Hi,

I'm planning to get a bike carrier for my 2004 Pacifica AWD. It already has the factory roof crossbars, but no hitch receiver. I want to be able to carry at least two bicycles, one each for my wife and myself.

I'm unable to decide between the roof-mountedrack and the hitch-mounted rack. The pros and cons of each are as follows:

ROOF MOUNT:
[ul][*]PRO: Should be cheaper, as I already have the crossbars. A pair of Thule BigMouths and adapters would cost around $250.[*]PRO: Can operate the rear power liftgate with the cycles loaded on the roof.[*]PRO: I guess the cycles will be safer from theft locked high atop the roof.[*]CON: Will stability at highway speeds be a problem? I read a few scary reviews on the Internet where folks found their cycles swaying dangerously on the roof.[*]CON: I suppose loading and unloading the cycles off the roof would be somewhat difficult.[/ul]
HITCH MOUNT:
[ul][*]PRO: Easier loading and unloading of the cycles.PRO: Frees up the roof rack to mount a cargo box or bag.[*]PRO: Probably less wind resistance (and better mileage) than in the case of a roof mount? I'm not sure of this, but it seems likely.[*]CON: Probably more expensive! The Mopar hitch receiver is $200, then at least another $100 for the hitch-mounted rack itself.[*]CON: I'll have to install the receiver on the car myself.[*]CON: I suppose I won't beable to use the power liftgate without folding or removing the hitch-mounted rack.[*]CON: Need to be careful while parking; my habit is to *always* back my Pacifica into parking spots.[/ul]
I was wondering if other forum members had gone through similar choices while installing bike racks and would love to hear your opinions on this; it'll be a great help in deciding what kind of bicycle rack to buy.

Thanks and regards,
Jagan.