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      09-16-2014, 10:23 AM   #1
wjbender
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Trailer Hitch question

Anyone have the trailer hitch installed? Did the dealer do it or aftermarket?

How much should I expect to pay?

Any pictures?

thanks
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      09-16-2014, 10:28 AM   #2
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wjbender View Post
Anyone have the trailer hitch installed? Did the dealer do it or aftermarket?

How much should I expect to pay?

Any pictures?

thanks
I installed the invisihitch/execuhitch. I asked my dealer and they told me to go get it done elsewhere. I ended up installing it myself. You are probably looking at 2-3 hours of labour if you bring it to a shop.

Here is what I got: http://execuhitch.com/tow-hitches/bmw-x5-and-x5m/

I can post some pictures tonight once I get home. But if you google around you will find previous posts with pictures included.
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      09-16-2014, 10:53 AM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ramsal View Post
I installed the invisihitch/execuhitch. I asked my dealer and they told me to go get it done elsewhere. I ended up installing it myself. You are probably looking at 2-3 hours of labour if you bring it to a shop.

Here is what I got: http://execuhitch.com/tow-hitches/bmw-x5-and-x5m/

I can post some pictures tonight once I get home. But if you google around you will find previous posts with pictures included.
Thanks - that is a beautiful hitch. I plan to use it to tow a 5000 lb boat.
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      09-16-2014, 10:58 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wjbender View Post
Anyone have the trailer hitch installed? Did the dealer do it or aftermarket?

How much should I expect to pay?

Any pictures?

thanks
I did it using an Execuhitch and a 3rd party lighting module. Total cost (including install for the hitch and self install for the lighting) was about 1000 bucks. The dealer option with install is about double that (and not as nice, from what I hear).
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      09-16-2014, 11:52 AM   #5
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In addition to @ramsal 's great link, look at this thread by @skalberti who has installed the invisihitch on an M Sport, and shows the installation process pictures in the thread: http://f15.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...ht=invisihitch
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      09-16-2014, 12:43 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by MattBianco View Post
In addition to @ramsal 's great link, look at this thread by @skalberti who has installed the invisihitch on an M Sport, and shows the installation process pictures in the thread: http://f15.bimmerpost.com/forums/sho...ht=invisihitch
Looks like I'll do the install myself. A nice weekend project.
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      09-16-2014, 01:29 PM   #7
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This is a great hitch kit and is not hard at all to install. It's completely invisible when not in use, where the BMW hitch is not. The instructions are well written, I just added a couple short cuts and tips.

Here's the same post on bimmerfest. The pictures are bigger.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=791660
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      09-16-2014, 04:01 PM   #8
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I'm planning on the Invisihitch when my car arrives next month. The OEM isn't hidden and is double the cost as others have noted. Plus, only a small portion of the OEM can be residualized on a lease so really no particular reason to go with it.
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      09-16-2014, 07:08 PM   #9
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Originally Posted by brownan View Post
I'm planning on the Invisihitch when my car arrives next month. The OEM isn't hidden and is double the cost as others have noted. Plus, only a small portion of the OEM can be residualized on a lease so really no particular reason to go with it.
What do you mean? I'm not a lease expert so helping me understand is appreciated.

I thought that if your residual is 60% after 36 months then you're paying for 40% of it plus the interest.
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      09-16-2014, 07:18 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by Snow-Kidney View Post
What do you mean? I'm not a lease expert so helping me understand is appreciated.

I thought that if your residual is 60% after 36 months then you're paying for 40% of it plus the interest.
Normally any option is included in the MSRP to which the residual then gets applied. So for example if BMW charges $2500 for the hitch and the residual on a 36 month 12k/yr X5 lease is 58%, then you'd only be paying for 42% of the hitch (or $2500*42%=$1050). Sadly that ain't the way it works with BMW and their goofy hitch. Apparenly they will only residualize $500 of the $2500 so you're paying for $2k worth of hitch over a 36 month period. Bad deal. Porsche charges about $750 for a factory hitch. Works great. Not sure why BMW can't sort their hitch solution. I'm doing Invisihitch and maybe if I do another X5 after the mid-cycle refresh in 2017 or whenever I can use it again on that vehicle (since usually those refreshes are cosmetic in nature).
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      09-16-2014, 10:01 PM   #11
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+1 Invisihitch

I'm putting on the Invisihitch.
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      09-29-2014, 03:40 PM   #12
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Hi guys, sorry for not posting this awhile back but here is a pic of the OEM BMW Hitch by itself without electronics. I only use it for my bike rack since I don't really tow anything. Enjoy the pic.
Btw it only cost me $1,000.00 installed at dealership.

