Car Hitch Help

[bclinsure]

I'm picking up a new Acura SUV and the dealer wants to charge me over $600 for a trailer hitch since it didn't have one from the factory (I only need it for a new bike rack, which I will ask for recommendations later). I don't need any harness or any other trailering 'stuff' just the square hole so I can put in the bike rack.

Does anyone know where I can go to have one installed for a reasonable price?

Thank you.

 

[ArmyOfNone]

I would do some more research, however I dont have the answers but from what I understand the whole package (rack and hitch) should be that much

 

[MST.ESQ]

Some cars will accept generic $200 models from U-Haul and other manufacturers. But you need to do your research. For example, an after-market hitch for my car would cost about the same amount Acura is asking for. In my case, it may be cheaper to get it from the dealer than to install one myself.

 

[pooriggy]

if you have factory load bars on the roof it would be cheaper to get a bike carrier for the roof.

 

[walter]

Check U Haul. They do hitch in stalls. There is also a place on Englishtown Rd. in Old Bridge, and another place on Rt. 18.

The problem with some higher end cars is that they may need to "custom" cut to make the hitch look pretty. I know for a fact some folks on here have Acuras, hopefully they will chime in.

As far as racks go, Thule T2.

 

[ellbiddy]

I got mine from http://www.etrailer.com/ for super cheap and installed it myself. Easy as pie and has been good for years works well with my hitch rack.

 

[soundz]

I think the hitch part will run you about $100-$200 from etrailer.com. You can install it yourself most of the time .. But I don't think it's as integrated as if your car came factory direct with a hitch. i.e. the factory ones are almost like a part of the bumper. The etrailer ones kind of sit under the bumper. Not sure what the dealer is gonna give you .. plus when you go to a dealer you expect to pay more.

 

[MST.ESQ]

Do your research. Some aftermarket hitches ar simply bolted to the space frame, spare tire wheel well, etc. In some cases, if not most, the ones from the dealer are attached to pre-designated points along the frame. Therefore, you will be able to use the receiver for more than a bike rack down the road.

 

[J-Dro]

I've had mixed results with hitches on my Acura MDX. When I first got the vehicle I went with an aftermarket hitch made by Hitch-tite - a well known hitch maker for just about all manufacturers. I think I paid $120 including shipping. I installed it myself, which is pretty easy if you have a friend help you. Essentially, the hitch bolts right into the chassis frame using 6 bolts and the car frame is pre-threaded. But, I found that once in a while, the muffler would make contact with the hitch while driving, sending a vibration noise through the car. It drove me nuts because the muffler and hitch didn't touch when the car was standing still. They only made contact at certain highway speeds. Apparently, the exhaust system moves on those rubber support clamps more then I thought. So, I just lived with it for a couple of years.

One day while driving to CR, I was rear ended by someone. Believe it or not, my Thule T2 rack survived unscathed, but all the energy was absorbed by the hitch, which was bent to the point that it made contact with the muffler 100% of the time. The lady who hit me offered to pay for the replacement hitch, so I had it replaced with a hitch from Acura, and there is no contact at all with the muffler anymore and no noise either.

Moral of the story: The aftermarket racks are a fraction of the Acura price but just make sure that others have had success with the brand of rack you are looking to buy before you take the plunge.

 

[pooriggy]

I've had mixed results with hitches on my Acura MDX. When I first got the vehicle I went with an aftermarket hitch made by Hitch-tite - a well known hitch maker for just about all manufacturers. I think I paid $120 including shipping. I installed it myself, which is pretty easy if you have a friend help you. Essentially, the hitch bolts right into the chassis frame using 6 bolts and the car frame is pre-threaded. But, I found that once in a while, the muffler would make contact with the hitch while driving, sending a vibration noise through the car. It drove me nuts because the muffler and hitch didn't touch when the car was standing still. They only made contact at certain highway speeds. Apparently, the exhaust system moves on those rubber support clamps more then I thought. So, I just lived with it for a couple of years.

