Which Tow bar

[sherlocks VRS]

Ordered a new octy vrs cr estate, would like to know which tow bars you recommend I want a detachable type and was thinking of a witter, I tow a 1200kg caravan, Any thoughts? Phil.

[FriendlyFire]

Hi Phil,

I'm sure a Witter or Bosal will be just fine but I can recommend a Westfalia vertical detachable. Very robust, well made and well fitting. It requires a cut to the bumper (they all do) but is not visible in use.

I drag a 2700kg twin axle livestock trailer just fine - not fully loaded mind

[meta55]

Hi Phil,

I'm sure a Witter or Bosal will be just fine but I can recommend a Westfalia vertical detachable. Very robust, well made and well fitting. It requires a cut to the bumper (they all do) but is not visible in use.

I drag a 2700kg twin axle livestock trailer just fine - not fully loaded mind

witter, bosal was the one's that had the good name when i used to sell them. that was 5 years ago so alot can change.

[matt_theforce]

I have the Witter detachable and whilst is it perfectly fine I think I would try the Westfelia next time.

I've had mine fitted for nearly 1 year and the only issues with the Witter are as follows

1, The detachable towball doesn't fit in the foam in the spare wheel well where the Westfelia does (pre facelift)

2, The towbar electric plug cover springs have snapped and when driving the cover opens. (not a big deal but its happened)

Matthew

[gregoir]

I've got a Westfalia on mine. Fitted by a local towbar specialist in Chesterfield. Cut out in the valence is minimal and can't be seen unless you peer underneath. Only slight drawback is the rear parking sensors wail if there is something on the tow bar.

Edited 29 April, 2011 by gregoir

[matt_theforce]

I've got a Westfalia on mine. Fitted by a local towbar specialist in Chesterfield. Cut out in the valence is minimal and can't be seen unless you peer underneath. Only slight drawback is the rear parking sensors wail if there is something on the tow bar.

That can be overcome by another little box being plugged in which detects for something being plugged into the towbar electrics, IMO though it's alot of money and I never bothered, its not like you spend that much time reversing with a trailer/caravan/boat on the back

[tuono01]

What sort of prices are people paying for the towbar to be fitted? Been thinking about it for a while as I want to get a bike trailer.

[silver1011]

Ordered a new octy vrs cr estate, would like to know which tow bars you recommend I want a detachable type and was thinking of a witter, I tow a 1200kg caravan, Any thoughts? Phil.

Not a vRS but the Witter detachable is well hidden.

£300 inc. VAT fitted.

Edited 30 April, 2011 by silver1011

[matt_theforce]

Ordered a new octy vrs cr estate, would like to know which tow bars you recommend I want a detachable type and was thinking of a witter, I tow a 1200kg caravan, Any thoughts? Phil.

I'll get you a pic of my witter with a vrs bumper today

[matt_theforce]

It was a grand total of £400 for the towbar/twin electrics and fitting, it was a couple of months closer to peak season so I probably paid a little more of a premium but it was still about £100 cheaper than a main dealer who would have taken the car to a local towbar specialist.

Matthew

[Splooter]

£300 inc. VAT fitted.

It was a grand total of £400 for the towbar/twin electrics and fitting

I wish I could find a price anywhere near these - best price I have had so far is £507, and that's 70miles away in Aberdeen. Skoda garage quoted me £850 !! (both for a detachable towbar with single electrics).

[John T]

I wish I could find a price anywhere near these - best price I have had so far is £507, and that's 70miles away in Aberdeen. Skoda garage quoted me £850 !! (both for a detachable towbar with single electrics).

I received quote below for towbar to fit 1.4tsi estate, they are located 2 miles north of Aberdeen and easy to find, haven't had mine fitted as yet, soon I hope.

Mr Thompson,

The price for supply and fit of a towbar to your Octavia estate c/w single 7 pin electrics will be £297, including that VAT. Sorry but we do not offer a supply only service for this towbar.

Regards,

Kristian Buckley, BSc [Hons],

NTTA Advanced Towbar Technician,

Managing Director

Buckley Towbars Limited

Unit 5

Harehill

Bridge of Don

Aberdeen

AB23 8BQ

Tel: 01224 821 528

email: [email protected]

web: www.BuckleyTowbars.com

[gregoir]

That seems very cheap. We are talking about a detachable tow hitch? I paid about £370 at the back end of 2009.

