HI People of skoda land.

Guna be getting myself a nice 2008 VRS Tdi hatchback in blue soon. Just wondering if anyone out there can give me a bit of advice on buying a tow bar. The car has factory fitted parking sensors front and rear. Should i look at a "SKODA DEALER" one or is there a after market one that is as good and cheeper???,plus can i fit one myself or do i have to get skoda to wire it in because of the parking sensors????...

Cheers Rich

Skoda use euro supplied towbars from the likes of Brink and Westfalia, ask whom makes the specific one for your new car that comes with a Skoda part number on it and then go independant to buy it. It will nearly always be much cheaper unless you get a very-very good discount at your dealer.

Fitting is a matter of money, DIY will cost you a visit to plug in the diagnostics to switch things on or off at your dealer. Letting them do the whole lot gets very expensive.

My own VW Touran has a fitting time of 8 hours to fit it and it takes that long ! £1000 two years ago :no:

I fitted it myself

The Skoda ones appear to be Westphalia. Not the cheapest, but excellent quality and fit.

See if you can get a quote from a local independent fitter.

I've got a Scout so the bumper will be very different to a vRS hatch but I'm sure the fitment to the chasis will be similar.

I went for a Witter detachable as it didn't interfere with the rear parking sensors.

I was adament I didn't wan't my bumper cutting too.

£350 fitted.

Silver - out of interest what happens to the sensors once hitched up? Are they automatically switched out?

Just about to order this I will have a go at fitting myself, but I my local mechanic has quoted my 80 quid if I struggle!

I have spoken to the seller who states the bumper has to be cut on the vRS, but it is considered to be an invisible cut, I have looked at the area in question and the bumper is already shaped to suit so hardly any mod required.

Silver - out of interest what happens to the sensors once hitched up? Are they automatically switched out?

Embarrassingly I've never hitched anything up to the tow bar in the year I've had the car. I had it fitted to mount a bike rack to and for protection.

I was told before I had it fitted that when a trailer is hooked up the rear sensors and fog lights are deactivated but won't know for sure until I test it.

I don't see how that can be true as I think they just tapped into the rear lights. My car doesn't have the factory fitted tow bar preparation either.

I'll give it a try next weekend!

Thanks for the info - great looking bar by the way.

I too have the Witter detachable towbar fitted, I also didn't want it noticable when not in use but due to the bumper design on the elegance it is noticable although the Scout and VRS bumpers cover this up alot better.

With Regard to parking sensors, you can get an optional unit that turns off the sensors when hooked up to the caravan but I decided not to spend that money as you don't reverse with a caravan on all that much and the beeping makes less noise than having my two boys in the car its also worth noting that leaving the towbar on doesn't affect the parking sensors when reversing without the caravan/trailer on the back (at least it doesn't on my car)

My FL Elegance installation is different. The Westfalia detachable towbar involved a very small invisible cut.

As has been said before, if you want the reverse sensors switching off the costs will escalate considerably. Live with the odd reversing wail you will save hundreds of pounds with a relay driven independent installer.

Edited 13 September, 201015 yr by gregoir

Mine fitted at local specialist. No problems with parking sensors - in fact I'm almost able to get the distance between caravan and car just right when reversing to hitch up.

Just wish they did an auto 4*4!!

Just about to order this I will have a go at fitting myself, but I my local mechanic has quoted my 80 quid if I struggle!

I have spoken to the seller who states the bumper has to be cut on the vRS, but it is considered to be an invisible cut, I have looked at the area in question and the bumper is already shaped to suit so hardly any mod required.

Hi,

As it happens...

I just received a package from this very firm with this very towbar!! I ordered it last thursday and it made it over the Irish Sea to the West of Ireland today for an additional 25 quid in xtra delivery costs.

I also bought a couple of front fogs and some parking sensors to upgrade my Ambiente. All in all the service was very good but the instructions for the generic relays are very basic to say the least.

Anyway, I haven't fitted the towbar yet but it does seem to be well put together and soundly made.

• The reciever for the hitch is vertical and as far as I can see I doubt it will be visable when fitted but with the hitch removed.
  
• The bracket for the wiring moves up and down as well so that will be invisible when not in use.
  
• Two keys, towball cover and plastic bag for the removable hitch are included.
  
• I tried it but the hitch will not fit in the space for the OEM hitch in the tool set in the boot/spare wheel.
  

Another point which might not apply to other brands of towbar- The Westfalia vertical removable from this firm (at least this one I received) also fits the Skoda Superb II Saloon and Combi!

This is achieved by adding another set of captive nuts on the legs of the towbar about four inches inwards/outwards from the nuts used for the Octavia.

A small point but this means this towbar from Westfalia is "future proof" if I buy a Superb at some point in the future (here's hoping).

Whichever towbar you buy I can recomend the service from these people - so far

Hope this helps

Hi,

As it happens...

I just received a package from this very firm with this very towbar!! I ordered it last thursday and it made it over the Irish Sea to the West of Ireland today for an additional 25 quid in xtra delivery costs.

I also bought a couple of front fogs and some parking sensors to upgrade my Ambiente. All in all the service was very good but the instructions for the generic relays are very basic to say the least.

Anyway, I haven't fitted the towbar yet but it does seem to be well put together and soundly made.

• The reciever for the hitch is vertical and as far as I can see I doubt it will be visable when fitted but with the hitch removed.
  
• The bracket for the wiring moves up and down as well so that will be invisible when not in use.
  
• Two keys, towball cover and plastic bag for the removable hitch are included.
  
• I tried it but the hitch will not fit in the space for the OEM hitch in the tool set in the boot/spare wheel.
  

Another point which might not apply to other brands of towbar- The Westfalia vertical removable from this firm (at least this one I received) also fits the Skoda Superb II Saloon and Combi!

This is achieved by adding another set of captive nuts on the legs of the towbar about four inches inwards/outwards from the nuts used for the Octavia.

A small point but this means this towbar from Westfalia is "future proof" if I buy a Superb at some point in the future (here's hoping).

Whichever towbar you buy I can recomend the service from these people - so far

Hope this helps

Thats good to hear, hope all goes well when fitted, keep us posted.