likes: 1
From: Mansfield, TX
11 ML350W2 / 17 GLC300
The Thule bar is rectangular while the OEM bar is oval. This wouldn't be too much of a problem except the oval bar is wider than the Thule. I thought of modifying the bike attachment but it would have meant cutting slots or drilling holes in the OEM bar because the distance between the bolts on the Thule attachments are closer together than the width of the oval bar. I would assume you would have the same problem with Yakima mounts.
