Towbar costs again

[Lowen]

I would say it is, cost me £348.00 for the parts alone. See http://www.briskoda.net/forums/topic/206879-diy-towbar-install/page__p__2446320#entry2446320 for details

[summers]

I would suggest that is very reasonable. I was quoted £830 inclusive of VAT by a local dealer for mine which does not have tow bar preparation.This was for a detachable tow bar and electrics (not sure whether that was single or double) as I had lost interest by then.

I am going to use MDS - as recommended by 'Millstone' who quoted me £225 or £330 (detachable) plus £115 for the dedicated wiring loom. These prices include VAT and fitting at my home.

Peter

PS Hope the injury is healing.

[900000]

I would suggest that is very reasonable. I was quoted £830 inclusive of VAT by a local dealer for mine which does not have tow bar preparation.This was for a detachable tow bar and electrics (not sure whether that was single or double) as I had lost interest by then.

It is VERY reasonable as I paid £834 at Allams Škoda in early 2011 on a car sans towbar prep.

[Merlinman]

If that's fitted and coded that is indeed an excellent price!

GWS, BTW - I tore an ACL mountain biking in 2003 (I was 58 then) Surgeon said it was classed as a 'sporting injury' for which they had a cut off age of 40! I persisted - and even got a price for the op in the USA. Eventually I wore him down in exchange for being a 'guinea pig' for medical students to diagnose whilst undergoing their final exams.

The 5 hour op involved a graft from my Patella and was followed by many weeks of intense physiotherapy; I was fortunate that the local NHS physio turned out to be Nottingham Forest's former physio from Brian Clough's era. Tough - but effective!

Fully restored now and still riding off road several times a week - and guess what - the surgeon cites my case as an example of how the op can be beneficial to older patients

I even bought a titanium leg brace to enable me to continue an active life whist waiting for the op!

[domhnall]

I was chatting with my local dealer about this as a friend about to buy a yeti had been told by another dealer that if they add a towbar to the yeti the warranty is reduced. So we got chatting about towbars and he told me that they just get a local towbar specialist to fit them. He assured me there is no factory prep for Yetis and even showed me a Skoda flowchart concerning the matter and it does indeed state that there is no factory prep that you can order on current yetis.

So if you want a towbar then independent specialists seem just as able to do the job (as Iain has recently proved)

[Llanigraham]

Sorry Dom, but I think your dealer is talking through a certain bodily orrifice!

Tow bar prep from the factory has always included an extra/bigger fan on the rad, the cutout and cover in the rear bumper, and a different loom to the back of the car.

And it has NO effect on the warranty as long as it is an approved part fitted in the approved manner.

[Big Rich]

I was chatting with my local dealer about this as a friend about to buy a yeti had been told by another dealer that if they add a towbar to the yeti the warranty is reduced. So we got chatting about towbars and he told me that they just get a local towbar specialist to fit them. He assured me there is no factory prep for Yetis and even showed me a Skoda flowchart concerning the matter and it does indeed state that there is no factory prep that you can order on current yetis.

So if you want a towbar then independent specialists seem just as able to do the job (as Iain has recently proved)

Interesting you say that. I was given two prices by my supplying dealer (in November) for the towbar. Price one was with factory prep and the detachable bar and price two was without the factory prep.

The dealer advised to go for the factory prep as this was the better option as the factory upgrade the engine cooling system, fit the loom to the rear of the car and put a different bumper on with the removable section in prepration for the towbar to be fitted by the dealer.

The none factory prep doesn't have the upgraded cooling which cannot be retrofitted, the wiring isn't installed and the dealer said it was a pain to fit (hence why a lot of dealers sub this work out) and they also had to cut the bumper to install the removable section.

[domhnall]

Sorry Dom, but I think your dealer is talking through a certain bodily orrifice!

Tow bar prep from the factory has always included an extra/bigger fan on the rad, the cutout and cover in the rear bumper, and a different loom to the back of the car.

And it has NO effect on the warranty as long as it is an approved part fitted in the approved manner.

No need to apologise, it doesn't bother me, he told me they never order anythign as they can't and to prove it he called up the Skoda documents on screen and the Skoda system showed a big red box highlighting that no prep was possible.

