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Looking at going down the tow bar rack route.
If I do, I'll need to get a tow bar fitted to a Golf (professionally, not a DIY effort) in East Mids.
I'm aware of Thule and Witter - any other good tow bars? It will only ever have a bike rack - I think some are actually removable?
Any good fitters in East Mids? Bermick in Leicester are meant to be good and the VW salesman today said ESP in Nott'm are excellent (VW charge £400) - anyone used either?
I like Thule products...is there a go-to rack or any other good recommendations? Space for 3 would be good though I normally carry 2.
Thanks in advance.
i too am interested in this....
for me its either
[url= http://www.amazon.co.uk/Thule-TH9502-Rideon-2-Bike/dp/B001P8243C/ref=sr_1_5?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1413659170&sr=1-5&keywords=bike+rack+tow+bar ]thule9502[/url]
or
[url= http://www.witter-towbars.co.uk/cycle_carriers/buyCycleCarrier.php?partNo=ZX210 ]witter zx210[/url]
any comments aprpeciated
You see lots of good things about Atera Strada bike racks on here.
I bought a Witter tow bar kit from a company on EBay for £90 and got my local garage to fit it, charging me £84. A lot cheaper than a tow bar specialist in my area, they quoted £480!
you see lots of good things about Atera Strada bike racks on here.
but bloody expensive!
I fitted a Westfalia towbar to my Audi. It is the towbar that Audi fit as standard kit, but cheaper without being Audi branded! I would guess VW would use them as well? I got a removable one, when it isn't fitted you can't see any sign of the towbar. Works well with an Atera bike rack.
I bought mine from PF Jones who seem pretty good on towbars. I think their website has links to some of the fitters they recommend.
Jesus!
Just been quoted £465 for a standard tow bar….and £665 for a detachable one.
Some loads of bollux about wiring looms etc etc.
Add in the cost of a decent rack.
Think I'll stick with my Thule 591/roof bar set up!
Mine was £250 fitted, with generic electrics, and the rack (Buzzrack Quattro) was £250 too. I'm very happy with it.
Jason was that on one of the newer Audi's? Last time I'd looked my experience was the same as Rascal due to the day lights needing wired back in properly or something. I'm keen on a towbar rack but don't know if I could justify nearly £700 for a removable one.
That's way too much rascal. I've had Indespension fit both Thule and Witter to a Golf and Passat in the past few years for £250 and £275. They have a place in Derby
Thanks Blind….have emailed them for a quote…lets see.
Fixed - £304 v £465
Detachable - £450 v £665
Significantly cheaper but still too much!
Mine was for a 2013 A5. Most of the A5s are pre-wired for a towbar, so the Westfalia kit really is just plug and play, it is just a case of running the wiring loom from the towbar to the right hand side of the boot and plugging in. The holes are already in the body work, and the wiring loom has grommets pre-fitted in the right place.
Typically I found my car wasn't pre-wired for a towbar... although the same kit is used, and it took about 60mins to do, it mainly involved adding a few wires from the fuse boards found in the boot. The instructions were pretty clear and easy to follow.
The car software also needs updating with VAG-COM, I have a VAG-COM lead, so that was straight forward too. I would imagine a dealer would charge an hours labour to sort out the software.
I paid a local towbar place £282 to supply and fit a Thule detachable towbar with 7 pin single electrics to a 3 series. This does mean the reverse light on the bike rack doesn't work but this is what I was advised to get.
The Thule detachable bar has actually given me some trouble. First one the lock barrel disintegrated so it was replaced. More recently it wouldn't lock to the car and they had to replace the bit on the car the twobar attaches to. All done under warranty but a ballache having to go back and forth to the towbar place and be without a rack for a couple of weeks. Plus not what you expect when you pay for gear from Thule.
Me and a mate went halfers on the Thule Euroclassic G6 929. We got it for a smidge over £300 off of ebay as it was branded up as Volvo for some reason.. It is a really nice bit of kit and a doddle to mount and load bikes. Looks good too.
Bermick in Leicester are very good, the one for our FRV fully fitted with number plate was £250.00
Bermick in Leicester are very good, the one for our FRV fully fitted with number plate was £250.00
Those quoted prices ie £465/£665 ARE Bermicks.
You're right though, they are very good...very good at charging pants-down prices 😉
They must be charging some extortionate labour rates with those ^^^ prices! Mine was done in under an hour and that was a bumper with 4 X parking sensors on it.