mrBillFL

want a bike rack, mby a roof rack, and always used receiver hitches in the past.

not planing on towing, but I do have yard trl, and a laser sailboat. (400# max).

any recommendations ?

I know I could do a soft bike trunk rack.... that would be last resort. IMHO. -easy to scratch paint.

hidden hitches? anyone?

-its the hybrid, btw.

Xpcgamer

I would stay away from roof racks. 1st I don't think there are any fit kits for this car yet, and 2nd It would suck to take the rack on and off. The feet also tend to mess up the paint under them after some time. The trunk mounts are easier to take on and off and IMHO won't do anything to the paint. Drop a towel under the rubber mounts for the short trips to the trail. On the trailer hitch I would just stay away from that. Especially with the Hybrid. Get a cheap Pathy for that.
Good luck BTW and keep us posted on what ever you decide.

mylesg

I would suggest getting a Thule platform. Simple to use, and sturdy enought to hold your bikes.

mrBillFL

yes, thule and/or yakima, if I go with roof racks. would prefer not to.

a hidden hitch would be ideal, w/ a bike rack / cargo tray large enough for a cooler.

guess this model is just too new... had this problem w/ the 03 expedition.

bmayjr

I have the same problem, but only want to carry one bike, nothing else. Much prefer hitch mount, but not sure why Lexus and others say that's not good for a hybrid. Don't like roofs and had a trunk mount rack once that scratched the trunk.

mrBillFL

I'm wondering if a es350 hidden hitch will fit?

jackashe

I also have the 300h and I'm wondering about a roof rack to be able to handle bikes and skis. The bike trunk rack won't help me go somewhere with my skis.

K7baixo

I had a receiver test-fitted at UHaul's AZ HQ shop last week. They mentioned they'd have to trim the bumper facia to make it fit but I suggested that most owners wouldn't go for that. They were going to have another one made up. I'm not sure who the manufacturer is but I suspect it's from Curt. I'll call my contact for an update tomorrow.

KRuss3ll

I bought my Thule AeroBlade roof rack system through eTrailer.com. The whole set up came to about 400$, then purchased 2 Bigmouth bike carriers off craigslist for another 160$ = total 560$. You can the bike carriers used pretty easily, but I think it is best to buy a roof rack brand new (at least the footpack) because it is fitted for your vehicle. It sits well on top of the car, and looks good too. Difficult to figure out the measurements at first, but once you get it on the car the first time, you should be able to take it on and off fairly easily..

jackashe

Just to update this thread, I did go to REI and both thule and/ yakima have the ES model in their book, so I bought what was recommended and had REI do the install so I wouldn't mes up my roof.

Then when I drove it, there was a lot of wind noise from the bare bars, but I read online and adding a bungee cord will quiet it. So here's my roof: http://imgur.com/B4IAlAh

Mike728

So, they're a permanent fixture on your roof? Either way, it won't work for us with the panoramic glass top. It probably would if we kept the roof closed, but if it's a permanent install, no way.

txes

Doesn't look permanent to me.

John

Arty101

I was thinking the same.

Mike728

The reason I'm thinking he's leaving it on permanently, is because he said he had someone else install it, so he wouldn't mess up his roof. That, and adding the bungees to reduce wind noise.

mrBillFL

re jackAshe

which brand did you end up with?


-Can you pls post a pic of the rack with the door open?

where does the hook rest? inside the door frame?

and has it rained? notice any drips?

thanks!

----
yakima? q towers?

http://fitlookup.yakima.com/fitlookup.aspx


fairing for wind:
http://techmanual.yakima.com/default...ct_num=8007048

http://fitlookup.yakima.com/GetPhoto.aspx?id=10527

http://fitlookup.yakima.com/GetPhoto.aspx?id=10528

^ same question on the rain.... any drips?