My previous square bars from my Shogun were ideal, but after several test fits on the X5, not only did their more utilarian style look awful, the whistling and wind noise hum just couldn't be eliminated despite various position changes.
The factory supplied bars fitted to my Grand Cherokee rails were low fit, looked good, were up to the task, and completely silent. Shaped similarly to an aeroplane wing, I wanted to find something similar for the X5 - the only option I could see being the Thule WingBar Edge.
The 9583 is the version you need for the E53, and if you have raised rails, rather than flush fit, the 9583 also fits the E70.
Thule maintain it is the most silent bar available, so I had high hopes.
While there is an all black version available, I worried it would scratch easily with some loads, and carries a premium of around £35, so I opted for the Aluminium, which the contrast of silver and black seems to work well with the mix of colours on the car, matching in with the wheels and sidesteps.
RRP is £264, I found them on eBay for £230, so reassuringly expensive.
Installing them is pretty easy once you're familiar, and you can tell throughout, they are quality pieces of kit. Installed exactly where I wanted them, I took them out for a test run, and sure enough, completely silent, until you hit 70mph >:(
The wind noise hum is pretty intrusive at motorway speeds, so as per the guidelines, set about repositioning them further back, which did little. I identified it was only the front bar that was causing upset, so removed the rear bar and set about various front bar positions, until it was further back than I’d hoped. A good few inches behind the B Pillar, but still, the magic 70mph was annoying.
Thule go on about how it is highly developed in a wind tunnel, for noise reduction and minimal mpg loss, but when they have so many different aerodynamics and roof shapes to deal with, I guess they can never guarantee a one bar solution.
I was close to the end of my tether, until I decided to go against thule instructions, and reverse the bar, back to front. Thankfully, it’s worked. It doesn't look silly, and while there is a trace amount of ‘whooshing’ wind noise above 70mph, I doubt any passengers would ever notice it.
The rear bar is fitted as per the Thule guidelines, and made no effect on the lack of noise now coming from the front. I suspect that if like some cars, the factory roof rails were flatter, and at more of a level rather than the curve of the X5, then finding a silent position would be easier.
Perhaps the OEM BMW Roof Bars at £187 may have been a better bet, but my thinking was that the lower fit of the Thule, rather than the taller BMW fit would be better - I remain convinced the Thule look better too.
Overall, I’d recommend them. They look good, I have them positioned exactly where I want them, and none of the parts feel cheap. I’ve yet to see whether they will cope with different weights, but from a fitting point of view, I’m confident that the quality is top notch. Even if the back to front positioning may not be exactly what Thule had in mind, for my E53, it’s the only way to keep the drive quiet.
Never anthropomorphise computers. They hate that.
)