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      03-03-2012, 01:35 PM   #1
Franco330
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Anyone have experience of F25 non electric towbar for UK/Europe

At last I've plucked up courage for first post

Budget meant I didn't order factory fit electric towbar and now find the dealer fit cost is quite high 1200-1500 GBP. Although it looks brilliant I don't need all the whizzy electric motors and stuff so am considering a simpler solution - like a detachable neck which doesn't require cutting the valance. Brink, Westfalia etc

Has anyone done this? Are there any views, recommendations, pitfalls? A steer would be great. Just a thought: I guess there isn't a BMW part/kit lurking in some well hidden corner...

Not long now.....
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      03-03-2012, 02:01 PM   #2
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I am not sure about after market towbars ... The factory fitted one is well cool though ... and I believe it's integrated into the damping and throttle control.
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      03-03-2012, 05:52 PM   #3
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Maybe this is what you look for. No electric stuff that can go wrong i believe
Bmw part no 71606799158, list price £540, and 10 pct discount shouldnt be impossible.

Good luck
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      03-03-2012, 06:14 PM   #4
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In the US only the non electric is available. I got it off eBay for $599. Free shipping ( domestic) and had an independent shop install it for $570. Works well
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      03-04-2012, 04:03 AM   #5
Franco330
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Thanks guys, especially Niti. I'll call my dealer tomorrow.
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      03-04-2012, 04:05 AM   #6
Franco330
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P.S. If anyone has more to post, please feel free.
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      03-05-2012, 11:17 AM   #7
Franco330
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Hey Niti,

You were right on the ball. The part number for the F25 X3 20dX retrofit kit, trailer tow hitch, removable is 71606799158 and the electrics kit is 71602183705.

Thanks again
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      03-29-2012, 01:37 PM   #8
Franco330
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So my car arrived on 16th and there was suddenly a European shortage of non- electric towbars. However it was fitted on Tuesday and all is fine so I thought a few notes might be useful.

The parts arrived at dealer and fit was scheduled. It is a five man hour fit but it took about ten man hours. It was completed within the day and the dealer was excellent. Nice loan car.

It seems that the electrics package doesn’t just plug into existing stubs on the loom but some cables have to be run to the front of the car to interface with the main processors. I now imagine a 19 inch rack of computing equipment buried somewhere in the car as it seems so intelligent! Anyway I suppose I had wondered if this might be the case as I recently read somewhere that X3 looms are custom built to match configuration – seems short sighted to me as this means more work when retro fitting stuff. What do I know?

So if you schedule a fit, it might be as well to allow a long day.

In my album there are the images showing the visible parts of the package and how they fit. No rocket science here..(I am new to this stuff so am not sure how to include the images in the post yet, but it may have worked).

The hitch snaps in easily and solidly; the electrics socket just swings down (by hand of course). An adapter is included to convert the socket from European standard to UK standard pin-outs. The instructions are simple and accurate.

So in summary the choice is electric towbar option with the car for abt 750GBP or the retrofit non electric for abt 1200 GBP. I had thought that I would fit an aftermarket Westfalia non-electric towbar at about 700GBP but when I realised how much integration was needed with the car electronics I chickened out and went the BMW assured route. Al least my car warranty is protected and if an electrical problem arises sometime it can all go back to the dealer and there will be no shrugging of shoulders. My background is systems integration and in this case I didn’t want to be the integrator.

Great car: that auto gearbox is sensational, and what about the illumination of the rear passenger area at night!

Regards
Franco330
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      04-01-2012, 02:54 AM   #9
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Like the 'poster' above I have had the aftermarket Westphalia Detachable Towbracket fitted to my F25 along with the 13 pin electrics. When not in use it is virtually impossible to see. It cost me £560 at my local Towbracket Specialist. The Electric Kit used is fully recognised by the car wiring and correctly informs me when I have a trailor attached. (I don't have the Rear View camara so can't confirm that it changes its view to the tow ball)

Be aware that the BMW Electric Towbracket supplied as an Option during build, does NOT have full electrics. It is missing the dedicated Fridge supply and return.

Getting this fixed afterwards can be expensive (as I found out with my previous 320D). The supplying dealer quoted £800 whilst another quoted £100. A towbracket specialist did the job for £50.

If you are going to tow a caravan. My strong recommendation would be NOT to have the expensive BMW Electric Towbracket option, but to get an aftermarket Westphalia bracket fitted by an towbracket specialist.



As a PS to the above. Most Dealers do not fit Tow Backets themselves, they send the car to a Towbracket Specialist and double the specialist's price. Same Bracket, Same Electrics, Same Fitters. Less price, less time (1.5 Hours) as no delivery & return to specialist.

Last edited by Rogerbu; 04-01-2012 at 02:59 AM..
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      05-22-2013, 05:32 AM   #10
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Has anyone in Europe any experience of the retrofit electric towbar kit, BMW part numbers 71606799157 and 71602183704?
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      12-03-2013, 09:12 AM   #11
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rogerbu View Post
Like the 'poster' above I have had the aftermarket Westphalia Detachable Towbracket fitted to my F25 along with the 13 pin electrics. When not in use it is virtually impossible to see. It cost me £560 at my local Towbracket Specialist.
I'm also in Hampshire - could you tell me which towbracket specialist you used?

Thanks.
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      12-03-2013, 01:38 PM   #12
Rogerbu
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Hi.
I had the Westphalia detachable bracket fitted by Phil Taylor - Horndean.
http://www.philtaylortowbars.co.uk/

I have used them for all my towcars since 1980 - Very professional, very clean and tidy and always a good job. So far I have had no reason to test out their after sales service

My last car had the witter bracket, whilst the X3 has the Westphalia. I consider thy Westphalia a much better product. It is also the bracket that BMW have fitted.

I know that the local BMW dealer sends cars to Phil Taylor when they are not being fitted with the BMW bracket (the one that has no Fridge feed or return)

Cheers - Roger
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      12-03-2013, 03:07 PM   #13
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Hi Roger,

Thanks for the info!

Not too worried about the fridge - the horse in the trailer hasn't figured out how to get its teeth into the ring pulls on the tins yet.

Cheers!
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