Tow Bars and Roof Racks in Sydney

Thule Spare-me 963XTR - Trip to Macquarie Lakes

2011-11-27T19:49:00.000-08:00

This weekend we took the kiddies for a trip to the Big 4 camp site at Lake Macquarie to enjoy the picturesque views of the lake and coal fired power station. We took a couple of bikes which gave me the opportunity to use the Thule Spare-me bike carrier.

The Thule Spare-me is a good fit onto the back of the Pajero. It carries 2 bikes. This is typical of spare wheel mounted bike carriers because of the load limitations in the wheel mount and and the extra load on the doors hinges.

The bike carrier can be mounted off centre for use with vehicles that have the spare wheel set off to one side. However, on the Pajero I used the central mounting so that the carrier was clear of the towball. The bike can be mounted off centre so that it is not sticking out of the side of the wagon.

First up you have to remove the spare wheel and sandwich a mounting plate in between the wheel and door mounting. This can then live on the wagon for future quick fitting of the bike carrier. If you have an alloy wheel you may find a blanking plug in the centre of the wheel which is usually easy to knock out from behind.
The bike rack screws onto the mounting plate with a single central screw that is key lockable. Four rubber feet need to be positioned against the tyre wall to allow the carrier to grip to the wheel.

The bikes are held in place by 2 cradles that can be rotated to accommodate differences in frame angles. The rubber straps have plenty of length and are very stretchy so large frame tubes are not a problem. We used the carrier this weekend for one adult bike along with the young fella's. This was easy to do and only took a few minutes to load them, put a strap through them to stop the front wheels flopping about and with the addition of a cable lock the bikes were held nice and secure and the towbar was left free for hooking up the camper.

Steve's review gives this product a thumbs up and the Spare-me will certainly be a regularly used bit of kit.

What I like:

Once the mounting plate is attached the bike carrier is very quick to take on and off.
I can open my door with the bikes on to access the rear of the truck.
The tow ball is still available for towing the camper.
The carrier folds almost flat when not in use which is helpful for storage and when it is on the car with no load you don't bang your head.
Long and stretchy straps good for fat bike tubes.
5 year warranty

For current prices and a vehicle fitting list please vist the Shop1Auto web site.

Buying a luggage box for your car

2010-03-11T21:58:00.000-08:00

Choosing a Roof Luggage Box for your car - Steve Minshall

There is a huge choice of luggage boxes for carrying gear on the roof of your vehicle. Also known as roof pods, roof boots, capsules and sometimes by the brand name Thule boxes, they come in a bewildering range of styles and sizes not to mention prices. In this blog we will try and help you navigate your way through the choices to help you work out which boxes best suit your needs and budget.

At Shop1Auto in Sydney we can supply over 25 varieties of luggage boxes from Thule, Rhino and Rola. Prices range from $399 for a small, cheap and cheerful, Chinese, mass produced box all the way up to $1750 for the ultimate Thule Excellence roof box. So how have these manufacturers taken what is essentially a large suitcase on your roof and created such a diversity of products. Well there are several considerations when choosing a roof box which can be divided into the following:

Size and shape
Orientation of opening
Weight capacity
Ease of fitment
Compatibility with roof racks
Style
Warranty

Common features of Thule, Rhino and Rola luggage boxes

When you choose any of the roof pods we supply from Thule, Rhino or Rola you will find some consistent features as a minimum. The boxes will have some sort of attachment system supplied with them and any holes needed for attachment will be pre-drilled. The top shell moulding will have some degree of UV resistant cap so that the box doesn’t become brittle after the first week in the sun. All the boxes have a number of locking points operated by a central key lock. The side supports are sprung loaded to assist with both opening and closing. The basic moulded construction is the same for all boxes as typically they are vacuum formed over a mould from 2 sheets of plastic such as ABS or ABS/ASA.

Size and shape

What do you want to carry?
What size box will fit your car?
Do you want to carry additional gear like bikes/surf boards at the same time?

The first consideration with a roof rack luggage box is what do you want to put in it? Your basic choices for boxes is wide but short, long and thin or wide and long, ie big! If you want to carry bulky gear like camping equipment then the most economical way of getting volume is to go for a shorter wide box. Then for skis or if you also want to carry additional gear alongside you can get a long thin box. Finally you can get boxes that are both long and wide which will cover all uses.

