Irish motorists' tow-bar fetish

I'm guessing less than 20 per cent have towbars.toyota car's seem to regularly have them though it seems and also older cars

Used to fit loads of tow bars mainly it was older fellas that wanted them. A lot seem to think that having a towbar will save on damage if rear ended

Most?? Don’t think so. Put them on the back of the car? Where else do you suggest they go? On the roof?

What is the problem? People can spend their money as they wish.

Deleted User wrote: »

I'd imagine they cause a lot more damage in a rear-ending than you would have if no tow bar was fitted.


It's attached to the chassis is it not? So all the impact is going straight to the body of the car and not into the 'cushion' of the crumpling rear bumper, boot etc?


Perhaps I'm wrong, though?

Yes, towbars have to be fitted to the chassis rails, and depending on the level of impact, they can prevent more extreme damage. Between the chassis rail's there is a reinforcing panel ( the bumper is bolted to this ) If you get hit smack in the centre of the bumper, it will be damaged ( obviously ) And the damage can be extensive beneath the bumper, even though it may seem Ok on the surface. But if you have a towbar fitted, it protect's the bumper because it is bolted directly to the chassis rail's. So yes,in a case like this, it protect's the car.
In the case of a very severe rear impact, where both or one of the chassis is severely damaged it will still help, even when the towbar gets bent, it will still have absorbed a lot of the impact.

pablo128 wrote: »

Yeah the car will be ok but your spine and neck will take the impact instead.

You can guarantee that your spine and neck will not get damaged if you don't have a towbar fitted?
Cars are built and designed to have tow bar's fitted, ( or not as the case may be ) the captive nuts for bolting the towbar on are already located in the chassis rail's in most car's, and there is several pages in the manufacturers manual devoted to towing and tow bar's. Mercedes Benz have full instructions including approved wiring harness and sockets. Even additional cooling radiator for the ones with automatic transmission's. So they are an integral part of the design, including the crumple zone.

Nothing like the security of rural parking sensors.

As regards safety, I had a thumping huge How bad fitted on a car before and was rear ended. No damage at all to my car however the car that hit me had a messed up bumper, reg plate and radiator.

Turf. The answer is turf!!! Growing up in the midlands everyone, and I mean everyone had a trailer for turf.
That was 20 or so years ago tho....

Then again the Saab 95 Hot Aero that was on bangernomics a few days ago had a tow bar. At least it would be comfy on a bog road I suppose.

elperello wrote: »

At the price of putting a towbar on a new car nowadays I seriously doubt anyone puts one on without expecting to do a bit of towing.

You would be surprised...In my neck of the woods ( rural Ireland ) anyway, and in this day and age, I know several people who when changing their car, will insist on having a towbar fitted...and in some cases, without even having a trailer, never mind pulling one. Each to his own. Some people approve and some do not.