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Factory sedan roof rack base bars experiences/reviews?

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Old Jun 26, 2012 | 11:03 PM
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'01 A6 2.7TQM
Factory sedan roof rack base bars experiences/reviews?
In reading the '12 E-class manual, it looks like there are cool little doorflaps on the sedan covering some sort of mounting point for the factory roof rack base bars. This makes me think the factory rack would NOT interfere with the door seals (unlike my Audi rack and most aftermarket racks I've seen for sedans). This would actually be a HUGE selling point for me! Can anyone who's got or tried that system please comment?

TIA,
Richard
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Old Jun 27, 2012 | 01:35 AM
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w212 E550
i don't have roof rack but here is what i pulled out from mb's site under accessories. you can see better pics from there. hope this will help:

http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/access...No:A2128900393
http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/access...rtNo:B66851703
http://www.mbusa.com/mercedes/access...No:A0008900293
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Old Jun 27, 2012 | 01:31 PM
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Originally Posted by BM2BZ
i don't have roof rack but here is what i pulled out from mb's site under accessories. you can see better pics from there. hope this will help:
Thanks - I'd seen those and they sure *look* like they're not interfering with the door seals. I'm hoping someone who has them can chime in with a "they're great!" or "no, they stink!" also.

Thanks again!
Richard
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Old Jun 27, 2012 | 01:45 PM
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I have the racks for my 2011 e550 4m and they're great.......they go on with ease and even look great.......and plus I'm so sick of all the 'thule' ones you see, LOL....

OEM!!!

I'll try to dig up my pictures of them if you want to see 'em...
I have not gotten any containers (cans) yet though.......
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Old Jun 27, 2012 | 02:00 PM
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'01 A6 2.7TQM
Originally Posted by hyperion667
I have the racks for my 2011 e550 4m and they're great.......they go on with ease and even look great.......and plus I'm so sick of all the 'thule' ones you see, LOL....

OEM!!!

I'll try to dig up my pictures of them if you want to see 'em...
I have not gotten any containers (cans) yet though.......
Thanks a million! I'd love close-ups of the attachment points on both the car and rack... Can you confirm that the doors don't need to be opened to install the racks' base bars? (I tried and failed to find an online PDF of the rack mounting instructions.) I assume there's still a rubber "foot" which sits against the painted roof? (I've always put a generous coat of wax on before mounting the base bars, but was considering some clear-bra material there instead...)

(My Audi racks' base bars' towers have the rubber foot and a metal "tongue" which clamps the foot to the car frame then the rubber door seal distorts a few mm around the foot when you close the door. That works great staticly but sucks at high speed - especially with a crosswind at which time the door seal separates enough for *VICIOUS* wind noise.)

Thanks again,
Richard
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Old Jun 27, 2012 | 02:07 PM
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LOL, been searching for pix ever since my last post.......
to no avail!!!

good reason to go take some recent ones
got a new lense too (70-300mm)

no worries mate


If I recall correctly, they don't actually make contact with the body of the car, and kind of float
over the roof, and there isn't any interference with the doors....
pictures will tell all....
Last edited by hyperion667; Jun 27, 2012 at 02:09 PM.
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Old Jun 27, 2012 | 02:30 PM
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well, this things turns to tighten......you can see the red circle too, which tells you where to put the ******....



these yellow circles are where the thing slides into the little door ******* on top that flip open....

hope this helps a little.....I'll get some more this afternoon ON the car if you want.....
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Old Jun 27, 2012 | 03:07 PM
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Originally Posted by hyperion667
these yellow circles are where the thing slides into the little door ******* on top that flip open....

hope this helps a little.....I'll get some more this afternoon ON the car if you want.....
That's amazingly cool (and VERY nice photos BTW) - yes, I would LOVE pics of them mounted! I can't believe MB doesn't make more hay about this - for those of us who mount racks, that looks like an AMAZING system! This seriously looks like it would take 5 minutes or so TOPS to put the bars on????? and you say they don't contact the painted surface of the car?

I'm a little embarassed by how awesome I think that is

Richard
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Old Jun 27, 2012 | 03:19 PM
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I will admit they're not bad........
will get some pix on the car this evening as it's covered and hot out too, hehe.....
another nice thing is they have these outer housing deals that hide the inside from the world...complete with a key........




stay cool crew!
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Old Jun 27, 2012 | 03:23 PM
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Originally Posted by hyperion667
another nice thing is they have these outer housing deals that hide the inside from the world...complete with a key........
Sweet! That part looks like my Audi ones - and they take standard Thule lock cylinders which meant I could key them and the ones on my wife's truck alike! I could live without that - though it's a nice perk

Thanks again!
Richard
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Old Jun 27, 2012 | 04:08 PM
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wonder is anyone else has these?
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Old Jun 27, 2012 | 04:38 PM
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Originally Posted by rlsolomon
Sweet! That part looks like my Audi ones - and they take standard Thule lock cylinders which meant I could key them and the ones on my wife's truck alike! I could live without that - though it's a nice perk

Thanks again!
Richard
just in case you want to order from dealer, make sure you check this out first. it has some pics there, too. oem but cheaper:

http://www.parts.com/accessories/ind...083&startrow=1
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Old Jun 27, 2012 | 08:21 PM
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wow, forgot how well these work.....leave it to the German's to find the best way to haul artillery

you can see the nub entering the nub spot.....


and this is how it sits inside....before you tighten the screw thing....
(please excuse technical terms)


this is a view from the rear so you can see it does not meet the roof, as it floats...


this is the front bar view, still not touching...





this is with the cover things on........so you can see there is still clearance Clarence



hope this helps.....

takes about 10 minutes to put them on when you have the system down......
and that's taking my time........
very sturdy too....
total weight allowance is 220 lbs, I think, sure someone will correct me if they read this and I'm wrong.....
and that's including the bars....
Last edited by hyperion667; Jun 27, 2012 at 08:24 PM.
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Old Jun 27, 2012 | 10:35 PM
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Originally Posted by hyperion667
wow, forgot how well these work.....leave it to the German's to find the best way to haul artillery
hope this helps.....

takes about 10 minutes to put them on when you have the system down......
and that's taking my time........
Wow, that's sofa king awesome!!!!! I'm in awe - never even thought they would be totally contactless (at least w/painted surfaces)!!!! Your photos are awesome too - that's exactly what I wanted to see. (I'll probably still spend hours trying to figure out how it works, but that's 'cuz I'm a geek - pix make it clear the system is a HUGE plus in the Benz column of my comparison!)

Thanks again!
Richard
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