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Mk1 Fabia VRS Tow Bar - LEGAL

pebo90

By pebo90
in Skoda Fabia Mk I (1999-2007)

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pebo90 Explorer

pebo90

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Hi, I thought I'd share my findings after reading all the fear mongering on the forum. It appears to be a common misconception that no towing limits in a V5 means no towing. This is wrong, it simply means the manufacturer hasn't shared that information with the DVLA. After phone calls with both the DVLA and Skoda I have identified it is legal to fit a tow bar to the VRS and tow up to 800kg (http://www.uktow.com/towing%20capacity.asp).

Skoda say they will not fit it themselves as the rear bumper needs adapting to fit the tow bar, but If you are happy to cut the bumper to fit one yourself, there are no reasons you cannot tow (provided you meet all the appropriate trailer laws: lights, buzzers, weights etc.)

 

Hope this helps, and saves others the hassle of ringing round.

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Breezy_Pete Veteran

Breezy_Pete

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If you had something in writing from DVLA it would be even more useful. Having already spoken to them, do you reckon they'd be willing to email/write something confirming their position?

Not saying your efforts to date aren't useful though.

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coskev Experienced

coskev

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I wouldn't trust the word of someone on the end of the phone at the DVLA

 

This^

After building a kit car I can say the majority of there employees know jack ****,if its not written down for them to read parrot style they haven't got a clue :(

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DGW Veteran

DGW

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Why did you ask the DVLA rather than the DVSA (formerly VOSA)? And what is the Gross Train Weight for the Fabia vRS since by my reading of the document below it must have one in order to tow legally?

https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/354071/M1_IVA_inspection_manual.pdf

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Huskoda Experienced

Huskoda

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Good for you. That doesn't mean anything though. The police don't stop everyone with a bulb out either. The OP is trying to get actual proof. If they can get paperwork from the governing body (who I also think should be VOSA rather than the DVLA) they will also need to get a towbar manufacturer on board as the law states the towbar itself must be approved for the vehicle just to be fitted, before you even put anything on it.

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coskev Experienced

coskev

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i towed my vxr to manchester and back with my ferby no problem had 2 police vehicles pass me aswell and didn't even blink at me

As above not much chance of being stopped out of the blue.

But,have an accident whilst towing which involves police/someone dying/courts etc and could well be a totally different out come.

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coskev Experienced

coskev

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I have checked the Witter web-site and they say 'the vehicle does not have the capabiltiy to tow' but a non vRS Fabia does!

 

SN

This is why devonutopia can tow with his,as it's just a poverty spec derv made to look like a VRS!! :D

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FUBAR Mentor

FUBAR

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It has been a while, but was part of the issue originally that the Mk1 Fabia had it's own type approval and that the RS/vRS was brought out as it's own model not just a spec variant of the existing Fabia (perhaps just in the UK for some reason), with it's own approval which they never bothered with towing capacities, hence the pain of it all? There was talk back in the day that the UK was the main problem with this whole thing as in the Republic of Ireland they were allowed to tow.

 

I sold my original Mk1 Fabia vRS because of this issue at only 35K miles as I was moving to the Netherlands and needed to tow my bike. Even went to a lot of bother looking into the fact that once I register my vehicle in the Netherlands do they also allowed towing with a rated value given to the specific model, would it apply for an imported UK spec vehicle. The answer was no :(

 

Come to think if you search the forum back far enough, I even tried going through VOSA to see why couldn't I just pay for them to test / apply a value to the vehicle for towing limitations, but they said this wasn't possible (sounded like BS to me). But at that stage VOSA was an absolute can't tow with that vehicle (2006 (06) vRS BLT). So I ordered a new Octy vRS but there was a 6 month wait for it to be built and I moved over with a cheapo 406 estate / tank :o

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FUBAR Mentor

FUBAR

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Several years ago, but this guy got pulled over for towing with his vRS, even though the dealer fitted it.

 

Even Skoda said it's not for towing.

 

http://www.chroniclelive.co.uk/news/uk-news/tow-blow-1455546

Good God I remember that article, blast from the past indeed! 

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softscoop Mentor

softscoop

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Good God I remember that article, blast from the past indeed! 

 

Hah I have a weird memory where I can remember threads or news articles from years and years ago, but what my wife said to me 5 minutes ago....a mystery :)

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softscoop Mentor

softscoop

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Man fails to do any research at all on car he buys. Blames dealer.

 

To be fair, if you were buying a brand new car, and the supplying dealer fitted a towbar (even if they sub-contracted it out), would you actually check that the car was type approved for towing?

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FUBAR Mentor

FUBAR

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Man fails to do any research at all on car he buys. Blames dealer.

 

To be fair, it's not the first thing you'd think to go off and check when the dealer offers to fit a tow bar. Maybe this specific variant isn't approved to have one fitted, plus this was 2004 he got it not long after the vRS appeared and either Brisky didn't exist yet or there was little content on it at that time depending on the month.  

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