Towbar electrics for 2015 S2 elegance estate.

[kevin defty]

I'm waiting for delivery of my new car and have started to look at towing electrics. My new car doesn't have the factory fitted towing preparation as far as I know. It certainly wasn't listed in the extras.

I would prefer the skoda towing kit just in case I get involved in issues later with dealer blaming non skoda kit for problems.

Anyone had one of these fitted and can give advice on costs and features and benefits of the skoda wiring kit. I'm going to fit a witter detachable Towbar which I will supply to the dealer for fitting.

I assume dealer will need to code kit to car to gain features such as towing stability etc.

[tupperware12300]

I'm waiting for delivery of my new car and have started to look at towing electrics. My new car doesn't have the factory fitted towing preparation as far as I know. It certainly wasn't listed in the extras.

I would prefer the skoda towing kit just in case I get involved in issues later with dealer blaming non skoda kit for problems.

Anyone had one of these fitted and can give advice on costs and features and benefits of the skoda wiring kit. I'm going to fit a witter detachable Towbar which I will supply to the dealer for fitting.

I assume dealer will need to code kit to car to gain features such as towing stability etc.

Hi I have had a new estate with the towbar fitted by the dealer and would strongly recommend you take this route I had a problem with the parking sensors not isolating when connected up for towing and selecting reverse I contacted the dealer only to be asked if they supplied and fitted the towbar they were obviously looking for a way out when I said they had fitted it they were then willing to sort the problem out, I would suggest you talk to them and try to get them to include the towbar in the purchase price certainly fit it at cost depending on the electrics I would say you are looking at around £650 for the complete supply and fit 

[kevin defty]

Thanks. Did you have the factory prep option?

I'm assuming you got all the features using the skoda kit.

I'm going contract hire and that's another reason I'm thinking skoda electrics and fitting. Is your Towbar the skoda detachable one? I have always used witter for almost 30 years now.

I'm expecting the 170 with DSG to be a really good Tow car, do you rate it?

[psycholist]

I had the same issue with the parking sensors not turning off when reverse is selected while a trailer is fitted. Mine was a completely OEM towbar fitting. They replaced a €300 module in the system to correct the fault under warranty, which upgraded the electrics to a 13 pin plug, though I doubt it's got caravan charging as a result, but haven't checked. The OEM removable towbar is very nicely designed. When removed you have to look under the bumper to see any evidence the car has a towbar at all, the electrics fold into the bumper too. Also the removed OEM towbar fits in a slot in the foam insert in the spare wheel under the jack when not in use.

 

The Superb III has gone one better on this though - the towbar goes into the bumper completely and it's released by pulling a handle on the boot lip. There's a youtube video showing this somewhere, but I can't find it at the moment.

[jonathan.tong]

Thanks. Did you have the factory prep option?

I'm assuming you got all the features using the skoda kit.

I'm going contract hire and that's another reason I'm thinking skoda electrics and fitting. Is your Towbar the skoda detachable one? I have always used witter for almost 30 years now.

I'm expecting the 170 with DSG to be a really good Tow car, do you rate it?

 

we declined the factory prep as it only provides enough for 7 pin electrics, the dealer fit will give you 13 pin for charging etc.

we'd never previously towed, but we didn't really notice having a caravan on the back of our 170 DSG. One thing I noticed was the gearbox seemed happy to stick in a higher gear than was necessary which a manual upshift fixed. This helped on fuel consumption.

[kevin defty]

Thanks. 13 pin normally does have battery charging

What price did dealer charge you?

[jonathan.tong]

£760 inc VAT for the Skoda dealer to do the electric prep, supply and fit a "Skoda" towbar.

[kevin defty]

Thanks Jonathan. That's about what I was expecting. It gives me a haggling point. I assume it shows trailer graphics on satnav screen etc when towing ?

[Googolplex]

I'm not sure about this fuss about electrics. I had the Witter detachable towbar fitted with single electrics. Obviously doesn't have the proper integrated electrics since the reverse sensors chime when reversing with trailer. I tow a 22ft boat on trailer. Other than reversing, towing is brilliantly smooth and the grip from the 4x4 on slipways is simply transformational (in comparison with the old Mondeo). I did ask Skoda to fit their towbar and they simply weren't interested despite me pressing them - all they offered was to suggest I contacted a garage down the road. I don't really understand why they did this. I was willing to pay...

In the end I got a mobile van bloke to do the job. Just under £400 as I recall.

[Blackray]

I have a 2014 superb elegance. I bought it as a 10 month old car. I had a witter towbar fitted by my local towbar fitter. For the 13 pin towing electrics I was recommended to fit a dedicated kit, not a skoda OEM kit, but it is a plug in kit which needs to be activated in VCDS. I have ALL the factory fit benefits, reverse sensors are de activated, the rear fog is disabled, the car stability control is changed to include the caravan thus becoming trailer stability control. The Kit I have is made and marketed by 'Rightconnections'. The price for the towbar and the wiring including auxiliary live for frideg etc included was £580. I totally endorse having a dedicated wiring kit fitted, But Skoda OEM is not your only option.

