Appaling customer service from Tow-Trust Towbars

[MercedesDriver]

Fuming.
The W212 I've recently purchased has installed tow bar from Tow-Trust Towbars, but the towball is missing.
I've found their webpage, checked matching part numbers and found the part number of towball which I don't have.
After contacting customer service I was told that they can not supply only tow ball because they don't know why it was removed in first place?
Eh???

 

[texterted]

Who actually makes the towbar?

Witter, Westfalia etc...

 

[MercedesDriver]

Who actually makes the towbar?

Witter, Westfalia etc...

I don't know. I thought it's their product. There is a label with their name and product number on towbar.

 

[davidjpowell]

I see where they are coming from. What if it's been removed because it is unsafe...

Why not ask if they have a dealer who can check the towbar and supply a towball?

 

[219]

Appalling spelling in this thread too

 

[219]

Mercedes factory fit is usually Oris.

 

[MercedesDriver]

I see where they are coming from. What if it's been removed because it is unsafe... Why not ask if they have a dealer who can check the towbar and supply a towball?

It might be the case but that option was not offered at all, I was only offered to buy the whole package of tow bar with tow ball. I'm not a towing guru but as I can see everything underneath is solid and undamaged. Swan tow ball was fitted at some point as there are visible marks of washers and spacers.

 

[BoristheBounce]

It might be the case but that option was not offered at all, I was only offered to buy the whole package of tow bar with tow ball. I'm not a towing guru but as I can see everything underneath is solid and undamaged. Swan tow ball was fitted at some point as there are visible marks of washers and spacers.

Don't shoot the messenger here but.....on my last motor I used to undo the tow bar swan neck and stow it in my boot alongside the spare wheel when not in use, have you checked by any chance

 

[219]

So the towball has been unbolted , as opposed to a detachable one ?

How many previous owners does the car have ?

Chances are a previous owner removed it when not in use - you will have the last owner's details on the V5 , so I'd suggest worth contacting him to see if he still has it .

If more than one previous owner , you can get the full list from DVLA .

Another possibility is that any garage involved in trading the car may have done it .

A little bit of detective work may pay off .

 

[BoristheBounce]

So the towball has been unbolted , as opposed to a detachable one ?

How many previous owners does the car have ?

Chances are a previous owner removed it when not in use - you will have the last owner's details on the V5 , so I'd suggest worth contacting him to see if he still has it .

If more than one previous owner , you can get the full list from DVLA .

Another possibility is that any garage involved in trading the car may have done it .

A little bit of detective work may pay off .

 

[MercedesDriver]

Don't shoot the messenger here but.....on my last motor I used to undo the tow bar swan neck and stow it in my boot alongside the spare wheel when not in use, have you checked by any chance

It came to my mind also, so while you were typing, I've checked the spare wheel and all other possible hidden places but no success. :/

So the towball has been unbolted , as opposed to a detachable one ? How many previous owners does the car have ? Chances are a previous owner removed it when not in use - you will have the last owner's details on the V5 , so I'd suggest worth contacting him to see if he still has it . If more than one previous owner , you can get the full list from DVLA . Another possibility is that any garage involved in trading the car may have done it . A little bit of detective work may pay off .

Yes, it's been unbolted hopefully by previous owner.
One owner before me and I have her address on V5. I'll write her tomorrow. Thanks.

 

[w124nut]

A month ago I purchased a Tow-Trust Tow-bar and had it fitted to my latest non-Mercedes run around. The tow-bar I purchased was described as swan-necked and is detachable.

My first attempt at putting the tow-ball on the car was a difficult one as it appeared that it didn't fit that easily. Anyway job done I drove off thankfully without my trailer. The following day I noticed that the tow-ball was missing presumably having fallen off. A search of my local area over the routes that I had driven proved fruitless.

I had no alternative but to purchase a new tow-ball from Tow-Trust however you cannot just buy the hook but have to buy the fixing kit and brackets that sit between the ironmongery attached to the car and the tow-bar. The cost? £165.

The above information may not be of much help to the OP but it is intended as a warning that detachable tow-bars may have a habit of detaching themselves if not fitted securely.

 

[nick mercedes]

The following day I noticed that the tow-ball was missing presumably having fallen off. A search of my local area over the routes that I had driven proved fruitless.

Perhaps someone stole it?

 

[MercedesDriver]

A month ago I purchased a Tow-Trust Tow-bar and had it fitted to my latest non-Mercedes run around. The tow-bar I purchased was described as swan-necked and is detachable. My first attempt at putting the tow-ball on the car was a difficult one as it appeared that it didn't fit that easily. Anyway job done I drove off thankfully without my trailer. The following day I noticed that the tow-ball was missing presumably having fallen off. A search of my local area over the routes that I had driven proved fruitless. I had no alternative but to purchase a new tow-ball from Tow-Trust however you cannot just buy the hook but have to buy the fixing kit and brackets that sit between the ironmongery attached to the car and the tow-bar. The cost? £165. The above information may not be of much help to the OP but it is intended as a warning that detachable tow-bars may have a habit of detaching themselves if not fitted securely.

But at least they were willing to sell you the tow ball with the fixing kit. I've asked them for exactly the same package but No, only full tow bar set was offered to me.

 

[Alf Barnet]

Ask the dealer who sold you the car if they still have it.

Always remove the tow bar off a sales car, any dealer will tell you that.

 

[John N]

Always remove the tow bar off a sales car, any dealer will tell you that.

Slight deviation from topic but that's an interesting statement!

Do you mean a dealer would normally remove the Towbar on total? Or just the Ball Attachment?

I'm thinking that a car offered for sale could have been trashed pulling an enormous Caravan/Trailer and an unsuspecting new owner would not have any idea as there is no evidence of any Towing Components!

 

[219]

That is a school of thought followed by some who are ignorant of towing .

Others , myself included , see a towbar as a useful item and will actively look for a vehicle with one , especially a factory fitted one .

It is more the 'Arfur Daley' types who would remove fitted towbars , so they can then fleece the customer who wants it by putting it back and charging for a new one , or if the customer doesn't ask for it , flogging it off separately .

The majority of cars I've bought from dealers came with towbars , and if I viewed one with a bar then found it removed at the point of sale I'd insist on it being put back - it would be like viewing a car with nice alloy wheels then finding the dealer had replaced them with steel wheels when you go to collect .

 

[mat8n]

Why is this appalling service?
Somewhere along the line a part has gone missing from a complete kit.
That isn't the suppliers/manufacturers fault.

Just because you want half a kit, it doesn't mean it's a viable option to sell half a kit.

 

[whitenemesis]

Perhaps dealers remove the tow hitch to save customers viewing the car, from catching their shins on the damn things!!

 

[MercedesDriver]

I'm thinking that a car offered for sale could have been trashed pulling an enormous Caravan/Trailer and an unsuspecting new owner would not have any idea as there is no evidence of any Towing Components!

There are no electrics for trailer so I don't think it had pulled anything else but the bike rack.

Why is this appalling service? Somewhere along the line a part has gone missing from a complete kit. That isn't the suppliers/manufacturers fault. Just because you want half a kit, it doesn't mean it's a viable option to sell half a kit.

Because of CS representative attitude and unwillingness to listen. For him the only possible reason for removing the tow ball is the damage caused by an accident (a car is accident free). Other tow balls can be bought as separate kits.