Octavia Mk4 aftermarket towbar

[Derwent]

Are there any further updates on this topic?

[WillieXJR]

I fitted a Witter with standard basic harness to my 2016 180ps  Scout. Hooked up a heavy bike trailer and loaded it with a 260 Kilo motorcycle and travelled to Portsmouth and back to Glasgow with it.

Faultless!

[Derwent]

4 minutes ago, WillieXJR said:

I fitted a Witter with standard basic harness to my 2016 180ps  Scout. Hooked up a heavy bike trailer and loaded it with a 260 Kilo motorcycle and travelled to Portsmouth and back to Glasgow with it.

Faultless!

I had a 2016 Octavia TD and towed by race car all over the UK.   it seems to be that the electronic and safety gizmos are more complex on the 2020 models. 

[Peter1962]

So I've just read all six pages on this topic as im about to buy a forest edition 1.5 estate. What a nightmare! The reason for reading is that the potential supplying Skoda dealer is asking £1625 to retrofit the towbar. At first I thought he may have the numbers in the wrong order and missed a decimal point but it's checked and that's the price. Probably a showstopper but I rather feel I'm paying for Skoda's error on not thinking through this simple add on accessory. Anyone seen anything similar? Madness

[AviationNut]

3 hours ago, Peter1962 said:

So I've just read all six pages on this topic as im about to buy a forest edition 1.5 estate. What a nightmare! The reason for reading is that the potential supplying Skoda dealer is asking £1625 to retrofit the towbar. At first I thought he may have the numbers in the wrong order and missed a decimal point but it's checked and that's the price. Probably a showstopper but I rather feel I'm paying for Skoda's error on not thinking through this simple add on accessory. Anyone seen anything similar? Madness

Do you not have a Towbar fitter locally? That quote is astronomical. Mine is a Tow Trust with a dedicated 13 pin electrics kit. Cost about £ 430 ish from memory. Lucky really as I have two fitters local that I've used in the last few years and would recommend. 

[Peter1962]

Thanks for the tip 👍. An update on this is since posting my question I raised the issue of the Vin plate stating 0kg and have now been told that a towbar cannot be retrofitted. It also seems bogged down in legal matters and type approval. This is quite unbelievable and a real mistake on the part of Skoda. I'm sure it will be rectified on later version but buyer beware on these early mark 4 models. There are very few newish Skodas on autotrader at the moment with "towbar preparation". It may not be possible to retrofit fit others and satisfy legal requirements and your insurer ( who will no doubt point to the 0kg rating to squeeze out of any claim ). I'm looking at alternatives to hang bikes off the rear door - although in my case I have two electric bikes which together weigh near 50kg. I love the Octavia on offer, it's brilliant, but this whole thing may be a showstopper. Maybe I'll spec a new car 👍

[AviationNut]

We subscribe to Practical Caravan magazine and I've noticed on a couple of towcar reviews lately were VAG Group vehicles have been under test, the writer advises that the buyer is aware of the issues where the cars are sometimes not plated for towing from the factory. 

My daughter had a 2018 Audi A1 999cc and at the time I fell foul of this issue last year with my first Mk4, I noticed hers was plated to tow 1000kg. She changed this last year for the new shape 2022 MY Audi A1, exactly the same spec, engine etc. The new A1 isn't plated for towing? Interesting that a few VAG models with the 999cc 115bhp engine have featured well in the Towcar of the Year Awards in recent years.  These ToY cars come ready fitted with manufacturers towbars for the ToY test but even the Caravan Clubs don't seem to highlight the possible issue to their members. 

My experience of this last year cost me a fair bit in the end!

All the best with yours.

[Peter1962]

Thank you, I'm sure there's more to come on this topic yet.

[LoneSalBug]

Hello,

 

Struggling with this topic as well! I own a Skoda Octavia iV Estate... and was looking to buy a TowBox for my German Shepherd Dog.

As of now, it seems, it's just not possible to fit a tow ball (even if not electrical/retractable)... is this like so? Anyone can confirm?

 

Thanks

[MiniNinjaRob]

14 hours ago, LoneSalBug said:

Hello,

 

Struggling with this topic as well! I own a Skoda Octavia iV Estate... and was looking to buy a TowBox for my German Shepherd Dog.

As of now, it seems, it's just not possible to fit a tow ball (even if not electrical/retractable)... is this like so? Anyone can confirm?

 

Thanks

If your car has zero towing capacity on the ID plate you may not be able to do anything. 
 

When I ordered my iV I didn’t go for the tow bar prep option as the cost of adding the tow bar on top of that was way too much for me as well as the cost of the bike rack.  Weirdly I had no option for a complete factory fit tow bar.
Mine is a work lease car so I give it back in 4 years - I wasn’t prepared to pay so much for something which would only last for such a short time. 
 

