Tow hitch for 2011 X3

Do you have a option with the execuhitch to have a 2" receiver for those of us with multiple devices that use a hitch?

The hitch I referred to was from BMW.

The BMW hitch only offers towball and no option for your bike rack. Execuhitch accessories include a receiver that works for bike and cargo racks but they will only fit the execuhitch receiver system.

If your are needing to use a hitch system to use a bike or cargo rack then you must have the 2 inch or 1 1/4 inch receiver for insertion of assembly. Gooseneck on BMW system will allow towing but no bike or cargo rack.

Originally Posted by DEAN@EXECUHITCH

If your are needing to use a hitch system to use a bike or cargo rack then you must have the 2 inch or 1 1/4 inch receiver for insertion of assembly. Gooseneck on BMW system will allow towing but no bike or cargo rack.

NOT TRUE. The BMW (USA) hitch installed by BMW on my 2011 X3 has a 2" receiver. I can install the ball for towing, or I can insert my Thule hitch bike rack and it fits perfectly.

I apologize if I was misinformed by local dealer. I was told that the new x3 BMW factory hitch came as a gooseneck and did not have a receiver option

The hitch I had installed from BMW has a 2" receiver. The only issue I have is with the depth of the receiver, which is a problem for the Yakima bike rack. I fully expect to be able to shorten the bike rack tongue so that it will work with the BMW hitch.

Thinking about picking up a 2011 X3 35i for my wife's car. We will use it to the boat as well. The boat is a Mastercraft X2. Weighs about 3200lbs. Single axle trailer about 900 so all together 4100lbs. Add gas and equipment and we are at or above 4400lbs.

I'm wondering if I get the Class III hitch from execuhitch would it be safe to pull this weight with the X3? I wanted to go OEM route but that's only Class II so that unfortunately won't work.

We don't trailer it often, maybe 3-5 times per year but once a year we do go on a trip about 3 hours away with it.

Anyways, just wondering the thoughts as I have a hard time finding the exact towing capacity of the X3 so I'm nervous about the towing angle.

Thanks!

It's rated by the manufacturer to tow 3500lb. By the sounds of it, you would be well over the limit. And that doesn't take into account the smallish size and stature of the x3 as a tow vehicle.

Originally Posted by bren

It's rated by the manufacturer to tow 3500lb.

-In the US.

In the EU it's rated around 5400lbs. The vehicle is the same. So which number is real?

Originally Posted by Palantirion

-In the US.

In the EU it's rated around 5400lbs. The vehicle is the same. So which number is real?

Exactly. I'm sure some of the difference is because of the diesel vs gas engine but that can't be all of the almost 2000lb difference.

I'm hoping the X3 would be able to handle the towing, especially since we don't tow it often, but seems the jury is still out.

Originally Posted by Palantirion

-In the US.

In the EU it's rated around 5400lbs. The vehicle is the same. So which number is real?

Depends on what country you are in, and/or how good of a lawyer you are I guess. I certainly wouldn't want to screw up while towing over the limit and find out though.

Hmmm well maybe I'll have to give the Q5 another look. They are rated for 4400lbs even with a 4 cylinder. No idea how the X3's 6 cylinder is less than that but oh well.

Originally Posted by sadcape[LEFT

[/LEFT]r;6671765]Hmmm well maybe I'll have to give the Q5 another look. They are rated for 4400lbs even with a 4 cylinder. No idea how the X3's 6 cylinder is less than that but oh well.

Tow capacity isn't exactly a scientific number, even among full size trucks - but either way it takes into account far more than just engine grunt.

IMO, you need to move up a class to an x5 or touareg to safely tow the kind of weight you are talking about.

Originally Posted by bren

Tow capacity isn't exactly a scientific number, even among full size trucks - but either way it takes into account far more than just engine grunt.

IMO, you need to move up a class to an x5 or touareg to safely tow the kind of weight you are talking about.

Yeah I was afraid of that. Was trying to get a very fuel efficient, sporty truck that could also pull the boat. Tried to make the X3 or Q5 work but perhaps a class up is needed. Ugh.

Originally Posted by sadcaper

Exactly. I'm sure some of the difference is because of the diesel vs gas engine but that can't be all of the almost 2000lb difference.

-And an X335i with Dinan software has X335d-diesel-like torque too.

