[masmole]

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Not only does the US-spec iX not come with roof rails, there's not even an option for a hitch receiver. Not for towing, but at least for attachments like hitch-mounted bike racks and similar hitch-mounted accessories that a proper Sport ACTIVITY Vehicle should at least have.

This was a dealbreaker for me, and consequently bumped the iX from the top of my short list to the bottom, below a Rivian R1S and Audi e-tron S.

But maybe this isn't the dealbreaker that I'm thinking it is. As some here may already know, there's a company in Atlanta, GA that makes Stealth Hitches for a lot of popular makes and models. They already make one for many BMW models, Teslas, Audi e-tron, etc, so aside from some potentially unique EV platform quirks on the iX that may prohibit them from designing one safely, there's a very good chance they'll make one specifically for the iX as well. I actually contacted them this morning and spoke to a very nice person over the phone and he confirmed that he was aware of this model and they have every intention of making a Stealth Hitch for the iX as soon as they can get their hands on one when it lands on these shores. He went to explain that with new models, what typically happens is that they usually borrow a customer's vehicle for 1-2 days, and they inspect, measure, and evaluate whether that new car can accommodate their designs. And if it can be done, the owner of that "donor" test car will get their Stealth Hitch for free for their troubles. So if anyone lives in the Atlanta, GA area expecting an iX to be delivered any time soon, here's your chance to get a free Stealth Hitch mounted to your vehicle!

https://stealthhitches.com

disclaimer: I neither work for or have any investment with this company. I just want a damn hitch for my upcoming iX to mount my bikes on

[sor]

On this note, I was under the impression the iX does have the ability to add a roof rack, perhaps via podium mount points. At least I thought they showed this in the accessories.

Edit - I see this has been covered and Thule already has an option.

https://www.********.com/threads/roo...ar-option.164/

I guess you're referring to lacking the accessory option direct from BMW. It would be weird if they didn't even have the mount points for these in the US version.

[Wanderer73]

For the life of me, I can't understand why BMW is not making a factory-installed trailer hitch and option for the US? I can live without roof rails as I use a Yakima EXO system on my X7. I was getting psyched to grab an iX, but this, for now, is a deal-breaker for me. I live in CO, and through summer and winter, we're always moving things around on the EXO system. What's up with non-RF and no spare tire? That one has me scratching my head as well.

[Paladin1]

Originally Posted by Wanderer73

For the life of me, I can't understand why BMW is not making a factory-installed trailer hitch and option for the US? I can live without roof rails as I use a Yakima EXO system on my X7. I was getting psyched to grab an iX, but this, for now, is a deal-breaker for me. I live in CO, and through summer and winter, we're always moving things around on the EXO system. What's up with non-RF and no spare tire? That one has me scratching my head as well.

I'm guessing RF would degrade the range, and are problematic for 21 and 22" tires which I suspect most people will get. A spare/jack would certainly add range-reducing weight. They do have a "mobility kit," which is actually all I had in my Q7 with 21" non-RF. I would discourage anyone from changing a flat themselves on the side of the road (and I've done it more than once) unless you are offroading, which I expect NO one will do in this car, and the mobility kit should get you to a motel or a garage if really necessary.

[mermar]

Funny thing is, the Euro version of the iX has a really cool hidden hitch that presents when a button is pushed - otherwise it remains out of sight.
I'm sure stealth hitch will have a nhitch option - but it will be something you need to have done at a body shop as the rear bumper needs to be pulled off. The iX could be a tough nut for them tho - the carbon structure may be a unique challenge.

OP- forget Rivian - they just jacked prices on your R1S by close to $20k. Consequently, I am dropping my Rivian Launch Edition reservation for a iX or X5 45e.

[masmole]

Originally Posted by mermar

Funny thing is, the Euro version of the iX has a really cool hidden hitch that presents when a button is pushed - otherwise it remains out of sight.
I'm sure stealth hitch will have a nhitch option - but it will be something you need to have done at a body shop as the rear bumper needs to be pulled off. The iX could be a tough nut for them tho - the carbon structure may be a unique challenge.

OP- forget Rivian - they just jacked prices on your R1S by close to $20k. Consequently, I am dropping my Rivian Launch Edition reservation for a iX or X5 45e.

Yup, got the email from Rivian yesterday about the price hike. My build went from $83k to $98k because of the price increase. Pretty nuts. Honestly, $98k is actually still fairly reasonable for what you get, because I thought it was underpriced to begin with. But I just don't like the manner in which Rivian went about and communicated this price hike, especially after being told by some Rivian reps I've contacted in the past that any price hike would be very "minimal". LOL. Minimal my a$$. It just doesn't sit right with me. I feel cheated. So I'm getting my deposit back. Seems my sentiments are widespread among many pre-order customers at the Rivian forums. Hope this doesn't hurt Rivian too much as a company in the long term - as I sincerely want any EV company to succeed because it's just good for progress. But for now, Rivian will not have my money. It's down to either the iX or the Taycan 4S CT as my family's first EV at this point. Rivian is out, even though their pricing still easily undercuts the BMW and Porsche options I have even after the Rivian price hike.

