Trailer Hitch

[x5dan]

has anyone used a wdh (weight distributing hitch)on their X5? if so, how did you accomodate the auto levelin? tia

[robertplattbell]

I just installed the BMW OWM hitch (made by Westfalia, at least in part) and it took about 3 hours.

BavAuto has a hitch for $199 but the electrical package is another $199. Add in shipping, and you are at $500 (truck freight required).

The BMW hitch was $499 with my BMWCCA discount and tax. It comes in a very large box and includes the wiring harness, controller, and every single nut, bolt, washer, and wire tie. And the instructions are quite complete.

The instructions say you have to remove the mufflers to install the hitch, but I did not find this necessary. If the muffler rear mounts are unbolted and the heat shields are unbolted, they will drop about 2" and allow you to get in the two underneath bolts that hold the inserts in.

The rear bumper has to be removed and "reskinned" onto a new carrier (provided in the kit). It takes some effort, and it is a good idea to leave the bumper on an old blanket when working on it to prevent scratching the paint.

All in all, it was a spectactularly engineered piece, and a joy to work with. Everything fit perfectly and I did not have to cut into the wiring harness (always a very bad idea with a BMW) to run the wiring.

$500 for OEM or $350 for U-Haul? I'll do OEM.

[davewhite]

if anyone is removing their OEM hitch & needs the original parts that were removed, I have them - free if anyones needs them, just pay the freight. I live in Virginia.

[davewhite]

To clarify: I have the parts that came off of the car when the trailer hitch was installed, not the trailer hitch parts. Hoped that maybe someone might need them. Thanks

[Phil]

Did that $200 include the wiring harness?

[x5farmer]

I have a 1983 Ford F250 diesel and a 2005 F350 diesel -- the 1983 has NEVER been to the dealer for service other regular repair; ie. brakes, ball joints, etc. -- since U are an ENGINEER, I am sure that U can understand that U can engineer yourelf out of business -- would U be willing to take a spacecraft ride with the electronic ENGINEERING in an BMW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[robertplattbell]

Frankly, I was a little skeptical that this unibody bus would tow much of anything. We've had a number of RVs in the past, and a couple of large boats, and a pickup truck, to me, was the only way to go with towing anything. Towing with a BMW? No way, right?

However, we sold the condo in Florida and bought a house on Jekyll Island as a winter retreat. So we needed to move some stuff, and fast. The little X5 pulled a U-haul with no problems. Hardly knew it was back there - and about 2,000 lbs of stuff, too. Zoomed right along at 70 mph.

I finally figured out why first gear is so low on this thing, though. Towing.

Now the spouse wants to get a small tow-behind camper (Like a Casita) for the X5 so we can do Skyline Drive and the Blue Ridge parkway.....

One thing leads to another.

BTW, anyone here from Asheville? What a nice town.

[Bill-NC]

I live in Hendersonville, about 25 miles south of Asheville. Moved here from Boca Raton 11 years ago and have found this to be a delightful place to live.

[robertplattbell]

..we are thinking about getting a Scamp 16' side dinette trailer to tow behind the X5 and do the blue ridge parkway, over a period of a few days or weeks.

BMW claims the X5 can tow 6,000 lbs., but I've been RVing for a number of years, and I don't buy that for a minute. There is towing, and then again, there is towing.

The Scamp weighs in at about 1700 lbs. and would be an easy tow with the X5, even with the 3.0

[robertplattbell]

By the way, I found these wiring instructions for trailer brakes for the X5. The author is a really cool guy, too. Check out his website!

[pitcrew]

I find this OEM stuff really funny..includng the cheap american truck comments.

DLP....The BMW X5 is built in Spartanburg, South Carolina, USA with very cheap minimal skilled labor. you pay more..doesnt mean you get more..haha

[robertplattbell]

We ended up buynig a Casita, which is a cousin to the Scamp (the legend has it the two companies were founded by Brothers).

In 15 years of RVing this is the best lashup by far. Economical (16 mph) and fast and easy to drive - NO SWAY at all.

We've taken it everywhere. We are really using the "sport activity" feature of this thing.

Highly recommend getting the factory hitch, though. The splice into the wiring is tricky. The OEM system has a plug-in module that plugs into the electrical box under the spare tire.

I beleive the electrical module is sold separatley if you insist on an aftermarket hitch, but then the cost brings it up to the OEM hitch cost.

FWIW. $500 for a hitch on a $50,000 car is not bad.

[dmsull]

Where is the best place to buy the BMW OEM hitch?

[beecee]

Those are 2 good oem parts sources....I buy many parts from both of them.

[gooseus]

Installed a execuhitch on my X3. I love it, you cant even see that I have a hitch installed. Check out these guys. www.execuhitch.com