V90 - R Design - Towbar

[IMQuinn]

Hi,

Does anyone know of an after market removable towbar for the V90 R-Design?

Volvo's offical ones are the electric folding one (which runs in at £800 plus fitting) or a permanently fixed one (£400 plus fitting). I ideally want one I can remove when the kids bikes are not on the car and I think for the sake of bending over I really dont need an electric folding one!

Thanks
Quinn

[pagan8c]

The official electric 1 is a good piece of kit and is synced with all the safety systems on the car. It is also possible to check the caravan lights from the car via the dash. With the new V90 there is a lot of electronic gear that is pretty sensitive and I would be very loathe to upset any of this equipment having a non Volvo towbar fitted.

[Quacker]

Use the Volvo wiring loom to a 13 pin socket and there will be no issues. The Sensus system may need initialising for towing, just as with many other brands.
Someone here has fitted a Witter removable tow hitch, which looks fine to me.

Personally if I intended to sell the car within three or four years, I would fit a Witter. If intending to keep for five or more years, I'd bite the bullet and buy genuine for the convenience.

Check out whether the same model hitch fits the V90 and XC90. I suspect that the V90 might need a longer neck, but that's probably not a problem

[IMQuinn]

Thanks guys, I am only really looking to get the hitch for being able to put the kids bikes on the back. I have been in touch with several manufacturers and there are after market for the V90, just not for the R-Design, even the Bosal one that says it doesn't exclude the R-Design, actually does.

Any fit would see the car visiting Volvo to update the software to access the funtionality. Now we just need to decide if 800-1000£ is worth it for the bikes or we just hire when we get there!

[Quacker]

Originally Posted by IMQuinn

Thanks guys, I am only really looking to get the hitch for being able to put the kids bikes on the back. I have been in touch with several manufacturers and there are after market for the V90, just not for the R-Design, even the Bosal one that says it doesn't exclude the R-Design, actually does.

Any fit would see the car visiting Volvo to update the software to access the funtionality. Now we just need to decide if 800-1000£ is worth it for the bikes or we just hire when we get there!

You could use the roof rack for the bikes. The car is low enough and the equipment is available for less than half the price of a towbar mounted rack, considering that you don't intend to actually tow a trailer.
£215 for the carrier bars and £85 for each set of bike clamps as far as I can see. Up to four bikes.

Not sure how much of a faff it is to lift them on without risking losing your fingers or denting the roof, but it must be possible because I see a lot of bikes carried that way.

[nu11eaf]

Originally Posted by IMQuinn

Hi,

Does anyone know of an after market removable towbar for the V90 R-Design?

Volvo's offical ones are the electric folding one (which runs in at £800 plus fitting) or a permanently fixed one (£400 plus fitting). I ideally want one I can remove when the kids bikes are not on the car and I think for the sake of bending over I really dont need an electric folding one!

Thanks
Quinn

Volvo do a removable tow hitch, I have had them on my last few cars,

[Frank B]

I carry 2 bikes on my V70 roof using Thule bars/ cycle carrier. Very easy to put them on