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Can anyonye recommend somewhere to get a tow bar with all the electrics fitted, in or around the Farnborough area (prepared to travel a bit, if they can do it 'while you wait')
Also...
1)Will it interfere with the reversing sensor?
2)Is there a particular type I should go for that will allow me to fit a bike rack?
3)how much should I expect to pay?
It's a Citreon Xsar Picasso, it that make a difference.
Thanks
Whichever Witter fitter you can find.
[url= http://www.pwstowingsolutions.co.uk/towbars-and-cycle-racks ]For example.[/url]
The main thing to consider is what's it for? My caravan has an AlKo stabiliser, For which the ball needs to be a but further away from the bumper.
You basically get two types. A flanged type which is a flanged plate that a tow bar bolts too. You can also bolt permanent bike rack mounts on at the same time, so you can tow a caravan and carry bikes
Or you also get a swan neck type, which is just a long bar with the ball on.
You can get both of these in fixed or detachable. We went for detachable as it looks neater, and stops me bashing my shins on it.
cheers don
Towbar express will come you your work or home
If you don't want it to interfere with other electrics on the car, make sure you get the proper wiring installed (you'll probably need to get dealer to enable something as well). Steer clear of scotch lok bodging
Thanks chaps....it's for towing a caravan... I like the idea of being able to tow the van and fit a bike rack at the same time.
Where not sure in Hampshire i have used Solent Towbars and Phil Taylor at Horndean but a bit off patch for you.
On the sensors point i haven't had an issue when not towing but they do pick up the bike rack as if you are reversed into a wall beeeeeeeeeep.
As for type I don't think it matters flat plate or fixed swan neck is cheaper than removable.
Not sure what the score is with more modern cars wiring (eg can bus wired cars) and how that affects things. VW suggested to me it would be 750notes for a towbar much of it was for some little chip or connector. It was a fleet car so decided to do without the towbar.
£750?? Blimey, I was thing more like £300...
I could do without the parking sensor if necessary...
I noticed some bars have duel electrics... what's that for. Obviously one if for the lights. Is the other to charge the caravan battery or sommit?
got jims towbars fitting one tuesday...
Just a tad cheaper than others and seemed to know more than the dozen I called before!
will report back after tuesdays fitting
Older caravans had two plugs, one for lights, one for van, fridge etc.
Mine is a combined Plug, so van and car just have one.
Flange type is most versatile, if I'd known I could have got a detachable one at the time, I would have.
We bought a detachable witter, to avoid spoiling the look of the car. Vain, I know.
Cider, what was your quote?
You can get a Thule bike carrier that fits onto the towbar and can be used when towing.
The towbar must be the 2 bolt fitting as the Thule plate bolts to it.
I've used a 4 bike one for years but found that the longer arms with bikes on made hitching up a bit more awkward so cut the arms down to two bike and its perfect.
As for the towbar.You can usually fit these yourself as the rear of the car should be ready to take the bolts for the towbar.I did this and then took it to an auto electrician to do the wiring.
Towsure do a wide range of 'bars,together with all the bolts and fitting instructions.On some cars you may have to cut a slot out of the bottom of the bumper.
Mine was £400 fitted including some kind of Ecu coding on my landrover, we had to take it in for that.
Only two years prior, the same people fitted one to our Multipla on my drive at home for £150. The pricing will depend on the vehicle
We just had a wittur one fitted on out 3 series bmw (e90) by indespension in Halesowen (near Birmingham)
It cost £220 with twin electrics and only took a couple of hours to fit.
I looked at buying the parts and fitting it myself but it was going to cost more for the parts alone.
I think indespension have branches all over the country so may be worth having a look.
I haggled and got a bit knocked off the initial quote.
http://www.indespension.co.uk/
Andy
I can thoroughly recommend Witter. British company who actually stand by their lifetime warranty.
Really depends on the car, as its the electrics that are the issue.
My old 5 series was £250 fitted, but they wanted twice that for my current Jag - so didn't bother.
So are there easily on and offable bike racks that don't use the ball?
What about the number plate board,do towbar people supply them?
The ones I've seen are two small posts that are permanently fastened on to the bar. The rack slots into those.
zippykona - Member
Cider, what was your quote?
£215 - flange type - single electrics