Thule 1K0-071-126 Original Volkswagen Roof Racks for GTI 06-14 and Golf 09-14

To clarify up front, these are not made by Thule. These are VW OEM roof racks that are made to fit perfectly on the specified model years of the Golf.When I make bigger purchases, I tend to do more research than most people. I'll try to hit everything that I considered before I clicked "Proceed to Checkout" in this review. If you put in the same amount of effort in your research as I do, then I hope this review helps answer any questions that a product description may not answer.[To go straight to the product review, skip the following three paragraphs]To give you some background, I have a 2012 Volkswagen Golf TDI (Reflex Silver). Coming from a 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee, where I used a rear mounted bike rack (Thule 9001 Raceway 2), I was looking for a way to transport my road and trail bikes safely and securely to and from my races/practices on my Golf. The three main options to transport were 1.) in the car, 2.) on a hitch, or 3.) on the roof. After transporting the bikes in the car a few times, it was apparent that this method was A.) a pain in the butt, B.) a great way to rip up the upholstery or scratch a window if I was in a rush or tired, and C.) inefficient when I also needed interior space for suitcases and bags for races that required travel. I then decided that I needed to transport the bikes outside of the car either on a hitch rack or on a roof rack.Initially, the hitch rack seemed like the way to go; hitch racks do not increase the height of your car, are easy/fast to install, create less wind noise, and provide greater versatility (TDI owners especially, since we can tow up to around 1000 lbs). Despite the fact that Yakima and Thule have some good products for hitch racks, I ran into a problem with the actual hitch itself. Sure, U-Haul and Curt hitches provide some quick and easy hitch solutions for Golf owners, but keep in mind that those hitches 1.) do not attach to the frame of the car (not good if you want to use the hitch for towing as well) and 2.) lower the ground clearance of the car (not good if you live in a hilly city, especially if it has potholes). There is, however, a solution to this: European hitches. These hitches attach to the frame of the car and do not compromise ground clearance. Two things on European hitches, though: 1.) 2009 - above model Golfs will need to cut through the bumper to accommodate these hitches, 2.) TDI owners will need to switch their exhaust to a GTI version to allow for a fit on the underside, which also includes a new rear valence. Since I didn't want to spend over $1000 on a bike transport system (let alone have a hole in my bumper), I decided against the tow rack system and started to research roof racks.Starting my search for roof racks, I quickly came across Thule and Yakima as options. Initially, I thought these were the only choices, so I took a look at their line of racks, which basically came down to base-styles (square-tube) and aero models (more aerodynamic). The base models were appealing because they could hold a heavier load, but the aero models also caught my eye due to less wind noise and less MPG loss. I then began to read reviews of all the roof rack types, particularly looking for VW Golf reviews. I saw recurring issues: "leaks into the cabin when it rains", "despite protective films, the surface still gets marred after use", "cannot get proper fit"... not something you would want in a rack, right? Not to mention, the price tag for each set-up was way more than I was willing to pay. I began to search around at other manufacturers, such as Rhino Racks, and came across similar reviews. I finally concluded to stray away from third-party racks to prevent all of these issues simply due to their "one size fits all" mentality.[To those that skipped the last three paragraphs, the following describes the product]That is when I found these VW OEM racks. After reading reviews from multiple sources, I was pleased to see that the above issues with the third-party racks were basically non-existent with these racks. After exhaustive research, I bought these racks and am completely satisfied with them. To answer some possible questions, these racks are made of aluminum and are extremely easy to install and remove from the car (takes me about five minutes to install them and five minutes to remove them). They do not come with a lock per se, but rather a specific torque wrench made only for your set of racks. The nice thing about these is that they are made for your car, without any adapter sets or such. There are markings and set-holes on your vehicle that they line up with to provide the perfect fit (note: the front bar is longer than the rear, they are supposed to be like this).I like to think of these racks having two stages: first is the car-fitting stage, then the attachment stage. The car-fitting stage include the bolts in conjunction with the torque wrench. After you place the rack on your car and tighten the bolts, there is a swivel cap that goes over the bolts for aesthetics. The attachment stage is where to put the bike trays/holders onto the rack. Each rail has two end caps on either end that you can slide off and snap securely back on to close the T-slot track (they do not fall off). If you are not using the rack, the assembly does come with a rubber "gasket" or weatherseal you can put into the T-slot track. To clarify from an earlier review, this gasket comes in a solid, one-piece strip. It will not fit outside of the box, but if you have been able to install the rack yourself (with the included detailed instructions and some extra time on your part; no need to have the dealer install), then you should be able to measure, cut, and fit the gasket with ease. Personally, I like this more than a pre-cut gaskets since it comes with some extra material.To clarify, these racks do create a little bit of wind-noise and can cut back on gas mileage. The wind noise is noticeable at about 40 MPH and is more of a low howl than anything else. Honestly, a little noise should be expected for anything that detracts from the original wind-profile of the car (there are a few "hacks" online that show how you can use string or zip-ties to cut back on the noise). Know, though, that this noise is anything but overpowering. You will notice it, but you can still whisper to your passenger on the highway. Regarding the MPG, the loss is negligible in the city. On the highway, you will see about 2-3 MPG loss. For those considering a fairing, there is a detailed tutorial online that shows how to install a Thule fairing onto the rack; it seems like most people have used the 44" Thule 872XT model, but there are some that prefer the smaller 38" 871XT model. Keep in mind that VW does not make a fairing and cannot initially accept one; you will have to drill some holes into the rack and work a little DIY magic to fit one. From what I have read, however, this fairing does not necessarily help out with the wind noise and MPG since it is angled steeper than originally intended/designed due to the roof rack. I'd like to think that if the rack needed a fairing, VW would have made one for it.With this roof rack, I also purchased a Rockymounts Euro Pitchfork for my bike and am extremely satisfied with the setup (with the roof rack, fork-mount bike tray, and bike in place, my car is about 9 feet tall). This purchase met my initial criteria, looks like it was meant for my car (since the Roof rack is OEM; the Rockymounts also looks great with it), does not create adverse conditions (leaks, damage, etc), and was extremely cost efficient. Despite the OEM rack being the cheapest option, it fulfills its duty completely. If you find yourself in the same situation as me and are looking at different options for your VW Golf, I hope my efforts in research have helped you out.

