Fabia vRS towbar?

[J999VRS]

Has anyone made enquiries about fitting a towbar to the Fabia VRS. I have discovered that Skoda do not supply any sort of towbar for the Fabia VRS. I have contacted Skoda UK and been advised not under any circumstances to fit a tow bar to the fabia VRS because it is a sports model with lowered suspension and low profile tyres? I took them to task over this asking why the same does not appear to apply to the octavia VRS?There was no satisfactory answer to this.

I believe the real problem with the Fabia VRS concerns the deep rear bumper which prevents a goose neck type tow bar being fitted. A detachable tow bar would also need a very large hole which would not look good. The same problem also apparently affects the Seat Leon with the deep back bumper. I have been told that a 'Brink' tow bar similar to those supplied to Skoda for the mainstream Fabia may fit but I have also been told that the VRS exhaust may get in the way? If any one has any input, I would like to hear of your experience. I tow a small dingy(or would do). It is a bit short sighted of SKODA to sell a sports vehicle life the Fabia VRS with no tow bar option. Buyers of a vehicle like this are likely to have such hobbies as sailing and jet skies etc?

[Kentish]

The swan neck towbars just need the bumpers cut, my previous Octy required this to some degree.

It probably is to do with the exhaust, or more likely that the low down grunt of the Fabia vRS is too much for the lesser powered Fabia compatible tow bar.

Just an idea.

[C.J.]

That's answered my question without me even having asked it! Looks like roof bars and cycle carrier for me instead of tow bar with same.I assume that won't be a problem...Or is someone going to make my day and p... on my chips!

[barrie502]

Companies like Witter who supply towbars to most UK vehicles (and do one for Fabia) usually check out revised models to a range and advise their approved fitters of new issues.

I want one fitted to my Fab VRS and was told that it would be OK, I now want clearer confirmation from the company and will keep you informed.

As to the notion that the car has too much grunt - I doubt that very much, they are not that fast, 9.6 to sixty? hardly axle bending stuff. The issue with the exaust is of more concern, as is the point that Skoda may not approve. I will check out with my dealer.

Car being 15mm lower is of little consequence and harder springs and dampers may actually help in reducing rear end squat (ohh err) under load.

[john1215]

My reply I have to confess isn't about the Fabia so I'll apologise for that but it is about towbars, detachable towbars to be exact. I've just had a detachable fitted to my VW Passat (TDi Sport 4motion), the link could be the VW/Skoda. The towbar is a Brink,

[Kentish]

You can get 13 pin Euro sockets as standard from VW/ Skoda, and seeing as Brink supply VW/Skoda..you get the idea. All you should really need is a Y-piece wiring loom, 13 pins socket at one end and 2 7 pin sockets the other to cater for the British 7 pin sockets configuration. (But then you probably already know this)

Personally I didnt bother with the Euro socket, as a) I dont tow a caravan (only a trailer and bike rack) so having no relayed 12v to the rear isnt a problem and I didnt want to wait the extra time involved in ripping trims and carpets up to run the cables etc.

[J999VRS]

Made some more enquiries about this today and its not good news. The problem with the Fabia VRS is apparently the rear bumper or to be precise the lower half of the rear bumper which is some three inches longer than the standard bumper. I spoke to a fitter today who had recently fitted a 'Bosal' fixed ball towbar to a fabia VRS. There was a problem with the clearance between the bumper and the ball itself. It meant that there was very little clearance for a tow coupling to hook onto the ball. Due to this,The fitter advised against trying to fit a towbar to the Fabia VRS. He also told me that the rear bumper on the Fabia VRS is actually moulded over a standard bumper which is underneath. He believed the only solution would be to fit a standard bumper and paint it the colour of the car.

All this prompted me to go down to Clarion Cars (my local Skoda dealer) to compare a standard Fabia bumper with the VRS. The only visual difference is the extra length in the lower half which presumably is where the ball of a towbar would sit?

This whole business is beginning to P*** me off as I hoped my Fabia VRS would soon be towing my dingy trailer, my mates trailer for runs to the tip and my parents 'Eriba' caravan (yes you heard correctly). I will probably be writing to Skoda in the near future. In the mean time I can only hope that 'Brink' or 'Bosal' decide to make a towbar to fit the Fabia VRS which I believe would make a cracking little tow car!!!

[Kentish]

I would contact Brink and ask them, you never know it just may need and extra length neck.

[J999VRS]

I would contact Brink and ask them, you never know it just may need and extra length neck.

Yes, this would be the answer, I suppose the more queries and requests these companies get, the more likely they will design a tow bar for the Fabia VRS. Better still, they might just do one to order????????

[john1215]

Made some more enquiries about this today and its not good news. The problem with the Fabia VRS is apparently the rear bumper or to be precise the lower half of the rear bumper which is some three inches longer than the standard bumper. I spoke to a fitter today who had recently fitted a 'Bosal' fixed ball towbar to a fabia VRS. There was a problem with the clearance between the bumper and the ball itself. It meant that there was very little clearance for a tow coupling to hook onto the ball. Due to this' date='The fitter advised against trying to fit a towbar to the Fabia VRS. He also told me that the rear bumper on the Fabia VRS is actually moulded over a standard bumper which is underneath. He believed the only solution would be to fit a standard bumper and paint it the colour of the car.

All this prompted me to go down to Clarion Cars (my local Skoda dealer) to compare a standard Fabia bumper with the VRS. The only visual difference is the extra length in the lower half which presumably is where the ball of a towbar would sit?

