MERLIN ROCKET FORUM

Topic : Tow bars

Hi,

Could anyone recommend the cheapest place to get a tow bar fitted?

Or how easy it is and what you need to fit one yourself?

Also, one black MX5 with hard and soft roof looking for new owner. Offers welcome….

See you all at Chi Sunday. Looks like another windy one.


Liam


Posted: 17/01/2007 16:08:10
By: Liam
I fitted the tow bar on my Rover 75 estate.  That was easy enough but the electrics were a different proposition though in the end I did manage.  You have to have a warning bleeper to tell you if the indicators are working but if you have a warning system in the car itself to tell you that lights have blown it is a different arrangement again!  Like the Merlins they seem to introduce more bloody string!!   As a matter of interest I got mine from Towsure and it went together no problem.


Posted: 17/01/2007 16:44:40
By: Garry R
Thanks Garry,

Towsure do seem to one of the cheaper sites.

Missed what car, Audi A4 Quattro Avant Sport 2.8l. Seems to have warning lights and electrics for everything!

I had a quote today of £315 fitted. Is that about right?


Posted: 17/01/2007 16:55:19
By: Liam
Liam,

You save about £90-£110 by fitting it yourself. I got one from the link below, but I called them first to ask how difficult it was, they were very helpful. If you need to remove the exhaust, unless that is very simple, I would let an expert fit it, my new car required the twin exhausts to be removed, so I though I'd wouldn't bother, also if it requires a bumper cut out I wouldn't do that my self as it I wouldn't be happy with may ability to cut it.

The car I fitted it too (Mark's old Hyundai Accent) comes with the nuts already welded to the chassis, however, as it was a 6 year old car, the most difficult bit was cleaning out the threads.

Allow about 3 hours. The electrics are surprising simple.

You will need
Car jack & axle stands, or a pit to get under the car, (you could do without but it makes it harder work)
A Socket set, and ideally a torque wrench to get the right tightness, don't want it falling off
A drill, to drill through things, like getting the electrics inside
A circuit tester, this can be a bulb and two bits of wire, one with a needle, so you can find which wire is which by 'pricking' through the insulation
some rust proofer to proof where you have drilled

Some patience and the ability to follow instructions.

Sounds harder than it is.

As for getting it fitted professionally, the prices are very similar, I have used Tam Leisure in New Malden before.

http://www.towbarsdirect.co.uk/

Posted: 17/01/2007 16:56:12
By: Alan F
The price is about right, my new car is £345.  Given your car, I wouldn't do it my self. Different matter on a £500 hyundai.


Posted: 17/01/2007 16:58:08
By: Alan F
We had a CDF tow bar fitted, £120 for our Mondeo estate. They came to work and did the job in half an hour in the car park. But i geuss you need to be in the midlands. ASL?

Dodgy looking web site i know, but might be worth a call to see if you are in there area.

http://cdftowbars.co.uk/

Posted: 17/01/2007 17:50:07
By: Superfluous
for £195 (the amount you could save) you could drive to coventry for the afternoon and get one fitted, just have to find a carpark to wait in. Although i do not know the cost if fitting one to your car, but worth a try.


Posted: 17/01/2007 17:57:56
By: Superfluous
I guess the £75 for a Mondeo towbar verus the £199 for the A4 Quatro (assuming detachable) make a bit of difference. Half an hour sounds about right for a simple install if you have the tools and know what you are doing.

Not a bad business in the Midlands then at £90 hour for the labour.

Given the Quatro is bound to be a bit more tricky with the electrics, exhausts etc, allowing an hour that makes approx £300. Given london Labour rates and the price of petrol, stay where you are.


Posted: 17/01/2007 18:33:00
By: ?
Liam

Recently had a towbar fitted by an outfit in West Bromwich - www.fastfitnationwide.co.uk. They offer two qualities. The cheaper quote, fitted, was around £180 exc VAT (Renault Espace).

They picked the vehicle up and returned it for no charge. No complaints since.

Renault wanted £650, including fitting at £350 for 4 hours work - nice work if you can get it...


Posted: 17/01/2007 18:38:06
By: The Old Trout
Do not fit a towbar to that car your self, depending on its age it may have multiplexed wiring, mess it up and it will cost you a fortune.  I work in the motortrade and the workshops se it all the time.  Fitting the bar itself is easy enough but you wil be cutting into the wiring of the car and on some late model vehicles it aint a good idea, best to just bite the bullet and pay up!


Posted: 17/01/2007 19:40:44
By: Russ
I would of thought "£250 for single electrics towbar on an a4 avante would be a fair price depends on where you are located if you are close to gloucestershire i might be able to get one fitted nearer trade price (cost price) as i have a sub-cont. autoelectrician.

f you are near Chelt send me an e-mail and ill try and hook you up, Get it ....lol


Posted: 17/01/2007 19:45:24
By: Russ
Liam,

Depending on your location. There is an outfit here in Sussex Called B&B Trailers, based in Fletching. They have fitted several tow bars for me in the past, v good service,circa £150 all in. Nice little pub called the Griffin near by as well which does fine ale whilst you wait!!


Posted: 17/01/2007 21:25:38
By: Richard Battey
liam

you know how tight i am

its a no brainer

oak farm leisure 01895 255389

high street cowley uxbridge, cant quite remember but something like £160 including vat to fit the towbar onto my a class,hardly had timef roa walk before it was done, nice coffee shop beside it while u wait


Posted: 17/01/2007 21:26:48
By: megan
Thanks for all the responses.  