I purchased these roof racks for my 2009 GTI and they installed perfectly. I installed the base roof racks in 10min by myself. This is an original equipment(OE)from Volkswagen.Not sure why it says from Thule on Amazon.Everything fits nice and snug and I will be installing the Ski/Snowboard attachments also. This definitely the best price you can get for the VW base roof racks online.All parts were nicely packaged up from VW which included the two base racks, manual, Torque wrench, black rubber cover section(covers T slot when attachments are not used and prevents wind noise),& Allen wrench to unscrew the caps in the front door. The front roof rack has a pin that goes in the hole the cap was in to secure it to the door well. The rear roof rack does not have the pin but you should see two arrows in the door well where rear roof rack should be installed. 2-door vehicles have arrows on the rear side window.I bought mine from Fowler VW but any of the VW dealers should be the same. Amazon provides the best price for VW accessories.Any questions please comment on this review.

Very good by itself, great with some additional stuff. More on that in a minute... As other reviewers have said, it does make some noise at speed and there's a small MPG hit. With just the rack mounted, I did have 1-2 mpg less, as well as some additional noise, but not so much that it couldn't be drowned out with some additional radio volume.On a 2 door GTI, on the front, the mounting bracket compresses the door seals so there is a chance for some leaking. On a 4 door this may also be the case in the rear. I've only had leaking a couple times in three years, going through an automated car wash, and during very heavy rain. Every time it was a matter of only a couple drops tops making it inside.I have a couple bike racks mounted to mine with Thule clamps (not using the T-channel), and there is plenty of clearance between the bottom of the clamp hardware and the top of the roof, with no sunroof interference.On the "additional stuff..." If you are a little handy or a DIYer, you can mount a fairing with a couple bucks worth of hardware plus the cost of the fairing. The best way that I've found to do it is a permanent modification, so... make sure you actually want to keep it first. Basically a couple holes are drilled in the bottom of the front rack, threaded inserts and some bolts... and you have a mounted fairing. This cuts down noise enough that with the sunroof and shade closed I don't even notice it. It has also pretty much completely eliminated the MPG hit in my case.To prevent the mount feet from rubbing dirt into the paint and making scratches, I use clear 3M film under the feet before installation. A roll of it will last practically forever and it will help prevent scratching where the feet touch the body.The rack by itself is perfectly serviceable, and OEM fit. With a fairing and 3M film it's awesome.

I purchased this product so I can transport my kayak. The roof rack was very easy to install, extremely durable and is serving its purpose well. I only had to get special pads to cover the rack, which I was able to purchase from the store I bought the kayak from. We took the kayak camping and had no problems with shifting or falling. We also used ratchet straps to hold it down. Very happy with my purchase.

Not much cheaper than at the dealer but it is perfect custom fit and designed specifically for the car, and easy install. I like the design and the fact the bars do not stick outside the car to have a reindeer look.

one of the rails was damaged. Where the damage is located i am concerned about the structure being compromised with any weight on top. Waiting to hear back from Amazon who contacted the dealer. Was hoping to purchase a kayak this weekend but it will have to wait another week or two....

Did not receive a new item part was used