I've done a search but an all I can find is recomendations on tow bar fitments none on the potential towing ability of the car have all the VRS's with tow bars ben used to tow light traylers? I'm after a sporty to car to tow my Clio to the track (weights about 850kgs) with and to be economical on the 15~20k I do per year.

Also looking at taking the car to the nurburgring in Germany. I've been before in my Clios so I know what to expect just wondered on peoples views of stock cars on the toll road (well thats its offical designation). I'm not looking at modifying the car as the track day car is the car I got to take the track day abuse.

Many thanks for any help.

Problem is that the vRS version is NOT type-approved for a towbar.

Beyond that it should have no trouble IMHO pulling a light trailer.

Problem is that the vRS version is NOT type-approved for a towbar.

Beyond that it should have no trouble IMHO pulling a light trailer.

I think might b le to get round the approal problem my insurance never question if tow bars are legal just they have ben fitted by a approved fitter.

Any idea how much a normal fabia can tow since I guess there the same chassic the same rules should apply.

By rights an approaved fitter should fit or endors the fitting of a non approved tow bar which is why I suspect your insurance company will be so trusting.

Been down this road with Tow Bars on SMART's. Available in Germany, TUV approved but not type aproaved for the UK.

There's one thing i'm wondering about with the vRS towing issue. If they aren't type approved for towing, why do they have a factory fitted towing eye on the back?

There's one thing i'm wondering about with the vRS towing issue. If they aren't type approved for towing, why do they have a factory fitted towing eye on the back?

Incase you have to tow a friend back to there house, or you crash into a ditch and you need to be wintched out...

Its not there for towing caravans, its there for the above situations

You should be able to tow as much weight as all the normal Fabias. Only much easier with all that TORQUE and the brakes are better than normal ones.. You may be able to find out the exact figures from someone in Ireland,as th VRS is able to tow and tow bar is listed as an official option there.. I have one on mine std Fabia saloon and the std wirring loom for fabia total cost from local dealer

The other 1.9 TDi Fabia has a maximum tow limit of 1000kg for the larger engined cars and a maximum nose weight of 50kg.

Not only is there no approved tow bar for the vRS, Skoda actually state that they do not recommend towing with the vRS.

If you have an accident while towing with the Fabia vRS you are going to be on very thin ICE as to whether the insuance pay up and you might even be liable for prosecution.

Sorry,

Lee

No type approval - breaking the law by fitting and using. Insurance will not pay out, fitter should not fit and a clued-up copper could rightly have you in court for it.

If you want to tow, don't buy a vRS. :(

It states in the Fabia Brochure :

Towing unbraked max 450-500kgs (n/a vRS)

Towing braked max 800-1000kgs (n/a vRS)

So it does appear that the vRS is not suitable for towing, even though there is plenty of power for it.

I may be wrong though, i know nothing about towbars!!

Hope this helps a bit

I think the only reason the tow bar isnt type approved for the Fabia vRS is that Skoda havent type approved it due to the deeper rear bumper.

This however is just my specualtion.

It's more than likely to be the reason, doesn't make it any less annoying though :(

Skoda UK have saved a few grand by not type approving it, but they won't have lost sales because from looking in the brochures it looks like you can do it at a glance.

Shame.

It sure is - and IIRC there was (is?) a petition on site here somewhere

Could the fact that the vRS is lower than a standard one affect it also... if it tows it would pull it down more and wheels would scrape or something along those lines?

Sorry to bring this up agaian just to say that the seat Ibiza which is the same sort of car as he Fabia in both 160hp and 130hp diesel models can tow upto 1.2 tones.

There's one thing i'm wondering about with the vRS towing issue. If they aren't type approved for towing, why do they have a factory fitted towing eye on the back?

Its a lashing eye for securing the car to a transporter since you cannot throw a belt-strap over the roof to hold it down, (as said above it can be used to pull you out of a ditch etc.)

Sorry to bring this up agaian just to say that the seat Ibiza which is the same sort of car as he Fabia in both 160hp and 130hp diesel models can tow upto 1.2 tones.

