Skodas and tow bars

[wfdTamar]

This is a better thread about tow bars

Octavia Towbar Blues

[Mysticality]

The HR has been on my wish list for some time, and I reckon it'll be the next big purchase.

I love the HR style and I can then put the TREG hitch on the camper trailer because - hot-swap tow bar!

[VRSJas]

Bought one of the euro style bars with the swan neck for my Mk2 from towbars australia ( Towbars Australia - We Deliver) they had to source it from the UK.

Fitting the bar wasn't that hard I haven't attempted the wiring yet. I think that will be a over the xmas break job.
All up cost me a little over $800 delivered with the trailer relay and wiring kit so I don't get a bulb warning light.
Very easy mob to deal with.

Installing the bar took about 1.5h Im guessing the wiring will take that as well.

[CandyWhite_RS]

The wiring was the longest part when mine was fitted by the trailer place, make sure that there aren't any worn or blown globes as they will play havoc with the install, I had a couple of worn globes

[Denny1604]

Hi, l have an Octavia Wagon, l have been given several delivery dates for the tow bar since l purchased my Octavia in March of this year and when l tried Skoda Aust. l got a very spin doctor answer such as "we are looking at it and will have somthing out soon etc", the usual spin doctor statements. Skoda needs to pull its finger out and pull it together if it doesn't want to "loose" potential customers because lets face it we all look at the internet before we purchase and return business, word of mouth is how it works ..... so Skoda your not looking too good. As far as price its interesting if you go to the Czech Skoda site and do a conversion etc, with regards the accessory parts such as mud flaps, l was quoted $150 to buy and put the four mud flaps on the car.... !!!

[Smart1]

Yep, last I heard about towbars (last Friday) is that it will be August, but they will be "Genuine" ones, not the Best Bars ones from earlier models. From what I have been told Skoda has decided to use the parts which are their OEM versions.

As for the mud flaps, i had them fitted pre-delivery from the dealer for $45, which is better than the pre-shipping price out of anywhere.

[brad]

LOL-ing at the new Skoda owners that suddenly realise that Skoda AU are hopeless and Skoda parts in AU are stupidly overpriced.

No offense guys but it's funny seeing the new people come in a regurgitate what's been said a thousand times since 2007.

Thank goodness the cars are better than the management company.

[GTR27]

Skoda AU are useless......I dream of treatment like they get in the UK.

But the long and the short of it, if you want to own a euro car in oz, do lots of research, and be prepared to buy parts from overseas, to avoid the "australia tax" (that lots of people pay because they are too lazy to look on the net, or ill-informed). If you do your research, buy the spares from overseas and have a good relationship with a local mechanic, euro's cost very similar to other cars to maintain/modify. Plus you get the bonus of nicer to drive!

[Skooter]

Been there, done that (fitted towbar). From what I've heard ALL Skodas imported into Oz have the wiring factory-fitted to the Rr of the car - all that's required is a short section to the hitch and connect to a multi-pin plug (mine came with 'incompatible' wiring - for Genmany instead of UK - but managed to sort out what was what and it is all good). The reverse sensors are supposed to turn off but they don't. Instructions explicitly say not to alter the diag settings in the CPU. I don't use a trailer enough to worry about the sensors.

Quotes prices were over the top, went with Jeff at Ironbull but I believe he's off the radar as of some months now. Purchase price with wiring and control unit wasn't too bad ($650). Found an excellent thread on Briskoda for removing the lining in the Rr and fitting the wiring harness was a bit of a hassle, but would be a breeze now that I've done one and seen how the bumper and lining comes out. $1500 is a joke. Mine is the swan-neck variety. Might not have the AS sticker, but have read on this forum that EU standards are accepted for Australia.

[Smart1]

Skooter, be careful, not all EU standards are accepted in OZ. If the towbar is not AS compliant and something happens then at the very least your insurance company will not accept a claim arrising from its failure and you would be held liable for anything arrising from the failure.