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Hi All, sorry if this has been raised before but I'm a newbie to the site (which looks great by the way). Just treated myself to a new (to me) tow car and started ringing round for quotes for a tow bar. After my last motor (H reg escort cabriolet) I was expecting to pay a similar amount for the new bar. Not disappointed, lowest was £140, highest £200 with twin electrics. Great. Then comes the extra phone calls "erm, I know we've quoted you £140 but I've just thought, is your '98 car an R or an S reg?" . It's S. Surprise, surprise, that's the year they brought in type approval so my quotes now vary between £195 and £285. If it had been registered 24 hours earlier it would be enough cheaper to pay for the bank holiday. Why? Is the car so radically different from the one registered the day before? One firm offered to sell me a towbar that was not approved on condition I didn't say where I'd got it from and fitted it myself. Mmmm.

Sorry for the rant but just feeling sorry for my wallet...

chocca

Hi Chocca

Where abouts are you ?

I had my 98 R Reg vectra fitted with twin electrica and towbar for about £140, and for an extra £5 they would do it on site (as long as you can provide mains power).

The company is reputable and happens to be the company that most of the main dealers use to fit the manufacturers towbars.

The company I used is called "Pernash" and is based in Coventry, would travel ~15 mile radius.

Hope you find something reasonable, approved and safe soon.

Maurice

HI Chocca,

I purchased a  Brink towbar for  my Focus Estate from Towequipe Limited who specialise in 'fit your own'....single electrics, new ball etc.....£92.16 (inc. £15 postage) with next day delivery....brilliant service and willing to give advice over phone.....!   I would think it would be worthwhile having a look at their site http://www.towequipe.co.uk for your vehicle.

 I fitted the bar and electricals in a couple of hours using the very clear drawings and instructions supplied. I encountered only problem which didn't appear until I took the car out on the road and found that the tailpipe of the exhaust bounced up against the main cross bar of the towbar causing an agravating rattle which Mrs Trunkles has complained about ever since I fitted it last November!  I thought the solution would be a longer exhaust hanger rubber but I tried to get one and had no joy. We got the problem fixed yesterday (after much NAGGING from Mrs T) when a kind man in an exhaust emporium applied great heat to the tailpipe with an Oxy-acetylene torch and neatly bent the pipe downwards to give the necessary clearance. Cost ...£5.00 for a couple of beers.....worth every penny to stop the RATTLE

I got one last year fitted to my Passat estate for £180 from Indespension, including twin electrics.

My VW dealer was quoting more than twice that!

I did have to return to Indespension about a week later because there was a loose connection which they quickly put right. I got talking to one of the staff about the price quoted by the car dealer and it transpired that the dealer contracted fitting of towbars out to Indespension! Quite a mark up for doing nothing!

Our caravan dealer told us to be really careful, he only recommended 3 places to have a towbar fitted in our area, and that didn't include one just around the corner.  He told us some were cowboys and he knew of a man who had the whole back end pulled off his Audi (I think!) costing him £2000 of damage!!!

It is great to save money, just make sure it is the right job!

Wendy

i have ha a quote for my next car which is a c-max and it will cost me "55 for the S type twin sockets, Well chuffed as the scenic was 350 three years ago.