Hi , we just bought a boat and want to only occassionally tow it with the X5 and only on totally flat land for a short distance to the local boat ramp. Looking at all the specs for our X5 ( 3.0 ) and the specs on our boat the towing capacity checks out, however, we are having a hard time getting a hitch put on it. Our local BMW says they are on backorder but when we called a BMW dealer in Savannah they said they were recalled. Does anyone know anything about hitches on the X5, where I can get one , even an after market if I have to ? Thanks in advance for all your great advice !

First off, what year is your X5?

There are aftermarket hitches and they would be massively cheaper than the BMW hitch. Draw-Tite makes one as well as U-Haul. X5 hitches are easy to find, just google it. The factory hitch is probably better quality and a cleaner installation. Not sure on the X5, but a lot of the european market BMW factory hitches are made by Westfalia and are really nice products.

Thanks for your reply ! My BMW is a 2002. I looked on the Draw-tite site and sent the link to my husband ( away on business ) so he can look at them . We did look at some aftermarket hitches I think on etrailer.com but they said they did not have the wiring for the brakes and lights and that only the BMW dealer could get us those. At the BMW dealer they quoted us a price of 595 dollars and said they won't sell just the wiring , it all comes together. On Draw-tite I see they do recommend some wiring that they seem to offer so we will look at those. I appreciate your advice and your taking time to answer me !

You can get away with using non-BMW trailer light wiring as well. Here's a website where they used an aftermarket wiring set-up on a 5-series BMW. It's mostly likely the same "modulite" system you saw on the Draw-tite website. I have a very similar wiring unit on my 3-series but it's made by U-Haul. Lots of manufacturers make these powered wiring units and they are essentially a generic fit for all vehicles. They work great.

http://gunsmoke.com/cars/540i/hitch/

I have been towing a 3000#ish race car on a 1200#ish trailer (4200 pounds), with my 2001 3.0 x5 and I've had subframes rip twice. The hitch rotates around the bumper and stresses the aluminum foil unibody.

My hitch is aftermarket. (Wiring by a star bmw mechanic, schneller in newbury ma).
My trailer has electric brakes.
I have friends with similar setups who have not experienced this problem.
I've towed the race car roughly 10,000 miles behind the X5.
Power was never really an issue for me. I hauled over all the mountains we have in new england and upstate new york without problems. You have to anticipate shift points and for the really steep hills either slow down or shift into 3rd.

I love the x5 for driving around comfort and interior space, but I'm switching to a heavy duty pickup for towing.

A weight balancing hitch might have helped. They should reduce the twisting moment on the hitch.

I installed the Factory hitch on mine and it was a quality hitch. Why were they recalled?

I too have an X5 (year 2000) I bought specifically for towing a Brenderup horse trailer. This trailer has a mechanical brake, so does not require a brake controller, but I do need lights. It already had a hitch installed.

For more than two months now, the dealership is telling me the part is on back order, and BMW is not even giving an estimated shipping date. The trailer companies I've talked to have said they're reluctant to rig up a wiring harness, using aftermarket parts, because it could so easily mess up the electrical circuits. One of the trailer cos. even has a BMW mechanic as a client, and he's said we'd be better off waiting for the official part.

But what in the world? I've got an Army brother, stationed in Germany, who's a BMW fiend, owns 2 or 3, and he says that because the X5 is built in the US, I probably need to get the part from here? Will that ever be possible? Am I totally screwed?

i have X5 4.4 2000 and used Uhual hitch, BMW wiring Harnes and instalation of Hitch at u-haul...however BMW still needs to code the harnes to the car so your back up and lights will work on the trailer...BuY the BMW wiring harness! iT IS LIKE $130.00TOPS, uHAUL HITCH $175 AND $100 FOR THEM TO PUT IT IN..tHAN TAKE IT TO bmw AND HAVE THEM CODE IT FOR LIKE $100...yOUR PRICE WILL BE UNDER $800.00 WHER AS bmw CHARGES LIKE $1100.00 FOR EVERYTHING...i TOW THE 02 NO PROBLEMS...

sORRY FOR THE CAPS...