help asap about tow bar

[okjc250@hotmail.com]

need a tow bar for a 172 some companys have told me they dont do tow bars for them. will a normal clio one fit?

just bought crosser before checking out about the tow bar (t**t)



cheers

james:dapprove:

 

[Cookie]

Don't think you can use one as a tow vehicle can you? Doesn't weigh enough IIRC..

 

[bmh.01]

Yes it will fit but the RS clios aren't certified to tow, so its illegal to do so. Yet if you've got a 1.2 8v knock yourself out, seems rather silly to not allow the most powerful model in the range to tow.

 

[Realtwin]

Hi, I fitted the Renault removable arm towbar to my 172 and have towed my bike trailer and a standard box trailer on and off for 5 years. I didnt realise it was illegal. The 172 has the best brakes and suspension in the range, like you say its odd.

 

[Vern]

i towed my mates car mazda 323f 2ltr v6 in my cup all i can say is i will never do it again the back end of mine was sliding all over just two light of a car to tow i think

 

[edde]

Hi, I fitted the Renault removable arm towbar to my 172 and have towed my bike trailer and a standard box trailer on and off for 5 years. I didnt realise it was illegal. The 172 has the best brakes and suspension in the range, like you say its odd.

Define best suspension?

Its not the impression Renault want to give out that the RS is both suitable (it isn't) and the right image for the car to be seen towing.

There a few other companies who do the same with there spots cars as such. Mayback for example don't have a tow bar on the option list last time I saw it.

As said its illegal to two although the tow bars do fit.

 

[Realtwin]

Define best suspension?

Its not the impression Renault want to give out that the RS is both suitable (it isn't) and the right image for the car to be seen towing.

I would have said that the car is the most stable in the range due to the stiffer lower springs and dampers, wider lower profile tyres.

I also feel that marketing a car that cannot tow due to the "right image" is short sighted (Wouldn't be a first for Renault).
I need a car that is practical as well as fairly quick, if the car is to be "hard core" which it most definately is not, then cage, bucket seats, harnesses, no rear seats, interior removed, air con!!! Basically a cup race car. I could understand that not being rated to tow, lol.
Put it this way if I had known that it couldn't tow when I bought it Renault would not have made a sale, as I needed to tow my race bike.
Do that with too many people and you don't have a business, right image or not.
If Renault was worried about image it would sort out its paint shop, as my car brand new was very poor, about 12 dirt inclussions under the paint, some small but one was a hair 1cm long. Never got it sorted.
I'm not sure how your assosciated with Renault but none of this is a pop at you, its just my opinion and experiences.
The tow bars coming off as I'm selling the car.

 

[Gumby]

Define best suspension?

Its not the impression Renault want to give out that the RS is both suitable (it isn't) and the right image for the car to be seen towing.

I would have said that the car is the most stable in the range due to the stiffer lower springs and dampers, wider lower profile tyres.

I also feel that marketing a car that cannot tow due to the "right image" is short sighted (Wouldn't be a first for Renault).
I need a car that is practical as well as fairly quick, if the car is to be "hard core" which it most definately is not, then cage, bucket seats, harnesses, no rear seats, interior removed, air con!!! Basically a cup race car. I could understand that not being rated to tow, lol.
Put it this way if I had known that it couldn't tow when I bought it Renault would not have made a sale, as I needed to tow my race bike.
Do that with too many people and you don't have a business, right image or not.
If Renault was worried about image it would sort out its paint shop, as my car brand new was very poor, about 12 dirt inclussions under the paint, some small but one was a hair 1cm long. Never got it sorted.
I'm not sure how your assosciated with Renault but none of this is a pop at you, its just my opinion and experiences.
The tow bars coming off as I'm selling the car.

What car company on this earth would ever want to see their car towing a caravan...

 

[edde]

I also feel that marketing a car that cannot tow due to the "right image" is short sighted (Wouldn't be a first for Renault).
I need a car that is practical as well as fairly quick, if the car is to be "hard core" which it most definately is not, then cage, bucket seats, harnesses, no rear seats, interior removed, air con!!! Basically a cup race car. I could understand that not being rated to tow, lol.
Put it this way if I had known that it couldn't tow when I bought it Renault would not have made a sale, as I needed to tow my race bike.
Do that with too many people and you don't have a business, right image or not.
If Renault was worried about image it would sort out its paint shop, as my car brand new was very poor, about 12 dirt inclussions under the paint, some small but one was a hair 1cm long. Never got it sorted.
I'm not sure how your assosciated with Renault but none of this is a pop at you, its just my opinion and experiences.
The tow bars coming off as I'm selling the car.

