i got my new nissan note today and had asked the dealer to fit a towbar on it. when i collected it i was told that a towbar couldnt be fitted as nissan had withdrawn their towbar from sale because of design faults.
i phoned several towbar fitters and they all said they dont know what towbar will fit as its a new car. surely as this car has been around for 3 months now and a part must have been fitted before.
as this is the same floorplan as the modus and clio would their towbars fit.. i really only need the bar and not the electrics as the trailer is very small and only used to carry a wheelchair when we all go out as a family.
regards ann
|
i really only need the bar and not the electrics as the trailer is very small and only used to carry a wheelchair when we all go out as a family.
Are you sure that's legal? I thought that any trailer had to have lights, though I have no source for that.
|
|
i dont know really but as the lights are so high on the car they wouldnt be obscured
|
**
sorry its a long post, but i found the folowing...
says to me you need at least indicators, rear position, and stop lights on anyb trailer, irrespective of size..
cheers,
**
Schedule 1, Table VI of the Road Vehicles Lighting Regulations 1989 lists the obligatory lamps applicable to trailers drawn by a motor vehicle.
The lamps, reflectors, rear markings or devices listed below must be fitted but with certain exceptions.
(A) Front position lamp - exceptions:
(i) trailers for carrying or launching boats
(ii) width not exceeding 1,600mm
(iii) length not exceeding 2,300mm and manufactured before 1st October 1985
(B) Direction indicator - exceptions
(i) manufactured before 1st September 1965
(ii) agricultural vehicle or works trailer manufactured before 1st October 1990
(C) Side marker lamp - exceptions
(i) length not exceeding 6 metres or 9.15 metres, manufactured before 1st October 1990
(ii) an incomplete trailer proceeding to a works for completion or to a place where it is to be stored or displayed for sale
(iii) an agricultural vehicle or a works trailer
(iv) a caravan
(v) a trailer constructed or adapted for the carriage and launching of a boat.
(D) Rear position lamp - exceptions
none
(E) Rear fog lamp - exceptions:
(i) manufactured before 1st April 1980
(ii) width not exceeding 1,300mm
(iii) agricultural vehicle or works trailer
(F) Stop lamp - exceptions:
(i) agricultural vehicle or works trailer
(G) End-outline marker lamp - exceptions:
(i) width not exceeding 2,100mm
(ii) an incomplete trailer proceeding to a works for completion or to a place where it is to be stored or displayed for sale
(iii) agricultural vehicle or works trailer
(iv) manufactured before 1st October 1990
(H) Rear registration plate lamp - exceptions:
(i) trailer not required to have with a rear reg plate
(I) Side retro reflector - exceptions:
(i) length not exceeding 5 metres
(ii) an incomplete trailer proceeding to a works for completion or to a place where it is to be stored or displayed for sale
(iii) engineering plant
(iv) excavator trailer (special types vehicle)
(J) Front retro reflector - exceptions:
(i) manufactured before 1st October 1990
(ii) agricultural vehicle or works trailer
(K) Rear retro reflector - exceptions
none
(L) Rear marking - exceptions:
(i) unladen weight not exceeding 1020 kg and manufactured before 1st August 1982
(ii) maximum gross weight not exceeding 3,500 kg
(iii) an incomplete trailer proceeding to a works for completion or to a place where it is to be stored or displayed for sale
(iv) agricultural vehicle, works trailer or engineering plant
(v) a trailer drawn by a bus
(vi) home forces' vehicle
(vii) constructed or adapted for
(a) fire fighting or fire salvage
(b) aircraft servicing etc
(c) heating and dispensing tar or other material for the construction or maintenance of roads
(d) carrying asphalt or macadam, being mixing or drying plant
(e) transporting 2 or more vehicles or boats
|
thanks for that.
im having great difficulty getting anywhere in finding a towbar for this car.
ive looked at hundreds of websites and dozens of phone calls.
even the fitters dont know if another towbar will fit
|
If Nissan have recalled it for design issues, I would presume they would rectify these and then put it back on the market? teething problems with a new model?
Have you tried contacting a few Nissan dealers to see if they can find out if the part is coming back once the faults are fixed.
other than that, i guess it will just take time for someone to manufacture the tow bar.
|
|
|
|
Hi
The Nissan brochure lists 2 towbars; a fixed one at £113 ref KE5009U000 and a removable version at £217 ref KE5009U010. Have you looked into the alternative version to one you were getting?
Andy.
|
|
|
i really only need the bar andnot the electrics as the trailer is very small and only used to carry a wheelchair when we all go out as a family. regards ann
Might a roofbox be a better idea?
|
Might a roofbox be a better idea?
Can't say that I would enjoy the idea of lifting a wheelchair on and off the roof of a car. They can be quite heavy.
However, this does remind me that a disabled friend described havinbg had some system on his car which involved some sort of automatic device which lifted the chair onto the roof. I'm sorry to say that I have no idea what the device was called or how much it cost, but it might be an alternaive worth considering.
|
Oops! Should have searched beore posting.
A page explaining the principle: www.ricability.org.uk/reports/report-mobility/gett...m
This page includes lots of links, and suggests a few economical alternatives, such as a Car-Go: www.ricability.org.uk/reports/report-mobility/gett...m
or a Charack: www.ricability.org.uk/reports/report-mobility/gett...m
However, both the latter rely on having a ballhitch, and I can't imagine any of them being much use with an electric wheelchair.
|
|
i like using the trailer as its so much simpler and cheaper than the alternatives. i only use it when we all go out in my car and there's not enough room in the boot. i suppose i'll have to wait until one of the towbar companies makes one.
|
Just checked out the Towsure web site and the Renault Modus towbar is in development and no sign of anything being ready for the Nissan Note. Maybe give them a ring to see if it is worth waiting.
I've always been happy with the towbars they fitted to my VWs. I do not actually tow but use them to mount cycle racks.
--
I wasna fu but just had plenty.
|
|
|
|
If not a roofbox, I wonder whether using some sort of rear mounted cycle carrier might also be an alternative.
Doyle
|
|
|
|
|
This company is advertising the Westfalia towbars, both detachable and swan neck, for the Note - might be worth a call.
www.towequipe.co.uk/
|
have you considered bigbirdy that the reason the towbar has been withdrawn is because there isnt anything substantional underneath to bolt it to and with trials the roof got a definative kink in it first time heavy braking was applied with the" trailer" fitted.
Wait and see i would say.............
|
|
|
i'll phone towequipe on monday and see if they can get the towbar.
its a good point about the mounting strength, i'll ask nissan direct.
thanks ann
|
|
Going off a slightly different tangent, is it not the case that when you ordered the car and asked for the towbar and gave the reason for it, well if they can't provide the towbar is there not some sort of recourse that the "deal" is not suitable for its intended use?
|
|
yes bobby g "must be fit for purpose "but was letting the OP report back first...........sorry :(
|
i phoned towequipe and they say its special order 4weeks. so i'll have to wait.
when i ordered the car i forgot about the towbar and sent them an email a few weeks later asking them to add a towbar, i didnt tell them why.
they phoned me back saying they've ordered the towbar. they saiad that two days before me getting the car they checked back with nissan and were told about design problems.
i'll speak to the dealer this morning and see what they can do.
regards ann
|
|
|
|
|
