BMW X3 E83 SUV : 3.0 Sport: 2004/ 04 - Towing with an X3 - do I need to uprate the coolin

Honest John Back Room » Motoring discussion
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Tue 16 Mar 2010 15:12
BMW X3 E83 SUV : 3.0 Sport: 2004/ 04 - Towing with an X3 - do I need to uprate the coolin - rodw

Hi,

My wife has a 2004 X3 and wants to add a towbar to it. It's rated to pull 2000Kg and the horsebox with horse will be about 1600Kg so it should be ok. There are lots of companies offering it and they all seem straight forward enough. I thought I would call BMW to check that a towbar wouldn't interfere with the parking sensors and just to check that adding a towbar is ok. They said it needs an up-rated cooling fan and want to charge me £1,900 to fit a towbar and a cooling fan. Why does nobody else mention this? Am I being led up the garden path here? I would have expected the braked towing figure to be pull'able by the car as described in the manual without any changes.

I dont know what to do. Can you help?

Thanks,

Rodw

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Tue 16 Mar 2010 15:19
BMW X3 E83 SUV : 3.0 Sport: 2004/ 04 - Towing with an X3 - do I need to uprate the coolin - NARU

I know that you need to upgrade the cooling fan if fitting a towbar to an X5, so I'm not surprised that the same applies to an X3.

As its out of warranty, I think its down to how much risk you want to take - if you're towing a mile or two down the road the answer is probably different to if you regularly go long distance.

I know it doesn't help you now, but its definately worth specifying the towbar when buying an X3 or X5 new

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Tue 16 Mar 2010 15:26
BMW X3 E83 SUV : 3.0 Sport: 2004/ 04 - Towing with an X3 - do I need to uprate the coolin - gordonbennet
No doubt you'll find a good quality Witter/Bosal etc bar at a fraction of that price...probably the same bar as the dealer will fit at about a quarter the price.
As for unprating the electric fan it might be worth contacting Kenlowe
www.kenlowe.co.uk/
They've been making aftermarket electric fan kits for donkeys years.
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Tue 16 Mar 2010 15:31
BMW X3 E83 SUV : 3.0 Sport: 2004/ 04 - Towing with an X3 - do I need to uprate the coolin - rtj70

And make sure the towbar fitted disabled the parking sensors when towing something. Although I'd be concerned the tow bar itself is detected by the sensors too.

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Tue 16 Mar 2010 16:06
BMW X3 E83 SUV : 3.0 Sport: 2004/ 04 - Towing with an X3 - do I need to uprate the coolin - rodw

Hi,

Thanks for responding. I just spoke to another BMW main dealer and he told my X3 DOESNT need an uprated fan - phew!

Just so you are all aware - the price for a Westfalia towbar supplied and fitted by BMW is as follows: -

Fixed towbar: towbar - £220, Detachable: £370

Electrical Kit: £270

If a detachable is fitted then there is a piece of trim needed - £15

Labour: £517

So, good news on the cooling fan front but WOW! on the parts and labour!

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Tue 16 Mar 2010 16:21
BMW X3 E83 SUV : 3.0 Sport: 2004/ 04 - Towing with an X3 - do I need to uprate the coolin - Glaikit Wee Scunner {P}

There are plenty of independent towbar firms around.I went to a local firm in Chesterfield and got a Westfalia detachable supplied and fitted very tidily to my Skoda. About £370 all in.

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