The recommendation would be to get the largest box that fits your budget but your vehicle may put some limitations on what box you can carry. Surprisingly this does not necessarily equate to the size of the car but is more to do with where the roof racks are on the roof and if you have a lift up rear door that will conflict with the luggage box. Even some large 4WD do not have much space between the roof racks and the position of the rear door in its upright position. As a general rule if you want to carry something long like skis but have a lift up tail gate you should go for the shortest box that will take the load.

The volume of luggage boxes is measured in litres. Typical figures are around the 370ltr for a small box, 450 to 480ltr is the most popular range for general luggage then large boxes can be as much as 650ltrs for the massive Thule Atlantis 900. To give the sizes some perspective you can consider that a late model Commodore has boot size of around 600ltrs. One thing we have noticed with sizing is that Thule and Rola are consistent with their sizes but Rhino have been very conservative in comparison. So a 450ltr Rhino box would be comparable with a 480ltr Thule luggage box.

The shape of the box has a great bearing on the looks and style of a luggage box but this can introduce compromises. For example the Thule Spirit range is really aerodynamic, sleek and low profile but this comes at the expense of internal height. On the other hand the Rhino Windrider 450 is very popular as an economical way of getting a large volume. However, it does look a bit of a brick and even its mother thinks it’s ugly.

Weight Capacity

Also to consider along with the space available in the box is the weight rating. Within the Thule, Rhino, Rola ranges you can find 50kg and 75kg rated boxes. Generally the 50kg units rely upon the shape of the moulding to give them their strength and structure. The 75kg rated boxes have some sort of metal reinforcing to boost the carrying weight. Obviously a 75kg rated box is more useful than a 50kg rated box but something to consider when deciding on the additional expense is the rating of your roof racks. If you allow 15kg for the weight of your box then your roof racks themselves need to be rated to at least 65kg before you start to get any benefit from this extra box rating.

Orientation of opening

Luggage boxes come in the following configurations:

Open drivers side
Open passenger side
Open both sides
Open from the rear

The dual side opening boxes offer the optimum practicality especially for taller vehicles because you do not have to reach right across the roof to get items that may be in the back of the box and also it greatly simplifies the tightening of the attachment mechanism that secures the box to the roof racks. Most single side boxes are now available with more practical curb side opening although Thule also have some boxes that open on the driver’s site which can suit some peoples circumstances. Rear opening boxes are generally smaller units, be aware that the lock is usually in the centre on a rear opening box which is ok if you can reach from the back of the vehicle but can be a stretch on sedan.

Ease of fitment

Currently you can choose between the Thule ‘Power-grip’ and ‘Fast-grip’ claws or a more basic u-bolt attachment. The Thule system is very effective as the 4 claws slide along a channel so that you do not need to line up any holes in the box with your cross bars. To tighten you simply wind 4 knobs inside the box and your done. U-bolts hold the box very securely but are more fiddly to attach and also with up to 20 components there are lots of bits to lose in between uses

Compatibility with Roof Racks

There are two issues with your roof rack cross bars that may effect the choice of a luggage box. Firstly is the position on the roof and secondly the width of the cross bar profile. Many roof racks have a specific location on the roof dictated by the roof rack manufacturer or there may be dedicated mounting points incorporated into the car roof. This can cause issues when trying to line up u-bolt holes on the cheaper boxes.

The second consideration is the cross sectional width of the roof racks. The wider the roof rack the less flexibility you have with positioning of u-bolt style mountings. Also some boxes are not compatible with the modern wing style cross sections designed by Prorack. For example their Whispbar roof racks which are also currently used by several car manufacturers as Original Equipment roof racks branded as Holden, Mazda or Honda for example. These are best suited to the Thule claw mounting systems which are able to accommodate the width.

Style

Thule have really pushed for style with their top end boxes. The Thule Excellence with its gloss finish and two-tone colouring looks outstanding and the Thule Spirit range also looks great but they do come at a premium price. Cheaper boxes are usually a flat grey or black colour while the more expensive boxes are treated to an attractive glossy skin. This is introduced at the Thule Atlantis range which is available as a gloss silver with the 780 also available a smart gloss black.

