New Full Fat - tow bar recommendations please
Discussion
Following on from SGirl's update, as we were looking for near as dammit the same spec at the same time, here are a couple of pics of mine 
One thing I do need is a tow bar. As it will be primarily for sticking an cycle rack on every now and again, it needs to be a removable one that looks as neat as possible when not in use. Any recommendations please?
Witter can come and fit them for about £500, but it looks a bit big and cumbersome.
Or there is http:towbarexpress which seem quite a good set up.
Any other options gratefully considered. Land Rover quoted over £1000! I was hoping for about £300.
Here is the underside of the car and it looks like it will be a start from scratch job:
Thanks in advance. al
One thing I do need is a tow bar. As it will be primarily for sticking an cycle rack on every now and again, it needs to be a removable one that looks as neat as possible when not in use. Any recommendations please?
Witter can come and fit them for about £500, but it looks a bit big and cumbersome.
Or there is http:towbarexpress which seem quite a good set up.
Any other options gratefully considered. Land Rover quoted over £1000! I was hoping for about £300.
Here is the underside of the car and it looks like it will be a start from scratch job:
Thanks in advance. al
burriana said:
No thoughts on any other tow bar options/costs?
The LR system is expensive, but it is very, very good. Proper cross-member bolted on to the chassis, and then the choice of mountings and fixed / removable heads, not to mention the electrics. Keep an eye on eBay, as the bits do crop up occasionally, but are usually snapped up very fast indeed. But then this is what you get for being able to tow 3500kg...As for the RRS having it, yes both the Sport and the Disco have the towbar mount built into the chassis, no need for that extra crossmember, so it's just a case of picking the fitment - so usually £250-300 even for the kosher LR ones.
Best bit about both is they're totally invisible when not in use, unless you go for the fixed plate.
Have a look at the westfalia detachable towbars from pfjones.co.uk.
If you give them a call with the details of the model year, they'll let you know which parts you need.
Then just get a local indy garage to fit. You need to pull out most of the trim in the boot and I think some of the exterior rear trim needed to come off as well.
If you give them a call with the details of the model year, they'll let you know which parts you need.
Then just get a local indy garage to fit. You need to pull out most of the trim in the boot and I think some of the exterior rear trim needed to come off as well.
What a lovely looking RR!
The Westfalia detachable swan-neck tow bar is OEM fitment - I had one fitted to my 2004 Vogue TD6 from by LR, and have just (today!) had a Westfalia kit fitted to my new (to me) 2009 Vogue TDV8.
The rear bar fitted across and slighly behind the bumper is a large piece of kit and is ~ £260 + VAT alone, other parts are the proper OEM electrics, the bracket/lock and swan-neck (it also comes with a proper LR branded fitted holder in one of the boot cubbys, and of course the fitting. Mine was £700 + VAT fitted by a local tow bar chap in East Devon. My local LR dealer quoted almost £1100+VAT for the parts (not incl. fitting...)
I'd recommed fitting the proper kit - I could have saved about £150/200 fitting a standard "2 bolt" fixed towbar - but it would have looked completely out of place in my eyes (and like you 80% of the time I didn't need the ball fitted...)
The Westfalia detachable swan-neck tow bar is OEM fitment - I had one fitted to my 2004 Vogue TD6 from by LR, and have just (today!) had a Westfalia kit fitted to my new (to me) 2009 Vogue TDV8.
The rear bar fitted across and slighly behind the bumper is a large piece of kit and is ~ £260 + VAT alone, other parts are the proper OEM electrics, the bracket/lock and swan-neck (it also comes with a proper LR branded fitted holder in one of the boot cubbys, and of course the fitting. Mine was £700 + VAT fitted by a local tow bar chap in East Devon. My local LR dealer quoted almost £1100+VAT for the parts (not incl. fitting...)
I'd recommed fitting the proper kit - I could have saved about £150/200 fitting a standard "2 bolt" fixed towbar - but it would have looked completely out of place in my eyes (and like you 80% of the time I didn't need the ball fitted...)
Thanks Steve. Likewise on your Jensen. I have a good friend that has a couple of Series IIIs, one that used to belong to Donald Campbell's wife.
I have been quoted £600 all-in for the most discreet detachable unit you can get for the Vogue, inc VAT, electrics and a 2/3 bike rack. This is from Camerons in York who my friend has just used to have one fitted on his Golf. The business owner has his own FFRR with the same unit on, so at least I can take a look.
Still a lot of money for a bike rack that will be used half a dozen times a year though so it will need some serious thought.
I have been quoted £600 all-in for the most discreet detachable unit you can get for the Vogue, inc VAT, electrics and a 2/3 bike rack. This is from Camerons in York who my friend has just used to have one fitted on his Golf. The business owner has his own FFRR with the same unit on, so at least I can take a look.
Still a lot of money for a bike rack that will be used half a dozen times a year though so it will need some serious thought.
Great minds think alike Al 
- I bought this a few months ago -
That's the only photo I've got at the moment after it had a front end conversion. Not a supercharged, but I've had LPG conversion done as well. Drives very nicely, and Kerry loves it!
Hope you are well and prospering
Came with detachable towbar already fitted as well
- I bought this a few months ago - That's the only photo I've got at the moment after it had a front end conversion. Not a supercharged, but I've had LPG conversion done as well. Drives very nicely, and Kerry loves it!
Hope you are well and prospering
Came with detachable towbar already fitted as well
Wow! Good to see you're still alive and kicking Duncan. How the hell are you
I have tow bar envy! I also need to find the best place for a new nearside running step as I bent mine doing a bit of somewhat rocky green laning. Won't be doing anything quite that extreme in future.
Love the car though. they are just immense things
Prospering? Not so great at the moment as I'm unemployed and finding a job is not easy these days but, I'm sure something will come up, otherwise you will notice the fleet steadily shrink in size and power.
Will we be seeing you at Black Tie and Pie this year?
I have tow bar envy! I also need to find the best place for a new nearside running step as I bent mine doing a bit of somewhat rocky green laning. Won't be doing anything quite that extreme in future.
Love the car though. they are just immense things
Prospering? Not so great at the moment as I'm unemployed and finding a job is not easy these days but, I'm sure something will come up, otherwise you will notice the fleet steadily shrink in size and power.
Will we be seeing you at Black Tie and Pie this year?
I'm well Al thanks very much. Very busy as usual - the older I get, the more work I seem to be doing! Very sorry about your enforced leisure break - I hear they're looking for Olympic Security guards!
We missed BTaP last year but we're considering it again this year - Kerry's getting sparkly dress withdrawal
I know it's a bit out of your way, but being in Rotherham there's quite a few good towbar fitters who are competitively priced - some are mentioned here - http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8...
This place - http://www.towbarandtrailercentre.com has a good reputation and has a fitting centre in Hull.
Also these guys - http://towbarandtrailercentrerotherham.co.uk/
If you're in the area, give me a shout and we'll do lunch
We missed BTaP last year but we're considering it again this year - Kerry's getting sparkly dress withdrawal
I know it's a bit out of your way, but being in Rotherham there's quite a few good towbar fitters who are competitively priced - some are mentioned here - http://www.sheffieldforum.co.uk/showthread.php?t=8...
This place - http://www.towbarandtrailercentre.com has a good reputation and has a fitting centre in Hull.
Also these guys - http://towbarandtrailercentrerotherham.co.uk/
If you're in the area, give me a shout and we'll do lunch
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