Tow bar advice for Volvo XC60t

desimondo
desimondo Forum Participant Posts: 33
edited June 2017 in Towcars & Towing #1

Hi

I will be getting my new Volvo XC60 at the beginning of August. 

I currently have a detachable Witter fitted on my BMW X1, and have been happy enough with it, so looked a few days ago on Witters website only to find that the dettachable suitable for an XC60 is out of stock and, thus far, no word when it will come back in. I may have to choose another make.

Just wondering if there are any thoughts/recommendations from other XC60 owners on alternatives they are happy with. 

Many thanks....

Comments

  • desimondo
    desimondo Forum Participant Posts: 33
    edited June 2017 #2

    ....oops,,don't know where the "t" came from.....its just an XC60.....

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited June 2017 #3

    I'd be looking at the towbars fitted by car manufactures as factory fit, eg Bosal, Westfalia, Brink. 

  • IainM1970
    IainM1970 Forum Participant Posts: 170
    edited June 2017 #4

    I had a fixed Volvo bracket on now departed XC60, worked perfectly!

    Now have a detachable Volvo bracket on my V60 Cross Country, but never remove it, sadly Volvo don't offer a fixed bracket for the Cross Country.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
    1000 Comments
    edited June 2017 #5

    Makes you wonder why they go to the effort of designing & bulding a detachable towbar if you're going to leave it in situ. They don't take long to become 'fixed' when left ..... 

    I can never understand why you'd want a load of steel work on the back of your car if you didnt need to. My detachable bar is used to tow to site & almost immediately removed and stowed in the 'boot'

  • desimondo
    desimondo Forum Participant Posts: 33
    edited June 2017 #6

    .....thanks chaps, useful info., think thecWestfelia might be worth a look and might also consider a fixed  - I myself are one of those who have a detachable but now never take it off......far too heavy for my bad back I'm afraid, and might save a bob or two if I go fixed. 

    Thanks again......

  • SELL
    SELL Forum Participant Posts: 398
    edited June 2017 #7

    When I bought mine just under 2 years ago I went for the Volvo detachable (not sure what make) cost £750 the fixed was £650 so for me £100 was not a lot of money and the car looks a lot better when not in use.

  • pagan8c
    pagan8c Forum Participant Posts: 91
    edited June 2017 #8

    If the Volvo garage fit it it also covered by the 3 year warranty. I always have a dealer fit on mine as with todays electrics and computers I want to know that if it causes problems somewhere else then it would be sorted under warranty. To me it is well worth the peace of mind for the sake of a couple of hundred pounds on a new car. I have the semi electric factory fit on my XC90 and it works perfectly with no problems . It also cost less as being in the Caravan & Motorhome Club I saved 10% on all the extras under the Volvo deal.

  • IainM1970
    IainM1970 Forum Participant Posts: 170
    edited June 2017 #9

    As I said I would have preferred a fixed bracket but they only make a detachable for the V60 Cross Country.

     

    Have no issues having my towbar on display.

  • meridienmick
    meridienmick Forum Participant Posts: 37
    First Comment
    edited July 2017 #10

    I've just got a XC60 and had the Volvo removable towbar fitted as part of the order.  £750 less 10% discount as part of the Affinity package seems pretty reasonable to me.

    This may be BS but I am informed that, when a Volvo towbar is fitted,  the vehicle's software is altered so that the stability control recognises when a trailer is fitted and changes its behaviour accordingly. They call it Trailer Stability Assist. Not sure if this applies when a towbar from another manufacturer is used.   

  • desimondo
    desimondo Forum Participant Posts: 33
    edited July 2017 #11

    Thanks for everyone's comments. I am pursuaded to relook at having the Volvo dealer fit option.

    One question I have (which neither the installation diagram nor the picture makes clear) is what provision there is for attaching my breakaway cable (my van has the karabiner clip), is a fitting point supplied and is it relatively easy to access (I have a bad back !)

    Many thanks.

  • meridienmick
    meridienmick Forum Participant Posts: 37
    First Comment
    edited July 2017 #12

    The Volvo towbar has a hole in the bracket to which you can attach your Carabiner clip.  It goes on the fixed part of the bracket, not the detachable part.

    I actually had quite a debate with Volvo on this matter with my previous car as the hole is too small to pass the breakaway cable through as per standard procedure. With the Carabiner clip you are fine as it is stronger, but the standard breakaway cable should be looped back on itself.  I get round it by fitting a shackle through the hole and looping the cable back on itself through the shackle.

    I think you'll be fine with the location of the fitting point, it is tucked away a bit but I can get at it without grovelling on the floor.

  • HillClimb
    HillClimb Forum Participant Posts: 45
    edited July 2017 #13

    I had the Westfalia Detachable tow bar installed - it is great - only attached to the car whilst towing - as soon as we arrive at site we take it off which takes a matter of seconds

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