Unfortunately people have to realise that towing is a niche need in the general car market, and that most people who want to tow caravans etc will probably be buying a SUV nowadays than an Octavia so it won’t be a priority for our cars. 
 

Personally I am going for a roof rack for my bikes as it more cheaply moved to a new car later on, maybe a change of footpack or at most the feet and the bars - and the ones I take off still have value 2nd hand unlike tow bars which just stay with the car. 

[GWoodhouse]

On 17/04/2021 at 12:03, Nosnehm said:

It is with great relief that I can report ours is correctly plated.  MK4 Octavia which fell off the production line on 12 March 2021 fully infected with the other issues reported on the KPH/MPH thread.  Guess it was lucky enough to have received an early dose of the vaccine to prevent this issue.  At least I can be thankful for something at long last!!

So I assume it is the 2nd value (3590kg) which states the towing weight? And if this says 0kg, like mine, then it doesn't have tow bar prep and, in theory, shouldn't have a tow bar fitted (even if only for fitting a bike carrier?)

[Peter1962]

Exactly that. It sounds incredulous but that's correct. In my own case I eventually bought the last of the previous series and managed a deal to include the towbar.

 

I think Skoda ( VAG ) group have made a massive error in not including this £150 option for towbar prep - it's tucked away on the brochure and price list. All dealers should include this whatever options the original buyer ticks. More and more people are taking up bikes and electric bikes in particular will become more popular as prices drop and fuel costs rise - it really isn't practical to lift a 25kg plus electric bike on to a roof carrier.

 

Let's hope common sense prevails.

 

Thanks for an interesting thread all.

 

[LoneSalBug]

On 15/02/2022 at 20:24, Peter1962 said:

Thanks for the tip 👍. An update on this is since posting my question I raised the issue of the Vin plate stating 0kg and have now been told that a towbar cannot be retrofitted. It also seems bogged down in legal matters and type approval. This is quite unbelievable and a real mistake on the part of Skoda. I'm sure it will be rectified on later version but buyer beware on these early mark 4 models. There are very few newish Skodas on autotrader at the moment with "towbar preparation". It may not be possible to retrofit fit others and satisfy legal requirements and your insurer ( who will no doubt point to the 0kg rating to squeeze out of any claim ). I'm looking at alternatives to hang bikes off the rear door - although in my case I have two electric bikes which together weigh near 50kg. I love the Octavia on offer, it's brilliant, but this whole thing may be a showstopper. Maybe I'll spec a new car 👍

 

Have you done any progress? I've just checked my VIN plate and there's the infamous 0kg stated. I'm totally ****ed off about this... 

13 minutes ago, Peter1962 said:

Exactly that. It sounds incredulous but that's correct. In my own case I eventually bought the last of the previous series and managed a deal to include the towbar.

 

I think Skoda ( VAG ) group have made a massive error in not including this £150 option for towbar prep - it's tucked away on the brochure and price list. All dealers should include this whatever options the original buyer ticks. More and more people are taking up bikes and electric bikes in particular will become more popular as prices drop and fuel costs rise - it really isn't practical to lift a 25kg plus electric bike on to a roof carrier.

 

Let's hope common sense prevails.

 

Thanks for an interesting thread all.

 

 

Sorry, but does your Skoda have the correct VIN figures then?

[Peter1962]

On the previous generation model I now have, yes it does. I would have preferred the current model but it was a showstopper for me not to be able to have the towbar or the ability to fit one later. I guess I could have ordered a new one but I prefer to buy cars a few months old and save a bit with a quick delivery, of course.

 

I'm sure a lot of current owners are pretty p***ed off when they discover this. One Skoda dealer told.me that I'd be amazed how many Kodiaq owners had come back looking for a towbar fitting only to be told it wasn't possible unless prep had been factory specified.

[Markeknows]

Same situation of 0kg on my iV vin. Have found a willing fitter as I only need it for a bike carrier. They are confident re re-coding etc so will keep you informed. 

[timster]

19 hours ago, GWoodhouse said:

So I assume it is the 2nd value (3590kg) which states the towing weight? And if this says 0kg, like mine, then it doesn't have tow bar prep and, in theory, shouldn't have a tow bar fitted (even if only for fitting a bike carrier?)

The 3590kg is your max combined mass. Car + towable.

[GWoodhouse]

2 hours ago, Markeknows said:

Same situation of 0kg on my iV vin. Have found a willing fitter as I only need it for a bike carrier. They are confident re re-coding etc so will keep you informed. 

I've not decided whether to go ahead or not. We had an after market towbar fitted on our MkIII Octavia (no idea whether it was homolagated for towing!) which was great and we used with our excellent 4-bike Witter carrier, but we were using it less and less to be honest. We have a Saris boot mounted carrier and also have the option of roof bars, so need to do some thinking.

