Tow bar for 2018 Jaguar sportbrake

insignia
insignia Forum Participant Posts: 9
edited January 2019 in Towcars & Towing #1

i have just bought a 2018 Jaguar XF sportbrake awd and don’t seem to be able to get a Towbar for it, have any other members had a similar experience or have they any suggestions ?.

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Comments

  •  viatorem
    viatorem Forum Participant Posts: 645
    edited January 2019 #2

    A quick Google - seems you are correct,Witter say they have one in development so it would be worth giving them a call or maybe a Jaguar dealer. 

  • allanandjean
    allanandjean Forum Participant Posts: 2,401
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    edited January 2019 #3

    Hi, my suggestion would be to find a reputable independent supplier/fitter, as suggested above a quick search is not promising.

    My experience has been that there are still many things, such as tow bars for your car, that don't look promising-based on internet searches- till you speak to people who actually know about the subject. 

    One thing that you should also check is if the car needs to be 'tow bar prepared', as some do, and it is usually something that is carried out during the cars build. 

  • Milothedog
    Milothedog Forum Participant Posts: 1,433
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    edited January 2019 #4

    Jaguar list two options if you are will to pay OEM prices.   Tow Bar

  • Milothedog
    Milothedog Forum Participant Posts: 1,433
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    edited January 2019 #5

    Just looked it up. Here are prices and details. 

    Electric Type

    Detachable Type

    Not cheap but the prices are "Fitted" and won't affect the cars warranty. 

  • lornalou1
    lornalou1 Forum Participant Posts: 2,169
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    edited January 2019 #6

    just had a look at that Milo and here's a section of it.

    The XF Sportbrake bespoke towing system is optimised to work alongside the Trailer Stability Assist traction control system. This system detects when a dangerous trailer sway situation is developing and helps to regain control by gradually reducing speed through cutting engine power and applying the brakes.

    I was always told that you decelerate and do not use brakes when a sway is detected. A bit misleading I would say.

  • Milothedog
    Milothedog Forum Participant Posts: 1,433
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    edited January 2019 #7

     

    Stability systems apply braking to individual wheels to recover the situation unlike the driver who can only apply all of them simultaneously. 

    I attended a course a few years back run by Knorr-Bremse  about this type of Technology.  Heres a video of it in action.   I'm sure JLR wouldn't use it or make statements that could land them in court after an accident.   

    Sorry to the OP for going a little of topic cool

     

  • Milothedog
    Milothedog Forum Participant Posts: 1,433
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    edited January 2019 #8

    Just an interesting footnote about stability systems. The system fitted on trucks and buses that I used to work on can also be connected to the vehicles telematics and any events that the stability system steps in and recovers, data is sent to the company / transport manger.  So no hiding the fact by the driver that he had a near miss whilst on the road.

     

  • Tigi
    Tigi Forum Participant Posts: 1,038
    500 Comments
    edited January 2019 #9

    Give Phil Taylor Towbars in Waterlooville Portsmouth (even if its too far)a ring they have been in business for many years and there isn't much they don`t know about towbars/electrics etc they have always been helpful. See website.

  • insignia
    insignia Forum Participant Posts: 9
    edited January 2019 #10

    Thanks everyone for your input

    seems as if I will have to get a jaguar tow bar, witter are not even designing one yet

    Incidentally the cost is about £1500 which includes fitting and a control unit and rear valance!  The electrically deployable one

    is in excess of £2,500 !!

  • EasyT
    EasyT Forum Participant Posts: 16,194
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    edited January 2019 #11

    Dropping cork legged here Insignia!!

  • Mitsi Fendt
    Mitsi Fendt Forum Participant Posts: 484
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    edited January 2019 #12

     Try Martyn at Tow bar Solutions Wales. 07846410250.

    Based in South Wales. Should not be to far away for you.

  • MHG
    MHG Forum Participant Posts: 53
    edited February 2019 #13

    From experience - if you are getting a tow bar supplied & fitted by yourJag dealer - check that is it suitable to accept a caravan hitch. It sounds ridiculous, but Audi's OEM Westfalia bar does not clear an Audi S-Line bumper sufficiently to allow you hook on an Alko hitch..  !!!!!!

  • Tigi
    Tigi Forum Participant Posts: 1,038
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    edited February 2019 #14

    Jaguar certainly know how to charge a factory fit Merc GLC is £750 and an XC60 around £1000 - both electrically deployable. There is a difference in the term electrically deployable the Mercedes is fully deployed from start to finish no human input required, whereas a Volvo releases the bar electrically, it drops and you have to swing up manually and it locks electrically.

  • 63ellsbells
    63ellsbells Forum Participant Posts: 138
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    edited February 2019 #15

    Really??

    Decent clearance on my A6 Avant S-Line factory fit tow bar and the Alko hitch hooks on a treat.

  • MHG
    MHG Forum Participant Posts: 53
    edited February 2019 #16

    Yep really.. on a 65 plate A4 S-line Avant. 1st time hitching up I couldn't even get my little finger between the front of the Alko hitch and my bumper. I could only in theory tow in a straight line !! Audi were very good and accommodating and they replaced the whole assembly with an alternate manufacturers bar that had a longer reach. 

  • richardandros
    richardandros Club Member Posts: 2,681 ✭✭✭
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    edited February 2019 #17

    Sounds about right to me - my dealer-fitted towbar / electrics on my VW Touareg was just under £1300, four years ago, plus there would have been another £850 for the upgraded cooling fan but they fitted that FOC after a 'discussion' about misleading advertising.

  • 63ellsbells
    63ellsbells Forum Participant Posts: 138
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    edited February 2019 #18

    Not a good way to find that out. 

    Clearly a different arrangement then on the smaller A4 I guess as it wasn’t something I even thought of checking on the OEM retractable on my A6 Avant.

    Good to see that Audi got it sorted for you.