Roof rack - how attached & which is best
03-12-2006, 08:18 AM
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My Ride: 530d Sport manual Mystic Blue, black Dakota leather, advanced air con, fold/split rear seats, Logic 7, business nav, 6cd, heated F seats
How is a roof rack/roof bar attached to the E60?
Is the full-length trim strip along each side of the roof permanently replaced with a segmented version with removeable parts where the mounting goes?
Anyone gone through the comparison process between BMW, Thule & others?
If so, which did you choose & why?
Is the full-length trim strip along each side of the roof permanently replaced with a segmented version with removeable parts where the mounting goes?
Anyone gone through the comparison process between BMW, Thule & others?
If so, which did you choose & why?
03-12-2006, 01:21 PM
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Originally Posted by petem77' post='253745' date='Mar 12 2006, 05:18 PM
How is a roof rack/roof bar attached to the E60?
Is the full-length trim strip along each side of the roof permanently replaced with a segmented version with removeable parts where the mounting goes?
Anyone gone through the comparison process between BMW, Thule & others?
If so, which did you choose & why?
Is the full-length trim strip along each side of the roof permanently replaced with a segmented version with removeable parts where the mounting goes?
Anyone gone through the comparison process between BMW, Thule & others?
If so, which did you choose & why?
I already own a roofbox which I bought for my e46 coupe and unfortunately my Thule bars and feet will need to go in the bin as they are no use on the e60.
Looking around on this forum those with the BMW rack are happy and the Thule feet seem to damage the paintwork.
Im going to order the atera bars from roofbox.co.uk as they do not seem to have any parts that will come into contact with the paintwork and they will be cheaper than the BMW kit.
03-12-2006, 01:29 PM
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Buy the original BMW roof rack system! We just drove 2600 km from Denmark and til Austria and back again, from the south to the north of Germany at very high speeds with the roof rack, with 4 skies on the roof! It works like a charm, easy to install and dosen't damage the paintwork at all! 
03-12-2006, 03:29 PM
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I need one. I had one on my E39 but did not want to put it on my x e60. But it is very likely i will get one. I miss kayaking so much!
Me last year kayaking
Me last year kayaking
03-12-2006, 11:52 PM
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My Ride: 530d Sport manual Mystic Blue, black Dakota leather, advanced air con, fold/split rear seats, Logic 7, business nav, 6cd, heated F seats
Originally Posted by E60Sim' post='253912' date='Mar 12 2006, 10:29 PM
Buy the original BMW roof rack system! We just drove 2600 km from Denmark and til Austria and back again, from the south to the north of Germany at very high speeds with the roof rack, with 4 skies on the roof! It works like a charm, easy to install and dosen't damage the paintwork at all!
Is the full-length trim strip along each side of the roof permanently replaced with a segmented version with removeable parts where the mounting goes?
Did you comnpare the BMW system with others & choose it as the best?
03-13-2006, 08:16 AM
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My Ride: 2005 545i Black Sapphire Metallic, black leather, w/ sports pkg, cold weather pkg, Logic7, steptronic, navigation, satellite radio, electric rear shade, folding rear seat, Razr/Cingular phone
Originally Posted by amigo525' post='253948' date='Mar 12 2006, 07:29 PM
I need one. I had one on my E39 but did not want to put it on my x e60. But it is very likely i will get one. I miss kayaking so much!
Me last year kayaking
Me last year kayaking
03-13-2006, 10:14 AM
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petem77:
No, you do not have to replace anything. Open any door, on the body side run you fingers along the frame. You will feel where it is indented for the "clamp" piece of the rack. The other piece fits snug on the channel on the roof. A nice rubber foot protects the paint. I have used mine a lot of times, skis, snowboards and surfboards without any problems. The racks are easy to put on and take off, money well spent.
No, you do not have to replace anything. Open any door, on the body side run you fingers along the frame. You will feel where it is indented for the "clamp" piece of the rack. The other piece fits snug on the channel on the roof. A nice rubber foot protects the paint. I have used mine a lot of times, skis, snowboards and surfboards without any problems. The racks are easy to put on and take off, money well spent.
03-13-2006, 11:07 AM
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My Ride: F11 535i M-Sport,, Silver, Black Leather, LED Adaptive headlights
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Originally Posted by Cabrio330' post='254220' date='Mar 13 2006, 05:16 PM
Man, all the way from Poughkeepsie to San Fran! I am impressed!
03-13-2006, 11:50 AM
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Originally Posted by juan2mini' post='254281' date='Mar 13 2006, 07:17 PM
Here is another view
The atera one I am going to get doesn't have this and is just clamped above the doors. It's only ?80 for th feet and bars so I'm still thinking I'll get it over the BMW system