Hitch for the Versa

[zephed]

Have an '08 hatchback. I wanted to get a hitch mounted, mostly for attaching a bike rack, and maybe a luggage carrier once in awhile for vacations and stuff. I don't want to mess with a roof rack.

Any recommendations?

[srellim234]

Just be careful. The way Nissan and the dealers are, they may try to void warranties on your transmission and such since the U.S. Versa is not approved for towing. They'll claim the trailer hitch indicates you used it for towing, even if you didn't.

[KimberKenobi]

do a search.. we had someone install one of these... I don't think he's still active any more (and I don't remember the sn...)

[srellim234]

I should have continued on with my first reply. We have a Reese hitch on our Rendezvous that we've been very happy with, using it for the same purposes you want to use yours for. The Reese hitch for the Versa has a 1 1/4" receiver and I do know that Autozone carries the Reese hitches. The hitch uses existing holes in the frame to bolt on so no drilling is required.

To see it, go to the following website and use the product selectors, clicking on the details for your car:

http://www.reeseprod.com/

Whatever you use, there's another reason to be very careful. The Versa, like most vehicles, has the exhaust pipe straight out the back. If you're not careful, it's very easy to melt suitcases or pop bike tires if they are too close behind the tailpipe while you're cruising down the highway. We fried my wife's suitcase coming back from Florida in January. Fortunately, the clothes that were damaged were easily replaceable. It would have been terrible if she had packed anything irreplaceable or expensive in there.

[zephed]

Could you possibly post a photo of the hitch on your car? I ordered a Hidden Hitch for my CR-V and it looked totally different than the shot on the site. They were using generic images for a bunch of their hitches.

What was the $$$? You had it installed?

[KimberKenobi]

There you are... i eat my words.

(there are pics in the other thread)

[srellim234]

I'll try to get a picture on here today sometime. I've never posted pics here so I'm a little unsure of the process.

My son and his wife were sharing a house with a friend off-base who is a mechanic. He put the car on a lift at work and installed the hitch for free. Using the lift it only took about an hour. Toughest part was the fact that on the Rendezvous it required taking the rear bumper off and putting it back on.

[zephed]

Found the threads...i don't know, thinking about this, may just get a cheap strap-on bike rack. hate to hassel with that every time though. anyway, thanks, should have searched in the first place.

[KimberKenobi]

If you found the thread then doubtful you missed me talking about my bike rack... It's really quite handy... and much cheaper than a hitch if all you intend to do is haul bikes... Most won't mar or mark the finish of the car and with a rack, you can use it on a friend's car (so you don't always have to use your gas if you're going riding with a friend)...

Just thoughts...