First of all, thanks so much to all the contributors here who help so many of us lurkers make decisions about what to do with their GCLs!
I needed a trailer hitch mainly for a bike rack and a hitch mounted cargo carrier and occasionally towing a Butterfly sailboat. I really wanted (and could only afford) an Altitude after my previous car was totaled, so I needed to move quickly and had to buy something off of one of metro Detroit’s many lots.
Unable to find one with the tow package, I knew I’d have to go aftermarket. I purchased the OEM hitch from Detroit Mopar for $343 of the door with local pickup and wanted to install it myself, receiving excellent guidance from TorrWL. However, after consulting with my wife, who doesn’t have a ton of faith in my DIY skills, “WE” decided it would be best to have it done by a professional.
I contacted all of the local hitch places, none of whom would install it since they don’t sell it, and consulted a number of body shops. I eventually was able to get a quote from a truck accessory place for $240 and a local trustworthy body shop for $228-275.
I ended up using the body shop because it’s a short bike ride from work. They got it done for $257, with some mechanical labor due to having to drop the exhaust to access the rear bolts.
All together, it was $600 with no wiring. I was quoted $1050 by the dealership I purchased the vehicle from, so I feel okay about how it turned out. I figure I can add the wiring once a non-OEM harness hits the market since I won’t actually tow until next summer.
Just thought I’d share my experience for anyone considering doing the same.
I needed a trailer hitch mainly for a bike rack and a hitch mounted cargo carrier and occasionally towing a Butterfly sailboat. I really wanted (and could only afford) an Altitude after my previous car was totaled, so I needed to move quickly and had to buy something off of one of metro Detroit’s many lots.
Unable to find one with the tow package, I knew I’d have to go aftermarket. I purchased the OEM hitch from Detroit Mopar for $343 of the door with local pickup and wanted to install it myself, receiving excellent guidance from TorrWL. However, after consulting with my wife, who doesn’t have a ton of faith in my DIY skills, “WE” decided it would be best to have it done by a professional.
I contacted all of the local hitch places, none of whom would install it since they don’t sell it, and consulted a number of body shops. I eventually was able to get a quote from a truck accessory place for $240 and a local trustworthy body shop for $228-275.
I ended up using the body shop because it’s a short bike ride from work. They got it done for $257, with some mechanical labor due to having to drop the exhaust to access the rear bolts.
All together, it was $600 with no wiring. I was quoted $1050 by the dealership I purchased the vehicle from, so I feel okay about how it turned out. I figure I can add the wiring once a non-OEM harness hits the market since I won’t actually tow until next summer.
Just thought I’d share my experience for anyone considering doing the same.