[John T]

That seems very cheap. We are talking about a detachable tow hitch? I paid about £370 at the back end of 2009.

Good question, I didn't ask for a detachable bar when I requested a quote, I prefer the protection it offers keeping clowns of my back bumper, only tow the garden trailer 4 or 5 time a year.

I would presume price is for non detaching, only had the car about a month, hope to have the bar installed before to long.

Anyone interested, drop Buckley an E mail they respond reasonably quickly.

John.

[Splooter]

Anyone interested, drop Buckley an E mail they respond reasonably quickly.

John.

My £507 'best price so far' is actually from Buckleys :-

"The Octavia, with detachable Witter towbar and vehicle specific 7-pin electrics, will be £507.

Regards,

Kristian Buckley, BSc [Hons],

NTTA Advanced Towbar Technician,

Managing Director"

I presume my quote is so much more because (1.) I want a detachable bar, and (2.) I want the vehicle specific electrics (I have parking sensors, so presumed I needed these........................ do I ? :| )

[ian-inhome]

I had a Witter detachable towbar fitted at the start of this year.

I have a Thule 2 bike carrier fitted on the towball. The problem I have found is that on a camping trip with no rear seat passengers but the boot full of camping gear and two bikes on the back the rear end is too low.

I have the rear tyres inflated to 40psi but the suspension On the Elegance is so soft that even crawling at less than 5mph off the ferry the bottom of the towball hits the ramp of the ferry and speed bumps are a nightmare even at less than 5mph it scrapes the ground on some speed bumps.

[waaar]

My first post on this forum - V exciting.

I just ordered a detachable tow bar complete with electric kit and 13-7 pin adapter from Skoda, £372 all in.

I will be fitting it myself, Skoda wanted £900 to supply and fit.

[gregoir]

I've got the lower sports suspension and loaded as above, have had no general trouble with grounding. Managed it once going through a deep French gutter into a car park.

The back end seems to sag only a little when fully loaded. Westfalia detachable tow bar.

Edited 11 May, 2011 by gregoir

[matt_theforce]

I havent had any grounding issues with my towbar since using the Al-Ko hitch stabiliser when towing the caravan with 2 kids & a dog in the back, I also have the sports suspension and that includes driving down the farm track to the storage site.

[waaar]

Thought I'd post an update.

The majority of installation is done, the online guide really is rather good.

Octavia Installation Guide

I've had virtually the whole of back end apart, fitting the bar and routed the wires up to the fusebox.

This is where I'm stuck, I'm not bad at the wiring part but just cannot figure out which wires go where, it needs to be blatantly obvious for me to understand :wonder:

This part of the guide, I cannot relate which wires from the harness go where, not even sure where the 6 pin multipin connector is?

-------------------------------------

To make it a little plainer as the Instructions could be better. The terminal connectors are held in place by the red locking bar you can see in Fig 44 above. This needs to be slid to one side to unlock. Then the connectors will pull out. The circuit board is marked E F G H

Terminal block E is numbered so wire E2 is on block E position 2

Wire G7 is on terminal block G position 7

Wire G8 is on terminal block G position 8

Remove the wires as instructed and insert in to the numbered 6 pin multi connector, in the correct positions.

Fit E2 G7 G8 from the towing harness in to the now empty positions.

Refit the connectors and relock.

-------------------------------------

I may get Skoda to finish the last part for me or try bribe a mate to help out.

[sparky2]

Have a look here - http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/162617-octavia-fl-scout-access-to-relays-fusebox/page__p__2316468__hl__octavia+fusebox__fromsearch__1#entry2316468

Edited 16 May, 2011 by sparky2

[waaar]

Have a look here - http://briskoda.net/forums/topic/162617-octavia-fl-scout-access-to-relays-fusebox/page__p__2316468__hl__octavia+fusebox__fromsearch__1#entry2316468

Thank you for the link.

I managed to get that far, dropping the relay holder and fusebox out, just not sure which wires from the tow bar loom go where.

[sparky2]

The handbook might have some places 'pencilled' in for the towbar electrics ?

[waaar]

Complete.

Taking a break for a couple of days was a good idea, had another look at the wiring last night and it all made sense.

Very fiddly getting one of the wires out of the fuse box, eventually managed it with two tiny screwdrivers.

[concretefingers]

Hi I'm trying to fit a towbar to my Octavia my 2 . Sadly I'm struggling with bumper removal , the link to the installation nguide is dead. Has VRS-com died?