I talked to a brother-in-law of mine who is a contractor and uses heavy machinery often, tows horses, etc. about what the "real" towing limit of the X3 is. He wasn't concerned at all with the idea of towing my Z4 M Coupe on a lightweight trailer (total just over 4k lbs). This dovetails nicely with what I have heard from other towers who say a general rule of thumb is a vehicle can tow it's own weight.

Originally Posted by bren

IMO, you need to move up a class to an x5 or touareg to safely tow the kind of weight you are talking about.

-"up a class" can be misleading. The F25 is the same size as the previous gen X5, which could tow as much as the EU X3 rating.

I am showing 4200 lbs for the 3.5 with Road and Track showing 4400 lbs. You would be pushing the limits and you also need to take into account other issues such as the drivetrain. At a minimum I would put in a transmission cooler. I would also consider the roads you would be travelling on. Hills pose a much different scenarion than jut normal interstsate.

I just found this site on web showing even different numbers. not sure how officical though. http://onlinetowguide.com/guidelines...apacities.html

http://onlinetowguide.com/guidelines...apacities.html

Originally Posted by DEAN@EXECUHITCH

http://onlinetowguide.com/guidelines...apacities.html

Good info but I'm not sure where that is sourced from. The only thing that concerns me is the hitch from BMW is a Class II which is rated for 3500lbs. Seems like if they wanted you to tow more weight the factory hitch would be a Class III.

However, it has to be able to tow more than 3500lbs considering its size.

Originally Posted by Palantirion

...what I have heard from other towers.....

People do a lot of dumb stuff, doesn't make it right.

This "tower" wouldn't do it.

Sure it'll pull it, and maybe even do it safely, but I guarantee that the highway patrol, and any victim's lawyers, won't care beyond what the factory rating is. Welcome to America.

Originally Posted by bren

People do a lot of dumb stuff, doesn't make it right.

This "tower" wouldn't do it.

Sure it'll pull it, and maybe even do it safely, but I guarantee that the highway patrol, and any victim's lawyers, won't care beyond what the factory rating is. Welcome to America.

-I think the US/EU tow rating difference is because BMW wants to convince the US to buy more X5s since the more practically-sized X3s will sell better in EU. Most people will just read the rating, not do homework or think for themselves. To-date I still haven't gotten a real answer to the question: How much will the X3 35i tow?

Originally Posted by Palantirion

-I think the US/EU tow rating difference is because BMW wants to convince the US to buy more X5s since the more practically-sized X3s will sell better in EU. Most people will just read the rating, not do homework or think for themselves. To-date I still haven't gotten a real answer to the question: How much will the X3 35i tow?

I called BMW USA today and they said call my local dealer. So I did and he confirmed it is 3500lbs. He said when the F25 was first coming out all the literature said 5200lbs or something like that but they ended up changing it and he wasn't sure why.

This X3 is the same size as the original X5 and it's got a 6 cylinder so it should be able to handle over 3500lbs.

Ugh I just wish I could pull the trigger on the X3 and know it would be safe towing the boat. It's perfect otherwise. Dang it!!!

Originally Posted by sadcaper

I called BMW USA today and they said call my local dealer. So I did and he confirmed it is 3500lbs. He said when the F25 was first coming out all the literature said 5200lbs or something like that but they ended up changing it and he wasn't sure why.

-Makes me think that my conspiracy theory about the official tow rating is correct. That BMW NA wouldn't tell you directly, but referenced you to an outside company (as dealerships are) to tell you information to which said company has no direct involvement in producing, is, well, just weird. Wait till the X3 35d comes out and I bet it will have the EU tow rating of the X3 35i

p.s. What's the X5 35i's tow rating?

I don't know if this is the cause of the 3500 lb rating, but the BMW X3 hitch is unique (at least in my experience) in that the receiver detaches from the back of the SAV. It has a key/lock that allows the receiver to be removed. Since the receiver sits up and out from the bumper and I would only use the hitch occasionally, I really like the removable feature. However, It may be the reason, (pure speculation on my part) that that the hitch is rated lower than one might expect based on the towing capacity of the SAV. It might be one reason to look at a third-party hitch, but I think the prior threads indicated that their hitch was also class II. The BMW owners video's has one that shows how the hitch installs and is removed.