Car racks add incredible versatility to your vehicle. By the time you get people into the seats, there's no room left for "stuff."

Car racks can be used to carry all kinds of stuff, from bicycles, skis, canoes, kayaks, sailboards, and luggage to antique furniture and building materials. Who can forget Chevy Chase on his "Vacation," carrying Imogene Coca in her rocking chair, strapped to the roof?

Yakima
An American company in Arcata, California which makes the finest racks available. Their tag line is "any road, any load" and they mean it. They make racks which fit virtually every car available in the USA.
They began with roof rack systems and have expanded the line to include modular receiver hitch racks (This means that you can start with the basic 2 bike model and upgrade it to the 4 bike, top of the line model, and then adapt it to carry skis)

Receivers are devices which are permanently attached to your car. They provide a small square hole into which you slide the bike carrier (or trailer hitch). They most commonly come in 2" or 1-1/4"; I recommend the 2", although some vehicles can't accommodate it. You can install Drawtite receivers into most cars. Drawtite is the largest manufacturer of trailer hitches in the world, and with over 50 years of experience they can be relied on for quality, safety and reliability. They add a tremendous versatility to your vehicle, because you can mount so many things in them, from house trailers to a complete barbecue set up for the ultimate tailgate party.
Many vehicles now come with them factory installed.