RS Wagon Aftermarket Towbar Update

Rosie · 27-07-2011, 09:16 AM

If you're a RS wagon owner in Sydney there are now a couple of options for aftermarket towbars.

As described on another thread, Hayman Resse make a bar for Skoda wagons only. This is the "factory" bar the dealers will want your first born child to fit. From HR it retails for $762.40 list, and another $240 or so for the circuit protection. Over a grand and you still have to get it fitted. The same bar can be fitted and wired for $950 - $1000 by either Jim at Cosmopolitan Towbars Botany, or by Steve at Shop 1 Auto, Gladesville.

Both installations are done using the Hayman Reese SmartCat ECU protection. These controller and harness units come in several variants for VAG vehicles. They not only split the brake and park lights, but also provide a fuseable circuit between the towing and car electronics, thus removing any concerns about voiding warranty.

One thing to consider is that although the Hayman Reese is a hitch type bar it is still a light duty bar. It's a 40mm hitch receiver, not the usual HR 50mm, and is rated at 1300kg towing, and 75kg dead weight (bike rack, etc.) on the ball. Let's face it, unless you own a Toureg, VAG cars aren't going to be towing horse floats, SharkCats, or Boeing 747's.

I opted for a standards towbar (two bolt tongue) from Jim at Cosmopolitan with the same wiring as described above for $590 fitted and wired. It is the same bar that he uses for Golf wagons, and required so little cutting of the rear bumper as not to be noticeable. The 7 pin flat socket was fitted very neatly with no cabling visible. The bar provides the same if not better ground clearance than the HR, and has 1000kg towing capacity and a 70kg rated ball dead weight, which is plenty for a bike rack.

We've had a Thule Euroride bike carrier for 4 years. My wife bought a Golf VI 2.0 TDI, and we had Steve fit a bar to take the bike rack. Six months later I bought my RS wagon, and the options were to either only carry bikes on the Golf, get a bar for the RS, or get another two bike roof carry systems (at $250 each) for the RS roof racks. Some may prefer the appearance of the HR hitch, but for my needs I couldn't justify the additional $400. I might be biased, but I actually think the bar I've got is tidier than the hitch bar.

It is important to note that the reversing sensors will still activate in reverse gear when towing. I'm not sure if this can be changed with VCDS coding. I'll quiz Matt about it when I'm out at Camden GTI later this week. For me, it's not a problem. The small amount of initial anoyance is more than compensated for by the large amount of dollars that I've saved on my aftermarket bar.

I've had good dealings, and good outcomes, with both Steve and Jim. They are both very professional, and do a good clean job. Jim had done plenty of VW's before, but mine was his first Skoda. Before undoing a screw Jim did a thorough investigation of the electrics before then examining the bar mounting position. He also took time out during the fitting to give me options and then ask me what I wanted to do with regard to socket location and a couple of other things rather than just going ahead and doing it his way. Service is more than a word at Cosmopolitan. I gladly recommend both businesses to anyone looking for an aftermarket towbar for their VAG vehicle.

**K1W1** · 27-07-2011, 03:18 PM

Great information.
I'm sure many people would appreciate a photo or two.

Rosie · 28-07-2011, 01:38 PM

A couple of photos of the towbar fitted to my RS.

**GTR27** · 07-08-2011, 08:05 PM

Any love in Brisbane? I'd look at the HR option as I like the more stealth look.

**Ocy_RS_TDi_Kombi** · 10-08-2011, 09:43 PM

I've got the Best Bar towbar which is rated to tow 1,300kg and 75kg on the ball. If the HR was available at the time I would have got it.

My parents recently sold their holiday house on the Mornington Peninsula so on the weekend we had to move all the furniture out of it. I hooked up a covered furniture trailer (tandem trailer which is 10 x 6 and about 8 foot high) from the local servo to the Ocy and drove to the holiday house. Must admit it drove well and easily sat on the speed limit - turbo diesel donk doing what it does well, however fuel economy was approx 11l/100km from the wind drag! Normally it’s low 6’s on that type of trip.

The trailer was loaded up with stuff and the approx weight would have been around 500kg, so in combination with the trailers weight it would have been close to the 1,300kg mark. On the way back you could tell there was xtra weight in the trailer and the motor was working harder (read gruffer engine note) to get the car & trailer going. Fuel economy was approx 12l/100km. All up a 130km round trip with the trailer attached.

In summary it can do it but you could tell we were close to the limits of the car. At no stage did I really push the car as I let build speed and slow down easily.

We recently bought a new Pajero (got rid of the unreliable Citroen) so I'll be putting a towbar on that shortly and if there's any heavy towing I'll use it.

Cheers

**Cranks** · 22-11-2011, 04:43 PM

Hey Ocy_RS_TDi_Kombi,

Care to share where in Melbourne you had your Best Bar towbar fitted?

Thanks.....

**Ocy_RS_TDi_Kombi** · 23-11-2011, 10:09 PM

Auto towbars in Box Hill - they did a really good job. You can buy a Hayman Reese towbar now which from what I understand is approx $300 - $400 cheaper than the Bestbar one I've got.

The only problem with the towbars on Octavia's is they are low at the back and you tend to scrape the towbar coming out of driveways - its not the towbar itself hitting but the hitch/bracket attached to the car.

Cheers