How easy is it to fit a tow bar?
I only want it for a bike carrier not for a trailer or caravan.
And what need to be avoided when buying and what is worth buying.

Ta

I pay £260-280 and a man comes and does it at work. Makes the process effortless 🙂

Both have been Witter.

Ive fitted to the last 3 cars I’ve had. Straight bolt onto chassis and plug n go wiring, never had to splice into any wiring. If I can do it anyone can.

Fitted witter towbars every time and would recommend them. Bought previously from pf Jones but do a search to get best price.

Did enquire at local mobile fitter asked about wiring he mentioned no need for wiring kit as he’d scotch block connections. I’d rather like to keep my warranty on my car electrics. So I fitted the bar and dedicated wiring kit.least I knew it was done right and not bodged.

Depends how handy you are with a spanner. I bought my towbar off PF Jones for £100 and fitted it myself in a couple of hours, but of course this is entirely dependent on vehicle; mine did not require the bumper to be removed or even jacking the car up but I ‘ve done one in the past that needed the exhaust dropped and I’m sure there are models which are even more of a pain.

The wiring again on mine was simple, I spliced straight into the loom at the rear light cluster and was done in 20 minutes. Again, your mileage may vary considerably. If your car has multiplex/CANbus wiring then you’ll also need a bypass relay and it’s a bit more complex. Otherwise you can use a plug and play loom like bruneep suggested if there’s one available.

Have you got your bike carrier yet?

Only if you haven’t…. 🙂

If you have to ask, it may not be easy for you…

And totally car-type dependent.

Also irrelevant whether you’ll ever use a trailer etc, need the same level of security.

Fitting the tow bar was a mornings work, fitting the wiring was the rest of the day. Did save a bit of cash but took quite a bit of time.

It is for 2012 Honda CRV. I don`t really want to be removing the bumper.

mikey-simmo – Member
Fitting the tow bar was a mornings work, fitting the wiring was the rest of the day. Did save a bit of cash but took quite a bit of time.

I think ill pay for it to be fitted. Im working 6 days a week until August so dont fancy working all day on a Sunday. 🙁

Have you already got a bike carrier?

A neighbour has a CRV and fitted a towbar himself last summer. I was watching out of curiosity. it was a bumper off job and as it was a removable hitch there was some cutting to be done (you can’t see as it’s all underneath). Took him a few hours to complete the job – he tow’s horse boxes.

I got a quote from PF Jones for £360 all in with a Whitter detatchable bar and proper loom for my SMax.

Two to have a look at.
http://www.hedley-towbars.co.uk/products.asp?cat=169
http://www.pfjones.co.uk/tow-bars/honda-towbars/honda-cr-v-towbars/honda-cr-v-2007-onwards-towbars.html

I couldn’t be bothered with all the faff of fitting one myself, so I bought a new car which came with one fitted

Cost me £270 to get one fitted to my S Max, and he even came to my house to do it. For that it’s not worth a day of frustration on something you’ll never have to do again.

thegreatape – Member
Have you already got a bike carrier?

Not yet, working out price of rack and tow bar first. Currently use my van for the bikes but the wife wants be able to join me sometimes 🙁

I’ve got a tow bar mounted rack I’m looking to move on if you’re interested down the line. Its going on eBay on Saturday but I’d sell it for less on here.

Find a recommended fitter – job done.

My Civic was a walk in the park. On paper. In reality the fixed bolts for the bumper bar all sheared when removing the nuts. No problem, drill it out. Now slip the new bolt in via – the inside of the chassis rail. Fantastic.

Took it to a place who could fit it quick, wish I’d just gone to the usual place my old man uses as they were of the “whoa don’t ask!” variety when I enquired as to how they managed to get the bolts in. (as expected they had cut the chassis rail to slip them in, wouldn’t have been so bothered if they had just come clean).

So yeah, take it to a well rated place and you’ll get a neat, proper job.

I’ve got a tow bar mounted rack I’m looking to move on if you’re interested down the line. Its going on eBay on Saturday but I’d sell it for less on here.

Thanks for the offer, I’ll not be buying on just yet. Possibly next payday will be the earliest.

No problem!

Was gonna start a new post but saw this; I want to fit a towbar to my 10 reg Focus, first quote I got was just shy of £400!

I’m thinking this is unrealistic looking at prices for fitting towbars to other cars – anyone had a towbar fitted to a focus (the model is just before it shifted to the current new shape)? I’m assuming there’s nothing particularly weird about my car that would make it more expensive to fit one on.

Going to look for a few more quotes (paranoid I’m being quoted an Aberdeen oil tax price), but it’s almost got me wanting to fit one myself and the whole point of paying someone was to avoid faffing about myself.

@arcadian
Focus towbar (wifes car) quoted at £130 for me to fit with electrics from towsure, it doubles in price if you want them to fit it for you. Google them
🙂
Jas