Towbar and dedicated wiring loom advice

[Michael_374390745]

Yes, me AGAIN!

Hello,

I am new to the world of caravanning and the advice on this forum which I have recieved has been fantastic, so heere is another question for you all....

I am needing some specific advice surrounding the fitting of a towbar to my car.

Car details:

Audi A6 Saloon, 2.0 TDi , 2008 '58 reg. It is a company car (car is on a 3 year lease) my employers and the leasing company have authorised me getting a towbar fitted to tow a van.

I have requested quotes from various companies and they are coming in at around £260- £280 for a standard 'swan neck' type and £390 for a detatchable type. These prices included standard 'aftermarket 'electrics.

They have then given me the option to 'upgrade' the electrics to what they have called 'vehicle specific wiring loom' at a cost of an additional £210.

My question is whether the dedicated wiring loom justifies the rather significant additional expense. I am a newbie, so this may be a daft question, but in my shoes would you go for this option.

Any advice/thoughts appreciated as always

Mikeyboy44

 

[Parksy]

I've copied this post to Towcars where you may get more of a response

 

[Ian_374399083]

Mike.

I'm in the same position as you, being a newbiw to caravaning, although I have previously towed horses on another car. I've just ordered our new van .. the Pageant Limousin, which comes with the 13 pin connection. My current car is a BMW 535i M-Sport (yr 2000). To maintain the asthestic appearance at the backend, I'm opting for the detachable Westfalia towbar, and retro-fitting the current rear diffuser panel with one which has a removable insert in the middle, allowing me to attach the towbar when necessary, but insert a small panel where the towbar would normally be, when removed, thus providing the exact same appearance as present.

My issue is with the specific wiring kit. Do I use the genuine car specific 13 pin wiring kit from BMW, or opt for one which is considerably cheaper? As the new van comes with 13 pin as standard, I intend to have power feeding the battery & fridge when towing, but have been informed I'll also need to fit a continuous plus relay.

BMW quoted me over

 

[Ian_374399083]

Mike.

I'm in the same position as you, being a newbiw to caravaning, although I have previously towed horses on another car. I've just ordered our new van .. the Pageant Limousin, which comes with the 13 pin connection. My current car is a BMW 535i M-Sport (yr 2000). To maintain the asthestic appearance at the backend, I'm opting for the detachable Westfalia towbar, and retro-fitting the current rear diffuser panel with one which has a removable insert in the middle, allowing me to attach the towbar when necessary, but insert a small panel where the towbar would normally be, when removed, thus providing the exact same appearance as present.

My issue is with the specific wiring kit. Do I use the genuine car specific 13 pin wiring kit from BMW, or opt for one which is considerably cheaper? As the new van comes with 13 pin as standard, I intend to have power feeding the battery & fridge when towing, but have been informed I'll also need to fit a continuous plus relay.

BMW quoted me over

 

[paul.bower]

Hi michael

I had the same dilema with my A6, it's all to do with the canbus system thats on the car, this is the electrical system that goes around the car and deals with the abs, traction control ect as long as the tow bar fitter fits the correct relay (which every reputable towbar fitter should do) you have no problems i think it is just easier for them to plug in to the loom with the dedicated electrics than with the standard electric kits and if you want to take the bar off at the end of the lease to put it on another A6. My audi is on lease from Audi and they we ok with either.

Hope this helps

Regards

Paul

 

[BigTim]

Hi Michael

I have a Kia Sorento (07) and last Spring had it fitted with a 13 pin socket. I opted for a Sorento dedicated kit from Towequippe AND bought the additional relay for the fridge charging. I went for a dedicated wiring kit as I wanted one which plugged-into the car's wiring and which turned off the rear-reversing sensors when hitched-up. I, alos, wanted to ensure I had the right connections for the ATC which I was having retrofitted to my Bailey Senator

I'm not much of a techie and had my usual mechanic fit this. However when my mechanic had the interior panels stripped out ready to install the kit he found that the socket, even with the additional relay kit, was missing a pin. Annoyingly he had to put the panels back again and wait for Towequippe to send out the necessary pin for the socket. I think it was the pin that runs the fridge that was missing, although I'm not sure of this.

Towequippe promised to raise this problme with WESTFALIA the makers of the wiring kits. However, I have recently replied to a post about a similar problem on the UK Sorento forum where a chap had exactly the same problem so it looks as though NOTHING had been done by Towequippe almost a year later!!!

I have seen posts about this problem before in connection with VWs and I think it may arise because Continental caravans don't have wiring for running the fridge when travelling and so Continental car makers, and their kit suppliers, don't provide for this in the their dedicated wiring kits.

Whichever kit you buy I would advise you to check the specifications very carefully.

Regards

Tim

 

[Michael_374390745]

Hi everyone, thanks for all of your replies. I still have not had anything fitted, but need to get this done within the next few weeks ready for the season.

I have had all sorts of conflicting information, some of my local fitters have claimed a dedicated wiring loom is a must-have wheras others have said standard twin electrics are fine as long as fitted properly. All very confusing for a newbie like myself!!

I spoke to Audi who quoted... wait for it...

 

[Glenn_5132962]

The the best compromise between cost & not spoiling your cars electrics I would go for an aftermarket towbar from witter or brink etc & buy the geniune wiring kit from Audi & have a local towbar fitter fit both. Thats what I did with my Jag (although I did the fitting).

 

[Ian_374399083]

Mike.

It's just typical of main dealers to quote these riduculous prices. The dealer will only order the genuine towbar and arrange for a local towbar fitting company to fit to the car. The original towbar in the case of most German manufacturers, it'll be either the Westfalia or Bosal.

My best advice is look to Towequipe and order a detachable towbar from them, together with the specific wiring kit for your Audi. You'll also need a continous relay unit. Then take the whole lot to a local fitting company, who will fit the lot for about

 

[paul.bower]

michael, went for the standard twin electrics, this is a lease car from Audi and they said as long as it was fitted by an approved towbar supplyer everything would be ok, but as the rear bumper has to be cut and if i want to take the towbar off when the car is returned i would have to put a new bumper on, needless to say the bar will be stopping on i paid

 

[xtrailman]

This link may be of use?

http://www.towbarexpress.co.uk/dedicated_wiring.html