I’m actually based down in Richmond. So I guess by the cost saving v petrol is expense is unlikely to be worth the trip up north.

I’ve a chat with a few of the companies above and it sounds like a big job. Not one I would now consider taking on myself. I do have a bulb check when you start up, which means they can’t splice into the electrics at the rear of the car. Instead they have to strip the dash board and run them back. Also, they need to remove the rear bumper in order to cut a whole.

All the quotes have all been around the £320. Except Oak Farm £239 including VAT, but they only do 9- 5 Mon – Fri.

Col , maybe Megan might like a second visit to that coffee shop. Just not sure I want her moulting and sloppering on the passenger seat!


Posted: 18/01/2007 09:51:13
By: Liam
Liam,

Have you tried TAM Leisure on the Kingston Road in New Malden. They fitted a Witter on a Honda for me last year. Came to about £175

cheers

Rich


Posted: 18/01/2007 09:54:34
By: Rich
hum not sur why so much for your car why not negotiate with them

happy to take your car up there if you would like

hoi megan doesnt slobber she is a lady and not too well today as she ate some manky salmon

windy day or wot


Posted: 18/01/2007 10:25:52
By: Megan
Make sure you are getting like for like, just a warning note goes off in my head that the £80 different could be the difference between detachable and fixed. Have you been specific?


Posted: 18/01/2007 10:42:50
By: Alan F
I've had 3 towbars fitted by TAM leisure over the years (including one on a Morris Minor tourer) and they have all worked well, prices I can't recall and as the last one was 7 years ago probably not that relevant either but it was competitive at the time.  I went the DIY route with the MGB but that just involved getting a 2nd hand back bumper with a towbar fitted and taking the bumper off (2 large nuts).  The electrics aren't that complicated as long as you aren't colourblind, can read instructions and have a crimping tool, but bear in mind that is 1960's Lucas technology we are talking about and I wasn't worried about airbags, alarms, engine management systems etc shorting out.


Posted: 18/01/2007 11:31:20
By: Andrew M
Liam you wanted to by from semi trade place, few around in Brighton. The 2 I've bought in the past were under £120, but was few years back. Talk more at Chi Sunday (I'm crewing Alex!)

I'll give you a £50 for the MX5. You have to undercut Alex's you see ;)


Posted: 18/01/2007 14:46:57
By: Ross
The reason the audi quote is so high is that you cant chop into the loom, is to do with the multiplex wiring system, i wouldnt recomend using a quickfit style outfit to fit one to that as it may cost you in the future.  If the car is still in manuf. warranty it will also void it if the towbar has been incorrectly fitted ie not to audi spec.


Posted: 18/01/2007 15:06:36
By: Russ
Even if I buy it cheap I imagine the labour time is what costs.  I generally struggle to thread string on the square hoop.  Imagine what I would to the wiring on a car!

Not sure Alex will be sailing. He didn’t even turn up week before last, because it was too windy!

This might be one for the youth forum, but I hear you been a very busy boy with the ladies (not the plural) of late?


Posted: 18/01/2007 15:10:14
By: Liam
Yep Ross has been a complete slut of late.... Liam, i think it's your turn to drop Ross in it this time, I've had the honours for the last 26 years so over to you.


Posted: 18/01/2007 15:37:00
By: Alex
Invalidate manufacturers waranty only if it can be proved that the towbar was at fault (very difficult) don't worry most other makes guarantee for life!


Posted: 18/01/2007 21:52:03
By: Nigel
Unfortunately having worked in the motor industry for the last 7 years, i know that they can prove it and they will invalidate it, happened 4 times at my time at citroen, several at peugeot but never at ford.  On modern cars the wiring systems are very complexed.  Audi dont recomend that you fit a towbar to an a8 because of its alloy shassis, although i have still seen some fitted, but im sure if there was a wiring fault, or even worse a problem with the chassis they would nt honor any claim.


Posted: 18/01/2007 22:22:34
By: Russ
Liam,

If you check out the towsure website. See if they do a dedicated wiring kit for your car. It is the more expensive way, however with a multiplexed wiring system they are designed to work in harmony with the car's electrics and not inspite of them. They are very easy to fit as most of it just plugs in to the existing system and only require you to run a single power supply from the battery to the main unit. Also won't invalidate your warranty.

Cheers

Bryan

Link to the dedicated wiring kit section below.

http://www.towsure.com/default.asp?t=6705

Posted: 29/01/2007 14:31:21
By: Bryan
Liam, 

A good way to do the wiring is to buy the manufacturers wiring kit, it'll come with the correct sockets on each end and directions as to where to plug it in, all the extra relays etc. Oh and the bonus - it'll take no time to fit! - well normally!

Carl


Posted: 30/01/2007 21:02:23
By: CW
Thanks everyone for all the great advice.  

The difficulty is due to an inbuilt warning system, which means you can’t cut into the loom at the rear. Hence you have to run separate wiring from the front. Just the thought of trying to take the dash board off in enough to put me off. Also, having to removing the rear bumper and cutting a hole into it.

Tam Leisure have come at the cheapest at £250 odd inc VAT and I can pick it up Saturday

See you all at Chi on Sunday.


Posted: 31/01/2007 09:10:47
By: Liam

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