Roof bars/racks for S Class.

[Azer]

Hi All,

Found these the other night: <TreeFrog Suction Mounted Cross Bars - UK | TreeFrog Rack Suction Mounted Roof Rack Cross Bars - Vacuum Mounted Compatible for Most Vehicles - UK Stock & Warranty>

Does anybody have any experience with anything similar?
There have been a number of companies offering these and similar products for a few months now. Most of them are aimed at carrying mountain-bikes and other stuff.

I don't have any roof carrying capability on mine, so this is attractive. Not sure I want to spend £500 on, what is essentially, some suckers and a bit of aluminium flat bar though.

Thoughts?

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

What S class do you have? I used MB cross bars without issue on my 2001 S500L and 2007 S500L

From memory I paid about £50 for each, immaculate, pair, selling them later for ..... about £50. Looking at Ebay used W220 bars, in normal used condition, have been selling recently for £20.

Your "Tree frogs" appear to be a variation on the well-known "Seasucker" which are used on Sports cars for shorter journeys. Seasuckers only occasionally "ping off" at 70 mph. Here's the Seasucker product link

SeaSucker

Much depends on the length of journey you're doing with the roof rack. A short modest 50 mph thing is one thing. a thousand motorway miles in wind and rain at "the legal speed limit," which is something I regularly do: something else.

These things do take a lot of stress. You can always tell if they're on your roof on a motorway - they really do act as "sails" slowing even a 380bhp car down.

 

[Azer]

What S class do you have? I used MB cross bars without issue on my 2001 S500L and 2007 S500L

From memory I paid about £50 for each, immaculate, pair, selling them later for ..... about £50. Looking at Ebay used W220 bars, in normal used condition, have been selling recently for £20.

Seriously?
Mine has at completely smooth roof, no fixing points whatsoever - I have the 2001 S320. Petrol V6.
I'd love to know where, if at all, I can get something for the roof. I've scoured the internet for hours. Noting.


I've been on the seasucker website and those of their retailers.
Interesting to hear that they are not quite good enough for motorway driving. As that is exactly what I was intending to do...it is basically what I purchased the car for.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

I've been on the seasucker website and those of their retailers.
Interesting to hear that they are not quite good enough for motorway driving. As that is exactly what I was intending to do...it is basically what I purchased the car for.

That isn't quite what I said. I think I said something along the lines of: " Much depends on the length of journey you're doing with the (Seasucker) roof rack. A short modest 50 mph thing is one thing. a thousand motorway miles in wind and rain at "the legal speed limit," which is something I regularly do: something else."

Best have a chat with someone who has done a lot of motorway driving with a Seasucker or its clones.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

There's no mounting point "on" the smooth roof of the W220, it's "in" the door frame.

This is the MB rack.





This is one of the clone racks - not sure which.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Here's a completed EBay sale for some W220 roof bars - sold for twenty quid.

I would think that you'll also find them on FB Marketplace and Gumtree

Genuine Rare Mercedes S320 W220 Roof Bars Roof Rack 99-05 | eBay

 

[Azer]

Many Thanks, this picture really helps.
The ones I have seen on ebay look to have a completely different attachment design.
Now I know what to look out for, I'll keep an eye out.
Cheers.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Looking back on this I notice that I was a bit dumb when I said "this is one of the clone racks, I'm not sure which."

Because on the bars it actually says "Thule," who are the makers of MB, BMW and a variety of other "OEM" car brand racks.

Which leads me to say that it would make sense to look at the Thule range, which consists of two elements: the feet and the bars.

Another thought - my son, aka "Outlaw Triathlon Man," used saloon cars to move his valuable bike for a few years, just by using an old duvet cover in the back. Depending on your bike and what you're doing, it's not such a daft idea - the inside of a car is always more secure - bikes can be stolen very quickly from motorway service stops. "Just a thought."

.

 

[Azer]

Looking back on this I notice that I was a bit dumb when I said "this is one of the clone racks, I'm not sure which."

Because on the bars it actually says "Thule," who are the makers of MB, BMW and a variety of other "OEM" car brand racks.

Which leads me to say that it would make sense to look at the Thule range, which consists of two elements: the feet and the bars.

Another thought - my son, aka "Outlaw Triathlon Man," used saloon cars to move his valuable bike for a few years, just by using an old duvet cover in the back. Depending on your bike and what you're doing, it's not such a daft idea - the inside of a car is always more secure - bikes can be stolen very quickly from motorway service stops. "Just a thought."

.

Hi Mike,

Thanks for all your input so far. I really do appreciate it.

I am looking to move skis, to the Alps.
Essentially, I screwed up when buying the car. I wasn't actually intending to keep it this long. But due to coronavirus, I haven't been able to get much use out of it all. Thus I have just kept it untill freedom is restored. Yes, I am an optimist.
I ought to have looked more carefully into the fitting of the bag/sock which you pass skis into via the boot, with the back-seat arm-rest down.
Sadly, this is a purchase option. Which, if not selected, is substituted with a larger fuel tank.

They won't fit in the car, especially not with 3 people.

I'll have a look on Thule's website now.
Though I shall also keep searching ebay, on the off-chance.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Would this MontBlanc roof rack float your boat?

Roof Rack Steel Mercedes Class S FROM 1999 To 09/2005 | eBay

But there'll be plenty sold on Ebay over the next two months.

Why not put a classified "want" ad on here?

 

[Azer]

Would this MontBlanc roof rack float your boat?

Roof Rack Steel Mercedes Class S FROM 1999 To 09/2005 | eBay

View attachment 118514

Dad has very similar bars on his C-Class, if they are anything like those, then once you get above ~50M.P.H. There is rather a lot of whistling.
The transverses are made of sheet steel, folded into a box. However, it is not sealed and once all of the end caps have been stolen, there isn't much one can do.

I'm also more than a little concerned about the clamps affecting the paint inside the door-shut.

 

[Azer]

Why not put a classified "want" ad on here?

Excellent idea Mike.

Done.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Dad has very similar bars on his C-Class, if they are anything like those, then once you get above ~50M.P.H. There is rather a lot of whistling.
The transverses are made of sheet steel, folded into a box. However, it is not sealed and once all of the end caps have been stolen, there isn't much one can do.

I'm also more than a little concerned about the clamps affecting the paint inside the door-shut.

Mont Blanc are one of the better brands - your Dad probably has a cheaper clone - but your main objection is right. box sections are noisy and inelegant. Much better to get the MB or Thule aerodynamic aluminium style ones in the photos further up.