Towing Hitch from... Uhaul?

[Dygital]

So with summer in full bloom, the nature is calling out to me and I am going to answer it. I want to install a towing hitch for my jetski on my '05 X5. Contacted my service adviser at BMW of SF who advised that:

THE TRAILER HITCH RUNS ABOUT $1572.00 TOTAL IN PARTS AND LABOR.

$544.00 IN PARTS

$973.00 IN LABOR AND THE REST IN TAX.

I called the parts department to confirm and casually asked if they know of an alternative to paying $1500+ for labor and they mentioned... Uhaul. So I contacted my local Uhaul, gave them a make and model of my car and they told me that parts AND labor for this hitch INSTALLED will cost me... ~$200.00

Hmm, $200 vs. $1572...

So I wanted to see if anyone has heard of this particular towing hitch by Draw-Tite and the quality of Uhaul's install job.

Oh yeah, I have scheduled an installation for this Tuesday, so if no one else has done it, I am willing to be the guinea pig Will keep everyone posted.

Cheers!

[Chris F.]

Originally Posted by Dygital

So with summer in full bloom, the nature is calling out to me and I am going to answer it. I want to install a towing hitch for my jetski on my '05 X5. Contacted my service adviser at BMW of SF who advised that:

THE TRAILER HITCH RUNS ABOUT $1572.00 TOTAL IN PARTS AND LABOR.

$544.00 IN PARTS

$973.00 IN LABOR AND THE REST IN TAX.

I called the parts department to confirm and casually asked if they know of an alternative to paying $1500+ for labor and they mentioned... Uhaul. So I contacted my local Uhaul, gave them a make and model of my car and they told me that parts AND labor for this hitch INSTALLED will cost me... ~$200.00

Hmm, $200 vs. $1572...

So I wanted to see if anyone has heard of this particular towing hitch by Draw-Tite and the quality of Uhaul's install job.

Oh yeah, I have scheduled an installation for this Tuesday, so if no one else has done it, I am willing to be the guinea pig Will keep everyone posted.

Cheers!

Welcome. You really should search on the forum about hitches -- aftermarket hitches have been known to damage the actual frame of the X5 If you want to take that risk with your 60k vehicle that is fine, but having heard of the damage from two folks who used aftermarket hitches I wouldn't take the chance.

[pseto]

I would go OEM, but that labor price is ridiculous!!! See if you can find a BMW technician that can do it for a lot cheaper. Or, better yet, DIY!

[UCrewX5]

Like the others above, I would highly recommend going with the BMW hitch. It is engineered to protect you and the vehicle properly while towing. Don't let a few dollars compromise either one. Look at what all comes with the OEM kit and compare it to the U-Haul setup - there is no comparison



Find a few friends and DIY. Here's some good info to help - http://www.xoutpost.com/articles.php?...ticle&artid=91

And here are the BMW install instructions - http://www.bmwmotorsports.org/pdf/X5_trailer_hitch.pdf

[diogenes!]

Originally Posted by Dygital

Hmm, $200 vs. $1572...

I recently faced a similar choice. '02 Lexus RX300 for $20k or '02 X5 for $30k. I bought the X5...

I just did this install last weekend and my notes are posted at the bottom of the DIY. There's no way you're gonna' get the quality of the BMW kit for $200. The lighting harness kit alone is gonna' cost you another $160 and it's plug 'n play, not splice 'n pray. Comes complete with 4-wire electronic converter and round to flat connector converter.

I was tempted to cheap-out on the hitch too. Went OEM and darn glad that I did.

Patrick

[hopz]

Just to be clear... if you go with the U Haul, you should still get the BMW wiring harness.
In my research I find that the U Haul guys do not have a clue about wiring the BMW.

Ole Bubba said to me, "no problemo- I'll find 12 volts and we will be ok". I mentioned the computer and the Hall effect brake light system, then the 5 volt multiplexer system... he said maybe it would be better if I went somewhere else to have the wiring done, after I mentioned his liability if he messed up the computer.

False ecomomy....

[dsheli]

Originally Posted by Dygital

So with summer in full bloom, the nature is calling out to me and I am going to answer it. I want to install a towing hitch for my jetski on my '05 X5. Contacted my service adviser at BMW of SF who advised that:

THE TRAILER HITCH RUNS ABOUT $1572.00 TOTAL IN PARTS AND LABOR.

$544.00 IN PARTS

$973.00 IN LABOR AND THE REST IN TAX.

I called the parts department to confirm and casually asked if they know of an alternative to paying $1500+ for labor and they mentioned... Uhaul. So I contacted my local Uhaul, gave them a make and model of my car and they told me that parts AND labor for this hitch INSTALLED will cost me... ~$200.00

Hmm, $200 vs. $1572...

So I wanted to see if anyone has heard of this particular towing hitch by Draw-Tite and the quality of Uhaul's install job.

Oh yeah, I have scheduled an installation for this Tuesday, so if no one else has done it, I am willing to be the guinea pig Will keep everyone posted.

Cheers!

No way in hell would I have U-haul do it. Buy the parts and install it your self. I think that you need to cancel that appointment.

[BradATL]

Originally Posted by Dygital

Contacted my service adviser at BMW of SF who advised that:

THE TRAILER HITCH RUNS ABOUT $1572.00 TOTAL IN PARTS AND LABOR.

$544.00 IN PARTS

$973.00 IN LABOR AND THE REST IN TAX.

I ordered the hitch kit from the parts dept of my local dealer today. MSRP is $499. He agreed to $450 (10% discount for BMWCCA members). Even if you're not a BMWCCA member, you can shop around by phone and probably find a local dealer who will give you a 10% discount.