towbar fitting

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Discussion

bedonde

Original Poster:

562 posts

229 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
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I'm a newbie to caravanning (not even bought one yet...). Looking for recommendations/ advice firstly on how to find a decent towbar and fitter for my car. I know the bumper will have to come off etc and it'll have to be spliced into the electrics to work with parking sensors etc. It's a spanking new lease car (B8 Passat estate) and I don't have the appetite for letting a cowboy loose on it. It's a bit of a regional question really - I'm looking for someone around Wiltshire/Bath/Bristol to do a decent job - any PH'ers in the region who can recommend someone?

Rosscow

8,723 posts

162 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
bedonde said:
I'm a newbie to caravanning (not even bought one yet...). Looking for recommendations/ advice firstly on how to find a decent towbar and fitter for my car. I know the bumper will have to come off etc and it'll have to be spliced into the electrics to work with parking sensors etc. It's a spanking new lease car (B8 Passat estate) and I don't have the appetite for letting a cowboy loose on it. It's a bit of a regional question really - I'm looking for someone around Wiltshire/Bath/Bristol to do a decent job - any PH'ers in the region who can recommend someone?
You won't need to splice anything in, just get the fitter to use an OEM wiring loom. Should just be a plug and play job.

chasingracecars

1,696 posts

96 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
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Had mine done at http://www.automotive-control.co.uk/towbar-fitting... very good service and nice job.

bedonde

Original Poster:

562 posts

229 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
chasingracecars said:
Had mine done at http://www.automotive-control.co.uk/towbar-fitting... very good service and nice job.
Thanks, just what I was looking for.

bedonde

Original Poster:

562 posts

229 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
bedonde said:
Thanks, just what I was looking for.
They quoted me £594 fitted. Not cheap but is that about the going rate??

idiotgap

2,112 posts

132 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
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I fitted my own swish removable towbar using:
- Bosal hitch parts from http://www.pfjones.co.uk/ £190
- RightConnections plug in 13pin loom from ebay vendor "onlytowbars" £104

This was on my e-class estate rather than a passat, but my point is I would guess you're not going to get one fitted for less than £300 and the extra in your quote might not be too unreasonable for the labour, warranty, peace of mind etc.

chasingracecars

1,696 posts

96 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
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Mine was £650 on an Audi A6 Avant!

hornetrider

63,161 posts

204 months

Wednesday 20th July 2016
quotequote all
bedonde said:
bedonde said:
Thanks, just what I was looking for.
They quoted me £594 fitted. Not cheap but is that about the going rate??
I was supposed to get back to you on fitting in the Alltrack thread wasn't I... hehe

I used these guys:

http://towbarsandtowing.co.uk/

Mobile and come out to your car. 400 quid fitted. That is with generic electrics (a lot cheaper than vehicle specific). I believe the only downside on the Passat is that I'll have to go into the settings menu myself and disable the park sensors. For my 550i (they fitted that as well) I chose BMW electrics as not only did it disable the park sensors but there was a stability control programme which took into account whether or not you were towing. I couldn't find out if there was any such thing on the Passat so didn't bother.

The fit with my make of towbar is snug against the plastic silver trim piece so if you get in touch do mention that, I actually asked for a westfalia towbar but they didn't give me one, they used a different make. I'm not sure if that would make a difference.

I actually work in Bristol so if you're in that area I'd be happy to demonstrate it for you.

bedonde

Original Poster:

562 posts

229 months

Thursday 21st July 2016
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hornetrider said:
I was supposed to get back to you on fitting in the Alltrack thread wasn't I... hehe

I used these guys:

http://towbarsandtowing.co.uk/

Mobile and come out to your car. 400 quid fitted. That is with generic electrics (a lot cheaper than vehicle specific). I believe the only downside on the Passat is that I'll have to go into the settings menu myself and disable the park sensors. For my 550i (they fitted that as well) I chose BMW electrics as not only did it disable the park sensors but there was a stability control programme which took into account whether or not you were towing. I couldn't find out if there was any such thing on the Passat so didn't bother.

The fit with my make of towbar is snug against the plastic silver trim piece so if you get in touch do mention that, I actually asked for a westfalia towbar but they didn't give me one, they used a different make. I'm not sure if that would make a difference.

