Volkswagen Tiguan Westfalia detachable towbar with 2 keys and instruction booklet & storage bag

[Beachball]

Amazingly put the towbar on Ebay for sale and within a hour [with offer in place] it was sold for the price I wanted, the only problem that the key was in lock and he wanted it separate, After various attempts the buyers wife suggested a solution which worked? It was on its way to the new owner the next day, well wrapped, pleased to say he was happy with the parcel when it arrived at the destination.

 

[Buckman]

Must have cost a fortune to ship a tow bar?

 

[Dustydog]

Amazingly put the towbar on Ebay for sale and within a hour [with offer in place] it was sold for the price I wanted, the only problem that the key was in lock and he wanted it separate, After various attempts the buyers wife suggested a solution which worked? It was on its way to the new owner the next day, well wrapped, pleased to say he was happy with the parcel when it arrived at the destination.

What did she do? Did you replace the VW oem rear girder chassis support?

 

[Woodentop]

I am puzzled. You can only remove the key on a Westfalia when it is in the unlocked position.
Finger trouble?

 

[Beachball]

Must have cost a fortune to ship a tow bar?

it was very reason price i had no complains

 

[Beachball]

What did she do? Did you replace the VW oem rear girder chassis support?

How did i do that i haven"t got my towcar that was sold last May

 

[otherclive]

What did she do? Did you replace the VW oem rear girder chassis support?

On three cars now I have left the towbar on and just put the rear cross member in the boot. The cars were on the forecourt still with towbar and I doubt that the cross members were offered to prospective buyers.

 

[Buckman]

On three cars now I have left the towbar on and just put the rear cross member in the boot. The cars were on the forecourt still with towbar and I doubt that the cross members were offered to prospective buyers.

With the previous Jeep when I offered to add the rear cross member the dealer was not interested as apparently the tow bar is a selling point. It is fair hunk of iron, but we manage to off load it to a scrap merchant that comes around every now and then.

 

[RogerL]

With the previous Jeep when I offered to add the rear cross member the dealer was not interested as apparently the tow bar is a selling point. It is fair hunk of iron, but we manage to off load it to a scrap merchant that comes around every now and then.

Some cars like Jeep and Land-Rover are more attractive with a fitted towbar - but it bothers me that other cars have their towbar removed by the dealer at trade-in time and don't refit the bumper armature as it's not normally visible - such cars would be very weak in a rear end crash, particularly those with a 3rd row of seats in the boot area.

 

[Buckman]

Some cars like Jeep and Land-Rover are more attractive with a fitted towbar - but it bothers me that other cars have their towbar removed by the dealer at trade-in time and don't refit the bumper armature as it's not normally visible - such cars would be very weak in a rear end crash, particularly those with a 3rd row of seats in the boot area.

The vast majority would not know, but an investigation would point back to the dealer or seller if private and they would be in serious trouble so probably not worth the risk?

 

[otherclive]

Some cars like Jeep and Land-Rover are more attractive with a fitted towbar - but it bothers me that other cars have their towbar removed by the dealer at trade-in time and don't refit the bumper armature as it's not normally visible - such cars would be very weak in a rear end crash, particularly those with a 3rd row of seats in the boot area.

And it’s likely that they have no rear recovery point for fitting the eye bolt. My towbars on two cars would have been the recovery attachment as when the OEM cross member had been replaced by the tow bar the towbar had no point into which the eyebolt could be screwed in to.

 

[Beachball]

Volkswagen Tiguan rear cross member still in my garage when i took the car in they did not want that or the towbar

 

[otherclive]

Volkswagen Tiguan rear cross member still in my garage when i took the car in they did not want that or the towbar

Oh dear, how unprofessional. When the tow bar was removed why wasn’t the cross member replaced, it’s not a long job.

 

[Buckman]

Oh dear, how unprofessional. When the tow was removed why wasn’t the cross member replaced, it’s not a long job.

I wonder if there will be implications if dealer sells on the car or any car without adding the cross member as it is no longer standard. Whoever buys the vehicle without the cross member is buying a modified vehicle may not know that it does not have a cross member. This may have an effect on any insurance claim. In addition, it is no longer safe so probably not roadworthy? Could be interesting?

 

[Dustydog]

Volkswagen Tiguan rear cross member still in my garage when i took the car in they did not want that or the towbar

I wonder what will happen at MOT time?

 

[Beachball]

Oh dear, how unprofessional. When the tow bar was removed why wasn’t the cross member replaced, it’s not a long job.

They just said put the plug over the hole and the electric socket was behind the bumper .

 

[RogerL]

Volkswagen Tiguan rear cross member still in my garage when i took the car in they did not want that or the towbar

That's my exact fear - not your fault but someone has bought your Tiguan not knowing it could be a death trap in a rear end smash.

 

[Beachball]

That's my exact fear - not your fault but someone has bought your Tiguan not knowing it could be a death trap in a rear end smash.

Hi RogerL I did leave my mobile number and details in the paperwork .

 

[JTQ]

Even if a private sale, here in the UK, surely the vehicle has to be "roadworthy", unless sold as specifically not, would the missing armature a major structural safety item deem the car as un roadworthy?

I suspect in a case of a fatality arising, related to that omission, it would be.

 

[Beachball]

I wonder what will happen at MOT time?

I have done a check and passed it MOT so everything must be okay

 

[Dustydog]

I have done a check and passed it MOT so everything must be okay

Assuming the tester didn’t notice the missing structure. But then why would the tester know or not know part of the structure is missing??🤔

 

[trevormonty]

Some cars like Jeep and Land-Rover are more attractive with a fitted towbar - but it bothers me that other cars have their towbar removed by the dealer at trade-in time and don't refit the bumper armature as it's not normally visible - such cars would be very weak in a rear end crash, particularly those with a 3rd row of seats in the boot area.

Towing puts a lot more stress on a vehicle and in some cases can damage it if towing rating is exceeded. Towing is particularly hard on transmission fluids. Bet most owners towing heavy loads on regular basis don't increase service intervals as per manufacturers recommendations. To me a used vehicle without a towbar is more attractive even though I would need to spend extra to fit towbar.

In case of vehicles especially 4wd used for towing boat there is chance is has had its wheels or even rear submerged in saltwater.

 

[Buckman]

Towing puts a lot more stress on a vehicle and in some cases can damage it if towing rating is exceeded. Towing is particularly hard on transmission fluids. Bet most owners towing heavy loads on regular basis don't increase service intervals as per manufacturers recommendations. To me a used vehicle without a towbar is more attractive even though I would need to spend extra to fit towbar.

In case of vehicles especially 4wd used for towing boat there is chance is has had its wheels or even rear submerged in saltwater.

On the sixties Jeep Gladiator that we used to launch the boat into the sea, quite often the exhaust was bubbling under the water. Used it for many years with hardly any signs of rust. However when we returned home, we did wash it down every time with fresh water as we had to do the same with the two 40hp Yamaha motors.

 

[JTQ]

On looking to buy, if what we read here is as common as it appears, to avoid a car used previously for towing, just check if it has a "hook", or is missing its rear crash protection armature.

That by the design presents difficulties with Land Rover Disco 3 &4s, but then buyers of them are quite likely to have, and it is something the diesels can take in their stride without much issue.