Reddit mentions: The best towing drawbar hitches

I bought a used volt right after my graduation this spring. 2013 with ~41k miles. Traded up from an 04 Jeep Wrangler and haven't had any regrets at all.

To address your concerns about space:
The volt fit way more stuff in it than I was expecting, especially if you are able to fold the rear seats down. I was able to fit a foldable 8ft table, a mini fridge, two large bags of clothes, microwave, TV and a few boxes of kitchen stuff and other knick knacks if that kinda gives you an idea of how much camping equipment you could pack.
I also installed a hitch (Curt Manufacturing CURT 11221... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0072UHJ8W?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf) for exclusive use with a bike rack. Did the install with my dad and with the right tools it wasn't bad at all.

As for my considerations buying used:
The general consensus I found online (largely from this sub, thanks y'all) was that Volts are well built and reliable, especially regarding the battery so I wasn't too concerned about range degradation and just and went with one I found within my budget and general location (was not a very wide selection). I maybe could have shopped around a little more, had one shipped to a dealer near me, etc. but I found one that fit most of what I was looking for and didn't really have time to be picky. One thing I do wish I would have payed more attention to was tire wear as I'm likely going to have to replace mine soon but live and learn I guess.
Having a 2013+ is nice because you get a slightly bigger battery over previous models I believe. You also get hold mode which is nice for road trips but by no means a necessity. Mine also has heated seats which I hear are great in the winter because they're much more efficient on the battery than blowing hot air. Haven't had had to test this yet and won't be a big issue for me in south Texas anyway but I think it would be worth considering for colder climates.
I don't have a backup camera. This was concerning to me at first. The volt is really pretty awful as far as rear visibility is concerned, at least compared to my jeep. After a about a month though it started feeling normal and isn't a big concern for me anymore. I thought about installing one aftermarket but getting it integrated into the original infotainment system was more complex/expensive than I deemed worth and I didn't want to mess with adding other screens or projecting to my phone or anything like that.

When it came to picking a volt in general. After factoring in the value of my Jeep + cost savings from way better fuel economy + the savings of using electricity vs gas I realized the volt would pay for itself in less than 5 years + I get nice things my jeep didn't have like Bluetooth audio, remote doors, and maybe most importantly for me reliable AC so it just made sense for me.
As a previous commenter alluded to, everyone's finances are different so it's totally up to you to decide if a volt is worth it for you.
I'm three months in and so far loving my decision. A PHEV is a perfect fit for me. I make regular trips ~400 miles to see family and friends so full electric wasn't viable. But during a typical week I get to drive on all electric all the time for ~ ½ the price of gas. As far as I could tell the Volt is the best PHEV at its price point for a used ~ 5 year old model.

Sorry for being a little long winded but I hope this helps your decision. And congrats on your upcoming graduation!

So the hitch that I found sits comfortably behind the number and actually affects the exit angle very little if at all. I'll also be getting a 1 1/4 to 2 inch adapter that is technically only meant for class II hitches, but for only holding a spare tire, it will be fine. It's also fine for holding a bike rack or something. I'll edit this comment when I'm at my computer and show you what I'm getting

EDIT:

1. This is the hitch that I will be using. If you look at the pictures, it seems very discrete without much taken away from exit angle.
   
   
2. This is the best one that I can find for your car. There aren't any pictures form reviews, but it sounds like in the comments that it is also discrete, although there's no guarantee. If that one doesn't work, something custom is probably your only option.
   
   
3. This is the adapter that you can use. Just remember that as a general rule of thumb, your towing capacity is cut in half if you use one of these, just as a safety precaution. Towing with an adapter also depends on how strong the pin is that you're using to hold it into the base hitch.
   
   
4. This is the tire holder that I am probably going to get. It seems a little short, but I measured on my car and it should be alright. If it is way too short, you can get a hitch riser like this
   
   
5. THIS is the tire carrier that I want, because it is very very strong and the cheaper one folds to the side, which is really nice. I don't know if I'll be able to afford it, though, so I'll see
   If all this metal that's bolted to your car is rattling around way too much because of the couple millimeters of play in the hitches, pick yourself up a couple of these and it's problem solved.
   