[g6zru]

Oh dear! I thought that this subject had been clarified. It takes me back to the saga I had when trying to get some sense from ANYONE at SUK and various dealers. I had different stories from so many people who should have had the definitive answers at their fingertips.

Looking back a year later I conclude that I never got an answer to the question "WHAT IS TOWBAR PREP" that satisifed me. I even got two completely different answers from SUK Customer Services. At one stage I attempted to get an answer from Skoda CZ but they just referred me to SUK via VAG!

Once I had the car the only thing I could actually see was the cutout and removable flap on the rear bumper. Unless you have a car without TB prep to compare to I couldn't determine whether the cooling system had been upgraded but it would be logical for it to have been. It was also suggested that the battery and alternator where upgraded, again a logical route to follow but not provable.

Perhaps someone with access to the spares system and plenty of spare time (TP?) would like to compare part numbers for cars with and without TB prep and put this to bed once and for all.

My towbar (Westfalia removable) was eventually fitted by a sub contractor at the supplying dealers premises but without recoding! This had to be done later after I had found out on this forum what should happen when the caravan/trailer is connected.

There is also some confusion about single and twin electrics. I can understand this to a certain extent as the UK caravan industry also seems to be confused, that's why they were in denial about the superier 13pin system for years.

My assumption about what TB prep should be is;

Minimum;

Car wiring loom should include ALL connections necessary to connect to ALL possible combinations of caravan/trailer requirements.

Standard connector fitted in accessible place close to towbar so that suitable electrical kit can just plug in to it.

Any necessary ECU recoding to suit all combinations as above.

Plus, in an ideal situation;

Uprated cooling system to take account additional load on vehicle.

Uprated battery and alternator.

Most importantly ensure that the dealer network is aware of the details of ANY options that apply to their range of cars, or at least have access to this information. I'm sure this is not confined to questions about towbars, the questions that are seen on this forum suggest that it's part of a bigger problem.

Perhaps SUK should outsource their Customer Service Department to this Forum? In my experience they could do a lot worse.

Rant over.

Fred

[Merlinman]

"Perhaps SUK should outsource their Customer Service Department"

They already do - to Jim Henson

[IainM1970]

I was chatting with my local dealer about this as a friend about to buy a yeti had been told by another dealer that if they add a towbar to the yeti the warranty is reduced. So we got chatting about towbars and he told me that they just get a local towbar specialist to fit them. He assured me there is no factory prep for Yetis and even showed me a Skoda flowchart concerning the matter and it does indeed state that there is no factory prep that you can order on current yetis.

So if you want a towbar then independent specialists seem just as able to do the job (as Iain has recently proved)

Yep the garage has arranged for all of my new Skodas to be fitted with towbars from the same local specialist. They have all done the job required ... powering fridge, battery charger and ALKO ATC ... over many 1000's of towing miles. Yentle the Yeti is currently on its second towing trip and again no towbar issues.

The main issue for me is that Skoda clearly state that towbar prep is not suitable for what was previously known as split charging, therefore not a lot of use to the modern caravanner ... though there does seem to be some other views on this. When Skoda bring their towbar prep option in line with the needs of UK caravanners then I'll be happy to tick that box on the options list.

Edited 23 March, 2012 by IainM1970

[domhnall]

Same specialist who fitted a tow bar to my camper van, very good service :-)

Sent from my motorola xoom using tapatalk

[Vrstdi estate]

Interesting you say that. I was given two prices by my supplying dealer (in November) for the towbar. Price one was with factory prep and the detachable bar and price two was without the factory prep.

The dealer advised to go for the factory prep as this was the better option as the factory upgrade the engine cooling system, fit the loom to the rear of the car and put a different bumper on with the removable section in prepration for the towbar to be fitted by the dealer.

The none factory prep doesn't have the upgraded cooling which cannot be retrofitted, the wiring isn't installed and the dealer said it was a pain to fit (hence why a lot of dealers sub this work out) and they also had to cut the bumper to install the removable section.

Yes def are two options; as you correctly mention the factory prep has a different loom, extra cooling fan and the engine management is prepped for the towbar. When you hitch up it shows the trailer in the radio display. It also sets up the electronics to compensate for the extra weight and will adjust braking etc. accordingly. Plus the hole is cut in the factory with a neat flap to cover over the hidden hitch/electrics.

