HELP - I need photo of X5 w/hitch installed

[dturnerbmw]

Please send or post any photos of X5's with trailer hitch installed. Just need photos of rear of car. I am looking for photos showing the hitch installed without a big gap between the bumper and the tailgate. I had mine installed at a local dealer and it looks like it was rear-ended, it has such a large gap. They also chipped the paint on the bumper and scratched the tailpipes. This can't be right!

Thanks

Derek

[number7]

http://images10.fotki.com/v202/photo...x5rear2-vi.jpg

[dturnerbmw]

Great Photo, Thanks!

I sent my X5 back to dealer to correct large gap and it now looks more like the one in the photo. Don't know what my dealer did, but it wasn't good. They repainted the entire bumper and replaced the tail pipes. I will post before and after photos in a day or two.

Now having problems towing travel trailer with electronic brake system and very afraid to tow it up and grades. Afraid of burning up the transmission.

Thoughts?

Thanks

Derek

[jternel]

Originally Posted by dturnerbmw

Please send or post any photos of X5's with trailer hitch installed. Just need photos of rear of car. I am looking for photos showing the hitch installed without a big gap between the bumper and the tailgate. I had mine installed at a local dealer and it looks like it was rear-ended, it has such a large gap. They also chipped the paint on the bumper and scratched the tailpipes. This can't be right!

Thanks

Derek

Unfortunately you get a gap of about 1cm. I installed my hitch my self. I suspect that the bumper holder that bolts through the rear may need to be turned around. The instructions in the booklet ask you to point the longer sides down. When I get a spare half day, I'll turn them around and see what happens. I've noticed a couple X5's that don't have a big gap. Other thing that BMW does is supply silver bolts, you can see them in the gap. The previous bumper bolts were black!

Not sure how to attach pics to this thread, may need to send your email address to me...

[beerkat]

I have a '01 that I put the BMW hitch on. Did the job myself. I do not have gap,IMO. Putting that hitch on is a pain, but saved myself a $1000 that the dearler wanted.

I brought a car hauling trailer last week. I people that I brought the trailer from installed the electric brake controller for me. I ended up having it installed in the rear of the car over the GPS unit. Trying to get wires from the back of the car to the front is all but impossible unless you remove aolt of the interior on the driverside, including the driver seat. Also trying to find the correct wire to hook to under the dash is hard to do and BMW dealer are of little or no help when it comes to getting information from them.

I feel that my control works fine in that location. It was my idea and not thiers to put it there but all the wires need were easy to get to an took about 30 min. to do. That was after 4 hours of trying to do it "The Right Way"

[BAVARIANM]

The bumper is adjustable. I've done at least 50 of the factory hitches. Don't flip the mounts around