Need advice - which roof bars and box for XC90 (2007)

[Redreflex]

Hello there,

I very recently bought a used XC90 (2007). Have a family trip in a week's time, and need roof rails and box for extra storage. I have no prior experience of roof racks on any vehicle. Would really appreciate advice from experienced users:

1. Which roof rail and box combination would you recommend, and why? Where can I can these from? The commonest ones I see on the road at Halfords. Do these work well, in terms of ease of use and reliability?

2. Any experience with Thule rails/box combination? Any recommendations?

3. Are they any specific advantages of the original Volvo rail/box that are potentially useful or important?

4. What sized box has worked well for you? We have 4 adults and 2 young children going on a week long trip.

5. Any other tips regarding the use of roof rail/box on the XC90 please?

Many thanks!

[TruckbusUK]

Originally Posted by Redreflex

Hello there,

I very recently bought a used XC90 (2007). Have a family trip in a week's time, and need roof rails and box for extra storage. I have no prior experience of roof racks on any vehicle. Would really appreciate advice from experienced users:

1. Which roof rail and box combination would you recommend, and why? Where can I can these from? The commonest ones I see on the road at Halfords. Do these work well, in terms of ease of use and reliability?

2. Any experience with Thule rails/box combination? Any recommendations?

3. Are they any specific advantages of the original Volvo rail/box that are potentially useful or important?

4. What sized box has worked well for you? We have 4 adults and 2 young children going on a week long trip.

5. Any other tips regarding the use of roof rail/box on the XC90 please?

Many thanks!

I use Thule aluminium Aero bars and a Thule Vision 850 box, rock solid and stable, box is huge, can also get a Thule Velo Vise Pro 511 cycle carrier on the bars at the same time.

hope it helps

[phaedrus]

I thoroughly recommend the volvo bars, they are areo and sit between the rails instead of ontop and so are much neater and a lower profile overall. Get the V50 ones, they fot the XC90 and are only about £100 from volvo, i think the xc90 ones are about £150 and are identical.

[Beavis]

i use this mont blanc one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MONT-BLANC...ht_1407wt_1161 with volvo aero bars. i chose this combination as its quite sleek compared to others.

car3.jpg

[Redreflex]

Originally Posted by phaedrus

I thoroughly recommend the volvo bars, they are areo and sit between the rails instead of ontop and so are much neater and a lower profile overall. Get the V50 ones, they fot the XC90 and are only about £100 from volvo, i think the xc90 ones are about £150 and are identical.

Thanks. Have you gotten the V50 ones and fitted them on an XC90 - are you 100% sure they fit?

Thanks!

[Redreflex]

Originally Posted by StuT4

i use this mont blanc one http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/MONT-BLANC...ht_1407wt_1161 with volvo aero bars. i chose this combination as its quite sleek compared to others.

Attachment 66437

Thanks - saw that on Amazon and thought it was pretty cool!

Security good?

[marinemitch]

We shelled out for the volvo aero bars and volvo weekender roof box which i can say are both very good and robust and quiet on the road.

I will say that the roof bars are great and cheaper than any comparable item from thule and keep a low profile on the roof but if at any time you need to carry bikes as well as a roof box i should concider a standard set of clamp on bars as theese will give a wider bar and therefore more room for racks the likes of avalable at aldi or lidl are good value and style

also the roof box is simply a volvo badged thule item but it did come in black top and bottom which i think looks better than the normal grey on black, it has opening hinges for both sides and is simple to attach.

[Redreflex]

Originally Posted by marinemitch

I will say that the roof bars are great and cheaper than any comparable item from thule and keep a low profile on the roof but if at any time you need to carry bikes as well as a roof box i should concider a standard set of clamp on bars as theese will give a wider bar and therefore more room for racks the likes of avalable at aldi or lidl are good value and style
.

You mean clamps on the volvo bars?

Is there space for both the volvo box, as well as a set of clamps for 1 bike?

Cheers

[BustersDad]

I'll throw my two penneth in . . . I have both the Volvo Roof Bars and a Thule set I have used on previous cars, both have their pros & cons.
The volvo bars are a perfect fit, as you'd expect, there is no overhang and don't look that bad when left on the car without the Roof box on. However, they are slightly curved and hold bikes on bike racks securely but at an odd angle, which I feel doesn't look right. The Thule Aerobars, are wider and flatter, slightly noisier, but take the bike racks flat as intended and being slightly wider they'll fit the roof box and one bike rack too.
The roof box I use is a Thule Atlantis 100, which is great but the car will take a larger one. I managed to get all my camping equipment inc tent in it for a recent trip to Scotland.
I now use a Thule towbar ball mounted bike rack which will take 4 bikes, which is brilliantly simple, secure and easy to use.
Costs: About £150 for the Volvo roof bars (cheaper on ebay). You should be able to get any roofbox you want for under £100 from ebay.

[phaedrus]

Yes I had a V50 and bought the roofbars for it, then I upgraded to a XC90 and use the same bars. They are abit of a tight fit, I suspect the actual XC90 ones are slightly narrower (making it even worse that they cost more!) but they do go on. Its true they are slightly curved but bikes only sit about a degree or two from vertical, never bothered me. You can get a narrow roofbox and fit bikes beside no problem.