[Sandy.Rogers]

Yes def are two options; as you correctly mention the factory prep has a different loom, extra cooling fan and the engine management is prepped for the towbar. When you hitch up it shows the trailer in the radio display. It also sets up the electronics to compensate for the extra weight and will adjust braking etc. accordingly. Plus the hole is cut in the factory with a neat flap to cover over the hidden hitch/electrics.

Are you saying that if the Yeti has had the Factory Towbar prep all you need to do is to fit the towbar and the 'back end' electrics and there is no requirement for recoding becuse it's already been done by the factory?

[weasley]

Are you saying that if the Yeti has had the Factory Towbar prep all you need to do is to fit the towbar and the 'back end' electrics and there is no requirement for recoding becuse it's already been done by the factory?

That's not the impression I have been given. Even with towbar prep, the fitted module will need coding. All quotes I have had have included the need and time for coding (or have said I will have to take it for coding after fitment).

[900000]

That's not the impression I have been given. Even with towbar prep, the fitted module will need coding. All quotes I have had have included the need and time for coding (or have said I will have to take it for coding after fitment).

This has been my understanding too. Even with the factory towbar prep you need coding.

[Sandy.Rogers]

This has been my understanding too. Even with the factory towbar prep you need coding.

It was also my impression, I just thought I'd check in case things had changed at the factory.

[Llanigraham]

Correct.

Once the wiring and hardware is fitted the computer needs to be told that it is all there and needs reprogramming.

[g6zru]

Absolutely! I speak from personal experience.

Fred

[threeshoes]

Absolutely! I speak from personal experience.

Fred

But it looks like the Towbar Prep, costing as it does only £180, is worth getting done.

Chris

[Llanigraham]

Of course it is, because it includes more than just a wiring harness!

[threeshoes]

Of course it is, because it includes more than just a wiring harness!

Thanks. The arguments for the Towbar Prep haven't seemed so convincing until this stage on this thread.

It looks like I'm going to be altering my order to fill up with everything on the list . . .

. . . this is an "enabling" group of people, and no mistake!

[frglee]

I've still got a month to go before I can put my Yeti order in but I'd thought I'd add my two pennorth to this subject.

The following is part of a reply I received from North West Towbar Centre in Stockport:

"The price for a fixed flange ball towbar is £385.00 fitted with two sockets. This is using a dedicated electrical kit and includes all coding work. It is the same price for vehicles with or without towing preparation. The module that we supply is the same as the Skoda original equipment, so it will connect directly to the connector on vehicles with preparation."

The same price without or without towing preparation! - first thoughts are don't bother with the prep but then there is the larger or extra cooling fan to consider. Presumably, if Skoda specify a larger or extra fan they must think that it is needed when towing ( a caravan at any rate). Could there be warranty issues if something goes wrong with the engine whilst towing with a Yeti that doesn't have the fan(s) fitted?

Another thing to consider is the bumper cut out. If you are going for a removable towbar and thirteen pin electrics then all well and good; but it could be a nuisance with a fixed flange towbar and twin electrics as this would normally require a smaller cut out. So, it would have to be either leave the cut out panel off and put up with quite a large hole, make a cut out in the cut out panel, or possibly the need to make an additional cut out depending on where the tow ball emerged from behind the bumper.

.

Regards, Lee

Edited 1 May, 2012 by frglee

[Tugy]

My car did not have tow bar prep and I have had a fixed Witter/13pin fitted by North West Towbar Centre in Stockport, they did an excellent job. I'm going to be towing a lightweight motorcycle trailer, or very occasionally a small caravan or a glider trailer. Does anyone know what the difference is between 'standard cooling fans' and upgraded as with tow bar prep? Can this upgrade be done later, and do I need to do it?

[fuzzybunny]

Several years down the line and we don’t seem to be getting much further with the towbar prep issue. Especially if folks are being quoted the same price with or without!

I wonder, do you really need a bigger cooling fan? Planning to take a caravan across the Sahara? I don’t have tow bar prep but had a new wiring loom and re coding done at the time of fitting and have taken boat trailers hundreds of miles around the UK with no overheating.

I’m sure someone will say that the bigger fan must be there for a reason but I doubt we will get a sensible answer out of Skoda.