   Hope this helps! If you want to know anything else, let me know
   
   
   Edit 2: formatting

I have this one and I love it! It required some drilling to install, but with a new drill bit, the drill goes through like butter. My trailer is pretty small, so I could easily get by with a Class I hitch, but I like having the Class II because you never know. I realize the car isn't rated for towing, but this car is easily capably of towing a small trailer. For the wiring, I bought this and this which wasn't too bad to install. I had to remove quite a bit of trim and stuff from the back to get at everything, and then I routed the output wire to the area behind the little battery door, so I can just remove that little door to get at the wires.

All in all, I love this hitch. You can barely see it from behind, and it has almost no impact on the foot-activated liftgate, other than in the absolute center of the rear bumper.

In my opinion, $800 for a roof rack isn't a great investment for a college student; at least for me it wasn't. I'd just check craigslist/ebay regularly for a nice used one. I agree those things are way too expensive. I wanted one for my bike when I had my Focus, but ended up installing a hitch for about $100 from Amazon and a nice used Yakima hitch bike rack. They make some decent cargo racks that can be used on a hitch as well. I'd say if you're handy with a wrench and you have the time, pick up a nice Curt hitch and a decent cargo rack for a fraction of the cost. Just keep in mind there are 2 standard size hitches and the Focus hitch is the smaller size.

We have a class 2 Curt but had no aspirations of towing much larger items than our bike rack. Fits well, was super easy to install and runs about $120 on Amazon.

Link here: https://www.amazon.com/120383-Class-Trailer-Hitch-Old-Style/dp/B000FZZRS0

I bought this hitch Curt
And this Rack

They are working out great. There is an add on for the Thule racks to support up to 4 bikes just look at their site for more info. YouTube has plenty of videos for installing the hitch if you plan to do it yourself. That’s what I did and it was really very easy to do.

Curt Manufacturing CURT 13127 Class 3 Trailer Hitch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B009GLDSTO/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_KhpNBbSMHBVK5

You need two people for the install but it’s super easy. There’s videos on YouTube for how to install it.

I bought this one because it's a 2x2 receiver and the trailer chains would be below my bumper. It's also a complete kit for $150 which is awesome.

You do need to use a dremel of a drill to widen out a mounting hole on your car and you will need a second person to help you install. Fortunately, there's a good video on YouTube for this exact hitch.


"CURT Class 3 Hitch Tow Package with 2" Ball for Subaru Crosstrek, XV Crosstrek"

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N1HCEAG/ref=cm_sw_r_em_taa_0EUhzbX9NGDD3

Here are the instructions for your vehicle https://assets.curtmfg.com/masterlibrary/12100/installsheet/CM_12100_INS.PDF. My girlfriend has an Impreza and we had to use a drill to enlarge the holes a little bit, which was kind of a pain in the ass, but would be easier if you had a proper grinder. There's a coupon on amazon right now, so you can get the hitch for $95+tax. Curt rates it as easy, so it shouldn't take too long. If you're on the east side I'd be glad to help.

https://www.amazon.com/CURT-12100-Class-Trailer-Hitch/dp/B00D1S0KK8

Edit- I linked the wrong product. updated the links. the old one was for a crosstrek.

To go along with another poster, this is the type of tow hitch I put on my wifes’ car. Research before buying, but hers was just bolts into factory threaded holes in the frame. Only thing I had to do was run a tap in the threads as the car was a few years old and they had some surface rust. They’ve got these for pretty much any make and model. Then you can get any hitch style rack and not worry about the frame. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00537G3CY/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_1-C4CbT8T6CE5

Thank you for the offer, but I've already made plans with /u/just_the_tech. Now all I need to do is order the hitch. I called up Texas Hitch earlier this afternoon, when getting quotes for parts/labor, and he told me about $160 and two days shipping for this part, making it comparable to Amazon Prime, though I don't remember if he said that was with the price of ball/pin included, and Amazon's price is with, so yeah.

I'll call up E-Trailer in the morning, and try to get any information or opinions tonight, but you seem to know a bit about the businesses in town. Is $160 a competitive price, or do you think I could get it for a little cheaper elsewhere?

looks like this one will fit.

I sure do!
Rack: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0001VO1YY/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

lock & cable: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000SLHU2W/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

trailer hitch: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B004C6S0SC/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You add it.

They make it very simple. I don't know about volts, but mine used pre-existing holes. Just make sure to follow the directions.