Warranty

Ask about warranty, some boxes have 3 years and some have 5 years.

Summary

So finally you have boxes ranging from $399 to $1750. Decide what features are important to you, size, weight rating, orientation of opening, ease of fitting and looks. Then take a look at our website at www.shop1auto.com.au for the specs of different models and current pricing. It is then worth talking to a roof rack specialist like Shop 1 Auto to see if there may be any issues with your particular car or to recommend a suitable roof rack system if you need this as well.

What do I use when I go camping and skiing? Thule Atlantis 780.

Tow bar for Volvo XC90 fitting in Sydney

2010-03-01T03:14:00.000-08:00

The Volvo XC90 makes an excellent tow vehicle and when fitted with the Hayman Reese quick release tow hitch it is rated up to 2250kg max trailer weight. A notch is cut into the bumper to allow the receiver box to pass through while hiding the rest of the installation behind it. The towbar securely attaches to the XC90's chassis rails with three 12mm bolts each side giving a strong towing platform. Finally the electric hook up to run trailer lighting takes a bit of care on this vehicle and requires a control unit to protect the vehicles ECU and prevent interference with the vehicles bulb failure detection system.

2011 UPDATE: Hayman Reese have now developed a vehicle specific wiring loom for this vehicle which simply plugs into the light circuits and incorporates an ECU distribution box to protect the cars electronics.

See our towbar finder for current fitted price. You should allow about 3 hours for fitting. Give us a call at the shop on (02) 9817 1475 to schedule an install or pop in and see us (map).

VW Caddy roof racks in Sydney

2010-02-10T04:01:00.000-08:00

The VW Caddy van is a popular trade vehicle now. It has anchor points in the roof to attach roof racks but unfortunately they are quite close together. This is not very helpful when many tradesmen want to carry long loads such as ladders. To help with this at Shop1auto we have developed a system using Rhino roof racks with a track system. This involves fitting a permanent alloy track extrusion to the roof. This allows the load to be spread along the roof and allows for the cross bars to be positioned further apart to help with long loads. The vehicle shown is also fitted with a conduit carrier which would be very impractical if just the existing mounting points were used. Fitting takes a couple of hours. Call in to the store if you want to discuss this fitting or give us a call to schedule a fitting.

Towbar fitting to BMW X5

2010-01-28T18:41:00.000-08:00

Today we fitted a towbar to a series 2, BMW X5 which we are now seeing quite a few of coming through. It is actually an easier tow hitch to install than the earlier BMW X5 but is still a good 3 hours. The tow bar we use for this vehicle is a Hayman Reese 2700kg rated hitch with a wiring loom manufactured by Hayman Reese in Australia for vehicles with sensitive electrics.

The towbar fits up behind the bumper and is bolted across the rear of vehicle onto the mountings at the chassis rail ends as shown in photo.

With the bar fitted the bumper is notched with 100mm wide by 145mm deep slot to clear the bar which leaves a neat finish with just the hitch box showing.

The job is completed with an electrical hook up, for which we use a special loom that isolates any trailer faults from the vehicle to prevent damage to the cars sensitive electronics. This runs the trailer lights directly from the battery with just a tiny trigger signal coming from the vehicle circuits.

To compare this fitting with a BMW dealer installation you are making compromises. The quality of the tow bar itself is as good as it gets. However, a BMW loom with its associated reprogramming of the computer should interface with the vehicle's stability control systems. However, I suspect it is going to be more than double the cost. Our fitting, coupled with a sensible approach to driving when towing suits many customers just fine.

See our towbar finder for current fitted priced
Allow 4 hours, call for a booking on 02 9817 1475 or come and see us.

Tow bar fitting to BMW X5 (E53) Series 1

The series 1 BMW X5 was sold in Australia from 04/2001 to 04/2007. The Hayman Reese tow bar fitting for this vehicle is a bigger install than the later model and we allow about 4 hours to complete. There is a fair amount of dismantling involved with bumper removed, the mufflers dropped, heat shields removed and a whole load of plastic panelling in the boot. The towbar arms fit inside the chassis rails each side which gives a very strong attachment producing a towbar rating of 2700kg max trailer.
Again we use a Hayman Reese distribution box to look after the trailer lighting circuits while protecting the vehicles electronics.

