I need to get a tow bar fitted to my car asap, and have chosen for a number of reasons to use a Skoda main dealership (they did my cambelt and price very competitive), obviously they’re closed now but how much am I looking for a tow bar supplied and fully fitted with electrics?

 

mtia 

2 hours ago, Mee said:

I need to get a tow bar fitted to my car asap, and have chosen for a number of reasons to use a Skoda main dealership (they did my cambelt and price very competitive), obviously they’re closed now but how much am I looking for a tow bar supplied and fully fitted with electrics?

 

mtia 

 

In almost all cases a main dealer will uses an independent fitter to fit an aftermarket towbar and charge a percentage on top.

 

Towbar prices vary greatly, fixed or detachable? Bypass electrics or dedicated wiring loom and coding?

1 minute ago, logiclee said:

 

In almost all cases a main dealer will uses an independent fitter to fit an aftermarket towbar and charge a percentage on top.

 

Towbar prices vary greatly, fixed or detachable? Bypass electrics or dedicated wiring loom and coding?

 

Very good point and I’ll be honest I’m very green on this 

 

i have reversing sensors so don’t I have to go for detachable?

i have no idea which is the better wiring option either, it’s only going to be a 7 pin plug for a camping / garden trailer 

 

You don’t have to. The sensors won’t pick them up. For the Skoda genuine bar and wiring made by Westfalia is about £350 supply and then would need to be fitted and coded. If it’s worth doing, it’s worth doing right IMO. 

A friend with a MK3 just had his done at a local place with the proper kit, 13 pin socket, detachable.  £640 fitted.

 

He said it was £160 less for fixed.

 

Rather expensive if you ask me, but that's all the proper kit etc.

Didn't realise there's various features they adjust when you plug the trailer in..  a second set of indicators on the dash, for the trailer, the abs adjusts to suit towing, the sensors disable etc.

Come a long way from just tapping into the rear light feed...

There is a few threads on this but the wiring will depend on whether you have tow bar prep from the factory or not. That brings the necessary wiring from the front of the car to the back. There is a loom available to do this if needed.

 

There are two further looms available depending on whether you need full 13-pin electrics (split charging etc) or not. The factory wiring on my towbar was certainly put together by Skoda

 

The original Skoda wiring looms are not that expensive from the dealer and little more than the copies (no matter how good) from elsewhere.

 

This can be combined with whatever ironwork takes your fancy. The factory tow bar is not the same as any make I have seen here but I generally have Witter on my other stuff anyway.

 

Whatever you do CODE THE CAR PROPERLY. The stability systems need to know there is a trailer attached

Well got in touch with the dealership again...£900-1000 all in! 😵

 

so I’m going to a recommended indie garage who are setting electrics up as mentioned above (no splicing) just less than £600 😁

Make sure they also run the coding, it’s not just wiring that needs doing.

They mentioned when I booked that the electrics would know when plugged in that there was a trailer behind and therefore activate several features or something? Is that coding? So sorry to sound thick here but as said I’m green and haven’t the foggiest clue about any of this 

30 minutes ago, Mee said:

Well got in touch with the dealership again...£900-1000 all in! 😵

so I’m going to a recommended indie garage who are setting electrics up as mentioned above (no splicing) just less than £600 😁

 

The factory looms (were) about £80-£120 depending on what you needed and they are not rocket science to fit. If you don't have 'tow bar prep' (which I guess you don't judging by the dealer quote) it is a fiddle to run the cables the length of the car and plug them in where needed behind the dash. Lots of opportunity to break bits of trim if done ham-fisted but going to a dealer does not prevent that either.

 

The dealer should tell you if you have the prep. it may still be on the factory label in the boot, from memory 1D0 means no tow bar prep 1D7 means it has it.

 

Personally I would buy the loom from Skoda and hand it to the fitter. Instructions are in the box. Choose your iron work and then get it coded.

 

3 minutes ago, Mee said:

They mentioned when I booked that the electrics would know when plugged in that there was a trailer behind and therefore activate several features or something? Is that coding? So sorry to sound thick here but as said I’m green and haven’t the foggiest clue about any of this 

 

Yes that is all coding, with something plugged in it tells the stability systems you have a trailer car doesn't fight it. it deactivates the rear parking sensors when you reverse otherwise it just sees the trailer. Useful but not as important as the first

23 hours ago, Mee said:

 Is that coding? So sorry to sound thick here but as said I’m green and haven’t the foggiest clue about any of this 

Ok a correctly coded towbar will do the following to your car ONLY when the electrics are connected

 

1. Set off an alarm if the electrics are disconnected when the car islocked

2. Disable the reversing sensors

3. Enable repeater flashers on your MFD

4. Disable Eco mode (especially coasting)

5. Enable Trailer Stability Control (TSC)

 

The disabled coasting function is possible the easiest to test whilst being 1 of the most often forgotten, the TSC is the most difficult to test.

 

IIWY I'd find from your quoting Skoda dealer exactly what functions they would provide for the grand & check exactly what you're getting.

 

Don't under do the safety systems on towbars nowdays, I've been well overloaded, force to do a full emergency stop from 55mph & nobody died. You may never tow a caravan but, the guy you sell this car on to, may.

 

I like save a few quid here & there but, I also like to sleep at night

8 hours ago, themanwithnoaim said:

Ok a correctly coded towbar will do the following to your car ONLY when the electrics are connected

 

1. Set off an alarm if the electrics are disconnected when the car islocked

2. Disable the reversing sensors

3. Enable repeater flashers on your MFD

4. Disable Eco mode (especially coasting)

5. Enable Trailer Stability Control (TSC)

 

The disabled coasting function is possible the easiest to test whilst being 1 of the most often forgotten, the TSC is the most difficult to test.

