Retrofitting Towbar

[SteveM]

Stu,

Been through the old posts on this topic... And found another recommended fitter in Horndean which is closer to me. I have also looked up the DIY instructions and feel this could also be an option. Was there a thread that captured your experience doing this? I have really searched but can't find!? Else any pointers besides the right specific wiring kit?

Steve.

 

[Stu]

Hi Steve,

My concern with a 3rd party installer is that you really do need to make sure they install the Westfalia VW wiring kit. I found this is quite time consuming and hence why the main dealer cost is so high. I don't think £450 would be commercially viable for an installer to do a proper job and include the removable bar with Westfalia electrics.

It's been a while since I installed mine and I recall posting some pointers but not a full guide (think I got carried away and stopped taking pictures!!). I have recently been helping another member via email and he was going to post up his experiences, but I guess like all of us time is a premium and he also found his dealer wasn't able to do the coding correctly so he's booked for a second visit.

I have the installation instructions in PDF if you'd like me to mail them to you. Drop me a PM with your email address. Also I'm thinking you may be local to me so perhaps I can help you out.

 

[teeboy]

I have a westfalia detachable towbar and pukka wiring kit in my living room. I am cuurently in the south of france, but will be fitting it on the next available weekend. I am happy with bar bit, the wiring bit is a bit scary. I will make some notes as I go. T

Sent from my GT-N7100 using Tapatalk

 

[SteveM]

Realising time is precious I have decided to go to www.philtaylortowbars.co.uk near Portsmouth who will fit the Westfalia detachable bar / Westfalia model specific wiring for £530 which seems good enough and saves a lot of travel to save £50. I report back on the experience!

Steve,

 

[SteveM]

Good experience with Phil Taylor tow bars ...we started off with a bit of a misunderstanding - I interpreted 'Westfalia bar and vehicle specific wiring' as both items being from Westfalia ... they meant 'Westfalia bar and other vehicle specific wring'. When I saw the RC code on the box mentioned in earlier posts alarm bells went off! After a bit of head scratching they quickly found a pukka Westfalia kit (13 pin) on the shelf and fitted that so all worked out well. In the end they also remarked as to the quality of the kit and how well it went in. They had been worried about the routing.

Would recommend them for those looking in the future - lesson is just be clear that it is really Westfalia vehicle specific wiring. They also do as good as anyone else deals on bike racks etc so sorted me out a Thule Easybase and built it for me - perfect!

Steve.

 

[Stu]

Sounds like a good result then. Lucky you were alert to the use of a Right Connections electrics kit.

 

[SteveM]

Stu - yes really appreciated your advice.

Thanks,

Steve.

 

[Stu]

You're very welcome.

 

[greatnortherncamper]

Been looking through this thread and it seems I should be looking at around £500 to have a fairly good job done of fitting an official VW/westfalia removable bar and wiring loom using a non VW fitting company.

Does anyone have any idea if VW themselves have a standard price for this retrofit and if so how much it is - mine is a 62 plate DSG 4motion with sensors front and rear (and reversing camera).

Fairly sure there is no "pre-wiring".

Any thoughts and comments welcomed - we're in North Scotland so your "local" star performer may not work so well for us.

Thanks in advance.

 

[briwy]

We were quoted over £700 by a dealer last year. Bit cheeky as from what I can gather they farm it out to the place where we got it done for somewhere between £400-£450.

 

[Custardtart]

I believe you can tell if you've got the pre-wiring fitted by checking the options codes on the build sticker. Mine are on a label under the driver's seat. The codes for trailer hitch preparation are 1D7 or 1D8 as far as I can tell. My code is 1D0 which is without trailer hitch.

I phoned my local dealer for a price and they quoted in excess of £1100 to fit a detachable tow bar with electrics.

I've had a quote from a local westalia agent (who tell me they sub for the dealer) at £580 using genuine westfalia bar and electrics.

There's another westfalia agent in my area but they refused to quote over the phone saying the needed to see the vehicle.

 

[Andy]

A few of us have bought westfalia detachable (OEM) towbar from PF Jones, check their website for their fitters.

 

[dayslikethis]

Been looking through this thread and it seems I should be looking at around £500 to have a fairly good job done of fitting an official VW/westfalia removable bar and wiring loom using a non VW fitting company.

Does anyone have any idea if VW themselves have a standard price for this retrofit and if so how much it is - mine is a 62 plate DSG 4motion with sensors front and rear (and reversing camera).

Fairly sure there is no "pre-wiring".

Any thoughts and comments welcomed - we're in North Scotland so your "local" star performer may not work so well for us.

Thanks in advance.

I have the same vehicle and about to go down the retro fit route - how did you get on?

 

[NickD]

We just had our done by a VW main dealer for £580 with a genuine westfalia removable bar with 13 pin electrics. They contracted it out to a third party fitter. It appears alright although we haven't towed anything yet.

It's caused a bit of upset though because they forgot to deliver us the key to remove it or the storage bag and instructions...

 

[dayslikethis]

We just had our done by a VW main dealer for £580 with a genuine westfalia removable bar with 13 pin electrics. They contracted it out to a third party fitter. It appears alright although we haven't towed anything yet.

It's caused a bit of upset though because they forgot to deliver us the key to remove it or the storage bag and instructions...

That sounds good. We have 2 x e bikes at 26kg each so putting them on the T5 rack can be challenging so decided to go for a tow hitch rack. Calling with fitter tomorrow (armed with my notes from this forum). Many thanks.

 

[T6 CFO]

We just had our done by a VW main dealer for £580 with a genuine westfalia removable bar with 13 pin electrics. They contracted it out to a third party fitter. It appears alright although we haven't towed anything yet.

It's caused a bit of upset though because they forgot to deliver us the key to remove it or the storage bag and instructions...

Mine is a removable factory fit and when not in use it lives in the toolbox along with the key. Might be worth a look in there.


Mike

 

[NickD]

Mine is a removable factory fit and when not in use it lives in the toolbox along with the key. Might be worth a look in there.


Mike

Thanks for the suggestion! Sadly it wasn't in the toolkit.

 

[Lewis]

We just had our done by a VW main dealer for £580 with a genuine westfalia removable bar with 13 pin electrics. They contracted it out to a third party fitter. It appears alright although we haven't towed anything yet.

It's caused a bit of upset though because they forgot to deliver us the key to remove it or the storage bag and instructions...

This sounds like a good price. Would you mind sharing which dealership?

 

[NickD]

This sounds like a good price. Would you mind sharing which dealership?

VW Leicester.