I actually work in Bristol so if you're in that area I'd be happy to demonstrate it for you.
Thanks Hornetrider - may take at look at this lot as the others further up the thread won't do mobile fitting, despite what their website says...
Would rather have an OEM wiring loom and I'm pretty sure the Passat does have something in the ECU that recognises when towing and adjusts the stability control. Think they make a song and dance of it's towing ability in a couple of reviews I've seen.

chasingracecars

1,696 posts

96 months

Thursday 21st July 2016
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hornetrider

63,161 posts

204 months

Thursday 21st July 2016
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bedonde said:
Think they make a song and dance of it's towing ability in a couple of reviews I've seen.
The only bit I've seen is the trailer assist (cost option) which helps you reverse. Otherwise just a very capable tower. Anyway, with my Alko stabiliser on the 'van I never had any stability issues so chose to forego it this time.

idiotgap

2,112 posts

132 months

Thursday 21st July 2016
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Are you allowed to butcher the loom on a lease car?
Or is it just a case of, they'll never probably know?

hornetrider

63,161 posts

204 months

Thursday 21st July 2016
quotequote all
idiotgap said:
Are you allowed to butcher the loom on a lease car?
Or is it just a case of, they'll never probably know?
It's not butcher, it's plug and play. You do have to have all the rear seats out to get at the wiring though. Haven't decided what I'll do yet.

idiotgap

2,112 posts

132 months

Thursday 21st July 2016
quotequote all
hornetrider said:
idiotgap said:
Are you allowed to butcher the loom on a lease car?
Or is it just a case of, they'll never probably know?
It's not butcher, it's plug and play. You do have to have all the rear seats out to get at the wiring though. Haven't decided what I'll do yet.
I'm intrigued to understand how they made a generic wiring kit that was plug and play? I thought that was one of the big pluses of the vehicle specific wiring. I was imagining relays, scotchlocks and cut loom tape.

surveyor

17,768 posts

183 months

Thursday 21st July 2016
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idiotgap said:
hornetrider said:
idiotgap said:
Are you allowed to butcher the loom on a lease car?
Or is it just a case of, they'll never probably know?
It's not butcher, it's plug and play. You do have to have all the rear seats out to get at the wiring though. Haven't decided what I'll do yet.
I'm intrigued to understand how they made a generic wiring kit that was plug and play? I thought that was one of the big pluses of the vehicle specific wiring. I was imagining relays, scotchlocks and cut loom tape.
The answer is it's not generic. There is an option to go back to basics that does involve butchering but you loose all of the benefits of the specific loom together with the risk of breaking something.

hornetrider

63,161 posts

204 months

Thursday 21st July 2016
quotequote all
To be fair I'd assumed it was plug in, but with less expensive non VW electrics.

Anyway, had the van out for a jet wash this evening, first outing of the year as we've got a 4 month old and only for about 3 miles each way. No dramas to report, tows very well.

Pics for the op.




bedonde

Original Poster:

562 posts

229 months

Monday 25th July 2016
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Looks good. Spent the entire weekend caravan shopping and ended up buying an ex demo Adria Adora Seine yesterday. Not entirely sure what I've gone and done but looking forward to some adventures to come. Think I'll give your lot a ring hornet and see what they can do for us.

b2tus

952 posts

258 months

Monday 25th July 2016
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That Adria looks an excellent bit of kit. Good write up in Practical Caravan magazine in 2014.

However, it is a very heavy bit of kit and just FYI, it seems that most, if not all model Passats will be well over the recommended 85% tow car/caravan rule.

Have a look at http://www.towcar.info/.

You might be OK with the combination but thought it worth giving you a heads up.


bedonde

Original Poster:

562 posts

229 months

Monday 25th July 2016
quotequote all
b2tus said:
That Adria looks an excellent bit of kit. Good write up in Practical Caravan magazine in 2014.

However, it is a very heavy bit of kit and just FYI, it seems that most, if not all model Passats will be well over the recommended 85% tow car/caravan rule.

Have a look at http://www.towcar.info/.

You might be OK with the combination but thought it worth giving you a heads up.
Thanks for that, seems that the MTPLM is 1600kg and punching the car and van details into the tow car matching thing gives us an 85% match with the car laden. Should be ok, he said nervously...

hornetrider

63,161 posts

204 months

Monday 25th July 2016
quotequote all
85% is not a rule, it's only advisory. And the B8 Passat Alltrack has a 2200kg towing capacity - up 200kg on the previous generation.