Joe
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      10-01-2014, 08:00 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skalberti View Post
This is a great hitch kit and is not hard at all to install. It's completely invisible when not in use, where the BMW hitch is not. The instructions are well written, I just added a couple short cuts and tips.

Here's the same post on bimmerfest. The pictures are bigger.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=791660
Which BMW hitch are you talking about when you say that it isn't invisible when not in use. I have the factory BMW hitch in the UK and it folds out of the way completely when not in use. There is no indication at all that you even have a hitch installed when it is not deployed.

There is a video posted by CatFlap I think on another thread showing the extending and retraction of the BMW factory hitch. Very neat and no cutouts required in bumpers or anything else for clearance as you get with some aftermarket hitches.
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      10-01-2014, 11:26 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NPickles
Quote:
Originally Posted by skalberti View Post
This is a great hitch kit and is not hard at all to install. It's completely invisible when not in use, where the BMW hitch is not. The instructions are well written, I just added a couple short cuts and tips.

Here's the same post on bimmerfest. The pictures are bigger.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=791660
Which BMW hitch are you talking about when you say that it isn't invisible when not in use. I have the factory BMW hitch in the UK and it folds out of the way completely when not in use. There is no indication at all that you even have a hitch installed when it is not deployed.

There is a video posted by CatFlap I think on another thread showing the extending and retraction of the BMW factory hitch. Very neat and no cutouts required in bumpers or anything else for clearance as you get with some aftermarket hitches.
Cat flap has the folding Euro version which is not available in the USA.
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      10-01-2014, 11:52 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by skalberti View Post
Cat flap has the folding Euro version which is not available in the USA.
Same as I have, very cool. What hitch do you get factory fit from BMW in the US then?
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      10-01-2014, 02:03 PM   #16
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US Spec factory hitch

N/A from factory for US X5s.

Last edited by F15GorDe; 10-01-2014 at 02:05 PM.. Reason: spelling
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      10-01-2014, 04:22 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NPickles View Post
Same as I have, very cool. What hitch do you get factory fit from BMW in the US then?

I believe the factory BMW hitch for the US is like yours, except it doesn't fold up, so its always in view. The hitch I have is the Invishitch, which has all of the same factory electronic features as the BMW factory, but its completely hidden when not in use and has a 7,000lb tow rating
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      11-13-2014, 09:26 AM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jpsjr70 View Post
Hi guys, sorry for not posting this awhile back but here is a pic of the OEM BMW Hitch by itself without electronics. I only use it for my bike rack since I don't really tow anything. Enjoy the pic.
Btw it only cost me $1,000.00 installed at dealership.

Joe
I believe you can install a hitch without electronics for a little over $200 from etrailer.com if you only want to use it for a bike or travel rack.
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      11-15-2014, 04:23 PM   #19
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For a 5,000 boat -- which is what I tow, go with the Invisihitch and the better programming module. Cost to purchase and install at a local 3rd party shop on Darryl's list will be about $1500. You'll want the active programming module so that every time you put the thing into reverse the the PDC recognizes you have a trailer back there and won't require you to either go crazy listening to it wail at you or turn it off.

Check my other posts as I did a write up on my x5 while towing and it has pics of the Invisihitch.
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      11-15-2014, 04:53 PM   #20
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The Invisihitch setup works great and is total stealth install when your not using it. I tow a 7300lb travel trailer and after learning about not using a weight equalizing hitch it pulls like a dream. Not to mention you will get better service and support from Daryl at Invisihitch than you will every get from the dealer.

Clay
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      11-17-2014, 03:29 PM   #21
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Here are two pics of the BMW Class III hitch that I put on my car - it has a ball unit that disconnects when not in use, so while it's not "invisible" it is very unobtrusive. It's not cheap though - about $1200 for the hitch + $600 to install.
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