Tow bar question C5 2005

[Rochy101]

Hi guys,
Im in need of a tow bar pretty quick I have seen one second hand one for sale full tow bar and electrics - with the yellow connection blocks on , my problem is this is off a C5-2003 estate and my car is a C5-2005 estate, I hope their a match as price is mega low for France.

[Paul-R]

If the 2005 is a facelift car then I believe they are different. The trouble is that I can't see why they should be as the facelift estate uses the same rear end as the earlier car.

EDIT. Just seen you have a 1.6HDi so it must be a facelift. Anybody else have an opinion or even the correct answer?

[jgra1]

Like you paul i cant believe they would be different.. but i dont know either

[GiveMeABreak]

The dimensions of the Mk1 and the Mk2 facelift cars are different for a start and secondly, the electrics need to be considered as these are also different.

[Paul-R]

The dimensions of the Mk1 and the Mk2 facelift cars are different for a start ..

At the front for saloon and estate certainly but only for the saloon at the rear surely?

... the electrics need to be considered as these are also different.

I would always use a smart relay at the very least anyway.

[GiveMeABreak]

At the front for saloon and estate certainly but only for the saloon at the rear surely?

MkI Estate (MkII Estate in Brackets): Length 4756 (4839). Width 1770 (1780), Wheelbase 2750 (2750), Front Track 1528-1544 (1528), Rear Track 1493-1509 (1495)
MkI Saloon (MkII Saloon in Brackets): Length 4618 (4745). Width 1770 (1780), Wheelbase 2750 (2750), Front Track 1528-1530 (1528), Rear Track 1493-1495 (1495)

I would always use a smart relay at the very least anyway.

Me too - I think that's why the prices differ substantially - as to the electronics and interoperability with the onbaord ABS / ESP systems and Parking Sensors - some auto switch off the system with a towbar connected for example. But as far as the main towbar goes - I doubt there would be several towbar models for the MkI & II if they were all the same.

[Paul-R]

MkI Estate (MkII Estate in Brackets): Length 4756 (4839). Width 1770 (1780), Wheelbase 2750 (2750), Front Track 1528-1544 (1528), Rear Track 1493-1509 (1495)
MkI Saloon (MkII Saloon in Brackets): Length 4618 (4745). Width 1770 (1780), Wheelbase 2750 (2750), Front Track 1528-1530 (1528), Rear Track 1493-1495 (1495)

With respect, I don't think these prove anything one way or another.

But as far as the main towbar goes - I doubt there would be several towbar models for the MkI & II if they were all the same.

I don't disagree that manufacturers list different bars for early and late saloons and also a different pair yet again for the estates. The saloon are obvious, the rear body is different. But the estate isn't; they share the same rear end. So what makes the bars, not the electrics, different?

[GiveMeABreak]

I was just clarifying the diimensions were different on both Pre and facelift models Paul as you asked - not saying it proves anything -
An interesting point - I've looked at lots of suppliers and as most of these require seperate electric kits / bypass relays and the like, I cant see anything in any specs that seem to be specific to any of the C5 estates - maybe it is down to the approval regs?

[vborovic]

So what makes the bars, not the electrics, different?

Didn't dig into the older genuine tow bars too much, but just from the basics, the earlier models were using VAN networks, the latter CAN networks ... big difference (if the architecture is actually used), in the case of bypass modules, the architecture type is irrelevant ...

[GiveMeABreak]

So what makes the bars, not the electrics, different?

Didn't dig into the older genuine tow bars too much, but just from the basics, the earlier models were using VAN networks, the latter CAN networks ... big difference (if the architecture is actually used), in the case of bypass modules, the architecture type is irrelevant ...

We get why the the electrics are different VAB - but not the actual bars that are fitted - as there are different towbar kits where you have to buy the electrics seperately anyway - so what makes the bars so different for the Mark I and Mark II estates excluding the electrics for example?

[vborovic]

I'll try to dig some schematics up where some obvious differences (if they exist) should be shown, but I doubt there would be 2 sets of tow-bars for the 01-04 & 05-08, even from Witter, if the cars would be identical on the rear end:

http://witter-towbars.co.uk/towbars/tow ... 43&year=26

http://witter-towbars.co.uk/towbars/tow ... 44&year=26

[GiveMeABreak]

OK those have wiring kits with them that could explain the difference in price / type - but looking on this site, the towbar only clearly shows different model numbers for the C5 years for both Hatchback and Estates:

http://www.towbarwarehouse.com/citroen_C5_TowBars.html

[Paul-R]

I had thought about a possible cause for the difference. Was the exhaust system, or at least the back box, significantly changed for the facelift estate?

[GiveMeABreak]

Could well be Paul, the MkII has twin pipes from the back box and is a different shape over the MkI

[Paul-R]

We really could do with knowing what the OP, Rochy101, has done.