I have been told by my car dealer I can get a fixed towbar for 600e (fitted) and a removable one for 1000e. Other than aesthetics is there any difference? I’m driving a company car so aesthetics and resale are not my priorities as it’s a free car.

biggest difference is reduction in wear and tear on your shins for the 95% of the time you’re not towing but functionally it makes no difference to actual towing.

We have a fixed one yes it’s a bit ugly but I find the lack of parking “bumps” from my neighbours who think that bumpers are to be used instead of parking sensors or a sense of space very useful. It’s also handy to hook the dogs leads around to stop them wandering across the road when emptying the boot of towels and other dog paraphernalia. Apart from the cost and looks there is no difference in how they function.

I fitted two fixed ones for <£100 each.

I guess it depends on model though.

I’ve got a Witter removable one as it gets used maybe a dozen times a year.
All good until last time I put it on it was a right bugger and now won’t come off

Slightly related, cheap/good selection anyway for future reference.
Have used them as supply only in the past.

http://www.hedley-towbars.co.uk/

not bashing shins mainly.
i had fixed on last company car, now removable on current car

removable means parking sensors work when tow bar not fitted and disconnect when electrics in use.

I got a Westfalia one fitted as my car had tow bar prep and they didn’t have to break into the electrics.

NW Towbars in Stockport are highly recommended.

I have a removable one although the only time i ever bothered removing it was the week i got it….But then i am exceedingly lazy bastard so my experience is probably not the norm!

This was a volvo main dealer where I live (Luxembourg) so chances are I can get it a bit cheaper elsewhere but a drive to Stockport might make that discount a bit pointless 😉

Removable every time. It’s not just your own forgetfulness that you have to accommodate for: I’ve come back to a car more than once to find the person behind me has become hitched on to my fixed bar while they were parking.

Witter, bosal, westfalia: they’re all very similar mechanically. Just beware that modern vehicles will inevitably require coding to the electrics and non-approved parts, even when fitted by the dealer, can have the effect of invalidating your entire electrical manufacturer’s warranty which may require the replacement of the full wiring loom (thank you very much MSB Skoda in Darlington, you bunch of incompetant w@114R$!).

“I’ve come back to a car more than once to find the person behind me has become hitched on to my fixed bar while they were parking.”

Do you live in paris ?ive always had fixed tow bars – yet never had this issue.

i prefer fixed bolt on ones as oppose to swannecks as its makes fitting the rack easier 😀 (if you get a rack that has a plate that bolts on)

Fixed with flange but only because I use an Aiston rack that needs the sandwich plate. That and I don’t like people using my bumper as a sensor.

Flange everytime 🙂

flange…

Removeable = more faff = less likely to sling rack on a whim and go for a quick ride

btw doesn’t sound like a free car if towbar costs 1000 euro!

Still I guess paying no tax helps

Do you live in paris?

Nope, the last time was outside my old house in London, ironically was on a car with a detachable bar that I couldn’t be arsed to bend down & remove. Before that was on a quiet street in Newcastle, though I was employing small-fiat-chi “I will fit into that space” menatality. I went in, the guy behind was seemingly incapable of getting out.

ir_bandito – Member

I’ve got a Witter removable one as it gets used maybe a dozen times a year.
All good until last time I put it on it was a right bugger and now won’t come off

Mine did this about three months ago and it won’t budge. I would save 400 euro and get fixed.

My wife’s last car had a removeable one, it stayed on for the 7 years she had the car…

I’ve always put fixed ones on my cars (company and private); they’re on the whole cheaper and always handy when parking to save my bumper 🙂

Although a pal had one on his Beemer that operated from a button in the boot; electronically it ‘hid’ itself. Very smart.

btw doesn’t sound like a free car if towbar costs 1000 euro!

Who said I’m paying? I just don’t see the point in the company throwing money down the toilet if the fixed is okay.

two cars fitted with removable tow bars never removed

The hook is quite heavy so you would be carrying around a fair weight unnecessarily if you get fixed.

Stainypants – Member

two cars fitted with removable tow bars never removed

I also have a removeable towbar that never gets removed, too much effort to only put it back on again a couple of days later!