See our towbar finder for current fitted priced
Please call the shop on 02 9817 1475 to check current pricing, book an install or ask any questions you may have. Or come in and see us (map)

Come see our new shop!

2010-01-08T18:19:00.000-08:00

We are now in our new shop. After 5 years in in our little old shop in Gladesville we are now in and established in the new shop. We still have stuff to do, the frontage is still missing signage and the show room and workshop will be constantly evolving but we're in and trading. We commisioned the lovely Rebecca from Becsmart murals to paint the side of the building and she spent a week perched on scaffold to produce a great outback scene for us. Thanks to Mick and his team from Sydney Shopfitters who fiited out the show room to a high standard with no fuss. And also thanks to the other Mick from Micks Pressure Cleaning for getting rid of over 30 years of grime. Finally thanks to the boys who work for Shop1auto for doing their part and not forgetting my Dad who came out of retirement to take up the paint brushes and for accepting payment in KFCs and Subway sandwiches.

So we are in and with the extra space we have taken on more stock. I believe we now carry one of the most extensive ranges of roof rack products in Australia. We now stock over 400 fitting kits so if we do not have a roof rack in stock for your vehicle their will not be many shops that do.

Mazda CX9 roof rails and roof racks, Sydney

2009-12-07T02:16:00.000-08:00

The Mazda CX9 has been a very successful family vehicle in Australia but we have found one draw back with it. The Australian models do not have longitudinal rails fitted to them even though the anchor points are there. I suspect Mazda are keeping these up their sleeve to add later when the model needs a bit of a face-lift. The problem with this is that if you buy the genuine Mazda, Rola, Thule and Rhino roof racks they all attach to the mounting points in the roof that have been put there to attach the rails on overseas models. The problem with this is that the cross bars are over 90cm apart which is ideal if you want to carry long items like kayaks, ladders and surf boards. However, the racks are not much good for carrying bikes and skis and you can not fit a luggage box to them.

We have had several customers try to find a way of fitting a luggage box to their CX9s so we have now started importing the genuine Mazda roof rails for these vehicles. These are manufactured in Japan which are fitted to oversea models. The vehicle shown in the images was fitted with the new rails to which we added Rhino Sportz cross bars and a Thule Atlantis luggage box. The whole set up looked really smart.

We are offering the rails as a package installed with either Rhino Sportz bars or silver Thule racks . This includes fitting to your vehicle at our Gladesville (Sydney) workshop or delivered Australia wide to install yourself for $999. (luggage box not included)

Call Scott or Steve at the store on (02) 9817 1475 to book a fitting or to order a set for delivery. www.shop1auto.com.au

Postscript: Prorack Whispbar roof racks for Mazda CX9

There is now also another solution which is not as slick as fitting rails but will allow you fit a Thule luggage box or bike carrier. The Prorack Whispbar for the Mazda CX 9 uses a strap system which is the typical method for attaching roof racks to a sedan. The bracket used is contoured to follow the roof return into the door opening. By taking this approach the racks can be attached closer together which allows the fitting off a luggage box. These racks can be used with all Thule luggage boxes that use a claw mechanism to attach. They can not be used with Rola or Rhino boxes that use a u-bolt because the cross bar profile is too wide. The rating on these roof racks is 60kg. The cross bars are available with either a flush end for a sports look or a thro bar to give a wider carrying area.

Price at Feb 2010 is $325 plus $25 if you would like to use our fitting service to assemble and install the racks.

Give us a call to check current pricing, schedule a fitting or to get a set put aside for you. Or call in at the store to see a sample. map

WE'RE MOVING !!!!!

2009-10-27T22:03:00.000-07:00

We are moving from our little shop in Gladesville that we have had for the last 5 years but we are not going far. Just one block down the road to 288 Victoria Rd. We will be closed from Friday 6th November and reopen on Monday 9th at our new premises. This will give us a much larger showroom, much better fitting facilities, lots of storage and forecourt parking. We have been looking for somewhere new for a while now and we think we have found the perfect place for many years to come. We look forward to seeing you in our new store.
Steve

Pad mount roof rack fitting

2009-08-26T04:57:00.000-07:00

Today we are fitting a Rola pad mount roof which is one of the best solutions for a 2 door vehicle where it can be difficult to attach a clamp style removable rack. First up we stick masking tape on the roof in the location of the roof rack feet.

