Tow bar
I'm a new member. In 8 weeks time I'll be collecting my new caravan - an Elddis Affinity 574. I will also be changing my car to accommodate the purchase. Hoping to find a suitable 2 year old BMW X3 M Sport. Really looking forward to the caravan adventure. I last owned a touring caravan around 20 years ago. My how things have changed! As a result I may well have a few questions to post over the next few weeks, so any helpful advice would be much appreciated. So here's the first one. While looking for my towing vehicle what are the pros/cons of buying one with a tow bar already fitted? I appreciate that dealers may well remove them first as presumably they view some prospective buyers being put off by their presence. Is it better to have one fitted myself later (despite the added cost)?
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Hi, Knuts.
Generally speaking, a factory fitted or main dealer fitted towbar has advantages as the correct wiring and electronics should have been used which will avoid upsetting the canbus system. That’s not to say that those fitted by a towbar fitter will necessarily be any lesser.
I've not come across dealers removing towbars and on tug-type vehicles they are a positive selling point. I’d just look at each vehicle that crops up and weigh up the pros and cons but make sure any existing towing electrics are caravan compatible, ie either the modern 13 pin or the older 12n+12s.
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Yes + 1 and check who fitted the tow bar in the first place, if it was the dealer or factory fit then it will fully ingrate itself with the car's electronics. Also it may be covered by any remaining warranty but best check.
Some fitters may not have wired in the old '12s' wiring in to a 13 pin socket (no caravan battery charging, alko ATC, and/or fridge power while towing) so best to check.
If not fitted ask the dealer fro their price to fit and compare with independent fitters, and then you have to choose between detachable, fixed or even retractable tow bars!
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Not sure I have ever seen a second hand car for sale with a tow bar already fitted. Assuming you are buying from a dealer, it is likely that he would just get a local towbar fitter to fit one anyway. Any reputable fitter will fit vehicle specific electrics and re programme your cars electronics accordingly. If you are lucky enough to find your car with a towbar already fitted you must ensure that it is to UK spec as there have been stories of the fridge, for example, not being wired in on some German cars. Also will the tow hook take an Alko stabilizer fitting? When I bought my new Tiguan I had mine retro fitted by a local fitter and have had no problems. You 'may' be able to beat the dealer down to fitting a tow bar for you for free; just get him to think he has a sale without the towbar and then tell him that a fitted towbar would clinch the deal - you never know!
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"Not sure I have ever seen a second hand car for sale with a tow bar already fitted."
I've bought a few over the years with towbars already fitted.
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Thanks for all your helpful comments to date. Much appreciated.
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+1
my last 3 tugs have all had factory fitted towbars when purchased secondhand..
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Don't think I have ever bought a car recently without towbar already fitted, also electics always seem to work so lucky I guess
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I've had two cars from new and dealership-fitted with detachable tow balls. Disadvantages are that tow balls do wear, and replacement can be expensive. The second one, a Westfalia, was an awkward kneeling down job for fitting/removing the 13-pin electrics. The tow ball was showing signs of wear after about 5 years of use, and a new one would have been in the region of £400.
My current car a 2017 model which I purchased last year, did not have a tow bar, so I had one fitted by the VW dealership who sold me the car. This time I had a standard tow bar fitted, with a flanged tow ball. Everything works fine, and connecting/removal of the 13-pin socket is a breeze. Glad I chose this method.
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When I bought my current Discovery I immediately sold the detachable bit on Ebay and got a permanent towbar and towball fitted. They did have a reputation for wearing resulting in a bit of 'play'. More importantly, I certainly want the bother of attaching it before use, and then detaching it after use.
David
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I don't know the ramifications with the X3 M, but way back when buying a new X5 [ was 2005] there was more, officially, to towing than bolting on a towbar, electrical harness and telling the onboard computer.
The factory fit included then an up specced cooling system, in part accounting for the huge option cost.
I am well aware some simply just add a towbar etc, but the maker requiring a change to the cooling system hints there is an underlying reason for that.
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If you are going for an X3 I would recommend against the M Sport. The suspension is hard and uncomfortable towing or solo. Go for the SE or X Line and think of a 3.0D. It’s more economical than the 2.0D of the previous range. It’s an absolute dream of a car.
if you go for a BMW towbar you won’t get the charger and fridge wires connected (the Alko circuit works ok). Don’t worry about this as the car’s regenerative systems and stop start mean that those two circuits aren’t permanently live anyway.
The only time this may be a problem is if you stay for a period on a no mains pitch and leave with a low caravan battery charge. You may not have enough power to move the van onto your pitch on arrival.
No change needed to cooling system.
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