VW Bug hitch part II... HELP!

[capsu78]

I have purchased my first TD, but now there is "trouble in paridise"...
I went to my best known RV center to purchase a hitch. They said on the phone "No problem, same day service blah blah".
However as they started calling around,they say I will not be able to get a hitch for my 2002 VW Beetle. They keep trying to find a vendor, but the problem is that somehow the fact that I have a Turbo is preventing them from locating a stock hitch.

A couple of questions for all you TD experts out there:

Does it sound like I need a new tow vehcle strategy or a new hitch vendor?

My Turbo is part of the engine, what is the issue with the back end of my car? Catalytic converter maybe?

Anybody else who has a beetle heard of this? Can anybody give me a number of a place that has put a hitch on a VW before?

HELP! I have other tow vehicle options, but my new TD just won't look the same towing behind my wife's aircraft carrier!
(PS Don't tell her I just said that!)

[campadk]

Bummer! Did you try your VW dealer? In order to prevent voiding our warranty on our PT, and because no one had one in stock, we simply had our Chrysler dealer put on the hitch, same with the wiring (warranty issues).

I'm not surprised its an issue since there isn't exactly a lot of Beetle owners looking for a hitch!

[beverlyt]

Hello,
I just had a "Hidden Hitch" installed on my 2001 VW New Beetle.

First of all, you probably won't get a VW shop to install them since the New Beetle doesn't have ANY tow specs here in the USA. And if you have a warranty, it could very well void it out if you get one installed.

I looked up "Hidden Hitch" in my local yellow pages and found a dealer that carries them. He found one to match my car, no problem.
I do believe though that I've read where the turbo cars don't work with the specific hitch I have. (I have a 2.0L plain jane)

Hope you can find something.... I feel quite confident that my car can tow my light teardrop.

Bev

[beverlyt]

Dave,
Well... now I don't know but this site says it will fit Turbos!
Check it out at:
http://www.hitchesonline.com/volkswagon ... _98-01.htm

[capsu78]

Yes, tried the VW dealer, but they don't carry anything for the Beetle, and I am concerned about the warrenty issues myself...("Radio not working? Sorry, that fancy trailer hitch you installed is now sucking all of the FM radio waves out of the air,and that will be $1875 for parts to fix!")

And yes, I definitely want a "hidden hitch", and not something that looks like it was retrofitted from the Soviet space program, circa 1961...

[JamesW]

I ran into the same problem with my 2003 Toyota Matrix. No one had an exact fit hitch. I eventually got mine from U-Haul.

[edlfrey]

Can anybody give me a number of a place that has put a hitch on a VW before? HELP!

You might want to register at this site and then search on "trailer hitch". I got more than 50 postings using the last 2 months as a search limit.

http://www.tdiclub.com/

[ALAN GEDDES]

I think the problem is more than likely the exhaust system is different on your car. Tryand find a non turbo model and compare. Another question. Does your car have some form of ground effects kit (read that as a different rear bumper) ? Alan

[sftiggee]

My beetle is a turbo, just the diesel version. You should be able to get a Hidden hitch for the car. Now with a turbo, you should be concerned with boost pressure and blowing your turbo. Tow carefully dude...

Jolene

[angib]

Capsu (sorry, you haven't signed your posts),

You might want to see this message at The Other Place:

http://teardroptimes.buzzword.com/discu ... 3?mode=day

particularly the sentence: "There is a family in Seattle that tows their Cruiser with a Turbo VW Bug, they have been across the US with no problem."

Maybe the poster can put you in touch.

Andrew

[capsu78]

Thanks for the reference regarding VW Turbo towing. After some considerable thought, I am going to forgo towing with my VW turbo for the simple reality that having a hitch on the car could play havoc if I had an engine problem on my bug. VW says "verbotten" so I would lose more sleep than it is worth.
Instead I will change my tow strategy and hitch to my wifes Sebring. Not quite the same "cool" factor, but it seems like the smartest thing to do.
It should be all about the camping anyway, right?

[campadk]

Thanks for the reference regarding VW Turbo towing. After some considerable thought, I am going to forgo towing with my VW turbo for the simple reality that having a hitch on the car could play havoc if I had an engine problem on my bug. VW says "verbotten" so I would lose more sleep than it is worth.
Instead I will change my tow strategy and hitch to my wifes Sebring. Not quite the same "cool" factor, but it seems like the smartest thing to do.
It should be all about the camping anyway, right?

No worry capsu78... feller campers will be starring at your tear, not your tow vehicle!