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I recall a day when adding just A/C would mean adding several other options to a vehicle, at a price tag that's three or so times what would be justified for an A/C—but at least those were useful add-ons.

A hitch nowadays, as it perhaps always has been, cannot be bundled with anything else. Yet the price tag is six or so times what an outside shop would charge for installing a hitch.

What is the difference between dealer-installed and non-dealer installed hitches? Are there particular details I should be looking for to make sure I'm not comparing apples and oranges?

In case it matters, I only need a hitch to install a bike rack. The car itself is nearly just a tool to haul bikes to the trails, but that's a different story.

Sam7919
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If you are talking about adding a hitch to an existing car then there are no advantages to a dealer installed hitch as opposed to one installed by a reputable shop. Hitch installers do it all the time on a wide variety of cars and trucks, dealers do it rarely so if anything the independent shop has the advantage of experience. You will pay over the odds for no extra benefit.

If you are ordering the car from the factory then there may be some advantages if the hitch is going to be added on the assembly line. As they have access to the frame they won't have to cut through things to add the hitch, so you may get a cosmetically nicer result, possibly stronger too if the hitch is welded on. If the assembly line is going to just bolt it on after it's built then there's advantage whatsoever.

My money would be on the independent shop on this one.

GdD
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A hitch nowadays, as it perhaps always has been, cannot be bundled with anything else. Yet the price tag is six or so times what an outside shop would charge for installing a hitch.

That's not true on many vehicles. Take the Chevy Blazer. You don't buy a factory hitch, you buy the trailering equipment group. This includes a heavy-duty cooling system on the V6 engine, hitch guidance and hitch view (shows a top-down of the hitch on the backup camera and a line to help align the trailer), trailer sway control (allows the stability control system to detect and counter trailer sway oscillations), and a 7-pin trailer connector (which may require a converter/relay to interface with vehicle lights).

Other vehicles may include a higher powered alternator to allow for higher lighting loads and camper battery recharging, bigger towing mirrors, improved brakes, transmission coolers, an integrated trailer brake control (or wiring provisions for one), trailer tire pressure monitoring, provisions for a trailer-mounted rear camera, automatic trailer backing steering, blind-spot radars to cover the trailer, trailer lane change guidance, jackknife detection, among others.

A hitch adds weight and lowers fuel economy, and so can features like improved cooling and larger mirrors. If a vehicle is sold new with a hitch or trailer package, the carmaker will take a hit on its CAFE mileage. Some of the cost is to compensate for this.

A very important part in anything a carmaker sells is safety. The carmaker will have conducted tests, such as rear-end crash tests to ensure the hitch does not puncture the gas tank.

For a factory accessory hitch, some of these features may be provided. In most cars, a trailer wiring harness is provided, with vehicle-specific interfaces. Additionally, the vehicle's software may be updated; for example if you have rear automatic braking or a kick-to-open tailgate, those features may need to be adjusted.

user71659
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One difference is the hitch would be covered by the vehicle's manufacturer's warranty rather than the aftermarket installer's warranty.

An unlikely but not impossible situation - a hitch is fitted to the factory mounting points in a workmanlike manner by an aftermarket installer. But the factory mounting points are not strong enough and fail. Who's job is it to fix the vehicle.

Personally I'd expect any reputable vehicle would have mounts up to spec with safety margin to spare. And my vehicles are decades out of any warranty.

Criggie
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The dealer work can be folded into your auto financing. The mechanic's work cannot. That is pretty much the "killer app" for dealer-installed add-ons.

Are there particular details I should be looking for to make sure I'm not comparing apples and oranges?

Yes! The dealer is probably selling a trailer package soup to nuts, including the trailer lighting harness, car-side electronics for that, any computer programming needs done for that, and possibly a Class 3/4 hitch - and you'll be fit to haul a boat.

Whereas the bike shop will mount none of that since bike racks don't have lights or electric brakes... and give you a Class 2 hitch.

Harper - Reinstate Monica
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