Originally Posted by
Retro Grouch
Whenever Mrs. Grouch and I buy a different car our FIRST consideration is how we're going to transport bicycles with it. We tend to gravitate toward cars that hold our bikes on the inside, away from the weather, away from road grime and away from prying eyes. We used a roof rack for a decade or so but I didn't really like it because I couldn't see the bikes as I was driving down the road. We have a hitch rack so Mrs. Grouch can carry her trike on her Saturn but I hate having to remove it so her car will fit in the garage. We haven't owned a strap on rack for probably 30 years. I don't like strap on racks. I think they contribute to scratches on your car, scratches on your bike and I've known a few folks who lost a whole rack full of bikes on the highway.
I agree. I've been there, done that, got the T-shirt. I have a roof rack I almost never use, because I so much prefer just putting the bike in the back of the car, out of the weather and out of danger.
Even if you're careful to wipe your car clean as a whistle and use clean pads where the rack contacts the paint, think about what happens if it rains and your car starts picking up road grime and the like, and at freeway speeds. And if you use your rack often, it's bound to happen sooner or later.
I think it depends on how much you like/love your car. For most, the minor scuffs and scratches are probably not a big deal, and a trunk rack is fine.