ballistic

I need suggestions for a good car rack for a sedan. I have a 2006 Mercury Milan. I don't want too much weight pulling on the trunk lid (I know part of the rack would rest against the rear), so a two-bike rack is the max. Looking for a rack that won't leave marks or scratches on my car or my bike. Strong, sturdy, etc.

Under $100, or it better be a stellar rack.

roccobike

IMHO there are two bike racks out there that mount to a car trunk. Saris Bones and all the rest.
I have a three bike Saris for the SUV and a 2 bike Saris for the Volvo. All the good things you'll hear about them are correct.

ballistic

So this?

roccobike

Yup! Properly mounted, you'll never have to worry about it.

Seagull01

Bad news - ANY trunk rack is going to leave marks / scratches on your finish. Anything that touches the paint and CAN move - even slightly - will rub and eventually leave a scratch.

Good news - You CAN get a class I or class II hitch for a 2006 Mercury Milan. The class II is really more than you need for bikes, and will probably exceed the towing rating for that car anyway - so a class I is all you need. Once you have a real hitch installed, there are a variety of bike racks you can get that will not involve strapping some contraption to your trunk.

More bad news - cost goes up. etrailer has a Draw Tite class I hitch that fits the 06 Milan for $150 - but you will then need someone to install it unless you can do it yourself (most hitches require removing the bumper). Then after you have the hitch installed, you still need to buy a hitch rack. You will NOT need a trailer wire harness unless you think you might pull a small utility trailer, so you can save a couple of bucks on the installation job by asking to leave the wire harness off.

Trunk racks are OK - and I know many people use them, but they are never as easy to use as a hitch carrier. A hitch carrier is never in contact with the car finish. Also, you can get cool things to attach to a hitch - like a cargo rack, small trailer, and so on.

As for which trunk rack is best - I really do not think it matters which one you get. They are all pretty much the same design ('universal fit" meaning that they will attach to just about anything - but not very well). Check Craigslist, down here every couple of days one turns up for sale.

My hitch carrier folds down, so I just leave it on my truck. It only has to come off when I want to move the boat.

ballistic

No one makes a trunk rack with clips coated with rubber or anything?

I can't drop $100+ for a hitch, possibly extra for installation, and another $100+ for a rack.

Eclectus

Anything that attaches to your trunk lid will leave marks. If you are driving a Mercury, who gives a s***?

The resale value on 06 is going to be crap, whatever you decide to do.

ballistic

Wow. Cool. Thanks for your post.

corbett1010

Gotta vote for the saris bones, yes you might have little marks from where it attaches, just make sure the car is clean and it's nothing that a little buffing can't fix.

Seagull01

I hear that! If your budget is what it is, then you have to work within your means.

The trunk carriers do have rubber coating at the contact points - but contact is still contact.

You can minimize this by removing the carrier when not in use. Depending on how often you use the carrier, you might not really want to take it off - I have a friend who leaves his trunk carrier on all the time - even when not transporting a bike. His trunk has marks on it already where the paint looks more worn than on the rest of the car.

You can also cut up a towel and wrap pieces of it on the contact points (or use washcloths - whatever as long as you use soft material). Tie wraps can hold the cloth on the carrier. This may help with marks.

Check Craigslist in your area. Trunk racks turn up every couple of days in my area.

BoodBianchi

A roof rack is out of the question? Budget constraint?

ulugeyik

Curious. How practical are roof racks? I always get the feeling that I would do more damage and spend a lot of effort getting two oddly shaped bikes up on the roof and attached to the rack. Then I would also have to assume that in mountain passes and less populated areas all tunnels and such are labeled accurately for height.

Is there a roof rack where the bike is placed horizontally rather than vertically?

Chris_F

Rubber coated clips will leave marks. We're not talking about cutting clear down to primer here, we're talking about swirl and scuff mark type stuff. If you bring your car through automatic car washes the finish is already trashed anyways so don't worry about it. It's not like the Milan will ever be on the green at Pebble Beach anyway.

simonaway427

I agree with most of these comments - ANYTHING that touches your paint will scratch it...full stop...theres no way around it.

Is this going to be a serious bike rack or just something to quickly transport a bike somewhere? If you don't need that much durability, I say go for a cheap trailer hitch and hitch rack. If you search long and hard in the used market, you might be able to do it for $100.

KiuBWhy

I've never seen a roof rack that places a bike horizontally, but I'm a big fan of roof racks now that I own one. Just be aware of your surroundings and don't forget its up there.

As far as cost constraints, I recently acquired a full Yakima system complete with two bike holders for $100 and just two days ago I saw a similar setup but Thule branded for the same price. I was pretty skeptical of using it at first, but after jolting the thing around on a WRX I'm fairly sure the previous owner didn't scam me. (Until the catastrophic failure happens).

Browse Craigslist, good things come to those who wait.

Spinz

Saris Bones or a Saris RS ------ My vote for the RS. Lp

ballistic

Wow. Lots of hate for the Milan. You'll just have to forgive me for not owning a BMW or belonging in a higher tax bracket like you guys. But you're right. My stuff is inferior, so it's okay to let it get messed up. There's no reason to protect what I've put money into. Because it's cheaper than you're used to.

The Bones I can maybe afford, and Saris recommends it for the Milan.

milkbaby

If you don't have passengers in the back seat, why not just pop the front wheel off and plop everything in the back seat?

I have a Saris Bones, but I rarely use it cause it's easier to just ride the dang bike to wherever I'm going if it's in town... I'm too paranoid to trust a trunk rack on the highway, though it does seem well built and durable enough to survive highway speeds.

DieselDan

Not just the hooks, but the straps can leave marks as well. Allen has a simple 2 bike rack with only three straps that is affordable and may have the lest impact on the car.

Sandspider

would the Saris work for a 1000 mile road trip from Chicago to Col Springs?

roccobike

Yes, I took my Bones on a trip to the Outer Banks, around 200 miles at 75MPH. No problems. I strongly recommend checking the tightness of the straps after the first 30 miles to see if there is any stretching. Once fit snuggly, the Bones won't move.

ballistic

That's what I've been doing, but it's getting really annoying. And it can mess up both my backseat and my bike.

I like the Bones. I may just get one. I'm not too worried about marks, as I'll remove it when not in use. It's not like I'll be going to distant trails every day. Mostly weekend stuff.

downhillbreeze

got my saris bone for 80 bucks off craigslist. Fits well on my mazda 6 with three bikes and never moves. Including on the high way and on big bumps