First a little disclosure, I've been working on cars as a shade-tree mechanic for years, so I wouldn't say I'm a novice. I also put the time in to reading several posts here and watching Etrailer.com's video on how to install the hitch. All this relates to a brand-new 2010 TDi with about 600 miles on the clock.
So, mechanically speaking, this is a relative breeze. The time to remove the bumper cover, swap the hitch for the bumper support and put it all back together was less than an hour. All was completed by myself. Admittedly, getting the hitch into place was a little tricky for one guy, but not impossible. The surprise was the wiring. I kept reading horror stories about installing the relay box, but I'm a little confused as to why. I don't have the CD changer, which probably makes life easier. So, when I remove the passenger-side panel in the loading area, all the plugs are within easy reach. Consequently, wiring took only a couple minutes. A couple more minutes for the fuses (you see where this is going). Finally, as I finished installing the bumper cover, I installed the OEM accessory mud flaps. So, all told, about 90 minutes.
Now for the disappointment. First of all, why does the hitch come pre-wired, but with an OEM plug instead of the normal 7-pin receptacle? I assume the answer is so that VW can sell you another little accessory for more than it's worth. To add insult to injury, the universal receptacle I wired up to the hitch pre-wire had a slightly different bolt pattern than the hitch. A couple self-tapping machine screws took care of that, but it was a little frustrating none the less.
All in all, it was a good experience and an easier install than I was expecting. I would encourage those of you on the fence about doing the install yourself to take the plunge. My dealer wanted $1500 for the hitch including install. However, since I just bought the car there, they give me 15% off parts and accessories for 30 days. So, I only had to pay about $650 for the OEM hitch plus a little bit of my time. Not a bad deal at all.
So, mechanically speaking, this is a relative breeze. The time to remove the bumper cover, swap the hitch for the bumper support and put it all back together was less than an hour. All was completed by myself. Admittedly, getting the hitch into place was a little tricky for one guy, but not impossible. The surprise was the wiring. I kept reading horror stories about installing the relay box, but I'm a little confused as to why. I don't have the CD changer, which probably makes life easier. So, when I remove the passenger-side panel in the loading area, all the plugs are within easy reach. Consequently, wiring took only a couple minutes. A couple more minutes for the fuses (you see where this is going). Finally, as I finished installing the bumper cover, I installed the OEM accessory mud flaps. So, all told, about 90 minutes.
Now for the disappointment. First of all, why does the hitch come pre-wired, but with an OEM plug instead of the normal 7-pin receptacle? I assume the answer is so that VW can sell you another little accessory for more than it's worth. To add insult to injury, the universal receptacle I wired up to the hitch pre-wire had a slightly different bolt pattern than the hitch. A couple self-tapping machine screws took care of that, but it was a little frustrating none the less.
All in all, it was a good experience and an easier install than I was expecting. I would encourage those of you on the fence about doing the install yourself to take the plunge. My dealer wanted $1500 for the hitch including install. However, since I just bought the car there, they give me 15% off parts and accessories for 30 days. So, I only had to pay about $650 for the OEM hitch plus a little bit of my time. Not a bad deal at all.
