Suggestions for replacement panels? Also, beware of kayaks/load bar failure

[IHazTurbo]

So yesterday I was heading out to go kayaking as I do quite often in Michigan this time of year. On my way there I had an issue when the wind grabbed the kayak and shifted it so hard on the kayak racks that it push the load bar back, the kayak racks then removed themselves from the load bars, and the kayak smacked the hatch of my car before going for a slide on the expressway. Luckily for me, the truck that was following me was paying attention and slowed up without causing the person behind him to smack into him. No other cars were involved and nobody was harmed. This could have been really bad and I'm thankful that this is all that happened.

To those that I'm sure will ask. I tightened down the kayak bars to the torqued speck in the front and back. I had the rear bars placed between the dimples, as they should be. I had the kayak racks tightened down to the point where I couldn't get anymore leverage without breaking the tool. I have travelled with these on my car for 2 years and haven't had the slightest scare, even on long road trips on the expressway.

So, my question to you all, is there a place where you would go to get a replacement hatchback or are any of you aware of a reflex silver GTI being parted out due to front end damage?
I live in Michigan.

Now to some of the carnage.

 

[Strange Mud]

had you retightened them after a few miles? (not trying to insult)
how windy was it (yeah I know you already had a 70 mph breeze going)
did front and back shift?

sux but at least no one else was involved...sorry

Mud

 

[NopeR]

Paintless dent repair and touch up paint might be ideal. It'd cost less than a used hatch from a wrecker.

 

[IHazTurbo]

had you retightened them after a few miles? (not trying to insult)
how windy was it (yeah I know you already had a 70 mph breeze going)
did front and back shift?

sux but at least no one else was involved...sorry

Mud

I did not stop to re-tighten because I hadn’t been on the expressway long. Never saw anything shift from the front and had been watching the front of the kayaks since they overhung enough. Had never seen or had the load bars shift even a mm before so I had no reason to believe that would ever shift back the way it did. The straps were still on and tightened they way I had left them but the racks themselves got torqued off when the bar shifted back. Looks like sustained wind speed was around 15mph around the time that I was on the road. I know that there were occasional gusts that were stronger as well.

As you said, grateful that nobody else was involved or injured. I have gone down the road thinking how horribly people have their stuff tied down in the past and I know how meticulous I am with my gear. Never thought it would happen to me.

 

[figsys]

Which rack is this? Looks like hule Hull-a-Port XT 848 https://www.thule.com/en-us/winter-...//kayak-roof-racks/thule-hull-a-port-xt-_-848 does it fit the OEM 5G4071126? Thule spec has a 35 mm max bar height/thickness. I measured my OEM and it's about that without the rubber strip but the strip will push it over.

 

[IHazTurbo]

Which rack is this? Looks like hule Hull-a-Port XT 848 https://www.thule.com/en-us/winter-...//kayak-roof-racks/thule-hull-a-port-xt-_-848 does it fit the OEM 5G4071126? Thule spec has a 35 mm max bar height/thickness. I measured my OEM and it's about that without the rubber strip but the strip will push it over.

It was the Hull-a-Port XT's. They had never been an issue until the bar moved back and the kayak became a lever causing them to get stressed and yanked off. I'm certain they wouldn't have been an issue had the crossbars hadn't shifted. I will have to pay attention to that in the future though. They definitely look like they fit just fine. I had been using them for over a year and never saw any movement from any of the components in the past.