Got a yaris, 8 years old, with manufactures own roof rack, its as old as the car and is solid. But Thule weren't making stuff for my car all those years ago so if I had to do it all again I'd go for a thule...saying that I'll be doing it all again with a new car in a couple of years and its a citroen dispatch for me...diesel..no windows on the side or back...secure all round and does about 50 - 60 to gallon...which suits me fine as the yaris does 54 to gallon.
I was a long time user of an old Thule boot rack - never had any problems with it till I started to update my old-fangled skinny steel tubed bikes to modern chunky tubed bikes (which it doesnt fit). So I bought a new boot rack from Hulfuds (sic) and on my first run up from the big smoke to Thetford, got out at the end to find my rack and bikes had slackened off and were hanging on by a wish and a prayer. I will never use it again. Currently looking at a Thule 591 roof system, but worried the chunky square tubes on my '07 Marin Attack Trail will escape sideways.... Advice welcome...
I've had three towbars fitted to various things by a local mobile fitter chap, about £120 each (one of them was on an Ibiza).
I got one for the camper for £85 off ebay and fitted it myself, which was straightforward once I'd shifted the bolts underneath the van that hadn't been moved for about 14 years
Arry, try the Pendle SO rack m8. I ordered mine on friday afternoon and it arrived Monday - credit where its due - nj roofrack.com
They say you need the window attachments but I found it more secure attaching the side straps as you would for a saloon. Instructions aren't up to much, that'd be my only criticism cos the bike and rack stay securely in place and hold it high enough to not obscure the lights much.
I have the pendle and it's pretty good for 1 bike but waves around a bit with any more as I have to secure the bottom straps under the car and around the plastic bumper so there is some give (it's probably perfectly secure but had the effect of making me drive looking 50%forward and 50% backward). Finally sorted that by buying a couple of those glass carrying handles with the suckers on the end and a couple of extra straps - looks strange but is a serious contribution to road safety.
I've had a pendle strap on rack for about 3 years, I have had up to three bikes on it doing a bit more than the limit up and down the M6 followed by mile after mile of twisting B roads with no issues, sure your fuel consumption increases but not as much as whacking the bikes on the roof rack although the roof rack is 100% secure and harder to nick from given the height of my x trail roof.
