Forgive me if I'm in the wrong place - we don't have a caravan but we're planning on buying a trailer shortly...
We have a Vauxhall Zafira (06 plate if it makes a difference) and we've been quoted £254 inc Vat to have a towbar fitted (the cheapest sort, not swan neck or removeable) with single electrics.
That's from a mobile company who'll come out to our house to do it.
Is it a good price? Or are we better off taking it to a local garage? We don't want to fit it ourselves, neither of us are technically minded :-/
------------- Bev :o)
2013
March - Pooley Bridge (Pod booked!)
May - Spiers House, Pickering
June - La Garangeoire, Vendee, France
Aug - The Cotswolds?
I had one fitted on a Vauxhall Zafira about 7 years ago but it was the detachable type and not the fixed flange towbar. Being new to caravanning at the time, silly me had it done at the local Vauxhall dealer which cost over £500 but the best part was.......wait for it........it took them 2 whole days to fit the damn thing. Asked why it took so long and the answer was.........the instructions were in German! No wonder why it was so costly.
If your Zafira is a mk II I would get a dedicated wiring loom rather than a generic kit. My 08 zafira had a plug in the boot for the electrics to connect to.
Quote: Originally posted by Zafiral on 01/7/2011
If your Zafira is a mk II I would get a dedicated wiring loom rather than a generic kit. My 08 zafira had a plug in the boot for the electrics to connect to.
I've just asked hubby and it is....presumably this will be more expensive? I think we'll have to ring round some garages and get some quotes, if we can get a price lower than the one quoted we'll be happy, if not, then it's still within our means - just!
Thanks for the advice
------------- Bev :o)
2013
March - Pooley Bridge (Pod booked!)
May - Spiers House, Pickering
June - La Garangeoire, Vendee, France
Aug - The Cotswolds?
Quote: Originally posted by LewLincs3 on 01/7/2011
Quote: Originally posted by Zafiral on 01/7/2011
If your Zafira is a mk II I would get a dedicated wiring loom rather than a generic kit. My 08 zafira had a plug in the boot for the electrics to connect to.
I've just asked hubby and it is....presumably this will be more expensive? I think we'll have to ring round some garages and get some quotes, if we can get a price lower than the one quoted we'll be happy, if not, then it's still within our means - just!
Thanks for the advice
While the part may be more, the labour will be simpler so the price should be similar.
We were advised by our local garage that the mobile fitters are better (in our area anyway) as that is what they do, day in & day out. The other advantage of using a mobile fitter is that they come to wherever you are rather than leaving you without a car for a day.
And the cost you've been quoted seems reasonable, we had one fitted to our Citroen Berlingo last year and I think it was around £220 all in.
We recently got one fitted to a 2006 model and it was just the standard non detachable one with twin electrics, cost £200 and was fitted at my home by a mobile company
and from my understanding the car may require coding to make the towbar electrics work correctly. (check out www.vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk )
i have a 52 reg zafira (mk 1), the towbar kit cost me £120 from towtrust (on ebay) and i fitted it myself in a morning (the car specific wiring kit just plugged in)
We had a tow bar fitted to our 06 Zafira (not swan neck) by TOWRITE last year cost us less than your quote could have had it fitted at their work shop in Upminster Essex (as we have had on previous cars) but this time they came out to our house Fantastic service never had a problem with them.
Getting one fitted to my laguna tourer on monday £220 at a static fitter. This was the cheapest but the laguna doesn't require bumper cut or removal.
As they are probably paying about £70 for the parts it is expensive labour but that's experts for you I guess.
My advice is find out exactly what your being quoted for! Some fitters used dedicated wiring kits and some don't ! The Zafira has a Trailer Stability program which requires the dedicated kit if you have a reasonable spec model the REC (Rear Electrical Centre) in the back left hand side. I am not a fan of ring around and going for the cheapest as there is such a variety of towbars and electrical kits on the market which vary greatly in price. I speak from experience.