Phone kit and tow bar for B6 Passat

[Passat]

Hi,

Just ordered a Passat TDI Wagon. I'm thinking of getting a tow bar and the Volkswagen bluetooth phone kit installed.
Volkswagen dealers are asking $1400 for the tow bar and between $600 and $800 for the phone kit. Does anyone have experience with these dealer fitted accessories? Any alternatives?

Thanks.

[syncro]

As far as I know, the towbar has to be genuine to work with the canbus system. Trailer lights need to be connected to the computer.

[phaeton]

Hi Passat Welcome :D

Love the Passat Wagon they're getting very popular over here in SA :)

Good Luck with Bluetooth & Towbar ;)

[Passat]

I found a good write up on a phone kit installation:


http://forums.vwvortex.com/zerothread?id=3058315

[jimbo]

I had the tow bar fitted. It is a NZ unit but they have to cut the rear bar to fit. The difficult part is the fitting of the wiring. There was an additional component added to rear multiplexer and that costs the money.

The bar is a removable vertical mount system. Not too bad except I cannot remove the pin without first enscrewing the VW plug. I will further modify it so this will not be a problem ongoing.

[slitko]

Just installed the Bluetooth Kit in the Passat and it works very well. I can use Voice dialing by pressing the little phone icon on the wheel. When someone calls it beeps and the radio goes off so it doesnt mix with the phone call. Very good system to get, worth the money.