I was looking to see if anyone has bought a trunk or a hitch mount for a road bike that would work on the TL.

Does the trunk mount bike racks cause any damage to the paint or noticable wear and tear. Not sure that the hitch mount would be distracting to the back end

Thanks
Dave

 

Hi,

I had a 1 1/4 receiver installed on my 05 TL. I have used it to pull jet skis, but mostly for a 2 bike carrier. I know there are purist out there who think I'm nuts, but it is just a car.

 

Do a search and you can get like 50 links. Here is one:
https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...ight=bike+rack

I tried a trunk lid rack from my old car but the rubber feet started scratching the rear bumper and I didn't like that. Now I just take the bike apart and put it in the trunk.

 

I didn't want a roof rack to ruin the look of my car so I put a class 1 tow hitch on it. It has been on for 3 years with no problems. It's not too noticeable, and I put it on in about a half hour. I still get 30 mpg on the highway with a bike on it-you wont get that with a bike on the roof.
hitchit.com

 

I have a Saris Thelma on the TL and love it. I have owned a complete yakima on every other vehicle I owned, but did not want one for this car as I use my truck most of the time for my bikes. There are times though that I want to use the car, and I have had no problems using the hitch rack. I just put the A-spec body kit on, and it still had no clearance problems.

 

Guys

Thanks for the information on the pros and cons of a hitch. If anyone is willing to post a picture that would be appreciated. With gas prices I may have to drive halfway to work and bike the rest.

Dave

 

I have a hitch rack and with one bike I'm getting about 27 MPG highway (for my mostly highway commute I normally get right around 30, 2004 6MT). Do you have a picture of your car/rack with a bike on it? I think the mileage hit may be because my rack puts a good part part of the bike above the trunk, but have not seen any TLs carrying bikes to compare.

I like the hitch rack setup. No marring of the paint and still have easy access to the trunk. The 1 1/4 receiver is visible but not obtrusive IMHO.

 

I'm about to go for a Yakima roof rack. I dont plan on leaving it on all the time and I think it is the best solution. My dad had one on his mazda milennia and it was great.

 

I have a drawtite 1 1/4" hitch on my 06 to haul my 26" mountain bike. No way it fits in the trunk so I needed a carrier. It tucks up way underneath and you can hardly see it from the rear. Install takes about 45 minutes or less. You drill two holes in the floor pan (no big deal) and it attached via long carriage bolts. It also ties into the rear tow hook. Just make sure you seal the holes good with blue RTV sealant top and bottom. There's a ton of posts on this as someone said above.

 

I wouldn't do it. The hitch rack is easy to plug in and out. If you don't plan to keep it on all the time the hitch rack is better. The roof rack WILL mark your roof up (and inside the door sills) no matter how careful you are, and your mileage will suffer. I had a roof rack on my 2nd gen tl and learned from experience.
I would post a pic but I am not sure how. (I know....do a search...I'm a bit of a with the computer thing)

 

I have a Thule roof rack and love it. It pretty easy to put on and take off and to date, no damage to the car!

I agree it's not the best for gas mileage which is why I take it off after I finish using it. IMO, if you don't mind the appearance of either a roof or trunk/hitch and are concerned with scratching your car and mileage, I would say hitch>roof>trunk.

 

Any other news on bike racks? I need some photo comparisons (please)....