Where's my roof rack??

[eting_pro5]

While my initial impression of the 3 drives me to like the sedan better than the hatch, I have to keep in mind my uses for the car.

I currently have a Pro5 and am buying a multisport Yakima roof rack soon. Upon looking at the pictures of the 3 I notice that none are shown with the a roof rack.

I realize that a large percentage of Pro5 owners remove the crossbars or rack completely, Mazda still better be thinking of me as an environmentally concerned active male who won't drive an SUV. While you can add a Yakima rack without the factory rails, it doesn't look as clean. Any hope that Mazda will include a roof rack with the 3, possibly as an option?

I'm hoping the pictures sans roof racks are just Mazda trying to make the first impression more sporty. Anyone else missing the roof rack?

 

[dinu01]

I'm sure there will be one, most likely as a stand-alone option.

 

[787B]

Good question... I was just planning to buy the right Q-clips for my Yakima system, regardless of whether I'd gotten a P5 or the M3. But, now that you mention it, I don't even know if it has the roof rail attachment points.

I'll check and get back.

 

[eting_pro5]

3 on order, eh?

where in michigan are you exactly? i see that you've got the 3 on order already, do you have a delivery date from the dealer, how soon can i expect to see you on the road??

Even if there aren't raingutters (the normal attachment point for a roof rackless vehicle) on the 3, Yakima does make some form of clips(i think they're still Q clips) that attach at the top of the doors. of course this looks crappier and isn't as stable and often times ends up being a hassle for some of the rack attachments. your other option would be to drill in Yakima rails, but then you've made a monster out of your beautiful maz3

nice choice on the titanium. if i paint my pro5, something i am seriously considering, i want to do titanium paint with mirrored tint on the windows.

 

[chuyler1]

Not a chance. Too many people bitched about the wind noise from the P5 roof rack. Thats why they pulled it from the 03.5 P5s.

 

[787B]

No hard delivery date, yet... I'm waiting on tracking information. I know production is scheduled for November (so, it's not one of the first cars, but that's fine with me, since my current lease is not up yet.)... The dealership I'm using is Bill Cook Imports...

I'm wondering if M3 has the roof rail attachment points, like on P5 & other market Millennias... you know this, but for others that don't, it's under a "door" in the molding that covers where the roof stamping is welded to the side body "aperture" stamping. Very slick and keeps you from risking scratching up your rain gutters or under the top edge of your door (on cars equipped with "aircraft-style" doors like VW Jetta)... Q-clips are it on P5... I don't know how M3 handles it.

Speaking of Cook Imports, a few weeks ago, they had a Titanium MSP... very tempting.

 

[787B]

Rola Racks (Australia)

One other option for me, regarding roof racks, would be an Australian rack, Rola... I had some on a 1989 Mercury Tracer Wagon (that'll tell you that I'm just this side of Methuselah) which I "turned into" a left-hand drive replica of an Australian Ford Meteor estate, with grille, badges, wheels, trim, etc. Not a looker now but, for the time, not bad... The racks were very aero and looked great... they have a number of attachment methods available...

Anyway, Rola is nearly invisible these days, though I have a contact in L.A. for them... failing that, anybody have any contacts in Australia?

 

[eting_pro5]

THEY REMOVED THE ROOF RACK FROM THE 2003.5????????!!!!!!!! i've seen so many pro5s without the rack, i thought everyone was just removing them on their own!!! glad i got mine when i did

anyways....Bill Cook, eh, as in the Bill Cook on Ten Mile Rd. what are you driving right now?

I saw that titanium msp about a month ago when i was in test driving a manual pro5 (mom and dad pay the bills on mine, at least i have the sport auto!) that thing was sweet. the funny thing was, when i mentioned the 3, the salesman acted like he hadn't heard of it.... jackass prolly just wanted to move the pro5s off his lot. i sure hope he saw me drive off the lot in my pro5, laughing as i just wasted an hour of his life with no intention of buying a car......