After assembling the cross bars we can use them to establish a suitable position on the roof. This is determined by deciding on an appropriate spacing for the loads to be carried and determining which are the strongest parts of the roof.

The position of the rack is careful measured to establish position front to back and side to side then drawn around to mark the position of the mounting pads on the masking tape. The position of the drill holes are then marked using a pad as a guide.

Set up the drill with a suitable stop to prevent drilling through the roof lining. The marked holes are then centre punched and drill to suit the rivets. The holes are then protected with a suitable anti rust paint and coated with mastic sealant

Finally 3 rivets are inserted into the pads and secured in place with a pneumatic rivet gun.

Towbar Fitting VW Golf V and VI

2009-08-15T03:13:00.000-07:00

As the VW Golf has exploded in popularity this has become one of our top selling tow bars. The Hayman Reese tow bar we use is rated to 1250kg max trailer and 120kg max down load. The bar is pretty straight forward as it simply slides down the chassis rails and secures with a couple of bolts each side through the rail walls. The trickiest bit is the bumper cut which takes a lot of care to get a neat symmetrical outline.
The trailer lighting plug on this vehicle requires an electronic control box to be fitted to prevent damage to the car's electronics and the trigger sources have to be carefully selected because the Golf has a multiplex wiring system. The multiplex system results in the tail lights and brake lights sharing the same wiring.

NOTE 2011: Hayman Reese have now developed a vehicle specific wiring loom that is able to interpret the multiplex tail/brake signal using an ECU control box which makes this a very neat electrical fitment.

We have fitted the bar to the new Golf VI and it fits fine. The photo below shows the difference in how the bar fits with the bumper, with the lug removed.

Please see our tow bar finder for current fitted pricing

Golf VI tow bar with lug removed
Tow bar wiring loom

On the Gti Golf the tow bar doesn't line up as nice with the bumper as the models shown above. It looks ok with the tongue fitted and we used a bit of trim to tidy it up but it can look a little bit messy with the tongue removed.

Golf Gti

Custom roof racks Toyota Estima

2009-05-30T04:22:00.000-07:00

This was an interesting job. The customer hires out vans for travellers kitted out with a roof top tent. The Estima is a grey import so there are no roof racks readily available in Australia that will go into the roofrack mounting points that are on the vehicle. Even if they were this would not give sufficient strength to support the weight of two people sleeping in the roof top tent. Additionally the vehicle has a big 'moon roof' in the centre of the roof.

The solution we came up with was to use 30mm sections of heavy duty Rhino track attached with rivets to spread the load at the strongest points of the roof. This was then fitted with Rhino heavy duty track mount legs and cross bars.

Tow Bar Fitting in Sydney - Subaru Forester

2009-05-30T02:54:00.000-07:00

Subaru Forester tow bar fitting, 1997 to 2008

(For details of the new 2008 Forester please see below)

This is one of our most popular fittings. A tow bar for Subaru Forester. The one fitted today is a quick release hitch style although a cheaper slightly lighter duty is also available with a bolt on goose neck. I will give a step by step guide as this is a bar well within the capabilities of the DIY fitter. Just one note of warning, if you have access to a rattle gun for undoing bolts don't use it on the bolts going into the chassis rails. These are often over torqued at the factory and you will find them difficult to refit if you rattle them off. If you remove them gently and slowly by hand with a socket you'll be fine.

Remove and discard the bumper support in the centre of the bumper (pic).
Drop the muffler from the 3 rear most rubber mounts.
Remove the shipping hook and muffler mount from passenger side (pic). Remove the rubber mount from its bracket.
Remove 3 nuts securing the charcoal box where fitted and let it hang (pic).
Remove shipping hook (discard) and charcoal support from drivers side.
Lift tow bar into position and fit with 3 bolts on passenger side and the 2 rear most bolts on drivers side.
On the forward most hole on drivers side use the long bolt and spacer tube supplied to refit the charcoal box bracket. Then refit the charcoal box.
Bolt the the rubber muffler mount from step 3 to the tow bar arm in the hole provided for it and refit the muffler (pic).
Fit the tongue on standard tow bar or hitch on quick release and your bar is pretty much done.

