install towing receiver and electric brake control

[Kostyan]

Originally Posted by ard

The BMW one IS A PRODIGY! Just comes with a harness and cupholder thing. BMW doesnt make it, Tekonsha is the OEM for the BMW brake controller

The tek RF is $249 on amazon with free prime: https://www.amazon.com/Tekonsha-9025.../dp/B001P0ZA86

You dont want to use it fine, but price wise- given no install- it is the clear cost winner. Unless YOU are doing the install, add 1.25 x $140 onto the wired one for a BMW install. Assuming they charge you published time, which many will not. (BWMNA allows them to jack up labor rates as they wish).

Finally, uou think you will find any old car audio hack to do it for 50-100? (Even then it is more that the RF version). Werent you the guy that was going to get the body shop to install the hitch for free when they were doing rear bumper repairs???

(Maybe just get the cheaper wired tekonsha and have the audio shop build the harness? I mean how could they possibly F that up?)

I still dont know if the RF i the cats meow and if it really is fixed- I didnt see any reports here. But saying it is "300-400" seems a bit....biased.

Not sure what you meant by your hitch related comment. The shop I went to verbally is giving me a discount on that install and that's all.

I had no idea that Tekonsha makes BMW OEM unit, but then it is probably one of the cheaper $50-70 units that BMW puts their name on and sells for $200+. Suppose by the time everything is done even with cheaper unit I will be out by the same $249 then the RF unit could make sense with workaround steps taken for pairing.

[ard]

Originally Posted by Kostyan

Not sure what you meant by your hitch related comment. The shop I went to verbally is giving me a discount on that install and that's all.

I had no idea that Tekonsha makes BMW OEM unit, but then it is probably one of the cheaper $50-70 units that BMW puts their name on and sells for $200+. Suppose by the time everything is done even with cheaper unit I will be out by the same $249 then the RF unit could make sense with workaround steps taken for pairing.

I was alluding to the other thread, you had initially contemplated trying to negotiate some $$ out of the repairs to use on the hitch.

My point they was that there were bigger fish to fry.

My point now is that finding a yahoo to fish wires for $50 can turn out to be costly.

I am all for playing the angles, getting the best deal... but it can be a false economy. Thats all.

Finally I think the BMW version is a Prodigy P2, which is $110 approx. So ~100 for the harness and the 'cup stealer thingy'.

GL

[bfeng]

I just purchased an E70 (picking it up on Friday at Peake BMW in New Orleans).
Previously, I was towing with our old ML350 (W164). I used an aftermarket wiring harness from Curt. I got the wireless Prodigy for $250, and it took 15 minutes to drive in 4 self tapping screws, pair up the controller and calibrate in a parking lot. I had no pairing problems because the Curt wiring adapter is compatible with LED lights and has the right aux power on the 7 pin plug. I am really really glad I got the wireless unit. Because it's wireless, I can use this setup with any other tow vehicle any time. By avoiding the need to add wiring inside the car, I think it's as cost effective as a traditional hard-wired controller.

I'm going to add an OEM hitch/electronics to the X5, and will be using the wireless Prodigy controller again.

John