This whole business is beginning to P*** me off as I hoped my Fabia VRS would soon be towing my dingy trailer, my mates trailer for runs to the tip and my parents 'Eriba' caravan (yes you heard correctly). I will probably be writing to Skoda in the near future. In the mean time I can only hope that 'Brink' or 'Bosal' decide to make a towbar to fit the Fabia VRS which I believe would make a cracking little tow car!!![/quote']

Give PCT Automotive a call on 0870 8438438 they may be able to offer you some information. They manuafacture towbars and towbar accessories and can provide solutions to installation problems. Thney may have no useful info but what do you have to lose

[MD1]

Has anyone made enquiries about fitting a towbar to the Fabia VRS. I have discovered that Skoda do not supply any sort of towbar for the Fabia VRS. I have contacted Skoda UK and been advised not under any circumstances to fit a tow bar to the fabia VRS because it is a sports model with lowered suspension and low profile tyres? I took them to task over this asking why the same does not appear to apply to the octavia VRS?There was no satisfactory answer to this.

I believe the real problem with the Fabia VRS concerns the deep rear bumper which prevents a goose neck type tow bar being fitted. A detachable tow bar would also need a very large hole which would not look good. The same problem also apparently affects the Seat Leon with the deep back bumper. I have been told that a 'Brink' tow bar similar to those supplied to Skoda for the mainstream Fabia may fit but I have also been told that the VRS exhaust may get in the way? If any one has any input' date=' I would like to hear of your experience. I tow a small dingy(or would do). It is a bit short sighted of SKODA to sell a sports vehicle life the Fabia VRS with no tow bar option. Buyers of a vehicle like this are likely to have such hobbies as sailing and jet skies etc?[/quote']

Hi

picking up a Fabia vRS in the next 7 days and after much discussion with both the dealer and an independant towbar firm I'm told that a towbar can be fitted, either detachable or not! There will be a cut in the bumper, but I'm told not much of one. Will keep you posted as to how things go!

Cheers

Michael

[chrisstreet]

I have been seriously considering ordering a new Furby VRS but have not done so because I need to fit a tow bar because I tow a small caravan

and have a tow bar mounted bike rack.

When a Fabia vrS owner fits one to their car I would love to see a photo posted and details regarding type.

I then might order one.

Chris

[J999VRS]

Thanks for the replies, check with the dealer that they have done their homework regarding a supplier for the towbar before they start carving up your bumper!! All of the enquiries I have made to date (many many) suggest there are no type approved suppliers of a tow bar for the Fabia VRS or any other type for that matter. I wish I had researched this problem before ordering the car, I might have ordered the TDI combi instead. I do love the VRS though, I just want it to be able to tow. I have told Skoda I may write to 'watchdog' in an effort to embarrass them into action. At present this is a problem of economics for Skoda although they would never admit to this. They simply wont sell enough towbars for this niche model to make type approval etc financially viable. Owners will suffer as a result and if we dont shout loudly enough I am not at all confident that anything will change. I may make enquiries with VW to see if the Polo towbar might work (same Chassis etc)

If anyone does manage to find a towbar that works, please post relevant details here.

[barrie502]

Update - Witter technical dept have "cleared" their Fabia towbar for VRS use. They say it will fit and I have one on order. It will involve a cut but not a big one (oops) I will keep u posted.

[DGW]

Progress at last!

[Kentish]

If Witter do one, then you can bet Brink will have one equally as fast.

[MeatballTurbo]

I think the simple answer is, would you ask Ferrari for a roof rack?

[Kentish]

I think the simple answer is, would you ask Ferrari for a roof rack?

I fail to see the relevance.

If you mean the Fab vRS and tow bar, then why not make use of all that torque?

If your referring to my previous post then Brink are one of the leaders in tow bar systems, most of which are non-intrusive when not needed ie they have removeable necks.

[MeatballTurbo]

It was a joke. Refering to the sporty nature of the Fabia, and a very favourable comparison to a Ferrari.

[Kentish]

It was a joke. Refering to the sporty nature of the Fabia, and a very favourable comparison to a Ferrari.

..ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh..

[J999VRS]

Done it!!!

After much deliberation I decided to simply try the skoda supplied fixed swan neck tow bar listed for the standard Fabia. To my suprise it fits the VRS and it is in fact one of the neatest swan necks I have seen on any car and extremely strong too.

Simply a case of removing the old bumper iron from beneath the bumper and sliding and bolting the towbar bracket into place. You do have to cut a piece out of the underside of the bumper to allow for the swan neck to protrude from underneath and to allow the single electric socket mounting to swing up and down on it's spring loaded bracket. This is very neat and cannot be seen in the 'up' position. A template is supplied for the cut under the bumper which cannot be seen from the rear of the car.

I had visions of the swan neck protruding through a hole in the bumper itself but this is not the case. It comes out from underneath where it is bolted with two bolts to the ironwork, This makes the swan neck removable by simply undoing the two bolts. I haven't sorted the electrics yet as I want to source a single 12 pin socket which my local Skoda dealer says is not available for the Fabia?. I have ordered one for a Polo from VAG and hope and trust that the wiring will be compatible for the Fabia.

All in all it looks like good news. I see no reason why the considerably more expensive removable swan neck bar also supplied by Skoda for the Fabia will not fit.

Will post again when electrice sorted. All the clearances, ie towball to ground and towball to bumper are well within legal requirements so no worries!!!

[spinndrift]

Can we have a photo?

[J999VRS]

Photo's attached

[Kentish]

Is it me..or does it look a bit close to the bumper?

But glad you got it sorted anyway.

[J999VRS]

No, Should have taken a picture from the relevant angle. The gap between bumper and towball exceeds that required by law. The photo's dont actually show this and tend to make it look closer than it is.