 

In addition to the conversations about Skoda SUVs being a popular towing vehicle, and certain Kodiaq models not being able to tow, it's worth bearing in mind that Skoda provide vehicles to British Cycling and are therefore a popular brand amongst the cycling fraternity, who might want to attach bike carriers to their cars (when used as team cars they obviously use the roof bars tbf).

 

The info on the VIN sticker presumably only relates to actual towing (caravan, trailer, etc...), so i can't see that you would fall foul of any warranty or insurance issues by having a towbar fitted, I'm pretty sure we told the insurance company when we had the towbar fitted to the MkIII.

[Peter1962]

My application was only for a bike carrier too but that doesn't prevent any next owner using it for another reason if they saw the towbar fitted. It was a subject of debate amongst 3rd party fitters I contacted - warranty issues, if something doesn't work with coding  then who's responsible.and most of all insurers. It's a minefield. Although the chances are it will be fitted fine of ever there was a bump and a claim then I'm sure insurance would have something to say. For me it wasn't worth the risk and in the end it's the car owner's responsibility. I'm sure all manner of things could be fitted to a car but not all legal. I hope Skoda and VAG come up with a fix but I also think VIN plates can't be changed.

[Peter1962]

This is what I was told by the Skoda dealer I was working with - although they originally thought it was possible at over £1600 they then came back with this......

 

" I am terribly sorry after checking with management and other staff members to confirm, The car can not be fitted with a towbar as the car was not homologated at the factory when being constructed.

 

We would not be able to fit the towbar and fitting one to the car would void any warranty on the vehicle."

 

[SurreyJohn]

19 minutes ago, Peter1962 said:

This is what I was told by the Skoda dealer I was working with - although they originally thought it was possible at over £1600 they then came back with this......

 

" I am terribly sorry after checking with management and other staff members to confirm, The car can not be fitted with a towbar as the car was not homologated at the factory when being constructed.

 

We would not be able to fit the towbar and fitting one to the car would void any warranty on the vehicle."

 

That is what others have discovered, if the second line on the sticker on the door pillar is zero, it is not homologated for towing, and would be illegal in UK for anyone to fit a tow bar.

 

And if you find a bent fitter that will do it, operating a car with a void homologation means you need to declare to your insurer that you do not have a UK spec car, actually a valid spec in any country.  I suspect you won’t get insurance either which would leave you with a car can’t legally drive.

 

If you were mis sold the car because the salesperson confirmed a tow bar could be fitted then have usual remedies under consumer law (returning it for a refund as mis described and not fit for purpose)

 

[Ootohere]

It all gets confused in internet myth.

 

The car can not be fitted with a towbar to tow.  (Just like Mk1 & Mk2 Fabia vRS.)

A company / employee fitting one can be doing something illegal.

 

The owner or a mate that DIY fit a Tow Bar to carry a bike rack or a carrying rack are not law breakers or doing illegal things. 

The car will not fail a MOT.

But it can not tow and someone might have the car, borrowed or bought and tow because there is a tow bar and they commit an offence. 

[GWoodhouse]

48 minutes ago, SurreyJohn said:

That is what others have discovered, if the second line on the sticker on the door pillar is zero, it is not homologated for towing, and would be illegal in UK for anyone to fit a tow bar.

 

And if you find a bent fitter that will do it, operating a car with a void homologation means you need to declare to your insurer that you do not have a UK spec car, actually a valid spec in any country.  I suspect you won’t get insurance either which would leave you with a car can’t legally drive.

 

If you were mis sold the car because the salesperson confirmed a tow bar could be fitted then have usual remedies under consumer law (returning it for a refund as mis described and not fit for purpose)

 

Surely it would only be illegal to tow something, not illegal to fit a towbar? Maybe I want a towbar for cosmetic reasons only 😉

 

In all seriousness, I was reading the website of the company that fitted the towbar to our MkIII. They fit different types of towbar, one is a swan neck that can ONLY be used for bike carriers, or similar.

[J.R.]

And the only difference between the so called illegal car that cannot tow and one that can?

 

A number stamp 🤣

[Markeknows]

Very pleased to have a bike carrier again! Hybrid mk IV without factory prep. Easy fitting with no issues in 2.5 hours. Coding “easy” ACC to fitter. Test drive with rack, ACC working normally. In fact everything normal. No settings lost. Perhaps being on 1896 already eased the process. All in £755 with 150 just being for replacement ’diffuser’ with a Towbar shaped cutout needed. Visiting fitter did a great job. Have nothing to to tow so not breaking any law, just a 30kg bike carrier and bikes.