Hi All!
First off, thanks again for the replies, especially those with photos (PM sent to Holly). They really do help visualize all the parameters. A few things pop out at me immediately...
• Steve: Having owned and earned from working on Hondas since 1974, your Civic is the one I might have purchased had it been available Stateside. Unfortunately, a perception developed in the 1990s (fostered and abetted by auto magazines) that 'Merkins do not like hatchback cars, and this has persisted till recently. As a result, the only hatchbacks remaining in the domestic Honda lineup are the hybrid Insight (not available used inexpensively enough for me and I didn't like it very well) and the Fit -- the first generation we got here was a rebadged 7 year-old version of the Jazz; the second generation I found terribly disappointing in recent test drives compared to my '89 Civic Si, but the Focus "felt" like the more developed direct successor, is working fine, and I am delighted with its combination of performance, fuel economy, handling, road feel, and hatchback utility and the little-used example I snagged was available at a very good price with lots of warranty coverage remaining.
• Choosing a hitch-mounted platform rack is a big decision for me, but it seems the best course of action given the Nomad's weight and the difficulty of getting the bike overhead and mounted on a tray. This is especially true if someone else who is not as large/strong must do the loading in my absence. More on that below.
• I was very impressed by the platform-type hitch/towbar-mounted racks I saw on cars when I toured NL, BE, and FR in 2008, and I still have them in mind when looking at what's available now here in the States. I'd happily import one of those, but the shipping and customs fees make it cost-prohibitive for me here in the US. The problem (and it is one for me), is the 'Merkin versions lack any sort of redundant lighting and registration plate mounting. Holly very kindly showed her RT on her Mini-Cooper. Posing the Nomad behind the Focus shows it will also likely block the car's rear lighting, signals, and plate. I can't do anything about the plate, but plan to mount redundant lighting to the rack, which also means custom mounting brackets and wiring, and this last presents a completely unexpected dilemma in the form of car warranty coverage.
Despite the fact this model and year Ford Focus was rated as the NL tow vehicle of choice and won at least one all-Europe towing award, Ford of America does not rate it for towing. Oops. My new-to-me Focus has considerable time and mileage remaining on the original factory warranties and has a Ford Certified Pre-Owned (used car) warranty that overlays this and together provide coverage for as much as five years combined. The issue has been raised a number of times on American Ford Focus owner Forums, and it appears the American version has no problem carrying a hitch and can indeed tow small utility trailers (for transporting yard debris, light moving, multiple bicycles, Christmas trees, etc) with no problem. The difficulty arises when the car is brought to a dealership for service. Hitches that require drilling for mounts will seemingly void the warranty. No problem, I found HiddenHitch makes one that will mount using plates that require no drilling. Hitches of this type used to carry bike racks don't seem to trigger any warranty issues.
However, the presence of wiring that could be used to connect to trailer lighting is cause for voiding the warranty, and that could be very expensive in the event covered service was required. The solution seems to be a modular wiring kit with the electrical connector concealed out of sight when not in use. I'd planned to install such wiring to power the rack's redundant taillights, so this is an issue which I now must consider. I'd figured redundant rack lighting might help prevent the Nomad from becoming a very expensive bumper for following drivers who aren't very dedicated to the task of driving.
Goodness, things do become complicated! Quickly!
• I don't plan to use the hitch-rack much...this is a sort of backup plan in case I need "extraction" from the very remote areas where I travel alone. It wouldn't take much.; turning an ankle could pretty well put a stopper on me getting back out again under my own power in a reasonable timedframe. The idea is to fit the hitch rack to the car before departure, then leave the keys for my sister to drive in the event things go Really Bad while on tour. This could mean a very long trip, as I live in Oregon and there are *no* emergency services of any kind in all of Nevada's northern Washoe County where I like to tour Black Rock Desert and the associated dry regions of America's Great Basin. I go alone and there is no bus service or sometimes even communication available, so I am trying to be extra-responsible and have a backup plan for my usual backup plans in case I get truly stranded. At worst, it could still mean a 25-mile hike in very rough country to where I could get cellphone service, then hunkering down to wait or hauling the bike and myself to a location she could reach by non-4WD vehicle within several days. My sister had some horrifically major spine surgery not long ago, and I think she could attach a lighter hitch-mounted rack where a roof-mounted version would be impossible. This raises the possibility of her coming to get me if things unexpectedly went Bad on, say, a 400km day ride.
So, some major side issues to consider before purchase, and I continue to welcome any thoughts going forward.
All the best,
Dan.
