As a family, we love to drive off and go camping for weekends, or weeks at a time. We mostly keep it really simple, a tent, sleeping bags and a car full of provisions. Last year though, for a change, we decided to rent a caravan and do it that way. Not having a towbar on the jeep, I clearly needed to get one installed.
With this in mind, I took the jeep down to the professionals at All Vehicle Accessories (AVA) to get a towbar installed. Initially I wanted the cheapest model I could find, the less I spent here, the more I could spend on the caravan. I am glad I talked to the guys though, in their experience they showed me the folly of my ways.
To begin with, they got me thinking about the types of things I wanted to tow. Obviously there was the caravan for the upcoming trip. Following on from that though, I'd probably buy some bike beaks too as my wife loves triathlons. We could take the bikes up to the Dandenongs for a ride.
From there is was a simple comparison of the increments (between cheap and quality) with the prices of the items the towbar was looking after. So between the two bikes we own, there is about $6,000 worth of equipment to start with.
I ended up Googling caravan sales to get a feel for how much they are to buy. I didn't realise they were so expensive. I couldn't find anything for less than $5000 and I found quite a few which cost more than $100,000. You can buy property for that much... The one we rented was mid range, costing around $50,000 new. Its quite a "load" on the towbar when you think about it in those terms.
I was convinced. I had to change my attitude toward this towbar. If I was going to pay the money regardless, I may as well have it done properly. Instead of finding a cheap towbar, I realised I needed to find a quality towbar. Paying the few extra dollars didn't matter anymore, when taken in perspective with the items being towed.
The AVA professionals pointed out to me that the Hayman Reese towbars are the only brand in Australia which carries a lifetime guarantee. This I thought was pretty telling, especially as quality was now the issue. I was almost sold. These particular towbars though had two additional features which absolutely convinced me.
Firstly, they have an accessory called a Weight Distribution Hitch. This important piece of equipment, when fitted properly, reduces the ball weight and therefore, the drag on the vehicle. If you are looking to save money on your towbar, think about this. Paying the extra dollars for this towbar and accessory will actually pay you back many times over down the track. Reducing the drag improves your fuel efficiency. That means that when you are towing, you use less fuel and save money at the bowser. This is an on-going saving, not the once off I was considering by going cheap with the towbar.
The other thing they sell is an accessory called Sway Control. This one I definitely wanted as it makes towing so much safer. Given that my family are going to be in the vehicle with me as we drive on our holiday, safety really is my first priority. Sway control is simply the add on that stops the caravan from swerving all over the road, every time a truck drives past the other way. A very nifty accessory which makes for a much safer trip.
This experience was a rare one for me. Usually when told I am wrong its like a red rag to a bull. The guys at AVA explained to me the importance of a quality towbar though, in a such a professional way that I didn't feel in the least bit miffed. At the end of the day, they are the experts and they were just helping me protect my family.
With this in mind, I took the jeep down to the professionals at All Vehicle Accessories (AVA) to get a towbar installed. Initially I wanted the cheapest model I could find, the less I spent here, the more I could spend on the caravan. I am glad I talked to the guys though, in their experience they showed me the folly of my ways.
To begin with, they got me thinking about the types of things I wanted to tow. Obviously there was the caravan for the upcoming trip. Following on from that though, I'd probably buy some bike beaks too as my wife loves triathlons. We could take the bikes up to the Dandenongs for a ride.
From there is was a simple comparison of the increments (between cheap and quality) with the prices of the items the towbar was looking after. So between the two bikes we own, there is about $6,000 worth of equipment to start with.
I ended up Googling caravan sales to get a feel for how much they are to buy. I didn't realise they were so expensive. I couldn't find anything for less than $5000 and I found quite a few which cost more than $100,000. You can buy property for that much... The one we rented was mid range, costing around $50,000 new. Its quite a "load" on the towbar when you think about it in those terms.
I was convinced. I had to change my attitude toward this towbar. If I was going to pay the money regardless, I may as well have it done properly. Instead of finding a cheap towbar, I realised I needed to find a quality towbar. Paying the few extra dollars didn't matter anymore, when taken in perspective with the items being towed.
The AVA professionals pointed out to me that the Hayman Reese towbars are the only brand in Australia which carries a lifetime guarantee. This I thought was pretty telling, especially as quality was now the issue. I was almost sold. These particular towbars though had two additional features which absolutely convinced me.
Firstly, they have an accessory called a Weight Distribution Hitch. This important piece of equipment, when fitted properly, reduces the ball weight and therefore, the drag on the vehicle. If you are looking to save money on your towbar, think about this. Paying the extra dollars for this towbar and accessory will actually pay you back many times over down the track. Reducing the drag improves your fuel efficiency. That means that when you are towing, you use less fuel and save money at the bowser. This is an on-going saving, not the once off I was considering by going cheap with the towbar.
The other thing they sell is an accessory called Sway Control. This one I definitely wanted as it makes towing so much safer. Given that my family are going to be in the vehicle with me as we drive on our holiday, safety really is my first priority. Sway control is simply the add on that stops the caravan from swerving all over the road, every time a truck drives past the other way. A very nifty accessory which makes for a much safer trip.
This experience was a rare one for me. Usually when told I am wrong its like a red rag to a bull. The guys at AVA explained to me the importance of a quality towbar though, in a such a professional way that I didn't feel in the least bit miffed. At the end of the day, they are the experts and they were just helping me protect my family.
About the Author:
Damian Papworth realises the cost of quality towbars and bike racks are mimimal in comparison to the goods they are carrying.
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