[YesHaveSome]

So Yakima recommends 58" crossbars for a roof rack setup for the Veloster. Seeing as a new set of crossbars is $80, I figured I should try installing the roof rack with the 48" crossbars that I used on my old Mazda RX-8.

I tried and failed a while back, since the towers wouldn't close completely with the end caps in.

Fast forward to today, where I decided to give it another go, minus the end caps. The towers grab on to the bars with no problem and everything installed quite nicely. Obviously, there is not a lot of bar left on each end, but it does not budge at all when pushed or pulled.

So here's the big question. Am I setting myself up for a massive failure that could include things like losing bikes, breaking my Veloster, or other such disasters? Should I chance using the 48" bars, or should I suck it up and throw 80 bucks at the 58" that are recommended?

 

[jeremy]

I personally would buy the proper length bars

 

[swordfish]

If those were about 4" longer, I'd say rock-on. But they aren't.
I don't think you are in any dire danger, but you loose some of the margin for error. If one of those bars slides its pretty much straight onto your roof.
And without end caps you may as well name your car Zamfir. (I will wait while you google that up)

 

[VeloT]

I would get the correct length bars, why chance something like that...unless you're throwing a Huffy up there haha Seriously a bike flying off your roof in front of other cars could get very expensive for you really fast.

 

[YesHaveSome]

And without end caps you may as well name your car Zamfir. (I will wait while you google that up)

Yep, definitely had to Google. I suppose I didn't think about the ungodly noise coming from the open bars.

Also, I forgot to mention that I don't use my roof rack as a permanent addition to my car. I throw it up there a handful of times a year to get my bike to the local trailheads (usually no more than 20-30 miles away.) I'll probably still get the proper bars though.

 

[jamesc]

I was just looking at my old RX-8 setup and trying to decide what to do. I'm thinking trailer hitch because with the trays on a roof rack it looks like you can't open the trunk. I'm also scared to death of scratching the matte paint.

The hitch rack just leaves me in a quandary over how to transport my tandem. I looked at a Draftmaster hitch rack. It is probably out of my price range and would look just too hilarious (It carries the bike standing on its rear wheel, putting the front of the bike six or eight feet in the air). I think it is just going to be a van day when we're going out on the tandem.