Updated 6/2/2026: Edited to reflect that I’ve switched to full-time use and added quite a load to my RhinoRack!
I used a Yakima roof rack on my then-new 1988 Nissan Sentra for about 10 years. My 1992 VW Golf saw time with the same rack. There was no denying the marring to the paint over the years from long-term use. I opted against a roof rack when I bought my Mk3 Jetta in 1998. I moved to a hitch-mounted cargo tray and have stayed that course ever since. I still prefer to use my hitch carrier when I transport bicycles. Family trips drive a need for external cargo capacity. Here’s how I carry it:
Factory Volkswagen roof rack…
Volkswagen factory roof racks fit great, but they’re reported to be noisy, sit kind of high, and are not available in black. I wanted a style with flush, contoured crossbars for improved aerodynamics which would also help fuel economy and noise control. I was willing to sacrifice some capacity for style and aerodynamics. Yakima’s new “Flushbar” rack looks promising, but it was not available for the Mk7 Golf when I was shopping. Instead of another Yakima rack, opted for the Vortex 2500 RS, by Rhino Rack. It’s available in black, is low-profile, and uses a crossbar spread that matches the factory rack. However, it does not use the factory mounting points.
I had done a bit of research on mounting points and crossbar spreads. Most rack makers mimic Volkswagen’s 28-inch crossbar spread (±½”). However, I have no idea how each aftermarket company chose their mounting locations. I suspect it has to do with their selection of adaptive footpads and where they best match the contours of each car’s “gutter” and door jambs. The factory points are equidistant from the B-pillars and are marked very well in the door frame. The front mounting points for the factory rack center 10 inches from the top of the windshield. Thule, who’s rumored to make Volkswagen’s racks, centers their front crossbar at 9 inches; Yakima and Rola each center their front crossbars at just seven inches; and Rhino Rack centers theirs at a whopping 14 inches. Each company swears their location is highly researched, stable, and ideal. So does it really matter?!
I mentioned marred paint in my opening paragraph. I didn’t expect to leave my rack mounted for extended periods. I’d wash the car immediately prior to mounting the roof rack, then I’d remove the rack as soon as I was done using it, which was usually less than a week at a time and just a few times per year. All of that changed after a coast-to-coast road trip in 2020. The rack was on the car long enough to mar the paint! My detailer’s best efforts could not remove the discoloration. Since I was using the rack more often after 2020, I decided that the best way to hide the paint defects was to simply cover them with the rack full-time! 😀
I mentioned noise, aerodynamics, and fuel economy above. I’ve shared details about my round of testing in this entry. Fuel economy is less important these days since I now carry a full array of ham radio antennas on the roof rack. I’ve made different modules that I can install/remove as desired. See KE4WMF.com for more details. Oddly enough, the noise is not bad at all; no worse than having a cargo box mounted. Speaking of cargo boxes, I have since moved to a smaller box by Thule since the antennas take crossbar space that had previously been used by the Showcase 15.
I still prefer to transport bicycles on a hitch carrier. The Rhino Rack is primarily for the antennas, a part-time radio tower, or a cargo box. A funny thing: The roof rack is almost like a “hat” now in that the car almost looks naked without something on its roof! I don’t know if I’ll ever go back to a clean roof. 😀 I almost wish that I had an Alltrack with its factory-installed roof rails now that my daily driven car is more of a pack mule than ever before! Regardless, I still enjoy my GTI and will use it to the max for as long as I can keep it running.
Expanding Utility,
Scott
Don’t consider this lock to be a security device. A screwdriver is easily inserted to pry it away. Instead, I tend to view these locks as security devices to keep the covers from being stolen…
This 5mm security allen bolt may slow down a casual thief, too…
Each foot is marked with where it goes, “Right Rear” in this case…
The rack has ~2.25 inches of clearance at the center of the rack…
Here is a comparison in roof clearance between the Rhino Rack and the OEM rack:
