Well it seems that we are now team Octavia at home.

My wife's company car has changed from a gutless (but otherwise good) 1.4 Ford Focus to a Mk1 53 plate Octavia TDi Estate (Ambiente). As this car will have some shove for carrying bikes and kayaks, and isn't ours , we plan to give my car a bit of a rest at weekends. Only thing is I'm struggling to find a definitive answer for roofbars.

Problem 1 - What do fixing points look like? If they're push down and slide tabs like on Mk 3 Astra's - This car doesn't have them.

Problem 2 - There don't seem to be any roof bars available for Mk 1 Estates without fixing points or roof rails (and yes I have rung Thule).

Any help gratefully received (fitting roof rails and using my roof bars is not likely to be an option here)!

Thanks,

Niall

The fore and aft roof bars were standard on the Elegance trim, so they, and the fixing points, do exist.

They weren't standard on the Ambiante or Classic, and you've got full length sealing strips. So, to fit the bars you need the bars themselves, and Elegance trim strips.

Aa

Not quite what I'm getting at.....

My Elegance Estate (like the previous two Estate Cars I've owned) has roof rails, to which I attach my roof bars. As the Ambiente is a company car I'm not sure whether we could convince her bosses of the merits of retro-fit roof rails, I'm certainly not particularly keen on us paying for it!

I had thought that it would just be a case of getting roof bars as if it were a hatchback i.e bars and a footpack.

The only bars I've seen for the Octavias without roof rails talk about "Fix Points," which haven't been obvious on the car as to where/what they are. - Having just read the manual it explains what fix points are and says that Estates don't have them, and recommends that you fit rails if there aren't any!!

But..... I've seen loads of bars where the footpack is tensioned against the inside edge of the door frame and I can't believe someone hasn't made bars like for this for non-roof railed Estates.

Or has everyone out there with an Ambiente and Classic had to fit roof rails first before putting loads on the roof?

Niall

Can't help then.

Bump - No one out there with an Ambiente or Classic solved this condundrum?!

Niall

Morning All,

I'm a newie round here, just thought I'd say hello and throw an idea into the roof-bar mix. Not too late I hope. I've been looking for bars for my 1999 Octy estate TDi for a few weeks (since I bought it really). Have a look at the Thule 4305 bars:

Thule Vehicle Specific Complete Load Carriers

They look like they'll do the job. Not as elegant as roof rails option but may be a solution. Hope this helps.

Welcome to Briskoda, everybeans. It looks like you have found a solution for Niall.

That sounds just the ticket. Just a shame that the Thule footpack, bars, etc, for the Focus can't be reused at all.

Ebay here we come (unless anyone here has a desire to buy roofbars to fit a 5-door Mk1 Focus...........)

Niall

Niall

Also a newie here, with a 54 Ambiente Estate that I'm hoping to get roof bars for. Did you have any luck with the Thule ones that everybeans posted the link to?

After a bit of Ebay etc. searching around and a call to the dealership they look like the only option for those of us with no roof rails.

thanks

Simon

Well I have an update of sorts. Bought a set of Thule 4305s off the Bay for £27 including postage back in January. The seller had used them for a Seat Toledo/Leon.

The bars didn't fit. Just popped off when being tightened. A bit miffed I thought I'd wait till spring (when I reckon people might start thinking about holidays and putting things on the roof) before punting them on. As a last ditch attempt to salvage the situation I found a Thule PDF of fitting instructions on the web which actually shows that Octavia feet are slightly different to the Seat feet but should have come together in the box.

I have asked Thule if spares are available - answer, No!:thumbdwn:

I have gone back to the seller to see if he has them rolling around his garage. Otherwise the bars are back on the Bay!

Moral of the story - When buying Thule 4305s for "non-roof rail" Mk 1 Octavia Estates make sure that you get the Octavia specific feet!!

Niall

P.S. sorry niceredtrousers about the delay in reply - I didn't realise this thread had been added to - still hope the above helps.

Hi, I am a newby having just bought a used Octy Ambiente Estate without the roof rails. At first, I did'nt think it would be a problem to pick up a Thule roof rack from the local Halfords, but it would appear I was wrong! Thule emailed me and told me that none of their products would be suitable, and the local Halfords had a look at the car and also told me that they have nothing that would do the job. So I popped along to the local Skoda dealer who advised me that they could retrofit the rails for the grand sum of £267 - Ouch!

And I would still have to get some Thule bars as well :-(  Maybe I will see if I can find some of those Thule 4305s mentioned above...,