Planning to Tow With a New Car - BEWARE

[cheezemonkhai]

IMHO the **If you don't order it with towbar prep, then you can't tow type line, it a little less obvious than would be ideal and those selling the cars new/used should certainly be given training to make customers aware of this.

 

That said, I seem to remember reading on here that some of the assistance systems rely on the correct electronics telling them when there is a trailer/caravan attached. If there is they can alter their behavior under emergency situations.  Should that be accurate, then I could see a situation where the rules may say it's not an option to tow without it and at approval stage it doesn't have it so there is no approval.

 

I guess it's one to keep an eye out for on all brands of vehicle.

 

Edited 13 May, 2021 by cheezemonkhai
Plenty of other threads full of info

[Ootohere]

Train the young to do the towing.

http://bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-york-north-yorkshire-68513071

 

[mikey100]

On 19/04/2021 at 21:32, 26DIPP said:

I could have fallen into this trap.

 

Stupid question - What makes a car more suitable for towing over a similar model where both cars have the same chassis, the same brakes and only the manufacturer's approval process differs?

the size of the rear springs and  the size of the radiator and cooling fan these items are beefed up for a tow car

[Ootohere]

^^^^ That is a wrong assumption to make.  Some vehicles ordered from the Factory with Tow Bar Preparation or the Towbar factory installed might indeed have a upgraded cooling system, engine, gearbox and more suitable springs.

But vehicles might have a plated max tow weight etc and be exactly the same as ones that have not have a given the scores on the doors and can not have a towbar fitted and legal tow.

What VW group and their Brands and what other manufacturers do can be very different. 

 

The VW thing about not having Towbar prep and you can not fit a towbar to tow (or even for a bike carrier) yet the car is plated with braked and un-braked weughts allowed is the cause of much confusion.  Often caused by Main Dealers employees, sales staff. service staff. 

[mikey100]

On 16/04/2024 at 09:27, Rooted said:

^^^^ That is a wrong assumption to make.  Some vehicles ordered from the Factory with Tow Bar Preparation or the Towbar factory installed might indeed have a upgraded cooling system, engine, gearbox and more suitable springs.

But vehicles might have a plated max tow weight etc and be exactly the same as ones that have not have a given the scores on the doors and can not have a towbar fitted and legal tow.

What VW group and their Brands and what other manufacturers do can be very different. 

 

The VW thing about not having Towbar prep and you can not fit a towbar to tow (or even for a bike carrier) yet the car is plated with braked and un-braked weughts allowed is the cause of much confusion.  Often caused by Main Dealers employees, sales staff. service staff. 

Yes dealers don't seem to know anything about 0kg gross train weight