I want to put out a question about roof racks on an 06. First, I am not crazy about the look of Thule or Yakima racks, expecially on an a3. I think the factory one is alright... but I am not sure about the factory attachments for bikes and snowboards. Do they suck?

If you have a rack on your car that looks alright, can you tell me what you did, and/or post a pic?

thanks

mookid

 

To piggy back off of mookid's question anybody have any info on roof racks for 07 with skyview, I dont see any rail type of configuration on my roof so I'm questioning on how a rack might attach itself?

 

Stryker, did you mean with open sky? Anyway, I don't have my car yet, but the whole reason I don't have it is because of the roof rack.

We plan on using the rack lots and I wanted to do it right. I already have a Yakima that I've pulled on and off my Honda and my former Acura Integra....but no matter how hard you try it always scratches the paint somehow... and it's kinda a pain to get off and on. So I wanted a permanent solution, but not overbearing. I looked into getting an 06 on the lot and have them put the roof rails on it. A dealer in Portland said no problem, but when it came down to it they finally admitted that they would have to rip the headliner out, drill holes in the roof, and charge me a ton for labor. I was going to settle for the Yakima or Thule solution when I went to another dealer who would match the price and get me the roof rails from the factory....hence, we ordered a car to be built that way and we should be picking it up soon....Apparently the roof rails are common in Europe, but not in USA. You have to ask, it's not on the website.

But I have seen pictures of roof racks, I think on this site in the members area?, that looked good. Some of them looking a bit too far off the roof though.

I did find out more info since we ordered our car. One, it looks like Audi thought of everything and there are actually slots above the door, when you open it for either the factory rack from the dealer or maybe even a Yakima or Thule adapter. This might make things a little easier. Also, Thule has a nice permanent solution for any car similar to roof rails. They have a permanent strip that you can mount, although it could be tough with Open Sky, I think there is some drilling involved, but it looks slick. Check out Thule.com.

 

Thanks jefferson:
I ride road bikes (Lance Armstrong types) and I had a big ole Tahoe before this A3.
I called my connection at the dealer but haven't heard back from his investigation into this matter.
I really hope I can install something safely other then an ugly hitch?
And that pic of an A3 in the member area with the rack is It a white A3 your talking about with the nice house and scenery in the background? Thank you again.

 

Hey Stryker,

My wife and I do triathlons and stuff. Although I've been more on the Mountain Bike the past couple years than the road bike. But I'm going the opposite way as you. I'm looking at putting the bikes on some sort of hitch mount and kayaks and rocket box carriers on the roof. Seems like whenever we drive a long distance with the bikes on the roof they take a toll with wind and bug juice! Seriously, we went up to crater lake this summer and there was a good quarter inch of green bugs on the handle bars and spokes. I seem to replace the handlebar tape more frequently, components get a little dried out up there too.

There is always that off chance you do damage too if you forget they are up there. I did once pull halfway in the garage with one my integras a few years back. Did more damage to the car than the bikes. I've known several friends that have done it at least once, and one guy that did it twice. If you've never had a roof rack, make sure you take precautions with the garage. Put a chair in the middle of the floor when you leave. When you come home it is soooo easy to just drive in if you aren't thinking... but if you see a chair in there you'll stop.

Yes, that guy with the white A3 has a nice pic in front of his house. I think he also has a cool pic in Yosemite also. Or maybe that was another website? I'll post pics of mine when I finally get it next month....

Good luck.

 

Hey, I was just searching the web and found this post from a guy in another forum with nice pics of his roof rack. Looks like he got the factory rails as well...

http://forums.audiworld.com/a3/msgs/70567.phtml

 

You see guys, if I'm not mistaken that car comes with rails already for racks to be installed upon.
Hey jefferson does your A3 come with rails or not ? My open sky has nothing on top. I went to the Yakima distributor yesterday and was told it would be no problem. I just would like to hear it from my dealer, i wish the guy would call me back.

 

Hey Stryker,

Rails are an option. There is no question about that. In Europe they may be standard, but in the USA they are an option.

They are not a very common option and not shown on the Audiusa.com website (or Edmunds for that matter)... I only found out because an A4 wagon had them on, I asked, and a salesman said you had to order them from the factory that way.

Rails are a permanently mounted rack system. They are not removeable. One dealer said they could add it to any car, but it was $1500 to $2000 because the labor was pretty intense, ripping out the headliner, drilling holes on the side of the Open Sky, replacing the headliner, etc... But if you don't have rails, you can always get the removeable Yakima and Thule systems, which hook onto the side of the roof, just behind the doors.

Did I answer your question?

 

and yes.... our car is supposed to have roof rails on it. We are picking it up October 15th or so. We ordered it that way, otherwise we would have bought a car on the lot.

 

Another pic of a rack with a surfboard.

Hard to tell for sure, but this looks like the Audi 'Accessory' rack that is removeable. You can buy this one at the dealer after purchase of the car....


http://www.fourtitude.com/news/uploa...ed_600_026.jpg