France in Focus

Tossing up whether to fit one to a 2019 Ford CMax, any idea of a ball park figure?

pun intended?

I'll let you know when you have arrived with a figure.

From around 170 €, barre de remorquage fixe. The attelage amovible is rather expensive, see here.

Electrics: a standard 7-pin towbar socket or the 13-pin type?

Fitting one is normally not rocket science as the aftermarket ones tend to use holes that are already provided in the car. The most fiddly thing is when you come to do the wiring. The diagram provided in the link used to be all you needed but reading further it appears to be even more of a pain now with "advanced" modern car electrics. In some cars you can't even change a bulb without upsetting some silly onboard high tech system.

Hotrodder wrote: ↑Sun Feb 18, 2024 4:49 pm Fitting one is normally not rocket science as the aftermarket ones tend to use holes that are already provided in the car. The most fiddly thing is when you come to do the wiring. The diagram provided in the link used to be all you needed but reading further is appears to be even more of a pain now with "advanced" modern car electrics. In some cars you can't even change a bulb without upsetting some silly onboard high tech system.

Any commercial towbar will use the fixing points installed by the vehicle manufacturer as it's a requirement of Type Approval. No fixing points means the vehicle cannot tow trailers which the weight plate will indicate by a lack of Gross Train Weight figure.

Or reach for the drill or welding plant.

Hotrodder wrote: ↑Mon Feb 19, 2024 11:26 am Or reach for the drill or welding plant.

Don't encourage them!

A vehicle without towbar mounting points will have a subframe of light construction incapable of accepting the stresses imposed by a towbar.

Many years ago I needed a towbar fitted to my Fist Marea Weekend. I got a quote in Germany for €1200 but when I was in France on holiday the local Intermarche Roady was offering free fitting on all towbars so I got a quote, €150 for a Westphalia removable towbar so I booked it in. I said I would wait while they fitted it. Seven hours later I got the car back. I suppose seven hours labour explained the difference in price. It was a great towbar that served me well for over a decade.