I'm looking to add a trailer hitch to our '01 Pathfinder so I can get one those bike carriers to take the family bikes to the beach with us this summer. Any suggestions of what I need to look for or where I can go? I don't want to spend any more $$$ than I have to b/c we're not going to be keeping the PF as our primary family vehicle for more than another year or so. I won't be doing any major towing (boat/trailer/etc) so I don't need something that'll carry a house on it or anything...
TIA

 

Best bet is Ebay. Try to find 1 used. They are all in the same price range. You have a roof rack? You could tie down a few bikes on that & then carry 1 inside.

 

I need to have the whole thing installed from start to finish. I do have a roof rack but that is usually packed up too with chairs and stuff. The hitch is my only bet right now.

 

JCwhitney has them cheap. I've installed several & they are not hard at all to put on. They just bolt to holes already in the frame. Really easy as long as you have a 2nd person to hold it up. The newer ones are 3 pieces so you can bolt up the brackets to the frame, then the hitch to the brackets.

If not, U-haul does them for about $100 installed.

 

if you are not going to keep the car check out u-haul. draw-tite is a little pricey but they make great hitches. its been a while since i've installed them on a pathfinder but i seem to remember that it was a tricky install to do...ie. much easier if the car was in the air due to the bolt configuration (those were using draw-tite instructions)

 

Uhaul for 100 is a great bet for my purposes....I just don't want those goofy uhaul stickers. I'm sure installation could be done by myself and a brother in law but for 100 beans...I'd rather have somebody else do it.
Thanks for the input!