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We eyeballed a nice rectangular shape and got cutting on the lower fascia. We're not too worried about messing this part up because European Golfs have a tow option from the factory and this same piece we're cutting on has a nice little removable door. That whole lower portion is fairly reasonably priced and is a possible future purchase we've been considering from companies that can source import foreign parts like ECS Tuning 
Our completed opening should leave enough room to access the receiver plug and get a few fingers up there to secure safety chains to the towbar.
Perfect!
With and without the hitch in place. Check out the video below to see how this hitch works and how fast it goes in and out!This video shows the hitch being removed from a MKV Golf with the detachable panel in the bumper for accessing the receiver but the hitch functionality is the same.
BACK OFF!!!! Leaving the hitch on makes a nice deterrent for inconsiderate parallel parkers who don't think about leaving enough room (or perhaps as a bumper feeler for us).
7 comments
Don’t forget about tongue weight ! That Refrigerator is way forward of the trailer axle and may have overloaded your Golf’s safe tongue weight rating. Usually you want about 10% of the trailer’s weight on the hitch up to the maximum rating.
Hi, you mention about getting a replacement European lower bumper panel with the tow bar hatch.
I’m in England, and at least around here I’m pretty sure VW will only sell you that panel as part of the whole tow bar retrofit kit they sell. Factory fitted tow bars on mk6 Golfs are also quite rare here, so it’s not even a easy job finding one second hand. I’ve been looking for a couple of months now and still haven’t found one. 🙁
Could you go into some detail about what you did for your trailer hitch wiring?
i got something like this: https://www.curtmfg.com/part/59236
splices into the taillight wiring–easy peasy.
Hello there
I’m thankfully that I found this information. I really enjoyed your article. I have been seriously considering to switch to a TDI with best mpg from a pickup with terrible mileage for my daily/work commute. I wonder what tranny do you have?? I really wanted to buy a tdi with manual but very HARD to find one here in AZ. Will Auto tranny be safe for towing 1500lbs? (I don’t towing that much like what it said in your article)
I have a 2015 tdi golf I am wanting to make a trip to Alaska with a small tent trailer. I find this article very helpful. Any information on fuel mileage?
what is the tongue weight of a 2004 Golf 2.0 manual tran? I would like to put a hitch and mount a 150lb trials motorcycle.