X1 aftermarket towing hitch

Amigos I have the ONLY invisihitch in Puerto Rico for a 335d and the product is SUPERB. As we installed in Puerto Rico my mechanic was appaled by the construction of it and turned to me to state "what are you going to tow with this, a truck? The ONLY downsides I got were the install instruction they were NOT at par since it was a 328 intructions and not 335d instructions. Sorry Darryl had to put outhere on this Im still upset on this!! Anyway the other thing was the OEM metal bumper had to be removed completely so that the Invisihitch could go in place my friend told whomever rear ends is going to be FA:LKED this thing is WAYY better than the OEM. The price I found a tad expensive but the quality and crraftsmanship picks up where the price left out. Great thing is I leave the Hitch on so that ahole dont hit my Bumper Besides these minor issues I am very happy with the product. Any questions you can reach me thru PM, Darryl knows that I dont BS NOONE and I come across anyone straightforward.Hope you enjoy cause dan it I wanted an X1 in DIESEL and BMW FALKED up on me

Originally Posted by rpocngold

Daryl
Looks great but BMW has not released tongue weight and towing cap for the X1 Earlier post you stated 250/2500 Wish they would just give us the figures so we can make a decision

Well, yes and no... First you have to understand that whenever BMW issues a tow rating for one of their vehicles, they do so based on using a specific BMW Original Equipment hitch on the vehicle. They never simply "tow rate" the vehicle itself, independent of the hitch used.

So, you are correct that BMWNA has not released a tow rating for the X1. But this is only because BMWNA made the decision to market the X1 in North America without an OE hitch option. So unless they change their mind about that, BMWNA will probably never release an official tow rating for this vehicle. (Because, again, they don't tow rate the vehicle independent of the hitch used).

However, if you want to know what BMW says about how much you can safely tow with the X1, you can find that info internationally because in most other parts of the world, BMW does offer an Original Equipment hitch for the X1. And in some of those areas, the BMW OE hitch is my company's invisihitch. In those areas, BMW specifies the maximum trailer weight for the X1 as a whopping 3,740 lbs to 4,400 lbs depending on the engine and whether equipped with xDrive. [ See pp 70-71 of the X1 international brochure downloadable at www.bmw.com/com/en/newvehicles/x/x1/2012/_shared/pdf/x1_catalogue.pdf?download=true ].

Those are some impressive tow ratings by BMW for the X1. But keep in mind that those ratings are based on using a hitch that does not have any forward/aft play, which is very unusual in the U.S. hitch market. Most U.S. hitches use a sliding square pipe inside another square pipe, with a cross pin. That results in significant forward/aft play.

As a practical matter, your trailer load is going to be limited by the relatively low tongue-weight capability of the X1 chassis itself. But if you keep your tongue weight down to about 200 lbs, you can tow a significant load with the X1 per BMW's own international tow ratings for the vehicle. Of course you would need a hitch that was designed for such loads...


Cheers,
Daryl
daryl@invisihitch.com

Originally Posted by pbrink1

What does it cost and how much to install?

pbrink1,

Over in the X5 forum, we have been discussing a discounted Group Buy for bimmerfest forum members. I was hoping to announce something today, but it looks like it will be Monday. What I can tell you now is that the discounted Group Buy will include the X1 as well as the X5 when the announcement is made.

Rather than repeat here the reasons for the Group Buy and the delay in announcing it, here is a link to the discussion on the X5 forum:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=666918

Daryl
daryl@invisihitch.com

For those who may be interested, we finally received dealer approval to offer a Group Buy on the invisihitch. The details are posted in the site sponsor section. Here is a link:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=675950

Cheers,
Daryl
daryl@invisihitch.com

Originally Posted by rpocngold

Any luck with the tow hitch

Wimped out and let Uhaul install. For $60 it was a no-brainer. They did a nice job. The installer said it was one of the more pain-in-the-ass installs he has done due to the lack of clearance to the bolts/nuts. Well worth the money considering the day I chose to do the install was rainy and cold. Also purchased wiring harness for $34.95 and install for that was also $60.

Originally Posted by MiddleAgedMissi

Wimped out and let Uhaul install. For $60 it was a no-brainer. They did a nice job. The installer said it was one of the more pain-in-the-ass installs he has done due to the lack of clearance to the bolts/nuts. Well worth the money considering the day I chose to do the install was rainy and cold. Also purchased wiring harness for $34.95 and install for that was also $60.

Can you take pictures and post when you have a moment? Very curious to see how the hitch looks.

For those still interested, the deadline for the invisihitch Group Buy just got extended through the end of this week. That will close out the discount opportunity for this year.

http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=675950

Cheers,
Daryl
daryl@invisihitch.com

Originally Posted by MiddleAgedMissi

Wimped out and let Uhaul install. For $60 it was a no-brainer. They did a nice job. The installer said it was one of the more pain-in-the-ass installs he has done due to the lack of clearance to the bolts/nuts. Well worth the money considering the day I chose to do the install was rainy and cold. Also purchased wiring harness for $34.95 and install for that was also $60.

Middleage
Did you finally tow with the hitch. How did it work out. Looking to tow 1500 with a 150 tongue weight. Any problems with the wiring harness and X1 computer? If you could take a picture it would help
Tks

Originally Posted by invisihitch

For those who may be interested, we finally received dealer approval to offer a Group Buy on the invisihitch. The details are posted in the site sponsor section. Here is a link:
http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=675950

Cheers,
Daryl
daryl@invisihitch.com

Daryl, I was interested in one of these hitches (bike only version) for my X1.

Do you have any recommendations on installers for the Dallas-Ft. Worth area? What does a typical install cost?

Also, do you offer any discounts to Bimmerfest members (I know group buy is over)?

Thanks!

Also interested in the bike trailer hitch for an X1 in Lancaster, PA. Any dealers you know of that I could use in this area?

Originally Posted by DonkeyX1

Daryl, I was interested in one of these hitches (bike only version) for my X1.

Do you have any recommendations on installers for the Dallas-Ft. Worth area? What does a typical install cost?

Also, do you offer any discounts to Bimmerfest members (I know group buy is over)?

Thanks!

I'm sorry I haven't been on the forums in a while. Just seeing this now...

The bimmerfest group buy was the one window of opportunity, negotiated with our dealers, where we were allowed to discount below MSRP.

A typical installation is about a 2.5 hour job. Labor rates vary by the local market and are set by each installer. I sent you a PM with the contact info for an installer in the Dallas-Ft.Worth area.

Originally Posted by Lgriff

Also interested in the bike trailer hitch for an X1 in Lancaster, PA. Any dealers you know of that I could use in this area?

The closest installer we have to Lancaster is in the greater Philadelphia area. Sent you a PM with contact info.

Daryl
daryl@invisihitch.com