Anyone buy overpriced Yakima/Thule roof racks?

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Sclass
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Anyone buy overpriced Yakima/Thule roof racks?

Post by Sclass »

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So I’ve picked up bike carriers for one car and ski carriers for my other car. I thought I’d mention it here because these things can get awfully expensive for what they are.

Car 1: two bike upright carrier by Yakima. Roof mount. REI.com price is around $500. I paid $100

Car 2: six ski carrier on Yakima Q towers with locks. REI.com price $600. I paid $120.

Of course I still feel that this is pricey but I bagged a big savings by buying the sets on Craigslist. Changes in car style and bike style like carbon frames that must be held by the wheels forces people to sell these systems at deep discounts used. I have also been successful at buying an elaborate multi ski/bike/surf carrier and breaking it up into what I need for my cars and selling the rest on eBay to recover some of the cost.

Finally I’ve been buying Yakima round bar systems. I sell off the genuine Yakima bars and then I make bars from 3/4” plumbing pipe wrapped with 30mm black polyolefin heat shrink wrap tubing. It looks great and is dirt cheap. I cover the ends with black crutch tips I get for $0.50 ea.

So those are my tricks.

In the past I’ve gotten lucky at rummage sales and bought systems cheap. Especially since one of my cars has rain gutters. People want to toss their gutter systems. But recently I picked up a gutterless tower system cheap because the guy traded up to an suv with integrated rails. The vehicle was too wide for the sedan width cross bars. Finally he didn’t want frame grabbing upright bike mounts because he and his wife just bought carbon bikes.

Wow talk about a chain reaction of consumer choices that come to bite you.

Perhaps some of this will help. I suspect many of you carry equipment around on your cars.

I’ve always been impressed with this solution too. With some nice woodwork one can neatly carry gear on the roof. There are more diy setups online showing suction cups and wood framing.

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vexed87
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Re: Anyone buy overpriced Yakima/Thule roof racks?

Post by vexed87 »

I bought the basic square bar thule roof rack system for DWs 2015 Up! used on ebay. I think I only had to by the adapters for the feet new as there are not a lot in circulation for our model car. We are getting rid of that car now, and I'm finding it a lot harder to sell on than buy. I have to keep relisting the item. Reluctant to let the price go too low, as I'm sure someone will come along eventually.

My guess is that there are not many people wanting to haul stuff on top of a tiny city car :lol:

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Sclass
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Re: Anyone buy overpriced Yakima/Thule roof racks?

Post by Sclass »

I listed my parts no reserve free shipping. I was on pins and needles the first couple of days but the prices eventually went up to the prices I saw while searching completed auctions.

I was motivated to do this because a friend wants me to teach his kid about stock investing. I like to start with eBay. I think the child mastered the concepts of “priced in” and “eBay to Craigslist arbitrage.” And “market efficiency “ if there is such a thing.

The magic happens when somebody grasps the reality and implications of something “going too low”. It’s easier to teach a kid this way. I think.

Gilberto de Piento
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Re: Anyone buy overpriced Yakima/Thule roof racks?

Post by Gilberto de Piento »

I bought all my roof rack parts on craigslist or ebay. I agree that the car specific "feet" can be hard to find if you have a non-current model.

George the original one
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Re: Anyone buy overpriced Yakima/Thule roof racks?

Post by George the original one »

Gilberto de Piento wrote:
Wed Jan 24, 2018 10:19 am
I agree that the car specific "feet" can be hard to find if you have a non-current model.
https://www.rerack.com/

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Sclass
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Re: Anyone buy overpriced Yakima/Thule roof racks?

Post by Sclass »

Just covered my load bars with shrink wrap. 30mm shrink wrap over 3/4" pipe. Cheaper than original Yakima bars. I sold off my bars for $50 and replaced them with these. The black shrink tubing can be had cheap from China. I paid $5 for 12'. Takes a few weeks to come but it is worth it. Much nicer than paint.

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Slip the black insulation over the plumbing pipe.

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Heat it up shrink it down. I splurged and bought a heat gun from Harbor Freight for $9.

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Not too shabby.

sky
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Re: Anyone buy overpriced Yakima/Thule roof racks?

Post by sky »

I have been trolling craigslist for a kayak rack, but it is difficult to figure out which racks would fit my car.

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Sclass
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Re: Anyone buy overpriced Yakima/Thule roof racks?

Post by Sclass »

What kind of car are you trying to mount to? I like to break the problem down into towers, bars and mounts. For Yakima, there are two basic mounts for gutterless cars (use Q towers like my ski racks) or gutter towers (like Yakima 1A). The Q towers require their own fit kits that consist of vehicle specific clips for the door frames, however if you're lucky you can get a set of clips that fit your car, otherwise you can purchase some specific ones on ebay with the help of the application guide at Yakima. Thule racks are similar but I've decided to standardize on Yakima for the round bars and the gutter towers for old Mercedes S class cars.

Once you get that down you need load bars. You can make these. Then you search for kayak mounts. Sometimes you can get a good deal on two sets, combine what you need and sell off the rest.


And there it is. Done. Now to wait for snow.

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sky
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Re: Anyone buy overpriced Yakima/Thule roof racks?

Post by sky »

2008 Nissan Versa

sky
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Re: Anyone buy overpriced Yakima/Thule roof racks?

Post by sky »

I did a search, I guess I need Q towers and two types of clips. Only $509. I may just use the foam pipe insulation method.

We have lots of snow here, I want warm weather

Gilberto de Piento
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Re: Anyone buy overpriced Yakima/Thule roof racks?

Post by Gilberto de Piento »

I may just use the foam pipe insulation method.
The insulation method seems ok if you already have some bars to sell and can get a lot for them but in my location they go for about $30 for a pair on craigslist. By the time you buy a piece of pipe, cut it, order some tubing, and shrink it on it doesn't seem worth the work unless you're trying to save every possible dollar (which you just might be if you are on this website ;) ).

sky
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Re: Anyone buy overpriced Yakima/Thule roof racks?

Post by sky »

By foam pipe insulation method, I mean put some pipe insulation over the gunwhales and put the kayak directly on the roof of the car, with no rack.

Gilberto de Piento
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Re: Anyone buy overpriced Yakima/Thule roof racks?

Post by Gilberto de Piento »

OK, I get what you are saying now.

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Sclass
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Re: Anyone buy overpriced Yakima/Thule roof racks?

Post by Sclass »

Gilberto de Piento wrote:
Fri Feb 02, 2018 1:50 pm
The insulation method seems ok if you already have some bars to sell and can get a lot for them but in my location they go for about $30 for a pair on craigslist. By the time you buy a piece of pipe, cut it, order some tubing, and shrink it on it doesn't seem worth the work unless you're trying to save every possible dollar (which you just might be if you are on this website ;) ).
You’re right.

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