Either, is the simple answer. If you go for a fixed, a swan neck looks neater than flange imho. Go for detachable if you don't want to bash you shins loading stuff in the back.
If you want to bolt stuff to a towbar flange. Then an old style flanged towbar is best.
If you want something more discreet but dont fancy getting on the floor to remove one then a fixed swan neck is best.
If you want a removable towbar then thats the best one.
There is no better one overall. It depends on what you want. Fixed flange types were always cheapest. But i have priced a few up over the past few years and some swan neck ones maybe cheaper.
I prefer a fixed flange type. Nobody will lose the towball and if the ball gets worn or damaged its easy and cheap to replace.
I have detachable on our pug 407sw and it's best as majority of time not towing so no bruised shins and looks better.I'll put up with getting on knees to put towball on. I'll time it when not raining or if wet I'll use a door mat on floor to keep me dry.
We are about to have our towbar fitted on our new car and have chosen one of the old fashioned flanged type. OH is too old and artritic to keep getting down on his knees faffing with a detatchable type one, and we would like to have our stainless steel bumper gaurd refitted to this hitch, so its a flanged one that we need. Its also saved us a lump of money, £220 infact over a swan neck type.
Over the years we have become so used to having a towbar fitted that its part of our second nature to avoid it when loading stuff in or out of the boot, so a fixed type is no bother to us.
Julia
------------- Just love to be out amoungst Nature and Wildlife
Celebrating 37 years of Caravanning in 2019, Recently Considered Retiring, but Totally Addicted for Life!
I've had a detachable towbar on the last two cars, both Ford S Max's and I don't need to bend down any further than I do to connect the electrics. The bar is easy to locate into its socket and I can remove the key by feel. The removal is just as straightforward. When its not needed the ball just sits in its bag on a shelf in the garage.
I have always had a fixed towbar but with this car I decided to get a removable one. It was great to start with and after a few trips out I didn't bother to remove it. I am changing my car to a Kuga in April and will be getting a fixed one, plus it is £100 cheaper.
Les
------------- The worst day fishing is better than the best day working
I prefer detatchable ones, we had one on our last Espace after having four fixed ones & we liked it. We had a new detatchable one fitted to our mondeo when we bought it a couple of years ago and it's lovely and tidy. I was going to buy the proper Ford loom for it but the towbar centre told me they did their own version of it. I decided to go for it because it was much cheaper than the manufactuer one and it's been great.