# Reliable Cheap Roof Rack?



## BCE (Dec 4, 2014)

I have a 04 Mazda 3 that has a bare roof, and i am looking for a cheap solution to mount a snowboard rack on the roof without having the worry about it falling for 1-4 hour drives to the hill...i saw this on ebay and was wondering if you guys think this is reliable to mount a standard snowboard rack to? Thanks for the help!


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## highme (Dec 2, 2012)

Meh, I'd just try to find a used Thule or Yakima set up. While that may work, there's no lock on it so your stuff is pretty easy to steal.


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## Banjo (Jan 29, 2013)

Hey man, I also have an 04 Mazda 3. Fun fact is that they have factory mounting points hidden under the black rain gutter cover. They take a size 10 metric bolt....and you can mount whatever the hell you want on it. 

DIY, sportrack bolted down (this is what I did...2 years, nothing budged even with a yakima skybox on it), blah blah blah

If you DO buy those cheap racks, I'd recommend putting a bolt through the feet for added security


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## slyder (Jan 18, 2010)

Ya cheap in quality = fail
Cheap in Price = CL

something goes bad your 4 hour ride just got longer, with accident report, insurance claims and possibly renting gear since yours is plastered all over the freeway....

Good question keep researching. I got a Yakima and never worried once about quality or failure


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## Deacon (Mar 2, 2013)

Yakima - Yakima Whispbar Roof Rack, S9 with K436 fit kit

Just an example, not sure if it'll fit your application, I'll let you research that. Check CL too, although spring and summer you'd have much better luck getting a deal.


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## Argo (Feb 25, 2010)

I got a Thule roof rack, faring and snowboard carrier for $150 on craigslist basically new.


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## snowklinger (Aug 30, 2011)

rope is cheap


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## mojo maestro (Jan 6, 2009)

Ropes a pain in the ass......with all those silly knots. Bungee cords are where it's at.


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## larrytbull (Oct 30, 2013)

INNO Rail Slider 2 (INA945) very comparable to thule and yakima, without the $$$
many places have this on sale @ 20% or more,comes with locks as well, which is add on for the other brands


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## Clayton Bigsby (Oct 23, 2012)

like several have stated Craigslist.

go to Yakima/Thule and type in your vehicle type, then write down the part #'s and do a search on CL.


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## Homies911 (Sep 10, 2014)

I got myself a Rhino rack on my 97 Pontiac Sunfire and it works beautifully

As others have suggested, go to Thule's or whatever-companies-out-there's website and put in the specs. I'd personally go to AutoAnything.com or CarID.com and do it there, since there are specials, deals, sales, and blah all over the site.

Don't go cheap with these things, or you'll end up paying more than you wanted, even when it comes to mentally. Imagine hearing the wind on that rack for that 1-4 hour drive even with the music on... :dry:


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## hightyme (Mar 11, 2014)

*Sport Rack*

Homepage | SportRack US


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## BCE (Dec 4, 2014)

Banjo said:


> Hey man, I also have an 04 Mazda 3. Fun fact is that they have factory mounting points hidden under the black rain gutter cover. They take a size 10 metric bolt....and you can mount whatever the hell you want on it.
> 
> DIY, sportrack bolted down (this is what I did...2 years, nothing budged even with a yakima skybox on it), blah blah blah
> 
> If you DO buy those cheap racks, I'd recommend putting a bolt through the feet for added security


oh really, thats something i did not know tbh...so with this mounting stuff already available what all would i have to get to get a functioning snowboard rack?

as well thanks to everyone else who replied!


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## Banjo (Jan 29, 2013)

you'd need compatible racks with your factory points (like a bajillion dollars from mazda). Or a random set of racks and a little ingenuity.

If you are a handy guy, give it a go....if not, but a rack that you dont need to mod to install safely.


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## BCE (Dec 4, 2014)

hightyme said:


> HomepageÂ*| SportRack US


are these products reliable??? Looking on the products I found the roof rack that can fit my vehicle and there also the snowboard rack that i can just purchase from here as well.

edit: seems like there are a lot of bad reviews on these racks, especially when people say they can't fit 4 boards on them even though it says it should...may just go with a thule snowboard rack and borrow the brothers escape that has factory racks on it and just use that.


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## Banjo (Jan 29, 2013)

I had a SportRack brand(with the feet bolted on) and I could fit 4 boards. Base to base....till i got a roof box. Roof box on racks is the best way to go imo


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## acoolazn (Nov 30, 2014)

BCE said:


> are these products reliable??? Looking on the products I found the roof rack that can fit my vehicle and there also the snowboard rack that i can just purchase from here as well.
> 
> edit: seems like there are a lot of bad reviews on these racks, especially when people say they can't fit 4 boards on them even though it says it should...may just go with a thule snowboard rack and borrow the brothers escape that has factory racks on it and just use that.


Thule/Yakima racks go for sub $50 on craigslist, just gotta get crossbars and you're good.


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## sheepstealer (Aug 19, 2009)

+1 on craigslist.

Got my base rack for $50, bought the ski/snowboard rack for $30. It took me a month or so of being patient and consistently checking CL, but there are items out there. It's getting late in the season I think so it may be harder (you figure most folks sell their used ski racks early/mid fall).

So I'm $80 in for almost-new racks, as opposed to the $400-500 for brand new racks. 

**pats self on back**

Also, maybe try adhuntr.com which aggregates CL regions (or CL in its entirety).

Good luck.


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## Mizu Kuma (Apr 13, 2014)

Another vote for Thule!!!!!

Then strap the suckers down with somethin like these!!!!! (Ohhhh, and keep an old pair of spring/pipe gloves in the car, cause strapping a heap of gear on while its pukin in the car park, will leave ya fingers as numb as a nuns vagina)


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