Just about to lease a new Passat. Car is already built so dealer is going to fit a towbar for me – I have a towbar bike rack and also a small trailer which i use for going to the dump etc. and both have 13-pin electrics. I’m going via a broker for the lease so they know nothing about towbars (same for me) so I’ve to tell them what i want.

So, questions for the STW massive are:

1. What is a bypass relay for? Do i need one?
2. If answer to 1 is that i need one, then do i need a 7way or P.C.T bypass with electronic fuses and fog cutout?
3. I don’t tow anything needing a stabiliser. Can i just plump for a standard towball? Or for the £15 difference, should i get an ALKO type and not have to worry about it in the future?
4. I’m looking at a Witter installation – any reason not to go for the detachable flange type?

Any advice much appreciated….

Bypass relay… possibly part of the system to tell the car that you have a trailer/bike rack fitted and not to sound the reversing sensors when the trailer socket is in use? Or maybe to bypass the car fog light and just to light the one on the trailer? I guess you need one.
If your trailers have 13 pin sockets then don’t get the 7 pin system (old Skul).
Maybe worth getting to make it future proof/more appealing at resale, certainly for the extra £15. Not sure if it is retrofit on your model.
No ideas re. detachable flange.

Your shins will thank you if you do go for it

lease company wanted stupid money to supply and fit towbar on my car, fitted myself no issues, saved more than half the price they wanted. Will remove prior to handing back.

Some towbars require minor trimming of the bodywork (plastic bumpers usually) so watch out for that.
Towbars don’t add to resale value (the opposite if anything). The car supermarkets take them off and skip them.

What is a bypass relay for? Do i need one?

VAG dealers update the software so the ECU ‘sees’ the towbar. DIY and yes you need one to stop the bulb failure monitoring/parking sensors having a hissy fit.

Go for a fixed ball – they’re are a great parking aid. 😆

Go for a fixed ball – they’re are a great parking aid.

We had someone slowly drive into the back of us at a roundabout, the towbar punched through their front grill, as they pulled back it tore it off entirely. Zero damage to our car. I heartily recommend them!

I’d get one on the front too if they’d let me.

Cheers for the replies folks. Been quoted £380 inc. VAT fitted – this is for swan neck detachable with 13-pin electrics and required PCT bypass.
Just trying to nail down the exact car I’m leasing and will press go!

We had someone slowly drive into the back of us at a roundabout, the towbar punched through their front grill, as they pulled back it tore it off entirely. Zero damage to our car. I heartily recommend them!

I’d get one on the front too if they’d let me. 😆
I was saying just the same to my GF the other day, a towbar on every corner would be great (except for my shins). Her dad suggested she stick some tyres on the outside of her car*, like a canal boat, after a spate of car park scrapes.

£380 from a main dealer is okay actually, always been about £500 when I’ve been pricing it up on leasing sites.

I’ve got a detachable witter bar and it’s very solid.

*And matching duck on the roof.

That sounds reasonable compared to some quotes I had for mine.

I have a detachable flange towbar. Great.

You really want dedicated electrics (which includes an ECU update if needed). Bypass relay is a means of putting a tow bar on without the car knowing you have one (you wire it in parallel with the rear lights.

Without dedicated electrics, the car doesn’t know you have anything attached. So reversing sensors will still operate, the traction control and gear box won’t change settings (if you car is capable of doing so).

Only reason not to go dedicated is cost. These days, the cost is often pretty small and cars have the tow bar plugged to the ECU so there are more benefits of dedicated.