The wiring is a doddle as Subaru have kindly included a socket which can be found tucked in the rear corner of the boot (pic). You can get a loom that plugs into here for about $50 but you will find most fitters will just use a universal loom and make their connections here where everything is provided in one place.

See our towbar finder for the current fitted prices

Please call the store on (02) 9817 1475 to confirm prices and schedule an install

Subaru Forester towbar 2008 onwards

The towbar for the new Subaru Forester is a little bit more involved because it requires the removal of the bumper and a notch cutting in it to accomodate the hitch box. You are left with nice neat unit with towbar frame hidden up behind the bumper.

The bar shown is a Hayman Reese unit which has a rating of 1400kg. . The fitting time is about 2.5hrs.

See our tow bar finder for current fitted prices

Please call the store on (02) 9817 1475 to confirm current pricing and schedule a install.

09 Hilux Custom roof rack

2009-05-15T05:12:00.000-07:00

Special rack for a new Toyota Hilux. The vehicle came fitted with a front sports bar only slightly higher than the roof line and a rear sports bar much higher. So the solution for this one was a Rhino Sportz bar fixed to the roof and the second bar attached with spacer blocks to the front sports bar. The rear sports bar was cut down to make the height across all 3 level. Alternatively we could have attached a another bar to the rear sports bar which would not have done much in terms of function but would add symmetry to the set up. Cost for this set up including install was about $400.

Cars are getting bigger to save the environment

2009-05-04T03:42:00.000-07:00

At the lights tonight I pulled up alongside a Toyota Yaris sedan. I haven't really paid any attention to these cars before but it struck me how big it was. Now the Yaris was a replacement for the ity bitty Echo and I was looking at this car that was easily the size of what I would associate a Corolla. But hang on Corollas have now grown to the size of Camrys and Camrys are now competing pretty much head on with Commodores and Falcons. Then you get the softroader/off roader categories. The Rav4 traditionally for girlies and hairdressers is now the size of a Kluger, Kluger: Prado, Prado well that hasn't been changed for a while so it hasn't grown yet and 100series would have to borrow some of the adjacent lane if it were to grow any more. So what is happening? This isn't just a Toyota thing, look at the latest Rover Freelander, again traditionally also a contender for the hairdressers' dollars is now huge. The ubiquitous Forester has also been hit with the big stick and there are many more as well.

Here's my theory.... now the car manufactures have looked at the market over the last few years and the over-riding criteria has been how to be environmentally friendly (ie drive a smaller car) without compromising on the driving experience. This may have changed post financial collapse, but would have been true 3-4 years ago when the cars we would be buying now, if we could get finance, were being developed. So Fred the Camry driver walks into the dealership and can 'down size' to a Corolla thereby doing his bit for the environment and doesn't have to compromise because 'hey, this car feels just as big as my old Camry'. And while a big 4X4 Prado is now getting to be socially unacceptable even in Mosman a softroad Kluger is just fine. Afterall it is a massive 25mm shorter than the Prado even if it is 6cm wider.

Wire mesh baskets

2009-05-04T03:09:00.000-07:00

Todays feature product is wire mesh baskets. These come in a range of sizes including half sizes that can be used alongside another load like a bike or kayak for example. Specs. Today we fitted a small Thule basket to a Corolla wagon. Thule and Rhino baskets are pretty comparable in terms of quality and price. Rhino have the greatest range of sizes although Thule have the 3 most popular sizes of small, medium and large but not half baskets. Rola are now sourcing their baskets from China. The quality has dropped but the prices haven't so we are now favouring Thule and Rhino for this product. We usually use a Rhino u-bolt kit for simplicity on all baskets. The mesh basket is a very popular unit for pure functionality. it does not have the style of an alloy basket but it is a cost effect way of getting a strong platform on your roof . Also Rhino now have a platform b asket which has no sides to it.
The roof racks shown in the picture that we used for mounting the basket to the Corolla are Rhino 2500 series multi fit racks $289 (May09). This a 2 part kit with legs and cross bars that fit a wide range of vehicles and an additional bracket kit that is vehicle specific to fit a range of vehicles. You can aslo get the budget option which is just as strong but comes with square cross bars for $239 (May09).

