To fit a towbar or not

[pricega1]

Here's one for y' then. I have golfers elbow (no I don't play golf) that makes it quite painful fo do alot of lifting. I have roof mounted bike carriers but because of the elbow I am looking at a towbar mounted carrier. I've had the car a year (62 plate, second hand) and intend keeping it for a couple more (20k miles or so a year.) The towbar fitted is £421 bike carrier £279. Question is, in your experience, when a car is fitted with a towbar have you managed to negotiate an uplift, granted only small, in the part ex of your car because of the fitted towbar, when trading in for another car?
I'm sceptical about getting one fitted beacuse of loosing a good bit of cash at trade in and then having to get another fitted to the new car.

Regards

 

[Smatt]

I think it is unlikely to significantly affect the resale value, but it may make it slightly more desirable & hence easier to sell.
I think it comes down to how likely you are to use it & what value this is to you.
You can obviously keep/resell the carrier.
The other option is the roof mounted rack that swivels down the side of the car for easy mounting. (not sure this will fit on an slk though)

 

[pricega1]

"The other option is the roof mounted rack that swivels down the side of the car for easy mounting."

Dont think they do those now do they?

Regards

 

[lexman8]

Personally, I would be put off buying a car with a towbar fitted. It might be tosh, but it seems to imply that the car may have been subject to higher loads than a car without one. And electrically, it's yet more to go wrong.

Unless of course someone is specifically looking for a car with a towbar, but that's maybe 1 in 20 or 1 in 50?

 

[Giantvanman]

Thule do a rack that tilts and another that sides out sideways………. see google images.

 

[Spinal]

I'm in the other field, if I'm buying a second hand car with a tow-bar, I expect to pay less as the engine will have been ragged to within an inch of its life towing all sorts of things.

Yes, you can always remove the tow bar before selling, but it usually leaves a cut in the bumper (aftermarket ones) or other marks.

M.

 

[pricega1]

I only want the towbar for carrying bikes.

 

[Giantvanman]

How abut a trailer- Brenderup 1150s trailer, Package 1150 P2- brenderup 1150 trailer | Trailertek

And I have seen a brilliant 'bike only' little trailer by Erde Trailers, Accessories and Spare parts which went on gumtree not long ago for £120 nearly new.

 

[elbarry]

Dont know about other towing folk but my 4 x 3 camping trailer has never put any stress on my previous car, probably weighs less than 3 adult occupants...!
Neither has driving almost at 60mph each time its used give nthe car a hard life..!
Or staying out of the fast lane, because im not allowed in there towing..!
Or taking it easy everywhere as i have a trailer on the back...!

When the trailer isnt on then i drive like everyone else, so the trailer actually gives the car an easier life.
Unless you have a dual axled caravan on there then its a different issue. I can appreciate a sign of a towbar does potentially spell that dual axled caravan thats been towed all over Europe fear.

 

[Spinal]

Dont know about other towing folk but my 4 x 3 camping trailer has never put any stress on my previous car, probably weighs less than 3 adult occupants...!
Neither has driving almost at 60mph each time its used give nthe car a hard life..!
Or staying out of the fast lane, because im not allowed in there towing..!
Or taking it easy everywhere as i have a trailer on the back...!

When the trailer isnt on then i drive like everyone else, so the trailer actually gives the car an easier life.
Unless you have a dual axled caravan on there then its a different issue. I can appreciate a sign of a towbar does potentially spell that dual axled caravan thats been towed all over Europe fear.

I only want the towbar for carrying bikes.

That's what 90% of adverts for cars with tow bars say. Oddly, most cars with tow-bars are sold with "never used" tow bars, or "easy lives".

They've never been used to tow massive camper-things filled with water canisters, etc. Nor have they been used to tow a trailer filled to the brim with crud to the tip. (this isn't directed at anyone in particular, just a comment)

Point is - if a car has a tow bar, the likelihood it has been under higher stress than one that hasn't is much greater. As such, it devalues the car in my eyes.

On the shogun (last car I bought with the tow bar), I got about 10% off the sale price for this reason.

Think of it like any mod on any car - if you find the right person to sell to, looking for just that, it may add value. If not, it will most likely devalue the car.

M

 

[pricega1]

quote from Spinal
"Think of it like any mod on any car - if you find the right person to sell to, looking for just that, it may add value. If not, it will most likely devalue the car".


What about part exing to a steelership. Is a towbar likely to devalue the motor?

 

[renault12ts]

I can't say my tow bar has never been used...but only once in 5 years. So, some tow bars are almost unused.

 

[BandyAndy]

I know that this might seem like a daft question, but can the r171 even be fitted with a towbar ?

 

[Stratman]

Given two otherwise identical cars, I'd choose the one without the tow bar.

 

[BTB 500]

I know that this might seem like a daft question, but can the r171 even be fitted with a towbar ?

Only if M-B had it EC type-approved for towing (almost certainly not).

 

[Smatt]

OT:
I chose one with a towbar.
It certainly does not appear trashed & has the best ride of any car I have owned, despite 45K.
The towbar was not on the spec sheet & I discovered it when I first went to look.
It appears to be OE spec with electromech fully folding with a electric release inside boot, fully integrated electrics too. It is not visible when folded.
Sadly, I was quite excited about it!
I was surprised it was not on the spec sheet or advert. Was this on purpose to avoid putting people off? I saw it as a big bonus to improve it's versatility. Needless to say, I have bought myself a large trailer since!
Great thing about factory towbars is that other items are upgraded to make allowances for it such as upgraded cooling system. The lighting integrates to give bulb out warnings too.

-just my 2p.

 

[davidjpowell]

A towbar is an absolute positive to me. A modern automatic car is not thrashed to within an inch of it's life towing within it's capacity.

 

[baxlin]

My last 5 cars all had tow bars which I fitted myself, aftermarket, not OE, and I never had to make a visible bumper cut, as I chose the tow bar carefully. On more than one occasion this meant having a flange type bar rather than swan neck or removable.

Each time I removed it before sale, and sold it separately, on the advice of a local indie trader. Reused the bypass relay on the next car!

Malcolm

 

[Benzowner]

That's what 90% of adverts for cars with tow bars say. Oddly, most cars with tow-bars are sold with "never used" tow bars, or "easy lives".

They've never been used to tow massive camper-things filled with water canisters, etc. Nor have they been used to tow a trailer filled to the brim with crud to the tip. (this isn't directed at anyone in particular, just a comment)

Point is - if a car has a tow bar, the likelihood it has been under higher stress than one that hasn't is much greater. As such, it devalues the car in my eyes.

On the shogun (last car I bought with the tow bar), I got about 10% off the sale price for this reason.

Think of it like any mod on any car - if you find the right person to sell to, looking for just that, it may add value. If not, it will most likely devalue the car.

M

That's almost like saying a car with additional dark tinted glass has been thrashed because it was obviously driven by a youf wiv is cap on back to front. My opinion of dark tinted windows on cars

 

[BTB 500]

A modern automatic car is not thrashed to within an inch of it's life towing within it's capacity.

I think that depends on the model (engine size). The braked trailer towing limit is generally based just on the ability to do a hill start on a specified gradient with that weight hitched up. Autos do pretty well on hill starts, so even a humble E200 (for example) has a trailer limit of 1900 kg. That's potentially a total of 4 tonnes or so being hauled around by a relatively small engine - would need to be worked pretty hard to make decent progress.