Hi, I am looking for a towbar to be fitted on my 2015 Octavia Hatchback.  Both Furrows (Oswestry) and Mitchells (Ellesmere Port) Skoda have recommended Direct Towbars of Wrexham.   Has anyone any experience of dealing with Direct Towbars and what sort of bar to fit please?  (The car has parking sensors).

Thanks Alan

Do you know if your car has the tow bar prep?

Hi, probably not would be my thought,  It is an SE Spec, recently bought secondhand and there is no obvious towbar mount visible.  I have been quoted the best part of £400 for a complete installation.

Thanks, Alan

With the prep, I think it's things like the wiring harness which is preinstalled. Only real way to find out if you had it, would be to lift the boot carpet up, find the sticker on the floor which has a fair few 3 digit codes on and type them into........http://prsearch.planetvag.com/............that link.

 

That tells you the ins and outs of what's fitted to your car.

 

If my quick research is correct, I think 1D0 is no towbar prep, 1D7 is towbar prep.

Hi again, Thanks for the info and link.  I have just braved 'Storm Freya' and have confirmed the 1D0 no trailer hitch code.

Cheers, Alan

4 minutes ago, AlanOsborne said:

Hi again, Thanks for the info and link.  I have just braved 'Storm Freya' and have confirmed the 1D0 no trailer hitch code.

Cheers, Alan

 

Never mind. Always worth checking.

 

Unfortunately I can't advise on an aftermarket towbar retailer as I've never dealt with one (my Octavia has a factory fitted one and my previous car, I fitted it).

 

The only thing I'd advise is you make sure the electrics are done properly. Some places I know do solder jobs and just tap into the existing wiring harness. Where possible, I'd advise spending that little extra and getting a vehicle specific harness. On older cars, the towbar electrics would piggyback off the existing lights' harness, but I'm not sure that would be the case with a car which has canbus (may throw an error up).

 

Did Mitchells themselves not give you a quote for an official towbar? At least then you know it's a Skoda part, made and coded for your car.

Hi again, no, neither Mitchells or Furrows offered an official towbar - I will get back to both of them tomorrow and ask the question once again.  Reading around the subject, it would now seem that most of the car's interior seats/ trim must be removed to install a new loom from front to back?

Have a butcher's at this video. It's a speeded up version of an installation done properly,

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKGqwr8i9fA

Wow!  No wonder I have been quoted up to £400!   My worry would be that the car is re-assembled properly so as to avoid rattles and squeaks!  Thanks for the information, much appreciated!

Alan

11 minutes ago, AlanOsborne said:

Wow!  No wonder I have been quoted up to £400!   My worry would be that the car is re-assembled properly so as to avoid rattles and squeaks!  Thanks for the information, much appreciated!

Alan

 

unless you are left with bolts left over it wont rattle. takes about 2 hours with the correct tools

That's great, thanks for your help. Aaln

Cost just under £600 installed local to me, with correct wiring loom and a Tow Trust detachable towbar with 13 pin electrics. You can order from PF Jones or similar and I think find a fitter through them.

It took them a morning.

Edited 4 March, 20197 yr by wg100

My previous Octy SE and current vRS, both bought used from Mitchells (I live in Ellesmere Port), had detachable Westfalia towbars fitted including wiring and coding by Chester Towbars, out on Sealand Road west of Chester, so not too far from Wrexham.

Same day fitting, £595 all in. First class work, fully recommended - I've no connection with them other than as a customer.