New Type BMW Hitch as Damage Repair

[Whizzo]

Well, I guess it was going to happen eventually in south Texas, but the 35d got rear-ended. After getting my German dealer to install his first American hitch, I figured I was good to go for years.

The bumper and hitch assembly took up the entire low speed impact, and the other driver's Honda Civic was much worse after kissing German-American iron. The insurance companies handled things well and quickly, so just had to wait for parts. I was glad the body shop found BMW supplied parts, figuring a 2009 hitch kit might be scarce.

Appears someone complained loudly enough about the OEM setup. I was surprised when the body shop called to ask if i knew we no longer had to cut the bumper panel to accommodate the receiver and 7-pin plug. The gap didn't bother me a lot, but it was far uglier than necessary.

The new hitch tube is missing the odd "handle" bracing above the receiver opening, and the bumper cap has a smooth radiased opening already cut.

Will post the finished product, hopefully next week.

[PAX5]

Can you post the part numbers of each part you're replacing?

[finnbmw]

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[kakalika]

The hitch came in a Toyota box?

[Whizzo]

Originally Posted by kakalika

The hitch came in a Toyota box?

<chuckle> I think that's actually the "coffin" for the old hitch. Gotta recycle, ya know.

[blue dragon]

Thats interesting, maybe BMW finally had enough customer complaints.

[digdesign]

I don't see how the new part is different. The drop on the hitch looks the same. It looks identical to the hitch I recently got and I had to cut the bumper.

[BorisKV]

I think OP was not referring to the drop but rather to the handle above the tube. I would be really interested to know what part number is that or if there is any way to figure out which part (old vs new) dealer will get before ordering.

[digdesign]

Yeah, the new design doesn't have that top reinforcing bar.
But I was referring to this statment.

Originally Posted by Whizzo

...body shop called to ask if i knew we no longer had to cut the bumper panel to accommodate the receiver and 7-pin plug.

Here's the part I got, which looks identical to what the OP posted, and I did have to cut my bumper.
From what I could find the part number hasn't been superseded. So when you order the hitch this is what you get now.

[Whizzo]

Originally Posted by digdesign

Here's the part I got, which looks identical to what the OP posted, and I did have to cut my bumper.
From what I could find the part number hasn't been superseded. So when you order the hitch this is what you get now.

You're right, the hitch drop is the same. What is different is the second part of my original post: you don't have to cut the bumper panel, because the replacement bumper panel already has an opening. It is a smooth, radiased arch, rather than the rectangular notch cut needed in the original bumper cover.



This hitch part, for vehicles made up to 2010-04, is 71602156525.

The main bumper cover (image above) is 51127178279.

Something listed as 'lower bumper trim piece' is 71600035371.

Now, all of this has only been what the body shop is telling me! Haven't seen the parts all assembled yet, so maybe we'll all be surprised?