trailer hitch on a 2015 x3 35I

[rollyj]

I just purchased this car 2015 BMW X3 35i and wouild like to install a tow hitch on it 

has  anyone  had any  experience … dealer price is a bit high .. like all in at 23 to 2500.00 cdn. so im looking at aftermarket … what is your experience is there anything that has to be done to the computer software end of things when a hitch is installed ? I can get a hitch installed and wired for 800 or so but I am not sure about the software part of it … will the car recognize  that an extra load has been added to the car ? what would be the issues from going this way ...

appreciate any help in this matter …..  Roland

[SilverJohn]

Hi Roland

Welcome to the Club.

I have no direct experience of tow bar fitting but £800 sounds a lot more reasonable than £2500. The company quoting £800, are they a specialist tow-bar company? Do they have a web-site with customer reviews? Have they confirmed the price in writing with an outline specification of what they will install? Have they got experience of fitting to BMW's? Do you know approximately the weight of the trailer / caravan and have the tow-bar company confirmed this is in-line with the specification of what they will fit?

A lot of questions but ones that I feel you need to be comfortable with the answers before entrusting them with the job.

As far as I know, there's nothing in the engine management software to worry about. Towing a trailer or caravan should be no different from filling the car with Rugby players.

The tricky part as far as I know is integrating the lighting circuits so that when towing, certain lights such as the rear fog lights don't operate on the car, just on the trailer / caravan.

Hope this helps

John

[Greydog]

Hi Roland

BMW use Westfalia as OEM suppliers, here in the UK there are a large number of Tow Hitch suppliers and fitters who would be capable of doing the job including the wiring harness which would be included. Price for the kit here I would guess at around £600 to £650 fitted. 

As John says the wiring harness comes with a clever little switch box and disables the rear parking sensors and fog lamps when a trailer is plugged in. If your not aware 2000kg 4400lbs is your tow limit with the X3

Dave