One day while driving to CR, I was rear ended by someone. Believe it or not, my Thule T2 rack survived unscathed, but all the energy was absorbed by the hitch, which was bent to the point that it made contact with the muffler 100% of the time. The lady who hit me offered to pay for the replacement hitch, so I had it replaced with a hitch from Acura, and there is no contact at all with the muffler anymore and no noise either.

Moral of the story: The aftermarket racks are a fraction of the Acura price but just make sure that others have had success with the brand of rack you are looking to buy before you take the plunge.

i thought the moral of the story was to buy an aftermarket hitch for $125, have someone rear-end you and get factory hitch worth $600

 

[BShow]

$600 is absolutely rediculous.

I bought a 6000lb class 3 hitch for my Xterra that cost me $150 shipped off Ebay. I then bought a factory trailer plug and wiring harness from the stealer for about $50. It took me less than an hour to install the whole setup myself in my driveway.

If you're mechanically inclined, at all, you should be able to do the install yourself. I just did a quick search on Ebay and there are plenty of MDX hitches for $150.

 

[BShow]

i thought the moral of the story was to buy an aftermarket hitch for $125, have someone rear-end you and get factory hitch worth $600

Yep.

Seriously though, if you do end up getting a hitch that contacts your muffler, you can get some urethane bushings to replace the rubber ones. They wont move as much and subsequently, there should be no contact. Urethane bushings will cost you like 20 bucks, tops.

 

[elisa]

cheaper racks are nice

i'm no expert butI am going to be bold and suggest using a Saris Bones (2 or 3 bike rack) I bought mine from Beachwood Bikes a while back..it does the job. They suggested it over the hitch or roof rack...for my needs it works..I'm just sayin'

I also have seen the Thule Speedway Bike rack..its nice enough...neither is as costly as the other. But it all depends on your seriousness to the cause...have fun and ride.

 

[Wobbegong]

Some of the online hitch sites have pdf's of the install instructions. See whats involved and do the job yourself. Depening on the model car, it may be real simple to do. take a look and see.

I bought mine online and installed myself in about 45 minutes for around 120 bucks.

 

[zip]

Draw Tite is a major aftermarket hitch manufacturer. They have a web site where you can look up your model car. If they make it for your car, you then find a distributor where you can buy it.

 

[dnap]

I don't know if you took care of this yet, but I have a 2000 Accord coupe and had a hitch installed on it back in 2007 for my bike rack. The total install cost me just under $200. I had it done at Harquail Brothers on Springfield Avenue in Summit, NJ. They did a clean job, didn't cause any extra damage to my frame and got it done quickly. Top notch in my opinion.

As an aside, I have heard nothing but horror stories about UHaul butchering peoples cars. Just hearsay, so if you work for UHaul don't get all up in my grill.

Good luck

 

[dnap]

Draw Tite is a major aftermarket hitch manufacturer. They have a web site where you can look up your model car. If they make it for your car, you then find a distributor where you can buy it.

Mine is Draw Tite and I have no complaints.

 

[RetroGrouch]

I'll 2nd the recommendation for etrailer.com. I have ordered from them a coupel times without issue. It looks like the late model Acura SUVs take bolt on hitches using factory mounting points so installation should be easy.

Note that Honda/Acura do not look kindly upon towing without the factory add ons such as power steering and transmission coolers. I imagine that a hitch installed without any electrical connectors would make it easier to argue that a bike rack did not cause any potential future transmission problems.

 

[BShow]

That's a good point. If the Acura tow package comes with a transmission cooler, wiring, and the hitch, the $600 price tag is a little easier to swallow. If it's $600 for the hitch, thats just rediculous.

 

[TonyC]

That's a good point. If the Acura tow package comes with a transmission cooler, wiring, and the hitch, the $600 price tag is a little easier to swallow. If it's $600 for the hitch, thats just rediculous.

For our Honda Odyssey
Hitch=238
Wire harness=121
ATF cooler=178
Power steering Fluid cooler=120
Total $657 w/o installation

So your $600 quote sounds right to me.

For Bike Hitch only, I'd opt for Etrailer.com and install yourself. That's what I did.
The Hitch and rubber hitch cover qualified for free shipping.

good luck