Broken bike rack

[Jonlewis314159]

Hi all,

Have reversed my California into a wall. I have broken the bike rack which is a genuine vw accessory. ( in black ) the California is a 6.1 2022.
Although it’s an insurance claim, I’m seeing if the bike rack can be repaired through sourcing a new part.
The plastic moulding that attaches the rack to the car is broken. Any advice, picture attached.

 

[sidepod]

All the parts are individually available from Thule.

They have official repair outlets scattered around.
I got some parts from somewhere near Ipswich I think.

Get y’Google on and find the part.

 

[sidepod]

Here y’go

Spare parts & instructions | Thule | United Kingdom

Need instructions or a spare part for your Thule product? Use our product finder to find Thule original spare parts, instructions, and fit kits.

www.thule.com

 

[sidepod]

Item 21

 

[Hawthorn37]

Ouch !!
I expect that you were perfectly calm when that happened

It’s 20 years ago, but I still recall the sick feeling in the pit of my stomach when we drove into a height restricted car park with bikes on the roof in Boulogne sur Mer. The kids got a crash course in 4 letter expletives that day!

 

[Jonlewis314159]

But it’s not a thule as far as I’m aware, it was from vw as an extra when I bought the car new. I was told that it was a genuine vw accessory which they took apart and powder coated black.

I am no expert on vw or California’s so that’s as much as I remember. When they appear 2nd hand on eBay they always include this sort of picture

 

[calikev]

Correct the vw rack is made for vw and the parts are not allowed to be sold by Thule the same as the awning brackets for the cali vw supply these

 

[Jonlewis314159]

I get a new bike rack in the claim but it seems such a shame if this one becomes obsolete because of a broken plastic mount.

I’m wondering how similar the thule mounting is.

 

[sidepod]

Correct the vw rack is made for vw and the parts are not allowed to be sold by Thule the same as the awning brackets for the cali vw supply these

What? It’s a Thule Wanderway and the parts are available.

 

[calikev]

I can assure you the Thule wanderway is not the same as the vw one

 

[Lambeth Cali]

I can’t say whether or not it’s a Wanderway but as far as I’m aware Thule make the VW bike racks and then VW sell them as VW. Thule do this for dozens of manufacturers.
That’s why they are so good.

@Jonlewis314159
Half your engine parts are made by Bosch. The fact it has the VW part number on it doesn’t mean VW made it.

The roof sensors also fit BMW convertibles.

 

[ejmoore]

We backed our T5 Cali into a post with the bike rack down, & bent it on one side. Very annoying, & unfixable because it's a tube. Some time later we did the same thing again, & bent it on the other side. We explained why we were laughing about it to the guy at the campsite. He said, 'So two wrongs DO make a right'!

 

[Andy C Berks.]

I get a new bike rack in the claim but it seems such a shame if this one becomes obsolete because of a broken plastic mount.

I’m wondering how similar the thule mounting is.

From pictures the lower clamps on the Wanderway do look identical to those on the VW 4 bike rack. The important question probably is, is the diameter of the tubing the same on both racks ? If so then it looks like it would slot straight on there. There is a Wanderway for sale on this site, you could ask them if they would be kind enough to measure the tube.

Makes sense to salvage the old rack if it's viable to do so. Can only imagine how annoyed you are with having done that - by the grace of god I haven't yet but its so easily done (did rip a bike rack off the wife's car once, that was costly in many ways !)