Towbar advice please

[mogsyman]

[quote="Steamyrotter"]
[quote="mogsyman"]
I also confirmed with BMW fitting a tow bar has no effect on the warranty.
[/quote]


I personally would get that in writing....
[/quote]

Good thought and I have an email 

Quote, BMW man said........

I spoke to our warranty manager regarding the Westfalia tow bar fitted elsewhere and the short answer was no your warranty would not be affected. But if you delve into the T&C's if there were to be a fault occurring in direct relation to the tow bar BMW would not cover the cost of fixing the issue under warranty.

It's as good as you'll get - have a problem as a result of anything you fit and it's down to you.

[MarkG_M3CP]

[quote="mogsyman"]
[quote="MarkG_M50d"]
I'm waiting for some dealer prices for a retrofit - either manual or electric - so this may be the way to go for me too...

I was planning to fit myself in order to save cash but £500 is OK.
[/quote]

£1450 for the detachable or over £2000 for the electric.

I haven't laughed so much since Labour voted Corbyn back as leader  )

For £500 I don't think it's worth having a go 
[/quote]
Agreed. But I also just fitted the X6 knee pads and have my eye on the carbon fibre trim!

[mogsyman]

[quote="MarkG_M50d"]
[quote="mogsyman"]
[quote="MarkG_M50d"]
I'm waiting for some dealer prices for a retrofit - either manual or electric - so this may be the way to go for me too...

I was planning to fit myself in order to save cash but £500 is OK.
[/quote]

£1450 for the detachable or over £2000 for the electric.

I haven't laughed so much since Labour voted Corbyn back as leader  )

For £500 I don't think it's worth having a go 
[/quote]
Agreed. But I also just fitted the X6 knee pads and have my eye on the carbon fibre trim!




[/quote]

Do you mind me asking how much the knee pads were? (Pm me if need be) and how easy are they to fit?

Thanks

[MarkG_M3CP]

Pads were £313 delivered - plus I got some new clips to prevent rattles so £320 all in.

That's a decent discount through a Facebook group for the F30 - supplying dealer in Scotland. I can get you a number to call...

Some people complain about fitting the passenger side being tricky but start to finish took me 70 minutes.

Worth doing, I have the hex aluminium and the centre console trim was getting marked from my leg somehow.

[Steamyrotter]

[quote="mogsyman"]
[quote="Steamyrotter"]
[quote="mogsyman"]
I also confirmed with BMW fitting a tow bar has no effect on the warranty.
[/quote]


I personally would get that in writing....
[/quote]

Good thought and I have an email 

Quote, BMW man said........

I spoke to our warranty manager regarding the Westfalia tow bar fitted elsewhere and the short answer was no your warranty would not be affected. But if you delve into the T&C's if there were to be a fault occurring in direct relation to the tow bar BMW would not cover the cost of fixing the issue under warranty.

It's as good as you'll get - have a problem as a result of anything you fit and it's down to you.
[/quote]

Which basically has now given themselves a get out clause for an awful lot of things...

Coolant system, engine, drivetrain, gearbox etc...
They up-rate cooling for towing pack so if you have any engine problem they will lump it down to towing now...

Is the extra £700 worth it when you look at a £4-5k gearbox replacement on something that is their design fault but got out of replacing????


I would look for a more specific description on what is and isn't affected on the warranty, but I would expect that they would not open themselves up to that??

[mogsyman]

[quote="Steamyrotter"]
[quote="mogsyman"]
[quote="Steamyrotter"]
[quote="mogsyman"]
I also confirmed with BMW fitting a tow bar has no effect on the warranty.
[/quote]


I personally would get that in writing....
[/quote]

Good thought and I have an email 

Quote, BMW man said........

I spoke to our warranty manager regarding the Westfalia tow bar fitted elsewhere and the short answer was no your warranty would not be affected. But if you delve into the T&C's if there were to be a fault occurring in direct relation to the tow bar BMW would not cover the cost of fixing the issue under warranty.

It's as good as you'll get - have a problem as a result of anything you fit and it's down to you.
[/quote]

Which basically has now given themselves a get out clause for an awful lot of things...

Coolant system, engine, drivetrain, gearbox etc...
They up-rate cooling for towing pack so if you have any engine problem they will lump it down to towing now...

Is the extra £700 worth it when you look at a £4-5k gearbox replacement on something that is their design fault but got out of replacing????


I would look for a more specific description on what is and isn't affected on the warranty, but I would expect that they would not open themselves up to that??
[/quote]

Fair point but I'm happy to take the risk.

[Bomber]

I fitted a removable bar to my M sport, no bumper cutting required, I fitted the dedicated wiring (plug and play) and it all works great, cost was around £300 all in.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vertical-Deta ... SwgQ9Vwwhd

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Towbar-Electr ... SwEeFVSMq4

I have the the Atera STRADA 3-4 bike rack and it works great

Untitled by

[mogsyman]

[quote="Bomber"]
I fitted a removable bar to my M sport, no bumper cutting required, I fitted the dedicated wiring (plug and play) and it all works great, cost was around £300 all in.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vertical-Deta ... SwgQ9Vwwhd

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Towbar-Electr ... SwEeFVSMq4

I have the the Atera STRADA 3-4 bike rack and it works great

Untitled by
[/quote]

Looks good and interesting about the bumper cuts

What happens to the PDC when you select reverse with bikes on the back, does it go bonkers?

[Bomber]

No, it works as per the OEM one and turns the rears off, you also get any warnings via the dash display as the module is all linked via the canbus.

Have a look at the site below, English company and very knowledgeable and helpful, can't recommend them enough

http://www.rightconnections.co.uk/towing-electrics/

[pvr]

Worth considering with all those camera's on the motorways now that can not see the numberplate now  )

(assuming you don't have the repeater plate of course ...)

[BullyB]

I just had a Witter tow bar and removable hitch installed today. Supplied by PF Jones and fitted at my house by one of their fittters.
All in it was about £500.

I have the Performance Pack rear diffuser but it is designed for the tow bar.

This is the 2nd time I have used them as they supplied and fitted one for my E70 also.

I have just put the old bar and hitch on eBay that I took off my E70. They wouldn't fit a used one as per their policy and I wasn't brace enough to do it myself.

This was my E70 at work

[mogsyman]

[quote="BullyB"]
I just had a Witter tow bar and removable hitch installed today. Supplied by PF Jones and fitted at my house by one of their fittters.
All in it was about £500.

I have the Performance Pack rear diffuser but it is designed for the tow bar.

This is the 2nd time I have used them as they supplied and fitted one for my E70 also.

I have just put the old bar and hitch on eBay that I took off my E70. They wouldn't fit a used one as per their policy and I wasn't brace enough to do it myself.

This was my E70 at work

[/quote]

Looks good.

Have you uprated the cooling etc. or just had the hitch fitted?

[BullyB]

No, just the hitch.
I can't see it ever overheating in the UK  ::)

[mogsyman]

Had the towbar fitted today and it took about 3 hours or so and it was a good clean job, no damage to bodywork and no cutting required.

The rear sensors switch themselves off when you're in reverse and aside from having to look for the canbus wire it appears to be plug and play.

I live in the SE and have the installers details should anyone require his services - he charges £150 to install + an additional £50 for 13 pin and £50 for coding. As it happens the current F15 with 7 pin doesn't need coding.

[pvr]

Can you get a bike rack for 7 kids then?  )