Volkswagen Passat B6 saloon with Menabo Tema Steel roof bars and Menabo Mania 460 roof box

On a blue Volkswagen Passat B6 saloon we fitted a set of Menabo Tema Steel roof bars and the Menabo Mania 460 ABS Black roof box. We did the fitting in the SuportBicicleta.ro showroom at Drumul Lunca Corbului 2, Sector 3, Bucharest, Romania.

About the car: Volkswagen Passat B6 saloon (3C)

The Passat B6 has the factory code 3C and reached the market in spring 2005, after its debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2005. It is built on the PQ46 platform, a modified version of the Golf 5's PQ35 platform, and was sold as a saloon and as a Variant estate, with front-wheel or all-wheel drive. Its successor, the B7, reached dealers in Europe in December 2010.

Our car is the 4-door saloon, and its roof has no roof rails. That matters most when choosing the roof bars: the feet rest on the roof and clamp onto the door frame, with a kit made specially for this model. That is why we chose Menabo Tema, a system designed for cars without roof rails, which fits directly onto the body.

What we fitted on this Passat B6

Menabo Tema Steel roof bars for Volkswagen Passat B6 4-door have an oval, aerodynamic profile, 48 mm wide and 30 mm high, and a length of 1,300 mm. All metal parts are finished with a rubberised anti-corrosion coating, and the set includes 4 dedicated fittings, 4 feet, 4 locks with keys and the Allen key. The roof bars have no T-track on top, so accessories attach with U-bolts around the outside of the bar.

On them we placed Menabo Mania 460 ABS Black roof box, made of glossy black ABS plastic, with a volume of 460 litres, an anti-theft lock and opening on one side. The package contains both 60 mm U-bolt fittings and 20 mm T-bolt fittings, and the product data sheet lists the box as compatible with Menabo Tema Steel roof bars. On roof bars without a T-track, such as the Tema Steel, the box attaches with the U-bolts that go around the bar.

Video: Menabo Tema roof bars fixed to the bodywork

Video: Menabo Mania roof box presentation

Technical details and what to watch for

• Menabo Tema Steel roof bars: length 1,300 mm, width 48 mm, height 30 mm, weight 5.8 kg, maximum load 50 kg, TÜV and ISO approved.
• Menabo Mania 460 box: volume 460 litres, maximum load 75 kg, own weight 20.2 kg, ABS material, anti-theft lock.
• The calculation that matters: the limit comes from the roof bars, not the box. From 50 kg we subtract the 20.2 kg of the box, which leaves at most 29.8 kg for the luggage in it, even though the box alone could carry 75 kg. Also check the roof load in the car's technical manual.
• For the Tema roof bars the fitting instructions are in the package, and for the Mania box you will find the instructions and specifications as PDFs on the product page.
• With the box on the roof, the car becomes taller, so watch out for underground car parks. Menabo recommends not exceeding 130 km/h with the roof bars fitted, and we wrote about road noise in the guide about whistling roof bars.

Instructions and documents

• MENABO MANIA MARATHON 400 460 fitting instructions (PDF)
• Menabo Mania 400L 460L specifications (PDF)
• Menabo Mania specifications 2 (PDF)

Frequently asked questions

Which roof bars fit the VW Passat B6 saloon without roof rails?

On the Volkswagen Passat B6 4-door saloon (2005-2010), which has no roof rails, we fitted Menabo Tema Steel roof bars with a dedicated fitting kit on the door frame. The set has 1,300 mm bars and carries a maximum of 50 kg.

How many kilograms of luggage can I put in the Menabo Mania 460 box on Menabo Tema roof bars?

The Menabo Mania 460 box carries 75 kg, but the Menabo Tema Steel roof bars have a limit of 50 kg. The box weighs 20.2 kg, so on a Passat B6 with Tema roof bars you can put at most 29.8 kg of luggage in the box, if the car's roof load allows it.

Can the Menabo Mania 460 roof box be fitted on roof bars without a T-track?

Yes. The Menabo Mania 460 box comes with 60 mm U-bolt fittings that go around the bar, in addition to the 20 mm T-bolt fittings, and the product data sheet lists it as compatible with the Menabo Tema Steel roof bars, which have no T-track.

We are waiting for you in the showroom

If you have a Passat B6 or another saloon without roof rails, we can choose the right set together in the SuportBicicleta.ro shop in Drumul Lunca Corbului 2, Sector 3, Bucharest, Romania. Beforehand, you can browse the range of roof bars and roof boxes, and for questions, contact us through our contact page or at [email protected]. contact us through our contact page or at [email protected].

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Sources: Volkswagen Newsroom, Passat B6 (2005-2010) · Wikipedia, Volkswagen Passat (B6) · SuportBicicleta.ro guide: why roof bars make noise while driving · product pages on suportbicicleta.ro