318ti Bike Rack

[esense5]

Looking for a used roof top bike rack for my 318ti??

I appreciate any response!

Eric

[J!m]

Be careful what you get/use for a rack.

I've seen some nice dents on a ti roof from a roof rack...

FYI

[salutz]

I bought a Thule roof rack for my '98 318ti. At the time I looked, Yakima did not make the correct adapters (fit kit) for the 318ti. I believe your only other choice is a BMW OEM rack, which I think is made by Thule anyway. I could not find a rear-mount kit of any kind -- I think it would be unsafe anyway, as a rear rack could only grab onto a glass edge, not a metal (body) edge, at the top of the rear window.

The Thule rack and piece part numbers for the 318ti can be found on www.thule.com web site. The Thule rack works very well; you can add many different adapters to mount just about anything to it - bikes, boats, boxes, etc. The fit kit for the 318ti is unique; DO NOT buy a fit kit for a 318i 4-door. The 318ti has little studs underneath the weatherstripping above the doors (L & R) onto which the front fit kit mounts. (Peel it back, you'll see.) If you follow the Thule directions and proper spacings, you will have a high function, reliable rack set up. The Thule rack and subsequent adapters for your various sport toys can be expensive, but the Thule system, as designed for the 318ti, is bombproof, and safe. Safety is key... you don't won't stuff falling off your car. -Scott :)

[Budget M3]

Agree with Scott...go with the Thule. I have a Thule for my ti that I bought while stationed in Europe. The fit is perfect and everything stayed secure even at 100mph speeds with 3 passengers and a rooftop carrier!!! :shock:

[96cali]

Another option would be a dalan trailer hitch (Keith Fogg is selling one BTW for $175) and a hitch mounted rack. The main benefit is no scratching of paint by the roof racks and easier loading of bikes (also leads to fewer dents). The only Thule roof rack I had on a car ended up scratching it under the pads. I'm guessing this is a similar setup for the ti.

[Budget M3]

Yes the Thule pads do sit on the painted area of the roof. Just make sure the pads are clean (I use rubbing alcohol--let them dry first, then use a very light coat of an oil-based wax like zymol on the rubber pads). Make sure the roof is clean, too, and has a fresh coat of wax, and you should have no problems with scratches. There is a higher risk, of course, if you drop your bike on the roof while putting it up there...

It's a matter of personal preference, but I had a rear hitch mounted rack on my Jeep Grand Cherokee. It mounted to the trailer hitch and made putting the bikes on pretty easy. However, it rattled like hell, which I found quite annoying...