That's what I thought...very funny they couldn't figure that out yet they know and brag it has 230lb ft of torque as standard!

It's not that it CANT - it is just illegal..

It's illegal??? You mean you need...ah okay...like here...I'm sure you could get a license to be able to tow right? The sales man who sold my car to me has a veeerryyy low red Fabia Elegance 1.4 with big black rims that completely fill his arches (I know that part wasn't required but I can't help myself ) has a tow bar thing stickin' out from under his boot...

He also completely changed the exhaust...VERY deep exhaust note..

I'll try and get a pic up tomorrow of it..

The police in the UK have a range of offences to choose from when looking at a car and trailer. Usually the police will prosecute if the trailer is heavier than the car or the trailer is heavier than the manufacturers limit.

For the Fabia vRS Skoda's limit is that Skoda recommend you don't tow at all. That's all the police need, whether they would actually prosecute is upto the individual officer I suppose. If you were in an accident while towing with a vRS then I would imagine that the police would prosecute and your insurance wouldn't pay up.

Many people don't realise that in the UK there are restrictions on towing for drivers who passed their test after 1st of January 1997 or for people who have been banned and regained their Licence after 1st January 1997.

Cheers

Lee

Its a real shame about the vrs but you would be on very thin ice if you did...My TDI is a real beauty for towing due to all that lovely torque. Ive just started towing a old but good nimrod trailer tent and you dont even know its back there! Still get 55mpg and climbs effortless!

I have one ocassion used an emergency towbar (fixed bar so legal)to pull a transit tipper complete with mini digger on a trailer off the top of a motorway slip,incline and all. Knew I had some weight but the TDI still moved the load with no problem! Its a great little tug!

I am sure you could do a search and find a few examples of people who had just thought "bugger it" and gone and done it

We are aware it's illegal, however let's be realistic and this is only IMO, the chances of someone actually stopping you because you are towing with a vRS is minimal, I can't imagine many officers will of read the Fabia brochure and thought "Hmmm, that car shouldn't be towing that car". What they are more likely to do is stop you if you are towing in a dangerous manner or you are clearly over the towing recommended weight, and the obvious answer to that is DONT DO IT.

The only issue previously mentioned would be insurance implications if you were to have an accident or if a car accident investigator got on the case (unfortunately I had two major accidents but on both occassions they didn't get involved).

Again I view the above like this, minor accident and the chances are no police will even be called and I agree you are running a risk but surely no more than you would had you not declared your modifications :confused:, and how many cars on the road do we see with spoilers, exhausts, lowered etc. Mainly a lot of young drivers who I have no doubt will not of told their insurance company through fear of not getting insured on it.

I know all the above is IMO and not a fact, but I believe that if you use a little common sense & if possible explain in a none descript way to your insurance company that you have fitted the Skoda towbar (no need to say it's not approved) you will generally be ok. I appreciate some people will take my comments seriously and assume I am advising people to lie; far from it actually, what I would do is be economical with the truth and use your brain and you should be ok. If you are seriously in doubt about doing it due to the implications, then the simple answer is DON'T.

Each to their own

If and only if your insurance company will insure you with it, then it's cool I suppose. Just make sure you get it in writing

As you know I'm against not declaring mods on the basis of it voiding insurance, thus it means you're driving without insurance. That puts you (not specifically anyone, annoying English language... I mean plural) in a dodgy place if anything happens.

Beyond that I fully agree with what you're saying

The Furby vRS should be able to pull the same kind of weight as the PD100-based Furby. Brakes are better, more torque too, yes, but the important thing is the amount of weight involved relatively speaking (not saying you dont need brakes )

Most people will have the 'B' license these days, which allows for light trailer duties.

Interesting this

I have a VRs fitted with a tow bar which was supplied by the dealer at the time of purchase so I assumed no problem.

The bar is used generally for carrying a bike rack.

So, my question is, is it simply not legal to tow with a VRs or is it not legal to actually have the bar fitted to the car?