tow bar

darby1

Would a tow bar on a used car put you off buying that second hand car?

johnos1984

darby1 wrote: »

Would a tow bar on a used car put you off buying that second hand car?

No but I would check for scratches on the bumper where the hitch is.

Ask the seller questions about its use and why its there.

Some have them for taking garden clipping in a small trailer to the dump, for carrying a dog basket or pulling a horsebox.

I'm going to fit one as its a nice defense if someone rear ends you at low speed. it saved me once

darby1

that's great Johnos, thanks,

will do but say if there was scratches on the bumper where the hitch is what would they have been caused by would you say?

johnos1984

darby1 wrote: »

will do but say if there was scratches on the bumper what would they have been caused by would you say?

In my experience its from almost getting it right but not quiet when reversing up to a large horse box or cattle trailer.

If its a small trailer you can just stop near it and lift it on.

The marks may or may not indicate if it was pulling a heavier trailer. Don't forget to look around the yard your viewing it in if you buying private and if from a dealer try and ask to speak to the previous owner.

If it still has its original cap on the ball of the hitch it would also show it wasn't used for towing as many of these get lost.

The above is just from experience of having a t/bar and using it and buying cars with them fitted

kazul

It would put me off big time. God knows what it was used to pull.
And I don't go in for that crash protection excuse either. The major risk from a hefty punt up the rear is neck/spine injury and a rigid tow bar is most likely going to add to effects of impact IMO. Modern cars are designed to crumple under impact.
A tow bar getting hit from behind will also damage the unseen parts of the car (i.e. chassis) where it's bolted on.
I hate seeing them on "regular" cars. Especially on low-powered petrol cars. Tractors, trucks and 4x4s are for towing. A 1.4 focus which can barely pull itself up a steep hill, is not.

Nonoperational

My Dad has a tow bar exclusively for carrying bicycles on to go away cycling. So they are not all bad! Hard to know alright what it was used for.

Max_Damage

kazul wrote: »

I hate seeing them on "regular" cars. Especially on low-powered petrol cars. Tractors, trucks and 4x4s are for towing. A 1.4 focus which can barely pull itself up a steep hill, is not.

Heh, my Escort Mk6 1.3L has one! Surprisingly, it's able to pull fairly heavy loads without a problem.

kyote00

apart from the cosmetic stuff mentioned already, the real problems to look for are the condition of the clutch, brakes and rear suspension....

If the car has been used to pull heavy loads or used frequently then it can cause extra wear on the clutch, brakes etc...

Useless you want a car with a towbar on it, then leave it be - there are 1000s of cars on the market at the moment....

bmw535d

just check the clutch when test driving, of it doesn't bite till half way of letting it out it could be worn,

johnos1984

kazul wrote: »

And I don't go in for that crash protection excuse either.

I've had two low speed shunts from behind and no damage was done to car including underneath.

If they are attached properly to where the manufacturer specifies then there is no reason to worry.

One tow bar had to be replaced as it flexed again, the car was fine and we settled for him to just replace the damage hitch. Now the cars which rear ended me were a little worse for wear with the bumpers pushed back other light damage

If the speed is fast enough to cause injury the car will be damaged either way and so will you.

Bit of scare tactics with the 'I'd never touch one'.

People fit them for many reasons, some just fit them just in case they need it.

bmw535d

im not so sure id buy a car with over 100,000 miles with a dual mass fly wheel, with a tow-bar.

johnos1984

bmw535d wrote: »

im not so sure id buy a car with over 100,000 miles with a dual mass fly wheel, with a tow-bar.

Even without a tow bar most clued in buyers would be skeptical if thats the scenario

Del2005

kazul wrote: »

It would put me off big time. God knows what it was used to pull.
And I don't go in for that crash protection excuse either. The major risk from a hefty punt up the rear is neck/spine injury and a rigid tow bar is most likely going to add to effects of impact IMO. Modern cars are designed to crumple under impact.
A tow bar getting hit from behind will also damage the unseen parts of the car (i.e. chassis) where it's bolted on.
I hate seeing them on "regular" cars. Especially on low-powered petrol cars. Tractors, trucks and 4x4s are for towing. A 1.4 focus which can barely pull itself up a steep hill, is not.

As others have said some people use them for dog boxes or bike racks.

