Will The Inno Shaper 80 Fit The Rhino Rack Vortex Aero C-Channel On My 2012 Audi A3 Hatchback?

Question:

Hi, I have a 2012 Audi A3 hatchback with the flush-mounted side rails and a panoramic glass roof with sun-roof. Based on the recommendations from your website. I bought part # RRVA126B-2. It was a pain to install and the sunroof cant open now, but its money spent so I will work with it. I want to mount a basket on top of this and get a soft-sided bag because I have no space to store a hard-sided box when not in use. I am considering the Curt 18115 but I see stories about rust and corrosion on other sites which I dont see on yours, strangely enough, so instead I would like to see if the Inno Shaper 80 will fit my Rhino Rack aero bar setup and then get a sturdy bag like the Rightline Ace or Sport Jr. which should fit in either roof basket. Will the Inno Shaper 80 fit the RRVA126B-2? Are there lower profile or more aerodynamic small roof bags than the Ace or Sport Jr.? Im afraid the 15-16inch rectangular shape may affect fuel efficiency. Thanks for any help.

asked by: Sri

Expert Reply:

The Rhino Rack Vortex Aero Bars # RRVA126B-2 on your 2012 Audi A3 Hatchback has a c-channel dimensions have a neck width of 7/16" and bottom width of 7/8" and the Inno Shaper 80 # INXA568 calls for that size c-channel for the hardware to fit. So, yes the Inno Shaper 80 will fit your Rhino Rack Aero Bar Setup!

As far as the roof top bag goes, any bag is going to affect your fuel economy, but by picking the right bag we can help limit the amount of wind resistance you'll get while driving. So getting the bag that has the least amount of height will be the one that will affect your fuel economy the least. That's why I suggest the Rightline Ace Jr. # RL100A50. It has the same dimensions as the Sport Jr # RL100S50 but with less height.

expert reply by: Adam E