factory install trailer hitch
 

Picking up my x5d at performance center in early november. Just now getting to the accessories. Trailer hitch was part of the deal but still has to be priced. I was told it will be about $550 for hitch and another $1000 for labor. Not clear if other parts are needed (cross member?)

What are others' experiences? What kind of discount (if any) was offered on the hitch and on labor? Seems odd to me to be paying labor for a car that is coming straight from assembly line.

I'm reasonably sure that the hitch is not installed as part of the manufacturing process "on the line." There is no separate bumper cover, and I am sure they do not manually cut the bumper cover while assembling on the line, i.e., they probably install the hitch manually, after the car is completed, just like your dealer would.

It sounds silly that they would assemble the car completely, only to later remove the bumper cover manually to install the hitch, but for low volume options such as this, it actually makes sense to avoid any delays or additional complexity on the assembly line.

Many years ago when I worked for Ford, the Kentucky truck plant did low-volume options this way when truck customers wanted low volume options, particularly the larger commercial use trucks.

Thanks. My concern was that they are charging seemingly the full rate for labor. I installed the hitch on my e53 and I know it is difficult, but it seems astounding that they are charging so much when it is being added before delivery. Hoping others have different experiences to share.

The hitch is one of the many dealer-installed options (or you could purchase and self install). Price can be negotiated, especially when placing initial order for car. They'll "bundle" it in on one price, so you have to know all your numbers.

Our X5 35d was delivered with the OEM hitch. It was installed by the dealer as part of the negotiated price of our built to order 35d. My attitude was that if BMW didn't want to install the OEM hitch at the factory, that was OK. But I certainly wasn't going to pay extra for the dealer to install it later.

Funf Dreisig

I haven't searched the forums lately but I think $1000 installed is attainable.

Tim

I'm having the Performance Center put mine in. It is shows on my purchase order as:

Center Installed Trailer Hitch $596

Tim

The best labor quote I got so far - called 4 dealers - is $450,-. The highest I think I heard was $750 or even more. The lowest for the parts I found was at Tischer BMW in MD @ $425,- http://www.trademotion.com/partlocat...catalogid=4462. So the total would be $875,- installed plus any taxes.

Spacey :D

This is the first I've heard that the performance center would add the hitch. Was this coordinated through your CA? I'm wondering if it's something they could add after the fact while my vehicle is "in waiting" for my PCD in mid-november?

Yes, have you CA get it done. He will have to coordinate it with the Performance Center. If he can't, find someone else.

Tim

I paid $608 for the PCD hitch in August.

It is definitely sold as "accessory" not "option". Did you do Performance Center Delivery by any chance? In which case they would have had to install it there as part of pre-delivery...

spacey :D

this is great news.. please let us know how you arranged that..

I told my CA that I wanted the Performance Center to install the trailer hitch. How much? He quoted me $608. I said sold.

You'll never get that price if you have the dealer install it. They'll rape you on labor.

do you mind disclosing your CA's info? or at least the dealership? I want to be able to quote someone ...

Hmmm... so that means that at least this accessory is installable by the PDC... and what sounds like at a lower $. I wonder if this same thing could/does work for other (some or all) accessories. For example RES.

spacey :D

I know I'm not getting much of a deal based on anecdotal evidence. Factory labor on the hitch is another source of profit that was probably negotiable but described as not. If not for the Eco-credit, I'd be more annoyed.

do you mind disclosing your CA's info? or at least the dealership? I want to be able to quote someone ..

Pete Sasich
Markel BMW
Omaha, NE

And I did misquote the price. It was $609, not $608.

Has anyone installed the trailer hitch themselves?

Ask your parts dept for the part number of the hitch for the 2008 X5.
If it is the same as the 2010 part number, search for my posts.
I installed one on the 2007 and 2008 X5 and documented the process.

I bought my hitch from etrailer.com that didn't require the ridiculous cutting of the bumper cover like the OEM hitch and installed it myself in an evening. $1000 for labor is just insane.

For SoCal owners:
$930 out the door for complete OEM install at Santa Monica BMW - and they did a nice job, including painting the muffler. South Bay quoted me $2100(!!), Beverly Hills $1300.

Passport BMW, MD - after matching the parts prices w/Tischer on line store w/labor including programming time, which was separated from other labor, all said and done came out to: $435 (hitch) + $468 (install) + $130 (programming) + $17.XX (bumper fascia trim) = $1050.XX. Plus Ball & Tongue ~ $35,-.

This was less by at least $50,- from the second lowest quote I got assuming those other people would match the lowest parts prices. Tischer was actually the most expensive out of the 3 I called for labor quotes.

I was going to put it in myself but then decided that I am going to be lazy on this one. I'd still have to go to the dealer to do the programming for $130 so I really paid $468,- for something I could have done, minus effort/driving time to the dealer to do the reprogramming. So... yea it's still a bit sick but once in a blue moon I can afford laziness :popcorn:

spacey :D

If you happen to need a software update for another reason the hitch updated "could" be included.

Would you post a link to the one you purchased on etrailer?