Let me preface this by saying all those who are going to scream blasphemy don't waste your (or my) time. I use my Z for everything. It's a car, it's not some elite sports car that some paint it to be. I love my Z and I love cycling I am now going to combine the two, laugh all you want as you drive by me but I'll still have my ear to ear grin as I'm behind the wheel of my Z.

Also, I did some searching on bike racks/hitches but I couldn't find anything newer than a few years old.

Anyway, I don't want to waste my time with roof or trunk mounts because I know they'll scratch up my paint. Is there any hitch system that can be hidden when not in use? This mount would be exclusive for bike racks so I don't need anything heavy duty. I suppose if worse comes to worse I could fabricate my own.

Any help is welcome, I hope you guys can understand that I use my car as a car and if there's anyway I can take my bikes while driving my Z (no matter how odd looking) I'll do it.

 

Search is your friend....

https://my350z.com/forum/exterior-and-interior/349481-bicycle-rack-for-the-z-works-great-pics.html
https://my350z.com/forum/exterior-and-interior/291819-bike-racks.html
https://my350z.com/forum/exterior-and-interior/284403-carrying-mountain-bike-in-on-350z.html
https://my350z.com/forum/exterior-and-interior/274511-350z-with-bikerack.html



https://my350z.com/forum/exterior-an...e-got-one.html
https://my350z.com/forum/exterior-an...ount-code.html
https://my350z.com/forum/exterior-an...-247483-a.html
https://my350z.com/forum/exterior-an...ler-hitch.html
https://my350z.com/forum/exterior-an...50z-hitch.html
https://my350z.com/forum/exterior-an...n-their-z.html
https://my350z.com/forum/exterior-an...for-the-z.html

The reason there are none more recent than a year is probably because the solution today is the same as the one from one, two or three years ago. I doubt there's been great advances in bike rack technology that would have prompted people to start new threads.

Get a hitch, put a bike rack on it. Pretty simple, right?

 

I use the Saris "Bones 2" rack. Out of carelessness I put some scratches on while moving my bike on / off the rack but normally it would not scratch. The top rubber foot reaches the hatch glass and the two lower reach the license plate. However, the straps that go out to the sides of the hatch put some marks down but I will get those buffed out, nothing deep.

If I wrap the straps with neoprene or maybe even light bubble wrap or cloth, I think it would be prevented.

Folds up small enough to stow in the hatch, takes just a few minutes and if you are in the mode to park and dash off, it will fit in the passenger seat without being folded up.

 

^^^ OP stated that he doesn't want to deal with roof-top or trunk mounts.

 

Agreed but he stated that it was out of concern for scratches. With a very minor mod (which he seems capable of doing per his reference to fabricating something on his own) the one I referenced would work.

However, duly noted, he is looking for a hitch type setup.

 

i just ordered the boofsquire roof rack system for the 350z ... i will let you know how it is

 

How did it go? I was just curious as I'm looking for something to haul my bikes.