 

IIWY I'd find from your quoting Skoda dealer exactly what functions they would provide for the grand & check exactly what you're getting.

 

Don't under do the safety systems on towbars nowdays, I've been well overloaded, force to do a full emergency stop from 55mph & nobody died. You may never tow a caravan but, the guy you sell this car on to, may.

 

I like save a few quid here & there but, I also like to sleep at night

 

Ill be honest, the indie I’m using I remember from my days when I worked for Renault, they were brought in to do work that the dealership didn’t have the tools for if that makes sense, and have answered all questions so far with confidence 

 

However, unfortunately  the skoda dealership were just adding up the figures on their sheet / screen and were unable to competently answer my questions 

 

personally speaking what does MFD stand for?

I fitted a towbar and electrics to my 2014 VRS estate recently for a grand total £110.

 

Got the towbar used from a breaker for £75 and managed to get genuine VW/Skoda wiring loom and trailer module for £35 on eBay.

 

Used a combination of the following guides:

 

https://cjnet.info/gd/octaviamk3-towbar/

 

https://www.westfalia-automotive.com/fileadmin/pdf/e_anlagen/305/e305408391101.pdf

 

EDIT: Also needs coded with VCDS but plenty of people on here to help with that.

Edited 27 July, 20196 yr by jordy_wd

14 hours ago, jordy_wd said:

I fitted a towbar and electrics to my 2014 VRS estate recently for a grand total £110.

 

Got the towbar used from a breaker for £75 and managed to get genuine VW/Skoda wiring loom and trailer module for £35 on eBay.

 

Used a combination of the following guides:

 

https://cjnet.info/gd/octaviamk3-towbar/

 

https://www.westfalia-automotive.com/fileadmin/pdf/e_anlagen/305/e305408391101.pdf

 

EDIT: Also needs coded with VCDS but plenty of people on here to help with that.

& everything works as I've listed above does it ?

 

Kinda felt VCDS couldn't do the Eco Mode disable & the TSC

5 minutes ago, themanwithnoaim said:

& everything works as I've listed above does it ?

 

Kinda felt VCDS couldn't do the Eco Mode disable & the TSC

 

Yep - all works perfectly!

9 minutes ago, jordy_wd said:

 

Yep - all works perfectly!

What do you tow ?

Just a 750kg trailer for garden work and runs to the dump etc.

18 hours ago, Mee said:

personally speaking what does MFD stand for?

The Maxidot. The little screen between the dials  

On 27/07/2019 at 09:37, themanwithnoaim said:

Ok a correctly coded towbar will do the following to your car ONLY when the electrics are connected

 

1. Set off an alarm if the electrics are disconnected when the car islocked

2. Disable the reversing sensors

3. Enable repeater flashers on your MFD

4. Disable Eco mode (especially coasting)

5. Enable Trailer Stability Control (TSC)

 

The disabled coasting function is possible the easiest to test whilst being 1 of the most often forgotten, the TSC is the most difficult to test.

 

IIWY I'd find from your quoting Skoda dealer exactly what functions they would provide for the grand & check exactly what you're getting.

 

Don't under do the safety systems on towbars nowdays, I've been well overloaded, force to do a full emergency stop from 55mph & nobody died. You may never tow a caravan but, the guy you sell this car on to, may.

 

I like save a few quid here & there but, I also like to sleep at night

 

Ill be honest, the indie I’m using I remember from my days when I worked for Renault, they were brought in to do work that the dealership didn’t have the tools for if that makes sense, and have answered all questions so far with confidence 

 

However, unfortunately  the skoda dealership were just adding up the figures on their sheet / screen and were unable to competently answer my questions 

 

personally speaking what does MFD stand for?

Me again

save opening a new thread on tantamount the same thing,

 

does anyone have any tips for buying a used trailer? Obviously I don’t to end up with a stolen one by accident  😮

Small adds, work intranet, cards in Newsagents windows, anywhere that isn't on-line will mean less potential buyers hence, a lower price.

 

Got ours from my wife's work intranet, no problems with stolen goods, she works for a Policeforce

50 minutes ago, themanwithnoaim said:

Small adds, work intranet, cards in Newsagents windows, anywhere that isn't on-line will mean less potential buyers hence, a lower price.

 

Got ours from my wife's work intranet, no problems with stolen goods, she works for a Policeforce

 

Good point about work intranet 👍 

 

ill give it a looksie when I go back on Wednesday (if I haven’t given in to impulse by then lol)

 

2 hours ago, Mee said:

Me again

save opening a new thread on tantamount the same thing,

 

does anyone have any tips for buying a used trailer? Obviously I don’t to end up with a stolen one by accident  😮

 

I knew a family that had a nice 8x5 trailer and they never used it. So I asked them if they wanted to sell it and the rest is history.

 

I also tow a caravan with my other cars and have always fitted detachable towbars with dedicated electrics and coding.

But as our old MK2 just does the tip trailer a fixed towbar and bypass relay cost me £100.

 

Edited 28 July, 20196 yr by logiclee

Gave in to impulse lol

 

bought a brand new trailer, only a little fella but it fits in the garage and does what we want it to...

came flatpack so had to squeeze it in my husbands car, crikey is it ever heavy!

 

edit:

as it’s a lightweight fella, does anyone have any tips for stopping it skipping around when empty?

Marine ply / osb board in bottom?

Edited 29 July, 20196 yr by Mee

Me again,

 

 

Might sound like a stupid question but, does my trailer need to be insured?