Towbar for Octavia

[zei20t]

Ive never had one on a car before, but had the need for one many times.

Found this on ebay, anyone else got one? Seems a fairly good price, however the electrical interface seems a little high, but being CANBUS etc this could be an average price.

eBay Australia: Buy new & used fashion, electronics & home d

Anyone own one of these brands?

I emailed the guy, got some installed pics, with the tongue removed, youd barely know its there.

Is the factory towbar and wiring any better?

[Mysticality]

100kg ball weight?
To the best of my knowledge, the stock one is 75kg.

I got a quote from a Euro car and tow bar/exhaust specialist in town and he said around $1,500 after importing, and installation.
Apparently the CANBUS control unit is around $800.

[zei20t]

holy potatoes thats expensive!

so this is a steal. youre needing a towbar also right?

[Mysticality]

Well, I'm a little wary.
The tow bar on my Rio cost $385 installed, but the guy (same place) was able to splice the wiring into the existing tail-lights.
You can't do that on our cars. :/
You NEED the control unit. :S

I'm thinking this is for tow bar only. No wiring harness, right? :S


EDIT: Skoda genuine bar installed is around $1,300-$1,400.

[zei20t]

the price of the wiring is $250, he said its non-genuine but is the same as (he said better than) the factory ones

still makes a cheap kit. i have to wait a bit anyway, the CFO needs to approve such expenses

[dArK5HaD0w]

i don't know for sure - but i hear the tow bar wiring harness has to b some sorta special canbus friendly thing, which includes being pdc (rear parking sensors) friendly.*

* [I]as i don't a have towbar myself, and i've read bits n pieces here n there - don't take my word for it ok, as i don't have factual backings/sources to back the space i've used up on this discussion thread.[/I]

[zei20t]

lol love the disclaimer!

the guy said its a plug and play loom, he has installed them before. ill ask more details when im ready to buy one

[Mysticality]

Lemme know how it goes.
I don't particularly like the idea of voiding warranty on that particular piece of engineering. XD
Exhaust, maybe. Electronics... Nah. XD

[barrenjoey owl]

Ive never had one on a car before, but had the need for one many times.

Found this on ebay, anyone else got one? Seems a fairly good price, however the electrical interface seems a little high, but being CANBUS etc this could be an average price.

eBay Australia: Buy new & used fashion, electronics & home d

Anyone own one of these brands?

I emailed the guy, got some installed pics, with the tongue removed, youd barely know its there.

Is the factory towbar and wiring any better?

This MAY be of assistance to you.........http://www.vwwatercooled.org.au/foru...ues-64192.html

[zei20t]

thats a lot to take in.

makes me think twice! im not worried so much about the towbar itself, more the wiring and associated coding i may have to perform.

[brad]

I posted a link to a Sydney towbar specialist that could do hardware & wiring for about $1000ish fitted. (Shop1Auto ??)
I think aftermarket are Haymen Reese & BestBars.

Julian Edgar also did a write up of how to do the wiring on a canbus vehicle. It's not for everyone but if you're confident with a soldering iron.......

[zei20t]

hayman reece make good bars! and i have no problems wielding a solding iron

[K1W1]

i have no problems wielding a solding iron

You will need to be very careful doing that on a CANbus equipped car.

[Mysticality]

I posted a link to a Sydney towbar specialist that could do hardware & wiring for about $1000ish fitted. (Shop1Auto ??)
I think aftermarket are Haymen Reese & BestBars.

Are they warrantied?
I have no problems with a soldering iron... I'd just rather someone else does it on my 2 month old car.

Also - Are the Hayman Reese and/or BestBars the type of bar that can't be seen, or do they come with the - for want of a better phrase - Big square hole thing with the removable ball connection. Would much prefer this type.

Don't ask me why, I just like it when a tow bar looks beefy.
And for convenience. Looking at swapping the camper trailer over to a trigg/tregg hitch.

[dazag]

I have a Bestbar brand fitted to mine, was fitted as part of the purchase. The published approved rating for a tow bar fitted to the Octavia is 75kg tow ball weight, 650kg unbraked, or 1300kg braked.
The wiring should include a loom and a control box ( it must be the Oz version otherwise it can cause Bulb failure problems ) , and then the CANBUS needs to be coded once it's all fitted ( this turns the reverse sensors off, changes the ABS & ECU settings when a trailer is fitted ).
I suggest you get it done by someone who knows VW/Skoda and his tow bars.....