Roof Bar`s

Thought I would start a new thread about cross bars as the other thread was about roof rails and he got a bit stressed about us going off topic.

So for people who do have the roof rails and want cross bars you have two main options Thule or Kia there are others but we ended up buying both so can only share info on these two.

First we bought the Thule bars as we were told by local dealers Kia bars were still not showing on there system, so went to Halfords only to find out car would not fit in our garage with them on!  as we didn`t want to be taking them on and off we decided to go for the kia bars which by a twist of fate were now showing and could be ordered.

The Thule bars sit a bit higher (as we found out) and have locking covers using a key, if you go for the aero bars they have the "T" track for other Thule accessory to save you using  "U" clamps.
No wind noise from them at 70mph

Rapid railing kit to mate them to the sportage No 4009 .............................£29.99
Fitting kit roof rack feet x 4 No 753 .............................................................£69.00
Then plain plastic coated bars or aero bars that we wanted No 861 ..........£72.99


The Kia bars sit lower to the rails and have a plastic key you twist then another plastic key to lock them in place, unlike the Thule they fit into specific holes on the roof rails

KIa part No 3W211ADEOOAL       Aluminium cross bars for cars with roof rails
Kia part No K3W211ADEOOME     Steel cross bars for cars with roof rails
Kia part No K3W210ADEOOAL      Aluminium cross bars for cars without  roof rails
Kia part No K3W210ADEOOME     Steel cross bars for cars without  roof rails



Don`t know which is the better kit, for us the kia bars as they are lower and less expensive but the Thule kit has locking metal keys which I prefer Both are available with metal plastic coated cross bars or aluminium with "T" track.

So the choice is yours.  

Wouldn't say there is a lot of difference in how they fit Thule use the allen key and kia has a plastic turn screw and the bars look identical in how they mount to the brackets, the kia brackets just sit lower and you have to fit them into the holes on the roof rails other than that they are very similar.  

Edited by kia$torm - 03 Mar 2011 at 9:05pm

Are the aluminium bars aero and the steel ones square??

Having lost the thule key on my previous set once and discovered that just before we went on hols, a non key option looks good even though it doesnt 'lock' them as such

Hi guys, I think the Thule ones look better as the brackets don't hang over on the bottom like the Kia ones.

Sorry no they are sold, and the Thule ones are about £60 more then the kia bars