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View Full Version : New Q7 - aftermarket tow bar?



elrao
22-03-2016, 04:03 PM
Sorry for all the new threads, but tend to find people are more likely to respond if the thread title clearly asks a question - as opposed to a Q hidden away somewhere in another thread.

Am considering the tow pack on a new Q7, but £1170 (£1300 @ 90%) is a lot to pay when I really only need a basic tow bar (preferably detachable) for the occasional hook up of a bike rack. Has anyone had one retrofitted?

Have seen various advertised, like the westfalia at £249 (supply only) that need minimal cutting to the bumper (something I'm not keen on...for obvious reasons), but given the relative newness of the car, not found any pictures of these installed to see how noticeable it is when it is removed.

Allowing for professional installation, an aftermarket one would save £700+ over the factory fit one.

andyhud007
22-03-2016, 05:46 PM
Elrao, I can't comment on aftermarket ones but I've go the factory one and its very good. It neatly (and motorised) folds away behind the bumper when you dont need it (switch in the boot) has the power supply connector and you get the trailer reversing protection options in the MMI.

However it happened to be on the car I bought (not factory order) so just took it and it just hides away behind the bumper so no bother for me. I do agree though, its pricey.

For what its worth, I hope that helps

Andy

elrao
22-03-2016, 06:12 PM
For the 3 or 4 times a year I would use it (with a bike rack), I would be happy enough to first attach the tow bar and then the bike rack. Can't currently see any reason to be towing anything, so all the reversing options are a waste of money for me.

Just need to find a towbar that, when detached, is completely invisible (unless under the car...)

zollaf
22-03-2016, 07:08 PM
you will also need the electrics for the light bar you will use to stay legal.

elrao
22-03-2016, 07:24 PM
Good point. I'd assumed the electric connection was there, you just needed a harness to connect up?

zollaf
22-03-2016, 08:26 PM
speak to a towbar installer, years ago you just spliced into the wires, these days a lot of the cost of the tow bar is in the wiring which makes a genuine one seem like a better deal.

Lukenkarl
22-03-2016, 08:37 PM
Stick em on the roof

inchshort
30-05-2018, 01:06 PM
Has anyone had an aftermarket Towbar fitted to their new, your opinions please, I'm not sure which one to go for, thanks

FortyPlus
30-05-2018, 06:30 PM
Hi
I got a mail order Westfalia removable swan-neck towbar for Q7 e-tron from Towbars | Towbars Direct | Tow-Trust, PCT, Witter, Bosal, Brink, GDW, Westfalia, (http://www.towbarsdirect.co.uk/towbars.htm) and all is good.

I fitted it myself (bumper removal video (https://vimeo.com/208829439) here). It's not difficult, but like everything would do it in half the time if it was to be repeated.
I connected the basic relay-based electrical light connected and that works fine. It was fiddly to figure out the electrical connection points, made more so as the primary rear lights are deactivated when the hatch is open :-(

As with OP, I use it mostly for a bike rack, and potentially a few time per year for boat or trailer.

Note that the Audi folding hitch kit for 4M is on ebay for usually around £700 so good value if you are willing to fit. But it will require coding, and for my low use was unnecessary.

Re cutting the bumper, I cut about 20cm x 10cm slot for the swan neck + electrical connector. Unless I get down on my knees it's invisible with the hitch removed.

inchshort
30-05-2018, 11:00 PM
Thanks a lot for this. This looks like something I could attempt.

FortyPlus
31-05-2018, 08:14 AM
Thanks a lot for this. This looks like something I could attempt.

If you go for it I might have a few photos of the electrical connections that will save you some head scratching.

inchshort
31-05-2018, 08:25 AM
If you go for it I might have a few photos of the electrical connections that will save you some head scratching.

Yes please, Photos would be brill, I’ve got the how to off the westfalia website, combined with pictures from a UK car would really help.

inchshort
13-06-2018, 01:00 PM
I managed to finally fit the Westfalia towbar that I bought off ebay (PF Jones) together with their wiring loom.

Andy_Hud coded the car for me since I didn't have the updated VCDS HEX-NET cable. (Cheers Andy - Top job).

The instructions to fit the tow bar from PF Jones and wire in the PF Jones wiring harness was brill and easy enough to follow, however their coding instructions were pants, and we had to guess what half of the coding would be from the instructions. This is were the HEX-NET cable and long coding helper came in useful.

andyhud007
14-06-2018, 08:18 AM
Thanks for sharing inchshort. Yep the coding document wasn't the greatest but as my car had the factory retractable towbar we could use that as a reference point to their document and we got there in the end.

Great to see its all working. :)