Just picked up an OEM roof rack (factory EDM). It's pretty weak that Subaru doesn't offer this "load carrier" to the USA. I guess they think the WRX wagon is good enough for us 'Merikuns.
I had to order it from a dealer in the UK - Cheam Motors. It came in about a week, so I was stoked. The only downside is the current state of the dollar. The exchange rate blew, but it's worth it to have a factory rack.
Reason being, all Imprezas have a mount for the factory racks under the black strips on the roof, so the install was super easy. They also allow me to keep the JDM OE rain visors. The racks also just pop off whenever, and they only leave these tiny metal brackets.
It's not too noticeable from a distance, but I can definitely live with it.
To fasten the rack to those brackets, you just use the lever at each base.You can see in this pic:
Fastened:
The base's feet come in contact with the car under the weather strip, so there are no worries about the paint. You can't beat OEM parts for stuff like this. It's so much better when things are meant to worth with one another.
Here is a finished shot after a bath, as the sun was going down:
After the initial install the night before, I didn't have a chance to fit the end caps that go on the cross bars or these little rubber caps that seal off the bottom of the cross bars. The result was a nasty whistle that played in three distinct tones. One pitch at 20mph, the middle pitch at 30mph, and the highest at 40mph. It was hilarious. After completely finishing the install, the whistle was gone, but it was funny while it lasted.
Next thing I need to do is pick up the actual bike/snowboard racks that to attach to these cross bars, and maybe even a fairing. I'll probably get the Yakima High-Roller to hold the bikes, and the Yakima FatCat6 for snowboards, but that can wait until winter. Shit costs money.
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