Hi i know they dont make a tow bar for the fabia vrs but all i want one for is mtb rack for one bike.

Will a standard towbar of a standard fabia fit? I know the bumper will need cutting but just wanted know if it can be done?

Cheers

I would have thought a standard one should fit. The only reason you won't find a towbar listed for the vRS is that it is not type approved to take a towbar so although you can fit one as soon as you put something behind it you are technically not insured. Might be worth checking but using one as a bike rack mount might be OK.

Ian

I thought that too but wasnt sure seems strange! fed up of putting it in the back of the car!

Roof rack?

Towbar bike carriers are alot safer way of carrying bikes rather than putting them stupid racks on back of car,

Supplied a couple at work that fit on towball like a trailer, you can jump up and down on them and they don't move

I have a roof rack for my bike, no issues with it.

It won't fit as you'd have to cut bumper plus in case of an accident you wouldn't be insured because they aren't suitable for vrs

Just get a roof rack. They're good and strong and I've never hand any issues with it carrying 2 bikes.

Seen some pics of a swan neck that can fit on a vrs with minimal cutting

I've got a thule roof rack. Does the job perfectly even with my extremely heavy downhill bike.

I don't think the issue is that you can't have a tow bar on the vRS just that you can't tow with it? So having a bike rack on a tow bar should be fine just not towing a trailer or anything behind it.

It's the fitting which is illegal unfortunately.

As said above by countryboy the Fabia VRS is not type approved for towing, if you check your V5 registration certificate you will see that there are no weights under the braked or unbraked sections.

As for fitting the towbar this is a bit of a grey area. Cars manufactured after August 1998 must be fitted with a Type Approved towbar, so if for example you had a Ford KA and fitted a custom towbar (another car not type approved for towing) you would be liable for prosecution because the KA does not have the mounting points to fit it. However you can buy a type approved towbar for a Fabia Hatchback which, as we all know, is what the VRS is and does have the correct mounting points to fit it.

I have seen a number of VRS’s fitted with towbars and I myself have fitted a removable one which does not require any visible cutting of the rear bumper as per the following pics :-

Towbar Fitted

Towbar Removed

Tight fit under bumper

Bumper cut out

I have done this because I have gone on holidays with three bikes on the back and also with a full roof box on top !

Karl

My mothers SE has a towbar fitted by the dealership!!

Since fitment of a towbar to a Fabia vRS is illegal, there is the possibility of being prosecuted - yes it really is that serious.

In the context of a towbar fitted by someone to someone else's car, I would who would be prosecuted? The fact that a dealer may have done this is irrelevant.

But where is it stated that just because the fabia isn't approved to tow something that you can't have a towbar fitted for the purpose of using a bike carrier?

As said above you can get a towbar for a normal fabia which will utilise the same mounting points etc. As long as you don't tow something you should be ok.

Phil

Directive 94/20/EC of the European Parliament and of the council of 30th May 1994, relating to the mechanical coupling devices of motor vehicles and their trailers and their attachment to those vehicles

http://www.towbarsdirect.co.uk/typeapproval.htm

"If the manufacturer has not authorised the towing of a trailer by declaration during the type approval process, no train weight will be shown and it is not permitted to fit a coupling device or tow a trailer."

The Department for Transport

Note the words "fit a coupling device" - that means you can't fit a towbar.

What MAY be possible - and I suppose you could try arguing it this way - is if you fit only part of the towbar, leaving off the ball part (obviously only applicable to towbars with a separate ball fitment) then it's not a "coupling device" and thus permissible.

Shame really i guess thats the answer it can be done but it isnt legal!

I spoke to some one earlier at work who said the car in ireland is able to be used too tow.

Looks like i will have get a roof rack i didnt really want one as i was a little worried of scratching the roof or something!

seriously, what copper is going to look at the manufacturers specifications!! Plus any copper worth their salt wouldn't bother if you had a bike rack?? Maybe if you had a trailer on and the guy was a total anorak!!!

Just do it mate.

I'd be worried if I was in a n accident. As I said before your insurance will become null and void.

Whilst most insurers don't charge extra for a towbar, most do class it as a modification.

I know of one case where a VRS owner was told to remove the towbar or his insurance would be void, when he called to declare it. The guy was irate as he wasn't told that he couldn't tow with it when he placed his order.

As said above by countryboy the Fabia VRS is not type approved for towing, if you check your V5 registration certificate you will see that there are no weights under the braked or unbraked sections.

As for fitting the towbar this is a bit of a grey area. Cars manufactured after August 1998 must be fitted with a Type Approved towbar, so if for example you had a Ford KA and fitted a custom towbar (another car not type approved for towing) you would be liable for prosecution because the KA does not have the mounting points to fit it. However you can buy a type approved towbar for a Fabia Hatchback which, as we all know, is what the VRS is and does have the correct mounting points to fit it.

I have seen a number of VRS’s fitted with towbars and I myself have fitted a removable one which does not require any visible cutting of the rear bumper as per the following pics :-

Towbar Fitted

Towbar Removed

Tight fit under bumper

Bumper cut out

I have done this because I have gone on holidays with three bikes on the back and also with a full roof box on top !

Karl

Karl - sorry I know your post was a while ago - but I'm buying a towbar now! It looks like you used a fixed towbar and just unbolted it? Is that right, and is it much more hassle than a "removable" one (looks like you don't need to move the bumper to bolt it back on)? I ask as the removable westfalia towbar has complicated instructions for installing a new plastic cover into the bumper, whereas the fixed one just needs a couple of minimal slots cutting at the back of the bumper.

Alan

Karl - sorry I know your post was a while ago - but I'm buying a towbar now! It looks like you used a fixed towbar and just unbolted it? Is that right, and is it much more hassle than a "removable" one (looks like you don't need to move the bumper to bolt it back on)? I ask as the removable westfalia towbar has complicated instructions for installing a new plastic cover into the bumper, whereas the fixed one just needs a couple of minimal slots cutting at the back of the bumper.

Alan

No problem Alan,

You are correct it is a fixed towbar fitted with 19mm nuts and bolts. Takes about 3 or 4 mins to remove or fit, so not much hassle.

I would let you now what make it is, but unfortunately I bought it second hand and the makers sticker has come off.

If you look at the top of the last pic you will see part of the seven pin socket that I mounted on the towbar bracket, to plug a short lead with a plug on it to go to the socket by side of the tow ball.

Karl

there's another SE near me that has a tow bar fitted.

Karl, what exhaust have you got? It looks great!