Model 3 Roof Rack Options

[June P]

i have a kayak and that's what I need to transport occasionally some weekends. I only carry my bike once a year to a store for maintenance. But it's important to me to not have to give up my kayak over the car I drive when I never had to before. I don't want to put something behind my car so that I wind up crashing into something when I backup. I don't keep racks on top of the car when I am not on a kayak trip although I might if it was necessary. The reason I got the car I have now is that a Prius wagon supposedly didn't have a good way to take a Thule rack off easily - the car I have has an easy to move out of the way rack. Now years later I want to replace the car I have but there is no Prius wagon, and the Prius never had AWD anyway and is too low to the ground.

I would like a car a little off the ground for times that water is high. I don't want to be one of those statistics where someone's tesla was totaled from "flood," as I saw in a video by a guy who tries to pick up parts so he can service teslas himself. He found a lot of teslas that were junked from water destruction. When I drive through a few inches of water I don't want to risk my car. Where I live there is a lot of storming and tropical weather.

 

[Accentcreate]

I don’t understand why Tesla are not commenting on the roof-rack issue. We are eagerly anticipating placing our order for a Model 3 in Europe for early next year. Without a roof-rack option we won’t be able to buy this car. Of course I would prefer a station wagon version, but that seems even less likely at this stage.

 

[EVnut]

I don’t understand why Tesla are not commenting on the roof-rack issue. We are eagerly anticipating placing our order for a Model 3 in Europe for early next year. Without a roof-rack option we won’t be able to buy this car. Of course I would prefer a station wagon version, but that seems even less likely at this stage.

I'm right there with you, brother! Rack, hitch, wagon. :sigh:

 

[Ctuna]

I need roof racks and a hatchback don't care about the glass roof.
Beautiful Car but this is one point where its a deal breaker for me.

 

[Ctuna]

A wagon would be nice, and so would a hatchback. When they get around to the model Y those falcon doors don't play
well with a roof rack . Average SUP size is 8 to 11 ft. average sailboad size is 7 to 9 ft.

 

[EVnut]

A wagon would be nice, and so would a hatchback. When they get around to the model Y those falcon doors don't play
well with a roof rack . Average SUP size is 8 to 11 ft. average sailboad size is 7 to 9 ft.

A wagon or at least hatch *would* be nice. But that has nothing to do with the Y that will be a pretend SUV. I am confident that the Y will not have the falcon doors though, so I wouldn't let THAT aspect be of concern.

 

[PaulS]

Anybody hear anything recent on this? Even the Tesla service guys that I know still have zero answer... one even said "the 3 is an around-town city car... S and X are for loading up with skis and bikes"... my jaw dropped open. Starting to sound like no solutions (without suction cups or drilling holes) until they modify the roof... if ever. Surprised by such a big miss by T.

 

[JTesmod3]

I read that Yakima or thule will be releasing one next year sometime

 

[mikevbf]

Why not use a trailer hitch rack?

EcoHitch for Tesla Model 3

For those primarily needing a solution for bikes and willing to use a hitch which will give better range than putting bikes on roof, I can vouch for 1UP which I use on my MX. I have owned many different bike hitches over my lifetime. This is by far the best one I ever used. Super solid build, no play between hitch and receiver, super easy to get bikes on and off, super easy to put on and off the hitch, gets out of the way to access trunk by tilting, made in USA, etc, etc.

 

[EV-lutioin]

For those primarily needing a solution for bikes and willing to use a hitch which will give better range than putting bikes on roof, I can vouch for 1UP which I use on my MX. I have owned many different bike hitches over my lifetime. This is by far the best one I ever used. Super solid build, no play between hitch and receiver, super easy to get bikes on and off, super easy to put on and off the hitch, gets out of the way to access trunk by tilting, made in USA, etc, etc.

I also have a 1-UP, it performs brilliantly... I'm the envy of all my biker friends

 

[Ctuna]

Saw these Yakima's on a 3 er with a racing sup on it.

 

[GregRF]

Saw these Yakima's on a 3 er with a racing sup on it.

Hah! I think I was following the same white 3 on Monday morning down toward Watsonville. Had the racks but no board then. Perhaps someone doing some testing?

 

[Getlib]

I read that Yakima or thule will be releasing one next year sometime

Source?

 

[Incredulocious]

I just saw a Model 3 with a roof rack near San Jose (CA) today and came on here to see if anybody knew what it was or who it’s from.

 

[EVnut]

Several folks are having aftermarket units installed (with blind nuts through the sheet metal on the sides of the glass). I've seen several now. Anybody can do that or have it done. I still don't see a factory option.

 

[UtahIsRad]

Source?

Early summer I emailed Yakima/Whispbar about the rack, as they make the factory S one. They replied that they were working on one for the 3 to launch early 2019. That said, I can’t find the little hook points under the rubber seals of my glass roof on my Sept build car, so I’m wondering what the real plan is. I really want a roof rack for ski carry in a box, and the claim that one was coming was critical to purchase. My wife will never replace her Audi Q7 with an X as long as skis don’t fit on top due to falcon wings. An SUV without a rack is stupid IMO... the S stands for sport. Skis on the hitch get covered in salt spray off the road.

 

[EVnut]

Early summer I emailed Yakima/Whispbar about the rack, as they make the factory S one. They replied that they were working on one for the 3 to launch early 2019. That said, I can’t find the little hook points under the rubber seals of my glass roof on my Sept build car, so I’m wondering what the real plan is. I really want a roof rack for ski carry in a box, and the claim that one was coming was critical to purchase. My wife will never replace her Audi Q7 with an X as long as skis don’t fit on top due to falcon wings. An SUV without a rack is stupid IMO... the S stands for sport. Skis on the hitch get covered in salt spray off the road.

Similar conversations are happening on other TM3 forums. While I'm happy that Yakima is working on a solution for the 3... that's not going to help us current owners. It would have to be accompanied by a change in the cars... the addition of roof mounting points that we don't have.

As you've found, none of the production cars have rack mounts in the roof. So the only plan that I can imagine is that Yakima and Tesla come up with a plan that adds mounts to production cars at some point, and Yakima makes the product that attaches to them. Existing owners need not apply. :-(

 

[UtahIsRad]

Hope they come up with a backwards compatible solution cause that would be lame if not. I wonder how strong the chrome trim is attached? Many companies make feet and hooks to grab on that.

 

[EVnut]

There's no limit to how many ways racks can be cobbled onto any car. Clamping to the roof and door edges is not what I'm after, that's for sure! If Tesla doesn't come up with an elegant solution, the only viable answer for me is to bolt on Landing Pads, and go from there. That's what I've done on my last three cars. I was hoping this time would be different.

 

[UtahIsRad]

100% agree. I just don’t see myself doing an option that doesn’t look clean once it’s removed as during the non-winter months I won’t leave on the rack, as I only carry bikes with a hitch tray rack unless I’m using the truck.