Hey there! I am brand new and this is my frist post. I have recently purchased a 2003 X5 3.0. I was wondering if anyone has ever put on their own trailer hitch? The dealership wants to charge $495 and that's before labor. Here is what they told me after I told them I had extensive knowledge of welding:
It doesn't weld. They have to remove the old cross member. The hitch is actually made to a new cross member. plus the vehicle has to be programed so the brake system and transmission will know if its under a load or not. If need be, i can forward your message to a service advisor, and they can inform you more on the hitch system it self.
Also, the dealer said that the wiring kit is NOT sold separately so if this is the case, am I chasing a dead end here?
Is this something that I should just leave to the pros or should I try to tackle it myself? Seeing as it's got nothing to do with the engine, I'm feeling a little braver than usual when it comes to they DIY route
I have pictures of where the hitch would go, but it's not letting me upload them. But I'm sure y'all pros know what it looks like

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Thanks in advance,
Charles