Roof Racks - Help Me Out!

[raygunner]

Living in Chicago my whole life I never really had a car. So I figured with my first car I'd start with some style. My dad found a great deal on a 1993 Buick Riviera. It's one smooth ride, suspension package, Corinthian leather seats & sun roof. It came with like 40k miles and honestly, it's fun to drive & I get a lot of compliments.

Just like this:

The one thing that sucks is trying to squeeze a bike in the back seat. I've done it too many times now so I'd like invest in a roof rack. I know it's going to ruin the whole smooth Buick aesthetic but it has to be done.

My questions regarding a roof rack are the following:

1) What brand/model is recommend for a roof rack?
2) How much should I pay?
3) Can I get something used?
4) Are they easy to install?

Sorry for the noob questions but I figured I'd ask some experts & get the best info. Thanks!!!

[Bradford]

Can you get a trailer hitch on that beauty?

[Mr. Pink]

Seriously, just go on the Thule web site and plug in your model and year into the rack finder and see what comes up. If you crash it with that thing, do the old 800 number thing.

I hate trailer hitch racks. Screws up the handling.

[p nut]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

I hate trailer hitch racks. Screws up the handling.

We wouldn't want to screw up the handling of a 93 Buick. That would be horrible......

I second the hitch rack idea. I've got both. Hitch is safer and more convenient. Plus, MPG doesn't take as big of a hit, and speaking of hits, it's garage door/underground parking proof.

[FlashUNC]

Hitch rack is the way to go on that land yacht.

[azrider]

two words.......suction cups

hang your bike off the passenger side window and gawk at your shinny new Campy bits while your driving.

[raygunner]

Originally Posted by Mr. Pink

Seriously, just go on the Thule web site and plug in your model and year into the rack finder and see what comes up. If you crash it with that thing, do the old 800 number thing.

I hate trailer hitch racks. Screws up the handling.

The 1993 dial-up modem that came with the car did indeed crash but I'll give them a ring. Thanks for the heads up!

[christian]

Originally Posted by p nut

We wouldn't want to screw up the handling of a 93 Buick. That would be horrible......

LOL. I really had a good laugh at that one.

[Louis]

I'd go with either in the trunk or a hitch rack.

PS I'd never, ever put a roof rack on a car that was worth more than $250

[Ken Robb]

Take a look at racks that mount on the trunk like a Hollywood, Saris Bones, or similar. They go on/off in seconds once the straps have been adjusted the first time, create less turbulance/noise and never let you break your bike driving under a low overhang like a garage door.

[gavingould]

i'd probably go with hitch or trunk too, honestly. i have a roof rack because it fits/suits the wagon. plus you can fairly rapidly remove either of those when you want to show of the fluid lines of that Buick body.

i drove a Riviera as my first car too, but i was 16, and it was a '79. its prior life was as our family car from the early 80s onward until both of my older brothers drove it for a year or two as their first car. by the time it was passed down to me, it had accrued nearly 200k miles and quite a bit of rust. it soldiered on under my care (or lack thereof) maybe two years until about '96 and then my father sold it. he claimed he still saw it being driven around town for 3-4 more years after that, it was recognizable pretty easy as my old man had custom painted it with a two-tone scheme.

imagine this but with a middle grey upper and a deep navy blue lower. might have been the reverse of that, now that i think about it. grey velour interior.

[christian]

You will want one of these (a 1.125 hitch for a 1993 Buick Riviera) which can be installed at any UHaul:

http://www.uhaul.com/MovingSupplies/...leId=1257&ship

Then you will want either of these:

http://www.thule.com/en-us/us/produc...17xtr-_-917xtr

http://www.1upusa.com/product-quikracksilver.html

[raygunner]

I'd love to fully avoid any rear mounting racks. Big fear is being rear ended with the bike secured. Too many awful / unlicensed drivers in my neck of the woods. Plus with the bike being worth many times over the Kelly Blue Book value of the Riv it's something I want to fully avoid.

Plus I just spoke with a nice chap at a shop that is Thule dealer & talked about a roof rack. So I'm glad to get the ball rolling.

Thanks to all!

[eddief]

getting rear ended by someone else or you running the roof rack into something lower than your bike on top. i think the bet is even or better in favor of your bike being safer on the back = Saris Bones = wham bam thank you mam.

when i travel i often do it with a biking buddy. my bike goes inside and her bike goes on top. incredible how often we both forget her's is up there. out of sight, out of mind, crash.

[carpediemracing]

If you want to think outside the box get some clips so that you can put feet on the trunk then get some short roof rail bike mounts. You'll be low enough to clear some parking garages, have semi-access to the trunk (put a dowel in the trunk to hold the trunk up if you need to access stuff in it with or without bikes).

I used to have a set up like this. You can also put a bar on the trunk, another on the roof, and get a similar set up. Easier on the back, the second set up.