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I've just been quoted £1058 to have a detachable towbar and electrics supplied and fitted to my 07 passat estate by Listers. I know they're not the cheapest but all the parts will be genuine VW and they'll replace the lower bumper rather than cut it. Even so this seems pricey.
Any advice on a good independent outfit that could do the same but for less? (I'm based in Coventry.)
Thanks
hi there, these guys would be a bit of a journey for you but I have had amazing service from them - despite not even buying my Thule bike rack there...
[url= http://www.gttowing.co.uk/ ]http://www.gttowing.co.uk/[/url]
almost had to force them to take some money for fixing it, so definitely using them when I get my next car
I used the Horsham branch of [url= http://www.tanfieldtowing.co.uk/locations.asp ]these people[/url] and they have a branch in Peterborough, which is not a million miles away from you (I know, because I'm a Coventry kid myself - although I've been 'darn sarf' for over 18 years now)
It cost [u]much[/u] less than what you've been quoted
I just looked on ebay for my Primera kit, paid £90 for it, fitted it myself in an hour, sorted. It would probably be more expensive for a later car if it's got Can Bus electronics.
Whatever you do, insist that the Fog light pin is wired in as a lot of people/places don't bother. But, it's going to be part of the MOT from next year and not having this done will be a fail.
I've always used Indespension, not that cheap, but less than half the cost quoted above;
http://www.indespension.co.uk/b2c/app/M00190
I got my A4 towbar from [url= http://www.pfjones.co.uk/tow-bars/towbars-volkswagen/vw-passat-towbars.html ]HERE[/url]
They arranged an appointment and shipped it out for it to be fitted by a local fitter... Mine was fitted by Indespension in Redhill (who I had got a quote from before at twice the price!)
Dave
I've always used Indespension, not that cheap, but less than half the cost quoted above;
http://www.indespension.co.uk/b2c/app/M00190
+1 for indespension. £160 to get my Focus (mk2) fitted up including electrics, no bumper cutting involved either.
One question though, why bother going detachable?
Even so this seems pricey
It IS pricey!
Towbarexpress.co.uk in the SE wanted something like 400 for the full electrics (including ESP integration), and they came to my work.
In the end for complex reasons of timing etc I bought a towbar myself and fitted it sans electrics for 190 from a place in Cardiff, and towbarexpress came out and fitted the leccy for 250. They'd have been cheaper fitting the bar too as it turned out.
Oh and it's the same car - 06 Passat.
Even my VW dealer (Sinclair VW in Cardiff) only wanted 600.
hey bluebird i wouldn't be overly sure it is a genuine vw part. my dad had one fitted through gilders in sheffield to his car and it was done by a third party with gilders adding a touch for the trouble of a phone call.
looking on ebay you can get them under a ton less the electrics. but it is fit yourself.
One question though, why bother going detachable?
I park on the street and an estate's a pain to find a space for. I don't need it to be any longer.
The only reason for going for genuine OE equipment is if the car has some sort of ESP system that monitors the towbar electrics, and then modifies its stability program to keep the car on the straight and narrow.
The Landrover Discovery has this, and I suspect many other cars.
Regarding the fog lights comment, some (many?) cars have a negatively switched fog light, so wiring it up the same as the other lights means it won't work.
Why would you want to pay for a new bumper when they can just cut the existing? Sounds like this might be making up a large part of the cost.
Finally, a towbar doesn't make much difference when parking as your car at an angle will touch the corner of the bumper to the car behind before the towbar touches. Its only once you've straightened up the towbar becomes the contact point. And it certainly stops other cars creeping into your car until they feel the bumper, the towbar will stop this straight away 🙂
we are up in Glasgow and have just had a tow bar fitted to a brand new passet the total cost was £220 through Discount motoring we could have bought the tow bar for £85 and pay a mechinic to fit it
These are probably the cheapest delivered for a quality towbar.
Brink are oem towbars fitted by the dealers, so no cutting usually.
Have fitted two, miles in front of witter, which are good in their own right.
http://www.hedley-towbars.co.uk/vwpasset.html
Come with a link to the fitting instructions as well.
Guess the electrics could be sorted out by a local company.