If someone was pig headed enough to pull stupid loads in a low powered car they would be the very people who would remove the tow bar pre sale, seeing as most of the time it's only a few bolts holding it in and most don't require the bumpers to be cut.

Take each car on it's merits and don't assume anything, but do use the tow bar as a bargaining tool.

Fishtits

[im not so sure id buy a car with over 100,000 miles with a dual mass fly wheel, with a tow-bar. /QUOTE]

Why?

bigboy123

Ah nw there hand yokes for reversing up against a wall,

"Keep goin till ya hear the bang!!!"
:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

johnos1984

bigboy123 wrote: »

Ah nw there hand yokes for reversing up against a wall,

"Keep goin till ya hear the bang!!!"
:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Rural parking sensors

Top Dog

Wouldn't bother me in the least if the car in question was up to standard in all other areas. Have purposely sought out vehicles with towbars in the past and dismissed the ones that didn't have one as it'd be an extra €200ish bill I'd have to foot afterwards.

Del2005

johnos1984 wrote: »

Rural parking sensors

Not just rural:D

Shannonsider

How much does a hitch cost on a new car? Would a main dealer rip you off to get one put on from day one?

R.O.R

Shannonsider wrote: »

How much does a hitch cost on a new car? Would a main dealer rip you off to get one put on from day one?

What car?

Don't get the dealer to do. They'll either use an official part, which is expensive, or they'll get a 3rd party to fit it and add on a margin to the cost.

Shannonsider

Nissan Qashqai.

ianobrien

kazul wrote: »

And I don't go in for that crash protection excuse either. The major risk from a hefty punt up the rear is neck/spine injury and a rigid tow bar is most likely going to add to effects of impact IMO. Modern cars are designed to crumple under impact.
A tow bar getting hit from behind will also damage the unseen parts of the car (i.e. chassis) where it's bolted on.

What a load of sensationalist clap trap. Ya, 30 years ago with home made tow hitches maybe but modern cars have the tow hitch mountings properly designed by the manufacturer. They are at the end of the chassis rails or onto the boot slam panel for a hatchback. The weak/fold points to absorb the impact are in a few inches on the floor and before the fuel tank. The days of home made hitches and splicing into the wiring at the back light is gone thanks to Canbus wiring.

OP, the other posters are right. What it was towing is more important than anything. Have a look for a second 7 pin socket (used to power fridges in caravans) and have a look at the amount of grease/dirt/wear on the ball of the hitch. That'll tell a lot.

We always have at least one vehicle with a tow hitch, even if we only tow once every two years!

R.O.R

Shannonsider wrote: »

Nissan Qashqai.

Never had one fitted to a Qashqai so can't give you a rough cost. Price varies by how much work is involved and the amount of wiring. I also can't recommend anyone around your area as I've only organised in Dublin or Cork, but there must be someone local who does retro fit tow bars.

Shannonsider

Cheers ROR. I'm debating whether to get the dealer to stick it on from day one, or if it would be cheaper to get one privately and get someone local to fit it.

I'm just looking for a rough estimate.

R.O.R

Shannonsider wrote: »

Cheers ROR. I'm debating whether to get the dealer to stick it on from day one, or if it would be cheaper to get one privately and get someone local to fit it.

I'm just looking for a rough estimate.

Rough guess, between €300 & €500.

http://www.miw.ie/shopping_admin/product_details/product.cgi?product=10444

Seems to agree with me.

branners69

Quick question if I can, sorry OP!!

As the family is expanding we recently bought a 2006 VW Sharan, as we will have young kids in the very back seats, a 4 year old and 18 months old, I was half thinking about getting a tow bar added to the back.

My reasoning is that if we are hit from behind that the tow bar will absorb some of the hit? Is this correct?

Also any idea of a rough cost?

Thanks!

Anan1

branners69 wrote: »

Quick question if I can, sorry OP!!

As the family is expanding we recently bought a 2006 VW Sharan, as we will have young kids in the very back seats, a 4 year old and 18 months old, I was half thinking about getting a tow bar added to the back.

My reasoning is that if we are hit from behind that the tow bar will absorb some of the hit? Is this correct?

Also any idea of a rough cost?

Thanks!

No. A towbar will protect your bumper in a light accident by bypassing it. This may save you money, but the occupants will get more of a jolt as the cars rear bumper is prevented from absorbing a share of the energy.