BMW X5

All members who own "the best tow car in category BMW X5", this car is dangerous! 

Just trying to imagine if I could be so stupid as to rely on electronics to fold away a large satellite dish without checking. 

Nope - think not. 

Must be rather frustrating though, when they cannot wire the thing properly.

That said, I'd still be glancing up at the roof to check the dish had gone down.

This saga demonstrates why, when we come to change our towcar it won't be German or Sanish or in fact any European manufacture it will be good reliable Japanese.

PS have seen several European outfits travelling with sat dish in the up position.

If you can't communicate how you need your electrics wiring, it is your own fault. I don't have a problem with this, my fridge has power and I have 13pin electrics without the need for an adaptor kit.

They are amongst us, 

 All members who own "the best tow car in category BMW X5", this car is dangerous!

I think that should be edited: 

'All members who own "the best tow car in category BMW X5", this car can be dangerous, when in the wrong hands!'

The only bit that surprises me other than driving off before knowing the dish is properly stowed, is the ignorance of the BMW dealership; the issue here and with various other brands is universally known to competent people in the trade.

I don't understand the comments about German and other European vehicles having potential problems with the wiring.  My new VW Touareg had the tow bar and electrics fitted by the dealer (admittedly very expensive), but absolutely everything works - charger, fridge, parking sensors automatically disabled, TSC etc etc.  Even get a diagram come up on the infotainment system when reversing showing the van on the back plus a warning message on the dash showing which trailer lights are out (if any). It seems to be a total and seamless integration with the cars electronics and I am really pleased with how it works

l feel sorry for Tony some of the comments laid at him on this forum are disgusting, l thought this forum was supposed to be friendly, in his view he was making people aware of what problems he had, those that have been constructive good on ya! the rest are not worth listening to. Tony l can understand your frustration what's the top of the range BMW X5 60k plus, the dealer should have known what was required for UK BMW X5. l have just purchased  top of the range Santa-Fe my dealer new everything l required, took me through everything before l left. Hope everything is now sorted and you have many days and weeks of touring,

Best of Luck

Heethers

I feel sorry for Tony too in as much as he has not got what he required regarding his towing electrics. To suggest however that a sat dish not automatically folding makes the car dangerous is ridiculous. 

+1

It's not all German cars. Our Passat Alltrack came with a factory fitted towbar with all 13 pins wired - the VW brochure even states that the 13 pin towing electrics are fully wired for fridge etc.