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Roof Cross Bar Recommendations

1K views 5 replies 4 participants last post by  amc49 
#1 ·
Hey Folks,

I've been looking here and there online for a few weeks now trying to find a set of cross bars for a 2011 Versa sedan and haven't been able to find anything under $100 that gets good reviews (I know, shocker). Anyway, that being the case, I was hoping that some of you may have had experience with sets of affordable universal cross bars that actually worked. Any information helps, thanks!

P.S. I'm going with cheap ones because they're being used for a single cross country trip and will likely see litter service after that, so I'm not interested in spending the money on nice ones.
 
#2 ·
So said the guy who cheaped out to have the crap bars break and drop something onto highway to cause a 20 car pileup and then he gets sued to affect the rest of his life.

Part of the cost covers liability issues that most cheap thinkers do not consider at all until they are staring them in the face after the fact.

Depending on what is being carried there, there is a certain amount of fastening security needed that will be the same for one trip or 30. Of course the short thinker misses that and why others have to make him pay when his shortsightedness then screws up other peoples' lives.

Not saying OP is one of those at all but at the same time I see no consideration whatsoever for it either, and how one 'gets there'.

Take a tip from one who has made considerable cash from being on the other end of short thinking like that.
 
#4 ·
Hey guys,

Thanks for the replies! I think what amc49 has said has helped me arrive at a much better way to phrase my question: Do any of these low cost rack systems actually work, are they safe, and are they just a waste of time? I'd love to invest in a Yakima or Thule system, but I unfortunately don't have the money for something like that at the moment and I haven't had any luck finding a used system that fits my particular vehicle. An additional note that I forgot to mention in the original post is that this is going to be used for a small cargo box with some clothing in it, nothing too heavy. It's starting to look like I may just ditch the whole rooftop box idea at this point since I am yet to find a solution that works for my budget.

Thanks again for the response! I appreciate the input
 
#6 ·
The devil is as always in the details. I have a rack on top of my Focus that at first looked fine until I realized the OEM used plastic screws to lock it down at the adjustments. When time and sun on them the screws all broke to let the crosspieces flop around loose. I had to rescrew using metal parts instead and rig handles for the clamps when the plastic broke on those too. Now everything that is there is rock solid but it serves to show that even top dollar setups can be quite crappy in the implementation of them.

I for one do not care for any rooftop rack that clamps to the top of car at the gutters, too easy to come loose, and if they use plastic parts at the tightening points beware, the plastic can break even if new. I for one will not use any rack that is not positively screwed down to the top of the car. The clamp type MIGHT work but I would have to see the attaching parts up close before I would spring for one.
 
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