Bike carrier on a E 211 estate

[pilotc182]

Does anyone know why I can't find a bike carrier that is recommended for the back of my 211 E estate. We run a Thule 4 bike carrier off the towball when the whole family is out but its a pain to load it on when we only need to carry 1-2 bikes so have tried to buy a tailgate strap-on unit but no manufacturers, including Thule, offer a unit recommended for the E. Is the tailgate made of resin like Renault & Citroen ?

 

[nickmann]

Thule do a 2-bike carrier as well. Its small and light and has integrated lights and license plate. The lights and plate are where it wins hands-down over a strap-on, even without considering the damage to the paint etc, and you can still open the tailgate when the bikes are on.

 

[GSBellew]

To answer the question about the tailgate, its made from steel, although the spoiler along the top of the window is plastic, so its possible that there is no where for a rack to clip on to at the top easily.

 

[Benzowner]

Surely if there is only two of you, won't the bikes go in the back with the front wheel removed? I have certainly got one bike in with three people in the car as well, just a thought.

 

[jeremytaylor]

Strapping a bike carrier to the back of a W211 estate is not recommended. I've done it, and won't do it again.

The hatch is steel, but the spoiler at the top is plastic. I didn't realise this until the bike carrier started going loose with only 2 kids bikes on it. Basically the spoiler was coming loose I got round the problem by tieing the rack onto the rear of the built-in roof rails, rather than hooking it onto the hatch.

The alternative is to fit tow-bar and have a tow-bar plate (rather than ball) mounted bracket.

 

[pilotc182]

Thanks

Thanks all - better your comments than the cost of a new rear spoiler :-(

 

[GSBellew]

Thanks all - better your comments than the cost of a new rear spoiler :-(

We throw them out on a weekly basis, no use to us on a hearse, there must be lots of them floating about from all the UK coachbuilders making hearse's too.

I really should start recycling all the parts that we throw out.

 

[BonzoDog]

We found that the cost of fitting a tow bar plus the cost of the carrier was somehwat expensive. Instead we bought the roof kit from MB which works perfectly, Typically we put two bikes on the roof and my daughters bike in the back. We can also take the two Bromptons in the back if we have visitors and force them to come with us on a 'healthy' ride.