Genuine or Thule/Mont Blanc Roof Bars

[icenutter]

I need to get a roof rack for my A4 (Avant with Roof Rails), and have been looking at getting a pair off ebay. I've been trying to get a second hand genuine set, but they are going for as much as a new Thule set (£80-90) at the moment. Does anyone know if the genuine ones are better, or should I just get some aftermarket ones?

Ta, sorry about the decidedly non-cool subject.

 

[Dan Gliballs]

I've just been in the same position

Audi wanted about £140 for theres with the VAT, so went to Halfords and got a superb Thule set for £90,....................and I fail to see how Audi ones could possibly be any better to be honest.

They had a sale on for roofboxes too, so guess what ..............

Thule are superb, no question.


.

 

[icenutter]

Thanks. I might do just that.

PS is there a body attached to the shoes in your boot?

 

[AndyMac]

Get the Halfords own brand ones, they're Paddy Hopkirk I think and half the price of the Thule ones.

 

[jcb]

they are half the price for a reason, the thule ones are excellent quality. much better in my opinion.
If you are sticking 100 kg on your roof and then planning to do 80mph across the country....i wouldn't scrimp

 

[icenutter]

Has anyone got the genuine ones?

 

[AndyMac]

"If you are sticking 100 kg on your roof and then planning to do 80mph across the country....i wouldn't scrimp"
Been there, done that, worked fine. It's not like they're exactly complicated especially as they simply attach to the roof bars. Not alot can go wrong, they're hardly likely to snap in two.

 

[timps]

Has anyone got the genuine ones?

Yes me I paid £89 for new Avant ones from an Audi main dealer with a bit of haggling (not sure if they would do that price again).

They come with their own plastic handled torque wrench/ key for ease of installation and are very well made easy to put on (nice rubber covered clamps to protect the rails from scratches) & very substantial.

Any better than Thule?
I have no idea, I can not fault mine & doubt you will get any better than genuine but I have also heard Thule match genuine in terms of quality.

Try ringing a few dealers to see if they will come down on price I mentioned Thule for £80 delivered off the internet & nearly fell through the floor when he came back with a price.

 

[Dan Gliballs]

PS is there a body attached to the shoes in your boot?

LMAO!!!

That was the Essex camper from the tent opposite who kept me awake all night.

 

[AndyCollins]

I have Thule roof bars for my A4 and can't fault the quality at all. The bars mount very securely, and feel very solid. I use them for carrying two mountain bikes with complete confidence.

 

[Nessy]

I had a set of Paddy Hopkirk roofbars for use on my 80 Avant, they were perfectly OK, only thing against them, in my opinion, was the fact they didn't have any form of lock to stop low-lifes pinching them....
Recently bought a set of brand new and boxed Genuine ones for the A4 from Ebay for £40 buy it now, which was a bargain as they often seem to go for around the £100 mark......
The A4 roofbars seem to be of great quality, and have the advantage of locks on them so offer a bit more security...........