Ordered the Witter detachable flange towbar from Towequipe - good price, I thought.
I asked for a price for fitting, but I'm out of their area, apparently.

Just opened teh box which was delivered yesterday, and they've shipped one for a Honda Civic.
Hmm.

So I've phoned in and they are 'investigating'. My order confirmation has the right part code, and the shipping note also.

I'd much rather someone had said - 'Sorry, Mr B, we'll get the right one sent asap and the wrong one collected at the same time'.

So far, two calls - one to report the problem, and a call back to confirm what my car was, and one 30 minutes later to agree that I have the wrong one.

Now waiting for the next call ... (presumably to tell me what they plan to do about it).
No one has mentioned the word 'Sorry' yet.

Not feeling too much like a valued customer. I may not buy the bike rack from them after all.
 MY10 TD4.e HSE
Bali Blue

... so they (towequipe) send someone to collect the wrong towbar. Pity it was to the billing address, not the delivery address for the towbar, which was where I had left it for collection.

I also send back the electrics kit (which I had not ordered)

Still, another couple of calls, and it was collected (from the right address).

I waited with bated breath for the right one to come. And it did. To the wrong address (again). Ah well, we happened to be in that day so it was ok.

Decided not to fit myself in the end, so took the box to a Witter dealer in Bristol - (LNB towbars) fab bunch and very reasonable, and they fitted it - together with Land Rover wiring harness which I had bought on eBay, and they reprogrammed the car.

Great, I thought, I'm all sorted. But no ...

When they fitted the detachable neck, the towball was only 5mm from the back bumper. Hmmm. This can't be right. So ...

The fitter and I checked the code, and guess what - the wrong neck part, it was for a Honda Civic (of course).

I'd obviously had my order mixed up with someone else, well half mixed up. Had it swapped over, and now the other half was wrong.

So ...

Towequipe: "If we collect the wrong neck Mr B, we will send you the right one out".
Me: "Is it the same socket fitting, or do I have to unbolt that from the bar and send that back as well?"
Towequipe: "No, it's the same one - jut send the neck."

So, they collected it Tuesday 10th.

Today, 6 days later, I have a phonecall:

Towequipe: "Mr Baldwin, you didn't send the socket fitting back".
Me: "No, I specifically asked you that, and you said you didn't need it".
Towequipe: "We think (now) that it needs a different one, and we can't send that out until you send this one back. Where is it"
Me: "It's bolted to the car".

After a few words, I have suggested they they really go out on a limb and send me the right 'neck' and the socket, so that I will check which one is right (with the help of the fitter), and absolutely promise to send the wrong one back.

Fitter laughingly said, "You should have just bought it from us and we'd have fitted it".
Me: "Yeah, right, thanks".

Let's see what can happen next .... MY10 TD4.e HSE
Bali Blue

A local towbar specialist quoted £225 for a twin electrics, flanged towbar, inc fitting & Vat.

We had factored this into the cost of changing vehicle, but managed to choose a vehicle already fitted with an original LR detachable bar. Which LR would have wanted about £700 to fit....

Just bought a Freelander 2, had Freelander 1 before.
Just got 2prices for fitting of detachable tow bar, £385 + vat from local tow bar company, other price from landrover dealer, they want £604+ vat + labour!, they reckon fixed tow bars would be about £100 cheaper

ouch , loads of money... 

Definitely ouch! We only want it to tow a trailer now and again so going to save up those pennies.
It's not a cheap thing is it? Owning a Freelander!
When we had the first tow bar fitted on our 55 plate Freelander, that was only 4 years go, it was only £150 + vat!

the tow bar company maybe a subsidiary of CG enterprises, going the extra mile to keep vanners happy  At work
At home

"I can't always believe facts I read on the web" - Charles Dickens

winner by default of the tractor vs caravan race

Just been having a look back at some old threads to see how much it would cost to get a detachable towbar fitted to an 07 freelander 2.

So far have phoned two towbar companies and one was £466 inc VAT for a thule, electrics and coding other off top of his head reckoned £500. Both seem a little steep or is that what it costs these days.

try indespension : :

Just called Indespension and they offered to beat the best price I have had so far if I get it done this month (jan being a little bit dead) and it would be a Westfalia detachable hitch.

Any other suggestions welcome.

Might I suggest a bit of thought first on what to buy.
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If you have an auto and want to tow a caravan then you perhaps ought to buy genuine electrics and have it LR coded, (some later cars may not need the coding bit); if you only intend towing a camping trailer or have a manual box then buy 'bypass' electrics. (With auto and LR electrics when the caravan is connected the auto box electronics cleverly changes its mode.
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So now the hardware, it's your choice of fixed flange or detachable flange or detachable swan neck as apparently they all work and don't interfere with park sensors; the only exception which might colour your decision is if you have a bike rack that requires as flange fix. Swan necks as standard will fit caravan Alko friction hitches.
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With regard to tow bar maker; I think Witter is the only one not needing a bumper cut.
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If you purchase the electrics and hardware your local non LR garage might also give a good price for fitting.
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For a competent home DIY mechanic the fitting is very very easy at home with the Witter and LR electrics because there is no dismantling or drilling or fiddling with cable scotchlocks. You don't even need a jack.
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Kind regards to all from Fred 2010GS Auto ex Celeb, Santorini Black, 2011 facelift , spoiler, spats, mudflaps, LED footwell lamps, Witter detach,
Other cars:-
1958 & 1959 Austin J40 Pedal Cars under restoration (I make many J40 parts)
If you have an Austin J40 or Pathfinder Pedal Car looking for a new home pls PM me.
2009 Meriva

Fred thanks for the pointers

Main job will be pulling an Ifor Williams stock box for moving the wife's grass waster as I take a Chicken George stance on caravans

Ideally want a removable hitch because we use the boot a lot getting a buggy in and out etc.

Car is a 2007 manual box.

Having read some of the comments on the Thule I am not convinced it is the one to go for so would lean more towards the Witter or Westfalia.

While I could do the mechanical part of the fitting myself I am not hot when it comes to electrics hence current thinking is get someone else to do it.

Amazed at what peeps is paying for a tow bar..... some Freely owners must be millionaires......... I quote from a previous thread here...... and bumper not removed or cut......

"Have standard parking sensors on my GS and a fixed tow bar - no problem at all. I think if it is ever going to cause me to get stuck due to reduced departure angle then I am going to get stuck regardless of the tow ball hitch for all the difference it would make.

Cost was £190, fitted in a less than 2 hours by Auto-tow. Tow bar is of excellent quality and lights etc all work fine so are those 700 pound jobies made of platinum ?

Robin

So in the case of MervB it gets even cheaper. For a non Caravan application you only need single black socket electrics and because its a manual box you only need the 'bypass' style.
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Kind regards from Fred
. 2010GS Auto ex Celeb, Santorini Black, 2011 facelift , spoiler, spats, mudflaps, LED footwell lamps, Witter detach,
Other cars:-
1958 & 1959 Austin J40 Pedal Cars under restoration (I make many J40 parts)
If you have an Austin J40 or Pathfinder Pedal Car looking for a new home pls PM me.
2009 Meriva