 

Hope that helps

 

Ray

[jonathan.tong]

Thanks Jonathan. That's about what I was expecting. It gives me a haggling point. I assume it shows trailer graphics on satnav screen etc when towing ?

 

Yes, when reverse is engaged which shows that the reverse sensors are disabled.... along with all the other things that Blackray listed above. We went for the easy-for-us dealer fit option as we were buying from new.

[kevin defty]

Got a price today from my dealer £620 to fit skoda tow bar and electrics. If I supply a witter detachable they will fit it for £72.00 plus electrics pack at just short of £300. A winter tow bar will cost me £172.00 so that would work out at under £550. Not too bad really.

[jonathan.tong]

As previously mentioned, the Skoda OEM detachable bit has a storage space inside the spare wheel insert - which is quite convenient. Not sure who the manufacturer is though I'm afraid.

[kevin defty]

I'm pretty sure it will be westfalia , my dealer thinks so. As I haven't seen one I'm tempted to stick with the witter one I've used the quantum on the last 4 cars

[kevin defty]

As previously mentioned, the Skoda OEM detachable bit has a storage space inside the spare wheel insert - which is quite convenient. Not sure who the manufacturer is though I'm afraid.

Hi Jonathan , any chance you could send me a photo with the towball fitted ?im curious to see how it looks on the car thanks

[andrehj]

I'm pretty sure it will be westfalia , my dealer thinks so. As I haven't seen one I'm tempted to stick with the witter one I've used the quantum on the last 4 cars

It's not (so your dealer is wrong). The OEM towbar is manufactured bij Prof Svar.

[kevin defty]

Thanks. I'm pretty sure I'm going for the witter quantum Towbar anyway with skoda electrics. It looking like around £530 fitted.

[jonathan.tong]

Sure. Let me know if you'd like any other angles!

 

You can't see anything from behind unless you're on your hands and knees under the bumper itself. Interestingly the electric socket cover has Westfalia stamped on it so I assume the towball itself is the same in spite of no obvious maker's marks that I could find.

 

It attaches by simplying inserting and pushing upwards until the big lever clicks up where it can then be locked in place. Removal is done by simply pushing down on the big lever.

 

Edited 8 May, 2015 by jonathan.tong

[kevin defty]

Hi Jonathan

Thanks so much for the comprehensive shots.

Looks good , if I go for supplying the dealer with the witter Towbar I can save around £70 but I am tempted to go with the skoda one. Interesting the westfalia bit, my dealer said westfalia but another poster said not. 2 weeks into 2-3 quoted lead time and my car still hasn't got into the UK #cantwait

Thanks again.

[Paul R T]

Hi Kevin,

I would strongly recommend that you get your towbar fitted by a towbar specialist, rather than the Skoda dealer. They know what they are doing, which, in my expereince and often reflected on this forum, is not always the case with a Skoda dealer.

You will need to make sure that:

• You specify the connection of a charging circuit to the 13 pin socket to provide both for charging the leisure battery when you are driving and also to power the fridge 12v when you are driving.
• When the electrics are properly installed, the car rear foglight should not be alight when the rear foglights are switched on and the caravan is connected.
• When the caravan is connnected and reverse gear is engaged, the car computer screen should show a picture of the car and caravan combination.
• There is no bleep to indicate that the caravan indicators are working, but the speed of 'winking' will increase if you have a failed bulb or connection, just as it would for the car alone.

Best of luck.

Cheers

Paul R T

[kevin defty]

Hi Kevin,

I would strongly recommend that you get your towbar fitted by a towbar specialist, rather than the Skoda dealer. They know what they are doing, which, in my expereince and often reflected on this forum, is not always the case with a Skoda dealer.

You will need to make sure that:

• You specify the connection of a charging circuit to the 13 pin socket to provide both for charging the leisure battery when you are driving and also to power the fridge 12v when you are driving.
• When the electrics are properly installed, the car rear foglight should not be alight when the rear foglights are switched on and the caravan is connected.
• When the caravan is connnected and reverse gear is engaged, the car computer screen should show a picture of the car and caravan combination.
• There is no bleep to indicate that the caravan indicators are working, but the speed of 'winking' will increase if you have a failed bulb or connection, just as it would for the car alone.

Best of luck.

Cheers

Paul R T

Thanks Paul. The service manager at my dealer is a caravan near too,so he is aware of the fridge and charger relays etc.

[Monaco]

Hi. I have a New 2015 2.0 diesel superb estate DSG. 2 Dealers said my car couldn't have 12 pin charge/fridge. It is tow bar prepared from new. I got an independent tow bar fitting company to fit a westfalia removeable bar for me with 12 pin electrics charge and fridge also parking sensors/fog light/ etc etc are disabled/enabled as they should be, £550..owner of tow bar company told me they get a lot of work from main dealers, dealer mechanics...sorry they don't have mechanics anymore...dealer technicians take too long to fit bars and can make more money servicing, etc. Would definitely recommend the westfalia removable tow bar. The tow ball is so easy to fit and remove, only niggle I have is the hook for the breakaway cable is very awkward to get at, so I have fitted a carabiner clip to the hook and leave it hang down on the car permanently, you can't see it unless you lay under the back of the car. Clip cost a couple of £s..problem sorted..

Regards