Quick release tow hitch VW Jetta

2009-05-02T03:02:00.000-07:00

Biggish job today. Hayman Reese quick release mini-hitch. This has a 40mm square reciever on the vehicle with a removable tow ball mount and a rating 1400kg max trailer. The tow bar is made in sections with separate side arms being inserted into the chassis rails. The cross member spanning the rear panel of the vehicle bolts on to the side arms. The Jetta has a multiplex wiring system which means the tail lights and brake lights share the same wires. VW sell a special loom for this vehicle which like the Golf is sold for big dollars and requires re-coding of the ECU. We use an electronic control model made by Lumen in Australia which allows you to operate the trailer lights while protecting the vehicle electronics from any faults caused by dodgy trailer wiring.

Total fitting time is 3 to 4 hours because of the wiring and you have to make a window thro the bumper skin for the hitch to pass thro. This involves measuring, remeasuring, procrastinating for a bit, remeasuring then cutting.
See our tow bar selector for current fitted price

Tow bar Mazda 3

2009-04-30T00:50:00.001-07:00

Today we fitted a standard tow bar to Mazda 3 hatch SP23. I quite like this one, it is a pretty good fit and we can complete the job in under 2 hours. The bar has a rating of 900kg max trailer and 80kg max down load. This is suitable for things like a single axle box trailer, a jetski or a small dinghy. The gooseneck can be removed when not required by undoing 2 bolts.

The same bar fits on to the regular Mazda 3 hatches and sedan using a different goose-neck.
See our tow bar finder for current pricing. Please give us a call to schedule a fitting.
Steve Shop1auto

Mont Blanc - Scott, bike carrier

2009-04-30T00:20:00.001-07:00

Today we had a look at the Mont Blanc Scott which is a new product to Australia. Scott my fitter attached the unit (his name sake) to a square profile roof rack. He tells me it went on easy and looked like a good unit. The older Mont Blanc bike carrier we had was a budget unit at $150 and to be fair it had the look and feel of a budget unit. The new Scott has the look and feel of a quality bike carrier but we are able to offer it at least to start with for $150. It is key locking and I think it is going to be successful. I don't think it is up there with the Rhino Barracuda or the Thule ProRide which are both exceptional bike holders but it is around $70 cheaper so offers excellent value. The Scott (the bike carrier not my fitter) will go onto any euro/square profile cross bars or any aero bars with a T-slot in the top face (except for Rola sports where the T-slot is too small). This includes Rhino Rack, Thule, Prorack Whisper and Rola APX racks.

Hyundai iload roof racks

2009-04-29T01:25:00.000-07:00

Today Scott fitted a 3 bar, heavy duty Rhino track mount roof rack to a new Hyundai iload. The guys at Rhino have done a really good job with this one. The tracks are purpose made for the vehicle so they fit flush into the channels on the roof and look really neat. Rhino list their standard track mount leg for this vehicle but we have found the pigmy leg works just fine saving a crucial few centimetres on vehicle height. The Rhino track system is a fairly expensive way of fitting racks to the vehicle. We charged about $875 including a couple of hours for assembling all the bits and installing to the roof. It is however by far the best method allowing the cross bars to be positoned along the track and giving a whopping 125kg load rating spread over 3 cross bars. It can also be supplied with the same track and leg but using an aerodynamic cross bar which looks a bit more sporty (good option on the imax) and saves another centimetre which could make the difference on an underground carpark.

I like what Hyundai have done with the iload. It looks stylish and is not a slab of a vehicle like the HiAce. They seem well put together and being a Hyundai offer excellent bang for your bucks. I have been thinking about getting a van and I will certainly look at these.

Steve

Welcome

2009-04-28T21:43:00.000-07:00

Welcome to the Shop1auto blog. We will be using this blog to give some insight into the world of auto accessories. Not really sure how its going to go so we thought we would just dive on in and get blogging. So I guess this first one is just to get some words on the page so we can have a looksee at what we are dealing with. Hopefully our blog will grow into something that provides a useful but informal resource for people who are looking for solutions to get more use out of their cars, utes etc. with tow bars, roof racks, bike carriers and the like.

Steve