[mermar]

Originally Posted by masmole

Yup, got the email from Rivian yesterday about the price hike. My build went from $83k to $98k because of the price increase. Pretty nuts. Honestly, $98k is actually still fairly reasonable for what you get, because I thought it was underpriced to begin with. But I just don't like the manner in which Rivian went about and communicated this price hike, especially after being told by some Rivian reps I've contacted in the past that any price hike would be very "minimal". LOL. Minimal my a$$. It just doesn't sit right with me. I feel cheated. So I'm getting my deposit back. Seems my sentiments are widespread among many pre-order customers at the Rivian forums. Hope this doesn't hurt Rivian too much as a company in the long term - as I sincerely want any EV company to succeed because it's just good for progress. But for now, Rivian will not have my money. It's down to either the iX or the Taycan 4S CT as my family's first EV at this point. Rivian is out, even though their pricing still easily undercuts the BMW and Porsche options I have even after the Rivian price hike.

Hey Masmole - I still have my Rivian reservation now that they returned to original pricing - I should have my R1T is 45 days or so, but after seeing the R1T in person for the first time, I am wondering what I can actually carry in the bed... it is REALLY small. Meanwhile the R1S has a huge interior space. For a cyclist like me, it may (ironically) be better to go with the SUV as I can just slide my bikes in the back with wheels on etc.. Plus better for "mans best friend" (my dog) with the large flat area. Curious about what you decided with your Rivian order? I was leaning BMW iX, but it has so little utility with no hitch option and a smaller cargo area (and about $100k with a few options).

[npa201]

I have an IX supposedly scheduled for August and an R1S supposedly scheduled for 2H23. This affords me time to actually take delivery of the IX and decide in a year (and most likely even longer to trade in IX or trade in my X5 M50i). A believe the R1T flatbed if the trunk lid is down extends out to 7ft (I forget the term, maybe gooseneck?). Not sure if that fits a bike better. Really annoyed about the IX not having the tow hitch and is the primary reason we’re keeping the X5 M50i.

While I still have my Rivian reservation with the honored pricing I’m questioning if I will keep it. My two major concerns are will the price point make it inaccessible for many buyers and so Rivian will fail to scale and an a worse case scenario will go bankrupt since they will lose what looks like an incremental billion dollars on having to honor the original pricing. Connected with that is how bad will the service/support be as a result? Thus far 2 months into my Tesla ownership of a model Y performance and the service does not live up to BMW service. For example, to book an appointment it can only be done on the app and my wait time has been about a month on average for two issues. And then they only give me Uber credit and no loaner. But what happens if its a major fix that takes multiple days? Meanwhile there are 4 BMW dealerships within 30 minutes of me and I can typically get an appointment with a loaner within two weeks.

For now I’m keeping the order and will monitor if reservations are growing with people going for the dual motor option but with wait times for that extending until 2024, I don’t know if we’ll see evidence of that anytime soon. Maybe I accept the delivery and just flip the vehicle at a profit since my spec was $16k more expensive if ordered today.

Even though the IX is more expensive than my R1S order, I just have more confidence that within the first 4 years of ownership the IX will be a relatively smoother support experience (but after the warranty, things are bound to fail…starting with air suspension).

[mermar]

Originally Posted by npa201

I have an IX supposedly scheduled for August and an R1S supposedly scheduled for 2H23. This affords me time to actually take delivery of the IX and decide in a year (and most likely even longer to trade in IX or trade in my X5 M50i). A believe the R1T flatbed if the trunk lid is down extends out to 7ft (I forget the term, maybe gooseneck?). Not sure if that fits a bike better. Really annoyed about the IX not having the tow hitch and is the primary reason we’re keeping the X5 M50i.

While I still have my Rivian reservation with the honored pricing I’m questioning if I will keep it. My two major concerns are will the price point make it inaccessible for many buyers and so Rivian will fail to scale and an a worse case scenario will go bankrupt since they will lose what looks like an incremental billion dollars on having to honor the original pricing. Connected with that is how bad will the service/support be as a result? Thus far 2 months into my Tesla ownership of a model Y performance and the service does not live up to BMW service. For example, to book an appointment it can only be done on the app and my wait time has been about a month on average for two issues. And then they only give me Uber credit and no loaner. But what happens if its a major fix that takes multiple days? Meanwhile there are 4 BMW dealerships within 30 minutes of me and I can typically get an appointment with a loaner within two weeks.

For now I’m keeping the order and will monitor if reservations are growing with people going for the dual motor option but with wait times for that extending until 2024, I don’t know if we’ll see evidence of that anytime soon. Maybe I accept the delivery and just flip the vehicle at a profit since my spec was $16k more expensive if ordered today.

Even though the IX is more expensive than my R1S order, I just have more confidence that within the first 4 years of ownership the IX will be a relatively smoother support experience (but after the warranty, things are bound to fail…starting with air suspension).

Correct - with the tailgate open, plenty of room for a few bikes, but then I am driving around with the tailgate open... The R1S has tons of flat cargo space.
I had my Rivian first-mile event and the quad motors are truly spectacular. Having that level of traction control at each wheel paired with that level of pwoer is nuts. However, the vehicle they brought out for me to try had quality issues. this struck me as odd - who would bring a vehicle to prospective buyers with non-operating features. Having said that, BMW has been scary in its own way with any repairs out of warranty costing $thousands.