Stifer setup isn't ideal to tow with.

Renault arn't the only place to do this with there sporty models.

Its not an oversite I think its a great idea the gearbox and clutch just arn't upto it plus neither is the engine the way it is designed etc.

 

[MRBILLYUK]

Define best suspension?

Its not the impression Renault want to give out that the RS is both suitable (it isn't) and the right image for the car to be seen towing.

I would have said that the car is the most stable in the range due to the stiffer lower springs and dampers, wider lower profile tyres.

I also feel that marketing a car that cannot tow due to the "right image" is short sighted (Wouldn't be a first for Renault).
I need a car that is practical as well as fairly quick, if the car is to be "hard core" which it most definately is not, then cage, bucket seats, harnesses, no rear seats, interior removed, air con!!! Basically a cup race car. I could understand that not being rated to tow, lol.
Put it this way if I had known that it couldn't tow when I bought it Renault would not have made a sale, as I needed to tow my race bike.
Do that with too many people and you don't have a business, right image or not.
If Renault was worried about image it would sort out its paint shop, as my car brand new was very poor, about 12 dirt inclussions under the paint, some small but one was a hair 1cm long. Never got it sorted.
I'm not sure how your assosciated with Renault but none of this is a pop at you, its just my opinion and experiences.
The tow bars coming off as I'm selling the car.

You sound like one unhappy punter . But what car manufacturer sells a stripped car as a standard model that is capable and legally allowed to tow ?

Who ever said the RS Clio was " hard core " ? There are alot better , more " hard core " models as you call them on the market . But pound for pound the Clio is a good car , good performance , good handling in a price bracket that is accessible for the masses .

If towing is your main priority get a Volvo

 

[172.com]

Towbars on RSs

I remember that pic of the Trophy with trailer attached, what was the c**t thinking?!?

As for the guy above, I don't think not having towbars for the performance end of the range would damage Renault's business lol. People who buy performance cars don't particulary want to tow s**t or ruin the look of their car.

 

[Realtwin]

Its not an oversite I think its a great idea the gearbox and clutch just arn't upto it plus neither is the engine the way it is designed etc.

I can beg to differ as mines got 48k on now. No gearbox or engine troubles although its got most of the other common problems.
Max 2x160kg bike + 120 kg bike trailer (I overengineered it a bit but it will probably last 100 years lol) ten /twelve times a year. You put nearly as much load on everything with four big mates going down to the pub! lol.
I also shifted a lot of building rubble via trailer to the local tip. Saved me a lot of cash.
Damaging gearboxes and engines is more down to ignorance and a lack of mechanical sympathy.
But as a percentage of those 48k miles I've only towed for maybe 5/6k if the gearbox and engine are too fragile to cope with that then as an engineer I would say that they are not up to the job.

You sound like one unhappy punter . But what car manufacturer sells a stripped car as a standard model that is capable and legally allowed to tow ?
Who ever said the RS Clio was " hard core " ? There are alot better , more " hard core " models as you call them on the market . But pound for pound the Clio is a good car , good performance , good handling in a price bracket that is accessible for the masses .
If towing is your main priority get a Volvo

Towing wasn't my main priority, but like most people I can't afford a second car or van to tow with, so I need one that can. To find out that Renault don't offer a car with towing capabilities based on image is quite ridiculous, imo.
I was making the point that it isn't hardcore and so should have towing capabilities like the rest of the model range.

People who buy performance cars don't particulary want to tow s**t or ruin the look of their car.

I haven't ruined the look of my car as I bought the £200 removeable bar as I first mentioned so that you cannot tell its fitted. Takes 30 seconds to remove it when your finished.
So because I wanted a clio 172 sport I should give up the bike racing? That makes sense. lol

 

[GordonD]

I've said it here before.

I needed a car to tow with and saw the Renault web site didn't state a maximum towing weight for the 172, and only bought a new 172 with towbar fitted on the basis of the dealer's assurance that there wasn't a problem towing with the car. The dealer had checked with Renault that the standard Clio towbar would fit, and sourced a standard Clio towbar from them and fitted it.

Then subsequently found out that it wasn't legal to tow with it because Renault has not approved towing with it.

Everyone weazled out of responsibility. Renault said it was between me and the dealer. The dealer said that its only illegal to tow with a 172, not to fit a towbar or to use it to, for example, to mount a bicycle rack.

I towed plenty of times before I found out it was illegal, and a number of times since. The only real problem is that the 172 has a fairly tall first gear to prevent wheelspin, so with a trailer on in certain circumstances, like uphill starts and even worse uphill stop-start traffic, you have to torture the living daylights out of the clutch. Once you're rolling though its a great tow car.