Cost of a new hitch?

[ams56]

I called the local RV center for a quote on a new hitch for our Honda Odyssey and was a little blown away by what I heard. Approx. $1350. for a hitch installed? She said I needed a receiver and a hitch. One was $212. and the other was $313. Labor was $237. and $142. repectively, then there was a brake controller, ball, chain, etc., etc. Does this sound reasonable to anyone?

[Greg H]

Call your nearest U Haul hitch center. The rv shops will rape you with overpriced everything.

[Perry J]

Greg's correct.
Never go to an RV shop unless you're independently wealthy.
I've been towing forever and everytime I buy a new vehicle the hitch is installed at U-Haul.
Never have had a problem.
John

[BCDave]

Only place as bad as an RV $tealership is a car $tealership

[Roger Kimble]

Go to U-Haul, would be around 150 for the hitch and 150 to install, just for the hitch, ball , breaks and wireing extra.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by ams56

Approx. $1350. for a hitch installed? She said I needed a receiver and a hitch. One was $212. and the other was $313. Labor was $237. and $142. respectively, then there was a brake controller, ball, chain, etc., etc. Does this sound reasonable to anyone?

When I bought my Honda Odyssey I had to equip it for towing separately from the purchase price of the Vehicle itself.
To hire the skilled labor you need, the bottom line sounds good to me. Yes, it can add up fast.

For my 2003 Honda Odyssey to tow at full capacity (3500 pounds) I needed:

1. Hitch Receiver = $279.00 self-installed
2. Weight distributing Hitch
   
   • Adjustable height ball/trunnion mount = $212.00
   • self installed
     
   • Weight Distribution Spring Arms and chain hook-ups (came with trailer)
   • 2" Hitch Ball = $8.50 self installed
3. Friction Anti-sway bar (came with trailer)
4. "T-connecter" 4-pin flat wiring harness* = bundled with Hitch Receiver, self installed
5. 7-pin round socket with pig-tail and 4-pin flat connector* = $25.00 self installed
6. Prodigy Brake controller = $99.00 (caught an awesome sale at Camping World)
7. Brake wire between controller and 7-pin socket
8. 12-volt charge wire with isolation diodes (or relays) from battery to 7-pin socket
9. Labor and minor parts for #6, #7, and #8 at Camping World = $175.00
10. Spliced-in back-up light wire = $0 (self-installed, parts in my "junk drawer")
11. Transmission & Power Steering Coolers = $800.00 installed by Honda Dealer

* these items plug together to get the tail lights from the harness in the fender to the 7-pin outlet.
Grand total came to $1,598.50 before sales taxes. While the Dealer installed coolers were half of the total, I saved a lot by doing much of the installation labor on the other components myself. I was not knowledgeable enough to install the Brake controller myself, so I felt the professional Labor cost was worth it.

[Mike Magee]

$500 or $600 would seem more reasonable. Unless they're trying to include a weight distribution hitch, but for our small trailers most people don't feel they need WD.

[mary and bob]

I get all my hitches from etrailer, just put one on my daughters 2003 Honda Odyssey. Total cost including the wiring adapter with the 4 wire flat plug was around $200, or a little over. It was easy to put on, but I'm a retired truck mechanic so I've done a lot of that type work. Bob

[Bob Miller]

I don't know how different the Odyssey is, but I just purchased a hitch for our 2009 CRV. The hitch was $160, tail light cable was another $35. Total time to install was almost an hour in my driveway as Honda provides ready to use hitch attachment and cable plug-in points. If you need a brake controller and a 7 pin plug it will take a few more skills, but nothing like the price you were quoted. Also check out an independent trailer hitch shop in your area, they do exist.
BTW: Did you check the towing capacity of your Odyssey and the weights of the trailers you are looking at?

[ams56]

Thanks for all your replies. I will call UHaul tomorrow and see what they say. We are new to this stuff and somewhat mechanically declined, so we appreciate all of your input. I still am not sure why I need a receiver and a hitch--I thought it was all the same thing.

I guess anything seems confusing at first but having to have coolers and brakes and lights seems to make a simple thing like camping kinda complicated. Oh, well, I guess that's life in America.

[Donna D.]

The receiver is the "permanent" part on the tug. The hitch (includes the ball) and slides into the receiver. You hook up the trailer to the hitch (with the ball). You can remove the hitch and store it when you aren't using the trailer, but the receiver stays on the tug.

Another term for the hitch is .... stinger. Because a number of people bark their shins on it (only ONCE!)

[adkboler]

Donna,
I have a different name for my hitch, and it has been used a number of times...
I too have gotten several hitches from UHaul through the years and have been very satisfied with the serrvice and the price.
Happy trailering all

[BCDave]

There are some permanent hitches that do not use the receiver and plug-in hitch - often they are class II - and they are shin-killers! On one car I had, I seemed to go brain-dead about once a week and when I'd go to open the trunk.....

There are also some "factory" hitches that can kill your shins with just the receiver - like the one on my 4Runner which sticks out farther WITHOUT a ball platform/drawbar/hitch installed into it than many do when the DO have the shin-buster installed! Opening the rear hatch on that beast requires one to either remember or curse!

[Greg H]

Donna D, you're either much smarter or much luckier than many of us if you learned to avoid the thing after the first strike.

[Mike Magee]

I don't hurt my shins, I usually just get my pant leg greasy.

[ams56]

Got the hitch today at UHaul (thanks for the suggestion!), and managed to get out of there for under $300. That's less that 1/4 the price I was quoted by the dealership. Makes me want to stear clear of that dealership. I should call them and tell them what I paid and see what they say...

[Mike Magee]

It's no wonder some people refer to them as "stealerships."

[Bill MacDermod]

I installed the works for my "05" Ody, bought purchased all etrailer free shipping, I did own the brake controller all the rest included, the hitch, single bar weight distribution, wiring, stinger & ball all self installed, the after market Power steering and tranny cooler were added by a local mechanic along with the wiring for the brake controller. Honda's factory installed coolers were not up to the task. Total price for tow setup was about $1500.00 After 55,000 miles towing we no longer tow with the Ody, it is a great vehicle but we were putting so much money into repairs from towing, we bought a used pick up more suitable to the task. As a side note Uhaul will only install items you buy from them. We have used their equipment and service on other vehicles and they do fine work

[Perry J]

Anne, make sure you get a locking pin for the removeable ball hitch.
It's easy to steal if you leave it.
John

[ams56]

Originally Posted by Perry J

Anne, make sure you get a locking pin for the removeable ball hitch.
It's easy to steal if you leave it.
John

Thanks--I will do that. I have a feeling there are going to be lots of new gizmos and gadgets in our future as we get set up for camping.