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Passat Roof Rack? !!!!HELP!!!!!

9K views 14 replies 9 participants last post by  The Great Roberto  
#1 ·
I recently bought boogie wheels for my '02 passat. VW said they wouldn't fit my car and so did their parts book. But I had three dealers tell me they had fit them on '02 passat and fit perfectly. And I've had them for a few months now, and are great.
Now I'm looking for a used roof rack. I found one but it's for the '98-'01 passat according to VW and won't fit my car. Has anyone tried this or know how it might or might not fit.
Thanks!
Rick
 
#2 ·
Let's see, the roofline did not change in '01, nor did the width of the roof. So I really can't believe the '98-'01 rack does not fit the B5.5. Regardless, I think you should go with a Thule or Yakima (I've owned a Thule set up and think it is better). The VW rack is slicker, but it is proprietary and you have to buy all attachments and spare parts from VW only. Clearly, screw that.
 
#3 ·
According to the DriverGear site, VW has two different racks...one for the B5 and the other for the B5.5. Whether or not they are actually different remains to be determined. I'd imagine a Yak or Thule rack will fit either year with the same clips though.

On edit: Here's the link.

http://drivergear.vw.com/store/acce...ory.asp?parent_category_id=12&category_id=48&subcategory_id=209&product_id=2285

On edit II: and when you replace your Passat, even with the next gen Passat, your VW rack won't transfer, but a Yak or Thule will.
 
#4 ·
I'm trying to have VW admit that it will fit.
But they just read out of "the book" that says that it doesn't.
I looked at yakima and thule and they fit both models with the same clips.
thanks for you help...
 
#5 ·
If the rack doesn't fit, it's not because the car changed. This is why you should go with a Thule or Yakima, because VW is not going to make your ownership experience easy to deal with in the future. My '98-'01 VW Votex rack requires an allen wrench to tighten the supports (Thule has built-in finger twist tighteners), and it has vulnerable little plastic washers that crack in half on a regular basis. It looks a lot cooler, but avoid, avoid, avoid.
 
#11 ·
The 98-01 roof rack will NOT fit the 01.5 and newer Passat. The difference is that the B5.5 has the chrome trim that the earlier models do not. The clips for the B5.5 have a little bulge in them that accounts for the trim. Do not buy a VW rack for a B5 if you have a B5.5, you will crush the trim. If you need a VW rack for the B5.5, drop me a PM, I have one for sale, very reasonable.
 
#12 ·
Rack

Darter said:
According to the DriverGear site, VW has two different racks...one for the B5 and the other for the B5.5. Whether or not they are actually different remains to be determined.
Maybe the B5.5 ones have a lot of chrome trim on them :lol:
 
#15 ·
rickrick said:
ok. thanks
dog guard?
Dog guard.One of those things that goes in the back of the variant to keep the dog in the back.Actually I use it to stop gear falling on my daughter ever time I brake.The VW one is ÂŁ110 in the UK and built like a brick shit-house.Well, perhaps more like a steel one.Good things.You guys must use them ?

Bare in my my comments ref racks were for the variant and not that other type of Passat :wink: