Would you buy a car with a tow bar fitted.

[rumple]

Would you, seen a couple of cars, with tow bars, this puts me off even though a tow bar would come in handy, I'm thinking bike rack really, I just can't get past the possibility its spent its life dragging a caravan around Devon.

[Fittster]

I thought they were aids to parking for most people?

[Tazio77]

Most of mine have towbars, as I have a large garden and need it to get rid of the detritus...

You could always check whether there are two electrical sockets, usually means yes it has been towing a caravan...

[SS2.]

Wouldn't bother me..

In fact, we fairly recently picked up an E46 330D Touring which has a detachable tow bar kit fitted.

Even though I don't own a trailer of caravan (perish the thought ), I still saw the towbar as more benefit than negative when viewing the car..

[rumple]

Fittster said:

I thought they were aids to parking for most people?

More fun than having something beep at you I suppose

[rumple]

Tazio77 said:

Most of mine have towbars, as I have a large garden and need it to get rid of the detritus...

You could always check whether there are two electrical sockets, usually means yes it has been towing a caravan...

Didn't know that, thanks.

[kambites]

A removable one would be a plus point for me (just had one fitted to the Octavia for tip trips, in fact). A fixed one, I'd rather avoid.

As above, twin electrics generally indicates a caravan and single a trailer.

[HorneyMX5]

Nope. Was actually pleased mine came with one fitted as I was goign to have to fit one to tow the track car. As it has twin electrics it's clearly been used to pull a plywood house at somepoint, now I'm looking at cheap ones on eBay. Sad times, LOL.

Nick

[Vulgar LS2]

Pulling a caravan a couple of times a year is hardly going to matter, they weigh only just over a ton.
Like anything else I buy on condition, things like tow bars and service history are secondary factors.

[300bhp/ton]

rumple said:

Would you, seen a couple of cars, with tow bars, this puts me off even though a tow bar would come in handy, I'm thinking bike rack really, I just can't get past the possibility its spent its life dragging a caravan around Devon.

What type of car and what sort of age. And what sort of cost? Is towing likely to have been a major part of it's life. And if it was, will it really have an affect on the car during your ownership?

[ED209]

I have a tow bar on the evoque, no intention of ever owing anything with it. Its for bike rack only. Cannot see why it would put anyone off other than for looks. When the time comes to sell it will be getting removed though, purely because its worth more sold on fleabay than the nothin it will make in any car deal.

[vdubbin]

Mrs. V's current Octavia came with a towbar, but the rest of the car checked out OK (shocks, brakes, clutch were fine, rear bumper was clean)
It's only been used a couple of times to move small trailers, but it's handy for nudge parking! (j/k)

[falkster]

Fittster said:

I thought they were aids to parking for most people?

Is that punishment if you cant park?

[GreigM]

The Crack Fox said:

Surely if the car has a towbar, and has probably been dragging a beige tupperware box up and down the M5 at NSL - 50%, then it's had an easy life and would be a good buy ?

This has been my experience. Tow cars tend to be better looked after and theres a lot worse you can do to a car.

My current car spent its first 80k tramping a caravan from Scotland to France and back and now at 130k its still on the original clutch and tows my track car around.

[Vince70]

My parents car has a tow bar and the car is 17 years old it's never had any problems with the transmission or rear
suspension.
As an earlier poster said if its only got one socket on the chances are its only been used for taking a trailer full of garden waste down the tip once a month.
But on the other hand a friend of mine had a two socket tow bar fitted to his car to tow a bloody enormous caravan, he had to take his rear mud flaps off as they would drag along the road with the weight.
So I guess that can't be too good for a car.

[cptsideways]

The only ones I avoid are the high mileage caravanners with big caravans & small cars. Other than that they are generally a bonus & something I actively look for.