White rose Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 I've had a couple of quotes around £400 for a towbar fitting on my new-to-me S-Max, I'm told it's high due to the parking sensor electrics. I can't decide whether, if I keep phoning round for a cheaper quote and get one, I should then be suspicious that they've not taken this into account . .. Advice from existing S-Max owners very welcome :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ReggiePerrin Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Not an Smax owner but £400 towbar, dedicated electrics & fitting sounds good to me. ........... I paid more for a 59 plate Mondeo mk4. It was a detachable though which added to the cost. Quote This post is not intended to suggest you are pedantic or that you shouldn't ever post again. It is not retaliatory in its intent and I apologise for any offence it may give rise to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
perksm Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Sounds abour right for supply and fit Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 (edited) That's what I paid for a Westfalia detachable with dedicated electrics Edited March 8, 2014 by matelodave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White rose Posted March 8, 2014 Author Share Posted March 8, 2014 Thank you. I have no way to phrase this without sounding utterly daft, but are there any other benefits to a detachable one other than being able to take it off so it doesn't "spoil" the look of the car? I was just looking at them and worrying that we'd detach the relevant bit, put it somewhere safe, and we'd never find it again :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 Entirely a matter for you. I prefer to take it off, it saves it getting rusty, it also save my shins when I'm getting stuff in & out of the back. It's a pretty big lump to get lost - if you think you are going to lose it store it somewhere obvious like in the van or one of the under floor cubby holes in the car. In the end you pays your money & takes your choice but it's not worth losing sleep about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White rose Posted March 8, 2014 Author Share Posted March 8, 2014 Entirely a matter for you. I prefer to take it off, it saves it getting rusty, it also save my shins when I'm getting stuff in & out of the back. It's a pretty big lump to get lost - if you think you are going to lose it store it somewhere obvious like in the van or one of the under floor cubby holes in the car. In the end you pays your money & takes your choice but it's not worth losing sleep about The day I lose sleep over a towbar will be the day I quit caravanning ? The sleep I'm losing over layout is, however, a different matter! Thank you for that - had never really thought about them getting rusty. ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPG Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 We have the witter fixed one on our Smax. £375 fitted by the dealer with the ford dedicated electrics. Main reason for a fixed is for the bike rack but can't use it with the Smax when towing as struggle with the 90kgs nose weight as it is. However it's there if we need it. Mike Quote VW Touareg 3. 0L V6 262 R Line with a Unicorn IV Segovia trying to keep up! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 My brother had a fixed bar fitted to his S-Max but without the dedicated electronics which caused problems with the reversing sensors - they detected the towbar so were unusable. A removeable towbar save that problems if you aren't having dedicated electronics. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 £395 for my alko towbar and vehicle specific electrics for citroen grand picasso from cdf towbars mobile man Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smarty Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 When we had an Smax we put the detachable towbar under the boot floor in the little cubby right at the very rear. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rodders53 Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 S-Max and Galaxy bars and wiring are, afaik, identical . ... We paid circa £600 to get this done 3 years ago (removable Bosal make) by the local NTTA fitter using dedicated wiring (costlier) and they had the ability to 'code' the car. .. Otherwise it was back to a Ford dealer to do the coding. The coding ensures that a faulty trailer bulb is detected and signalled on the info panel, amongst other things (reverse sensor cutout, car fog lamp inhibit etc. ,.) . The towbar replaces the metal 'crash' reinforcement behind the rear 'bumper' moulding. I was offered and kept mine. Check your towbar supplier can do the coding (or how much it will cost to have it done) before committing to the job! Talking to the suppliers can give you a feel for their knowledge (or abysmal lack of in th case of some I asked for prices from in this neck of the woods.) Quote 2012 Bailey Pegasus 2 Rimini towed by 2019 Ford Galaxy Titanium X, 2.0 EcoBlue, 8 speed auto. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paul_B Posted March 8, 2014 Share Posted March 8, 2014 I'm in the process of buying one for mondeo, £275 with fixed towball, £100 plus extra for dedicated wiring & extra for removable towball. With dedicated wiring I will have to take the car to a ford agent to program it in. I like fixed tow-balls as I use them to rest my foot while tying my shoelaces after a days fishing in wellies Quote Paul B . .......Mondeo Estate & Elddis Avanté 505 (Tobago) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White rose Posted March 25, 2014 Author Share Posted March 25, 2014 Thank you all for the info - yes, we did have to go Witter detachable in the end to avoid confusing the parking sensors, it cost a total of £365. I'd have no hesitation in recommending chap who installed it if anyone wants a mobile towbar fitter in the Leeds area - he was helpful, informative and generally reassuring, and was recommended by the Ford dealership who apparently no longer fit them in-house. Rodders - I'm really glad that you mentioned that the towbar replaces a large chunk of metal that had previously been behind the bumper, Mr WR looked at me quite askance when I told him what was on his garage floor :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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