GBS Posted January 19, 2021 Report Share Posted January 19, 2021 I need to get a tow bar fitted. Does anyone have any experience, positive or negative, of any of the firms that offer this service? GBS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave at kelton Posted January 19, 2021 Report Share Posted January 19, 2021 29 minutes ago, GBS said: I need to get a tow bar fitted. Does anyone have any experience, positive or negative, of any of the firms that offer this service? GBS A firm from Carlisle fitted mine for the dealer when I bought a Hyundai I30 from Arnold Clarke. I thought a good price but don’t recall how much and certainly a good job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medic1281 Posted January 19, 2021 Report Share Posted January 19, 2021 P f Jones were brilliant with mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBS Posted January 19, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2021 Thank you for the replies. I should have clarified, I am looking at companies online who offer to come and do a mobile fitting at your house. I'm slightly surprised at the cost but i think i had underestimated the work involved. GBS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reggiegun Posted January 19, 2021 Report Share Posted January 19, 2021 Be carful who you use, as with modern cars, if it isn’t fit correctly, you can wreck your ecu. Best to have a dedicated wiring lume fitted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billytheghillie Posted January 19, 2021 Report Share Posted January 19, 2021 1 hour ago, GBS said: Thank you for the replies. I should have clarified, I am looking at companies online who offer to come and do a mobile fitting at your house. I'm slightly surprised at the cost but i think i had underestimated the work involved. GBS I realise you are looking at a mobile fitter, but i took my Suzuki Vitara to the dealers Blackshaws of Alnwick last month and it cost £415 fitted. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Medic1281 Posted January 19, 2021 Report Share Posted January 19, 2021 these are mobile, and I couldn’t fault them. https://www.pfjones.co.uk/tow-bars.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kennett Posted January 19, 2021 Report Share Posted January 19, 2021 We had Towbar express come out and do ours on the drive, when we had an BMW X1. Can't fault them in any way, very quick and efficient and didn't adversely affect the car in any way. They came with the wrong colour fixings, black rather than white and the fitter checked we were happy to have them temporarily and he came back the next day and swapped them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ratchers Posted January 19, 2021 Report Share Posted January 19, 2021 Years ago wanted a towbar fitted to my partner tepee and couldn't believe the quotes,peugeot wanted £500+, my service garage wanted £350, finally picked indespension in Carlisle at £250, why do modern cars have such difficult electrical systems?🤬 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oowee Posted January 19, 2021 Report Share Posted January 19, 2021 1 hour ago, ratchers said: Years ago wanted a towbar fitted to my partner tepee and couldn't believe the quotes,peugeot wanted £500+, my service garage wanted £350, finally picked indespension in Carlisle at £250, why do modern cars have such difficult electrical systems?🤬 Quote for my wife's disco sport is around £800. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DUNKS Posted January 20, 2021 Report Share Posted January 20, 2021 I never have been a lover of Indespension. The mechanical side of towbar fitting now is usually a doddle. It's the electricery that can go horribly wrong. I used to fit towbars when you just drilled the bumper and fitted shaped spacers and put in a heavy duty flasher unit. Happy days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ant.mass Posted January 20, 2021 Report Share Posted January 20, 2021 did mine on my Suzuki Vitara last year very easy and took me an hour and half Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBS Posted January 20, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2021 Thank you for all responses, i have quotes of £430 - £880 so far. 14 hours ago, kennett said: We had Towbar express come out and do ours on the drive, when we had an BMW X1. Can't fault them in any way, very quick and efficient and didn't adversely affect the car in any way. They came with the wrong colour fixings, black rather than white and the fitter checked we were happy to have them temporarily and he came back the next day and swapped them. This is reassuring as they are the lower quote. GBS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
udderlyoffroad Posted January 20, 2021 Report Share Posted January 20, 2021 (edited) 19 hours ago, reggiegun said: you can wreck your ecu. Best to have a dedicated wiring lume loom fitted. This. Ensure the fitter is going to use a proper, OEM spec loom and not bluddy Scothloks! Though are you sure you can't DIY it? Go on to the towbar manufacturer's website, and download the fitting instructions for your vehicle. The loom should be plug-in on any modern vehicle, usually behind the offside light cluster. You may need to take your car to a dealer or brand-specialist independent in order to tell the ECU a towing socket is present, but that should be 0.5hr's labour. Edited to add: Gah, it seems Witter Towbars have decided to put their technical info on their website only accessible to the trade. That's one company I won't be buying from then. Edited January 20, 2021 by udderlyoffroad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBS Posted January 20, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2021 1 hour ago, udderlyoffroad said: This. Ensure the fitter is going to use a proper, OEM spec loom and not bluddy Scothloks! Though are you sure you can't DIY it? Go on to the towbar manufacturer's website, and download the fitting instructions for your vehicle. The loom should be plug-in on any modern vehicle, usually behind the offside light cluster. You may need to take your car to a dealer or brand-specialist independent in order to tell the ECU a towing socket is present, but that should be 0.5hr's labour. Edited to add: Gah, it seems Witter Towbars have decided to put their technical info on their website only accessible to the trade. That's one company I won't be buying from then. Thank you for this. Please can you elaborate why ScotchLocks are such a bad idea? I'm sure I could DIY it but it would be another thing to add to a very long list. I think this may be one of those things that its will be quicker and easier to pay for - happy wife, happy life! GBS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Agriv8 Posted January 20, 2021 Report Share Posted January 20, 2021 Modern tail lights are driven from the car ecu and have elaborate system to tell if a bulb fails - some cars you may get away with adding a trailer relay system Most modern cars will have a plug somewhere for a tow bar electrics ecu to go ( my van was under near side for step ) this new ECU is coded ( added ) to the car ECU so they can talk to each other. my Audi trailer ecu also added warning of bulb failure on trailer and other stuff including telling stability and breaking systems that a trailer was fitted. I have fitted all my own tow bars vw passat x2 simple relay box Ford C-Max ecu and loom Audi A6 avant - expensive ecu and loom Transit Custom ecu and loom In most cases the dedicated wire loom ecu and coding cost as much or more that the metal work etc regards Agriv8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GBS Posted January 20, 2021 Author Report Share Posted January 20, 2021 Thanks Agriv8, This is for a 2009 (current shape) Toyota Landcruiser. The option of a Toyota wiring loom is an additional £100 on top of £400 or so. GBS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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