Ordering VW retractable towbar, getting special permit, use adapter - possible?

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Originally Posted by Marakai

What I want to know is how he managed to order it, then get it past customs and everybody else?! How did he talk his dealer into it?

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There are things you can buy that are sold legally but cannot be used legally for various reasons.

EG spacers Legal to sell but only legal OFFROAD

Spotlights Legal to sell but not legal to use above the bonnet line ON ROAD

Towbars You can make one yourself but it wont be legal.

You may NOT ALTER IN ANY WAY an ADR compliant towbar.

EG Technically you cant weld it cut it drill it or alter anything about it as it alters it away from how it was complianced.

I bought one identical to a Toyota one but it had underslung attachment for the D shackles.

I asked the seller if he would weld the plate on the same as a Toyota version.

The above is what he told me.

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Originally Posted by Marakai

What I want to know is how he managed to order it, then get it past customs and everybody else?! How did he talk his dealer into it?

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Why would customs stop the import of a towbar? It's only the fitment of the towbar to the car that is illegal.

There are a number of people that have brought in their own Euro style towbars. Basically, they are transferring the risk to themselves.

BTW: have you tried ironbull.com.au?

Customs won't do ****. They don't care if a part is ADR complied. I have ordered genuine vw accessory that isn't ADR complied and it came through nice and easy.

The point is, of course, that you don't order "a towbar". What you do is have your vehicle ordered with the factory-installed towbar!

Provided you can even find the order number (OK, I could get that from VW Germany, bilinguality ftw), then your local VW dealer needs to be able to even put that order number into *their* IT system (OK, maybe as a special order item). Finally, VW in Germany need to not get some flag in their system that says "oh nein, zee fehicle iss goink to Australien, vee musst not put on zee uber-elektrischschwenkbarerabschlepphakenruestsatz").

If all this miraculously happens, then for that wonderful chain of events nobody has answered the question whether, if you want to be a law-abiding citizen, you can get an exemption ADR. I mean you can get it for all kinds of other crap and junk on our roads, from LHS to Holden cars in general (ba-da-bing-ba-da-boom! ;) ).

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Originally Posted by brad

BTW: have you tried ironbull.com.au?

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Interesting site - if only they hadn't just redone it all and now don't have any actual product info, images or what-not on it (as of 13-12).

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Originally Posted by Marakai

The point is, of course, that you don't order "a towbar". What you do is have your vehicle ordered with the factory-installed towbar!

Provided you can even find the order number (OK, I could get that from VW Germany, bilinguality ftw), then your local VW dealer needs to be able to even put that order number into *their* IT system (OK, maybe as a special order item). Finally, VW in Germany need to not get some flag in their system that says "oh nein, zee fehicle iss goink to Australien, vee musst not put on zee uber-elektrischschwenkbarerabschlepphakenruestsatz").

If all this miraculously happens, then for that wonderful chain of events nobody has answered the question whether, if you want to be a law-abiding citizen, you can get an exemption ADR. I mean you can get it for all kinds of other crap and junk on our roads, from LHS to Holden cars in general (ba-da-bing-ba-da-boom! ;) ).

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The answer is in all probability NO as all ADR compliant stuff has to be submitted and tested and conform to the Australian Standard.

Also as I have already said it CANNOT be modified in any way from original as it then doesnt comply with what it was when presented for testing.

All you can probably do is get one use it and hope like hell nothing happens that can be attributed to it.

Otherwise ask an engineer who is licenced to do modifications.

OR even better get in touch with the ADR dept.

We can go on forever about what we think or have been told is correct but the only definitive answer will come from the horses mouth so to speak.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Marakai

The point is, of course, that you don't order "a towbar". What you do is have your vehicle ordered with the factory-installed towbar!

Provided you can even find the order number (OK, I could get that from VW Germany, bilinguality ftw), then your local VW dealer needs to be able to even put that order number into *their* IT system (OK, maybe as a special order item). Finally, VW in Germany need to not get some flag in their system that says "oh nein, zee fehicle iss goink to Australien, vee musst not put on zee uber-elektrischschwenkbarerabschlepphakenruestsatz").

If all this miraculously happens, then for that wonderful chain of events nobody has answered the question whether, if you want to be a law-abiding citizen, you can get an exemption ADR. I mean you can get it for all kinds of other crap and junk on our roads, from LHS to Holden cars in general (ba-da-bing-ba-da-boom! ;) ).

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I've never seen a car in Australia come with a towbar ex-factory. Sure, factory prep with parts of the wiring loom & re-inforced panels but not with a bar fitted. It all seems to happen at the dealer. I'm sure somebody will prove me wrong on this very shortly.

Re: ADR exemption. I guess you'd need an engineers certification like other people get for brakes, suspension mods, bigger engines, wheel tubs, etc. A Certifying Automotive Engineer would be the person to talk to. Usually the roads/traffic authority has a list. Don't forget that you also have to get agreement from your insurer.

Seems like an awful lot of stuffing about just to hide a towbar. A few of the Skoda guys (octy & superb) have folding bars IIRC. Have a browse over there

Some of the Touaregs came from the factory with towbars, but these were special order, and the tongue and a few other bits were fitted at the dealership.

*sigh* Just too hard, I guess. Not like I have nothing else to do. :(

Amazes me sometimes how a first-world country can be so behind the times in many ways. Australia has a worse NIH syndrome than even the US (OK, at least we've gone metric! ;) )

i'm not sure why you think a fold up tow bar represents the height of technology. As has been previously noted, towbars that meet ADRs are generally of a heavier construction than those from Europe.