I this hitch and this rack for our CX-5

Yeah is a class III and overkill but you never know if you need to tow something.

This guy knows his stuff.

I have a 2013 Volt. I used this hitch:

https://smile.amazon.com/CURT-11221-Class-Trailer-Hitch/dp/B0072UHJ8W

Then mount a motorcycle carrying rack on that. That should work just fine as long as it isn't over the weight limit for the hitch.

I have a MKV GTI with this hitch and rack. Kuat 2 Bike Black Chrome Beta Rack (2-Inch) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ASX6M8/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_YRvZAbKSK9502 , CURT 11074 Class 1 Trailer Hitch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003PI6IEQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_GSvZAbJ1E4S9N . Hitch fits nicely under the car and requires no modification to the rear bumper.

Curt 11771. Easy install, didn't have to remove my bumper and is indeed very 'hidden'. The only downside is that if you need a tow, you HAVE to get a flatbeg because the dollys under the rear wheels can not fit with the mounting of the hitch

Another option - The CURT one is $155 on Amazon and it doesn't look difficult to install, most any shop could do it in an hour or two. Although if you also need wiring for brake lights (i.e. if you're doing this to pull a utility trailer not just mount a bike rack), I'd think that would add significantly to the cost.

CURT 45900 Adjustable Trailer... https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004SMGAJ6?ref=ppx_pop_mob_ap_share

CURT 11126 Class 1 Trailer Hitch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003ZS50JU?ref=yo_pop_ma_swf

But check CURT site for proper model. There are at least 3 for MINIs.

CURT 11431 Class 1 Trailer Hitch https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01G42RJ6U/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_e4.bBb1NHB2XG

[This](https://smile.amazon.com/11483-Custom-Class-Trailer-Receiver/dp/B003PIZYD2/ref=sr_1_1?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1521491053&sr=1-1&keywords=curt+11483
) may work for your 350Z.


Goto the Curt website and plug in your year and see if they make one for your year.

The one I linked is for '04 - '05 and requires drilling.

It appears to be something similar to this.

I think it all depends on what your goal for the vehicle is? Do you plan on tracking it? or just to make it a bit faster around town? Do you want it to look a little modified or stock?

Anyways, I'll link a bunch of stuff I personally prefer and in the order I would install them...

Accessories:

• Ford ST Heavy Duty Floor Mats (I live in a snowy climate)
  
• Rockford Fosgate P3D4-12in Subwoofer (600w RMS) w/ Rockford Fosgate Prime Amplifier(Class-D 1200w) + Speaker to RCA converter
  
• no-pistons Dead Pedal, Battery Tie Down and Gas Pedal Spacer (not sure if still available but I have access to a water jet and a machine shop so I might make my own)
  
• Rally Armour Mud Flaps (helps with the salt and grit from plow trucks in the winter)
  
• Tow Hitch + Cobb Exhaust Hanger Kit
  
  Step 1:
  
  
• Cobb AP with Stratified tune
  
• Green drop-in filter
  
  Step 2:
  
  
• Cp-e RMM
  
• Boomba Transmission Adapter Plate (short-shift)
  
• Boomba Transmission Cable Bracket Bushings
  
  Step 3:
  
  
• Cp-e Front Mount Intercooler w/ Stratified tune
  
• Bilstein B14 PSS Coilovers
  
  Step 4: (all maybes)
  
  
• Turbo-back Exhast (not sure which yet)
  
• Cp-e Ram Air Box
  
• Velossatech Ram Air Intake
  

You should be fine towing with a cx5.

You can get a (class 3 hitch)[https://www.amazon.com/CURT-13127-Class-Trailer-Hitch/dp/B009GLDSTO] for $120.

That hitch has a 525lb tongue weight capacity, and a gross tow weight of 3,500lbs.

Your car has a max tow capacity of 2,000lbs.


Assuming you have two heavy supersports at 450lbs each on a 400lb trailer, you're still only at 1,300 lbs. Your car can handle that easily (though you might have to downshift a bit for hills).

Edit: Holy shit uhaul trailers are heavy as FUCK. Apparently they weigh 1200lbs.


Just remember that when towing, your maximum speed is 55mph, and you can only use the right two lanes on freeways - keep it slow and safe.