VW or Thule Roof Bars

Stuarty · Jul 1, 2020

Hi everyone,

Hope you are all OK. Just a quick question please.... what’s the difference between the official VW roof bars (£301 a pair) compared to the Thule roof bars (£217) for sale in the shop here?

Many thanks!

Martin · Jul 1, 2020

Both are equal good quality but the genuine VW ones sit way too high on the van and are more aimed at builders vans, the Thule low ones (753) look much better .. I have had both .

HowieDog · Jul 1, 2020

Have low Thule with Wingbars. Very happy with them.

Ch1pbutty · Jul 1, 2020

Whispbars are also good, only add 10cm to vans height.

TripleBee · Jul 1, 2020

Ch1pbutty said:
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I am sorry to go off topic :offtopic

.

But in the second to last picture, do I see the devilish roof rot?
And as you have a T5, yours isn't on the list for the recall?

Anyway, those are some sleek bars!

Ch1pbutty · Jul 1, 2020

TripleBee said:
I am sorry to go off topic .

But in the second to last picture, do I see the devilish roof rot?
And as you have a T5, yours isn't on the list for the recall?

Anyway, those are some sleek bars!

Has some minor bubbly bits, and was put on the waiting list for roof corrosion work by SMG Cowfold during its last service, they said it might take up to 2 years!

I have owned 3 older VW’s (T2, T25 & T4) in the past all with fibreglass roofs and obviously never had and issue with corrosion, or any other roof issues. The California aluminium roof looks nice and sleek and is very lightweight, but also a weak point with corrosion and with its slim design easy to understand how some have managed to crease theirs (ie -you feel it twisting sometimes as you lower it.)

CraigPeaps · Jul 28, 2020

Ch1pbutty said:
Whispbars are also good, only add 10cm to vans height.

View attachment 62025 View attachment 62026 View attachment 62027 View attachment 62028 View attachment 62029

They look great, can i ask how wide (length of) the bars are across the van please? I am looking at getting some Thule Slide bars and the car checker keeps offering 144cm length but i think it could take 162 cm and still be within the width of the van body.

Ch1pbutty · Jul 28, 2020

They are 150cms, will take a wide 34 inch paddle board + a skinny roof box (think if you use the recommended bars using website vehicle make/model etc they a will point you towards shorter ones). 162 cm will be fine.

The only thing to watch when oversizing the length on Thule bars is that they do not have as much adjustment in the slot on the underside of the bar between the feet, so you just need to make sure you have enough adjustment (left to right) so that the feet reach the rail in the roof of the van. It's usually more an issue when you try to fit the bars to a 2nd car with a narrower roof. Can easily be solved with a dremel (or drill) by making the slot slightly longer to allow the feet to slide further towards the centre of the bar!