2016 Roof bars options

I can't believe this is so hard - I cant for the life of me work out what options exist for fitting roof bars to a new C3, normal or "Zenith" windscreen style. I can see an LP bar purporting to fit from "Mick's Garage", and some from Whisp-bar that only claim to fit up to 2015 state a requirement for "fixpoints" but nothing from Thule. The Citroen wbesite shows a bar but makes dark mutterings about "dealer intervention" being required for at least the Zenith window version. This bothers me!

I've also seen options for for separate "roof trims".

So can anyone unravel this? Do all new models come with "fix points"? Is there anything different about the 2016 model?

I'm looking to lease one via my company scheme which makes "just going to ask a dealer" unreliable in my experience.

Thanks!

Hi woodrz

The 2016 is a second generation facelift C3, which puts it in the Post March 2013 model shape. I would say the body shape and hence the roof bars are the same for March 2013 up to the current C3 in 2016.

The reason as search for roof bars for a 2016 C3 come up with poor results is because they are roof bars for the latest version of the C3 and not unique to 2016 or a new model in 2016.

You can find aftermarket roof bars for the late model C3 on this LINK (amazon).


The aftermarket roof bars from this link (HERE) are of the type that fit more than one model by attaching to the door frame aperture.
Citroen brochure lists the maximum roof weight as 70Kg.

The Dealer style roof bars for the C3 of all years use the roof runners and are a bit more complicated but elegant solution and have different part numbers for cars with different options, hence the 'visit dealer' advice to make sure you get the right ones. They can also supply the bits of rubber for the roof that have gaps in to allow mounting of the roof bars posts and keep the roof looking good.

Dealer supplied roof bars fitted to a C3 2009 model with Zenith Windscreen

Dealer supplied roof bars fitted to a C3 2009 model with Without Zenith Windscreen (available here).

Thanks - that's helpful. So the door arch and "fixpoint" options are not mutually exclusive?

woodrz wrote:Thanks - that's helpful. So the door arch and "fixpoint" options are not mutually exclusive?

The door arch ones are from non Citroen and semi-universal. The ones that affix to the roof are Citroen only parts.

You can use either on the C3, but you need the right Citroen only one for your specific model. The semi-universal ones will fit any late model C3, and many others.


On a side note, these are some pictures showing fitting the Citroen only type of roof bars on an early model C3 and I expect the new C3 to be similar.

Great - thanks.

New member here (joined to ask this question) and apologies for resurrecting a slightly old thread, but this is the closest I've found to the information I'm looking for.

I have a 2004 C3 1.4HDi which I'm trying to source roof bars for. As others have noted, all the aftermarket bars I've looked at seem to be of the "clamp into the doorframe" type which is obviously not as tidy as using the built-in anchor points in the roof gutters. My owners handbook has the same diagrams C3CAR posted above which come from the page reproduced here:

tips-for-any-citroen-c3-f8/roof-bars-t1968.html

If anyone has actually tried some of these, perhaps they could clarify a few points for me:

The handbook says, "To install the transverse roof bars, use the accessories that are stowed in the drawer under the passenger's front seat." Are these accessories that are supplied with the roof bar kit or were they originally supplied with the car (mine is at least third-hand and I don't have any such accessories)?

The handbook also says (and the diagram seems to show) that you should, "take out the transverse bars that are contained in the roof bars." Can someone provide more detail here? The (not very clear) diagram seems to show longitudinal rails running the length of the roof and the transverse bars swinging out of these. Is this correct? None of the images posted above (granted, for later models) seem to be working this way.

Are the roof bars as described still available as an accessory? I've not seem anything like this second-hand and the Citroen UK site is particularly unhelpful in terms of details, basically just sending you to your local dealer.

Once the bars are fitted, does anyone have experience of using them with third-party roof boxes, cycle racks, etc, or do you have to get the matching ones from Citroen (they certainly seem to offer them for later models)?

Finally, having removed the existing trim in the roof gutters to investigate the fixing points, I'm having trouble getting it to re-attach reliably. It seems to just snap in, but the front edge tends to lift up when driving and I'm worried the whole lot will come off on the motorway. Is there a trick to reliably snapping it back in place, or am I going to have to resort to tape etc. to hold it down?

Any insights / advice on any of the above points much appreciated!

Hi IanDL

IanDL wrote: ↑Sun Apr 08, 2018 1:47 pm The handbook says, "To install the transverse roof bars, use the accessories that are stowed in the drawer under the passenger's front seat." Are these accessories that are supplied with the roof bar kit or were they originally supplied with the car (mine is at least third-hand and I don't have any such accessories)?

I think you will find you only get the tools when you buy the dealer supplied roof bars. There are no tools for the roof bars supplied with the car.

IanDL wrote: ↑Sun Apr 08, 2018 1:47 pm Are the roof bars as described still available as an accessory? I've not seem anything like this second-hand and the Citroen UK site is particularly unhelpful in terms of details, basically just sending you to your local dealer.

You will need to contact your local dealer to see if they can source some for you.

IanDL wrote: ↑Sun Apr 08, 2018 1:47 pm Finally, having removed the existing trim in the roof gutters to investigate the fixing points, I'm having trouble getting it to re-attach reliably. It seems to just snap in, but the front edge tends to lift up when driving and I'm worried the whole lot will come off on the motorway. Is there a trick to reliably snapping it back in place, or am I going to have to resort to tape etc. to hold it down?

The rubber gets old and looses its elasticity. Quite a few early C3s are missing their rubber, automatic car washes don't help.