Westfalia tow bar quality top drawer......

[NigNB]

After a lot of research and some very helpful discussions with specialist fitters, and my local Skoda dealer, I opted for a Westfalia system.

There are different options from Westfalia, and I went for the vertically detachable tow bar system.....

 

http://www.westfalia-automotive.com/uk/products/towbars/detachable-towbars/

 

The engineering quality is absolutely first class, and it enables a really discreet "invisible" fitting.

Westfalia have also designed a Skoda-approved Spaceback wiring harness which, because it was developed for the LHD markets, comes with a short extension for RHD vehicles.  I have coupled this with a fold away 13-pin socket system from Erich Jaeger (which can be used with a really clever little 13-pin to twin-electrics twist-on adaptor - perfect for my retro Eriba Puck).....

 

http://en.erich-jaeger.de/products

 

Everything sits neatly within the rear bumber and you would have no idea that a tow bar was fitted unless you investigated under the bumper to see the rectangular cutaway that facilitates it all.

True, there are cheaper options and I have successfully used some of them on previous cars.  However, this time I fancied a really high quality system that disappears when not in use.

I am absolutely delighted with it, and can fully understand why Westfalia is one of the first choice systems for Mercedes and BMW.

 

The installation was completed by a specialist auto-electrics company that worked hard to explain all of the differences between the various systems (Witter have a nice system too) and they completed a truly professional job (cutaway included).  I have now tested the towing capability of the Spaceback TDI and it is an ideal small tow car, as long as a sensible approach is taken towards maximum towing limits. My caravan has a payload-inclusive weight of 600 Kg, and I am relieved and delighted to report that the Unit is well balanced.  Having previously owned a 2.0 TDI Octavia, I was a little concerned about the smaller/lighter/less powerful car, but I need not have been. The system integrates with the Swing display, and I opted to have parking sensors switched off when the tow bar is in use.

 

If anyone would like to know more about the system, or the company who fitted it, please just PM me and I'm very happy to discuss.  However, please don't ask about costs because I can see, from previous posts, it just provokes criticism and claims about cheaper options.

 

In the end, I guess you get what you pay for but I can wholeheartedly recommend the Westfaila system.

 

[RMurphy195]

Have to agree with post, having just had the Westfalia bracket and vehicle-specific harness fitted to my 2014 spaceback.

 

I would add that swopping the caravan's breakaway cable with one fitted with a caribinere clip instead of the spring clip makes clipping the cable to where it should be (to the attachment point on the bracket rather than wrapped around the towball) a doddle. About 3 quid for the Maypole one with the red cable (red for caravans, yellow for trailers which can be much heavier).

[NigNB]

Thanks RMurphy195, that's a really useful suggestion.... good idea and it'll keep me busy this weekend!