Claude7629

I would like to buy a tow hitch for my 2008 RX350. Does anyone have any favorite web sites they use for buying Lexus OEM parts. I'm looking for a better price than my local dealer. He wants 350.00 for part PT228-48045.

Kostyan

is that 350 installed or just the part? The cheapest OEM part I found was like 270-ish+ install, it is about right.

sama

The links in this post should help you

Lexus OEM Parts Websites

Claude7629

He wanted another 200 to install. So I am looking at 550 plus tax for dealer install.

Claude7629

Thanks for the post. I'm on my way to checking them out now.

MadDawg350

Check on eBay. I found one for $135 (excl s&h) and installed it myself in about 30 minutes.

Kostyan

mad dawg, you probably got an aftermarket hitch, which are dime a dozen on EBAY. I believe that OEM hitch looks much better....but not sure..wish I had two pictures side by side to compare. Now what about the electrical part- did you do that part as well?

I will probably installing hitch on our RX in the spring, and would like to know comparable prices for parts and labor...

DakotaRX

When I bought my 2005 RX330 Thundercloud it came with the "Tow Package" but that actually didn't include the hitch, receiver and wire harness. When I went back there a few months later for the 5k service I talked to them about adding the hitch and harness. They quoted $550 to $600 parts and labor installed. The receiver with hitch was about $325. and labor was listed as 2 hours. It's about 1/2 hour to 45 minutes to install the receiver but takes 1 to 1 1/2 hours to install the wire harness. The interior panels in the cargo area over the driver's side tail light have to be removed, harness wired in (plus I believe a relay), harness run down thru the floor and connected to the brackets on the hitch. After a little talk back and forth the dealer came down to $425. and so I had it done. Installing the receiver is fairly easy and like they said about 1/2 hour, but installing the wire harness is what takes all the time. If you can get a good deal from the dealer then I would go that route. Otherwise you could get the hitch from a Lexus sponsor with a discount and install that yourself and then have a electronics shop or garage you know install the harness. As for the Lexus hitch verses other brand name hitches I personnally like the looks of the Lexus OEM hitch and it has the wire harness bracket attached. Some of the brand name hitches do not include the harness bracket.

2005 RX330 Thundercloud, Thundercloud Mist, Gray/Black Interiour with Black Birdseye Maple trim, NAV, ML, HID with AFS, Rain Sensing Wipers, Headlight Washers, Tow Package with OEM Hitch, 18 in Thundercloud rims with Bridgestone Alenza's.

MadDawg350

Anything purchased after the sale for a vehicle is an "aftermarket" product whether is an "OEM" product or made by another manufacturer. I too was looking at an "OEM" hitch but did not want to pay the price just for a plastic "Lexus" cover over the receiver. I would venture to guess that the same manufacturer that made my hitch (Hidden Hitch) is the same manufacturer that makes the hitches for Lexus. As far as the wiring, I did not do this for I will not be attaching to the hitch anything more than rack to haul around my mountain bikes so there is no need to have a wiring harness.

Kostyan

allow me to disagree- there is a difference between OEM and aftermarket. OEM part is the one sold through Lexus dealers. Yes, it costs a $150-200 more, and for some people there is no value in that. I am looking to tow a jetski trailer with our RX and thus need to have all the wiring properly configured. As Dakota RX already mentioned, the OEM hitch comes with wiring bracket, and is better looking.

DakotaRX- would you please post a close up pic of the OEM hitch and wiring bracket as installed on your RX? This would help others to see what I've been talking about, that non-OEM are ugly hitches...

Claude7629

Found some pictures at the following link.
https://www.clublexus.com/forums/sho...ht=PT228-48045

Claude7629

I have found what I think may be a good price on a Lexus tow hitch. Check out the following link.

http://lexus.dealerfit.com/store/lex...od397_3259.php

Includes trailer ball mount and Wiring Harness.

Claude7629

There is some good information in the thread at the following link. There are links for pictures for install and detailed instructions,

http://us.lexusownersclub.com/forums...hl=PT228-48045

DakotaRX

Claude7629 sorry I didn't get back to you sooner. Looks like I don't need to post pictures as the links have some already. I went with the OEM hitch over the brand names because of the look and the fact that the OEM comes with the wire harness and the ball mount. I don't believe it was made by one of the brand name hitch companies as I saw the box it was in and have the box that the ball mount came in. It has Toyota/Lexus, logos, part numbers and made in Japan on it. The aftermarket hitches usually do not include the harness and the ball mount which will run around $75. or so for both. As a couple of the links noted you can get the works for around $250. which includes everything. As for having Lexus install, as I said I had it done for $425 complete and it was listed as 2 hours labor. I believe Lexus of Wayzata was around $125. an hour at the time. So either they gave me a really good deal on the hitch itself or cut the labor amount.

2005 RX330 Thundercloud.

wjf168

I bought a hitch from etrailer.com for $150.00 and got the shipping special for only .99 cents.

They have 5 models for the RX350 on sale now.