Understanding what roof type your vehicle has

• No Mounting Points
• Smooth Roof
• No Rails or Fixtures
• Roof Bars Clamp to Door Frame

A normal roof is one that has nothing on top at all.  If you have anything on top of the roof such as rails or fixing points (sometimes found under a removable/retractable strip) then the vehicle is NOT a normal roof.  Fittings will clamp to the door frame where it shuts.

 

• Has Rails (No Gap)
• Sit flat on roof
• No space underneath
• Special flush rail fittings needed

Flush rails are normally visible rails parallel to the doors on the roof.  A flush rail does not have a gap meaning you would not be able to put your hand underneath and wrap your hand around the rail.

• Rails (With Gap)
• Sit above roof
• Gap underneath rails
• Universal raised rail fittings needed

A visible rail which is similar to flush rails but there is a gap underneath that will allow you to put your hand under and grip the rail.  These normally sit higher on the roof than a flush rail.

• Hidden Mounts
• Small cover flaps
• Fixed points under the cover
• Specific fix point kit required

Fix points can be found on the roof of the vehicle and are usually above each door.  Sometimes they are hidden under a strip or cover.  The fix points allow the fittings to be screwed to the roof securely.

 

The above are the most common styles found on vehicles but there are other types found too.

T-PROFILE

Found on some larger vehicles such as Land Rover Defenders, VW Transporters, Porsche Cayenne and more.  A t-shaped groove visible in the roof similar to the diagram above.

FIXED POINTS WITH SUNROOF

Fix points the same as shown above but with a sunroof.  This will clearly be stated in the product description.  Fitting roof bars across a sunroof will limit the ability to open the sunroof fully.  Check with us for confirmation before ordering if this is important to you.

FACTORY INSTALLED CROSS-RAILS

These are built in foldable crossbars found on a few vehicles including Dacia Duster and Subaru Outback.

FLUSH RAILS WITH FIXED POINTS

We are increasingly seeing more vehicles like this.  If your vehicle has flush rails, it may have fix points built into the flush rail.  So by choosing flush rails on our site, the roof bar kits shown may include parts for a fix point roof.  Do not worry, this is correct.

 

If you're not sure what type of roof your vehicle has please contact us before ordering so we can ensure you find compatible products.  If you have a glass or panoramic roof we can also check and confirm if the bars will be compatible.

Find roof bars for your vehicle with our registration lookup tool.  Simple enter your reg at the top of this page, choose your roof type and compatible options will be shown.

Please contact us if you need confirmation.