re: Truck hitch installation

If you got a truck without a tow hitch then it likely doesn't have the towing package which comes prewired for trailer wiring, trans cooler, an up-sized alternator and some other options depending on the manufacturer.

Trailer harnesses for late model trucks come with a module built in to help prevent damaged to today's truck's complex electrical systems and they're expensive. That's likely 33% or more of the cost of the quote you got.

Of course you could always self install the hitch and then just tap the wires of a generic trailer harness into your tail/brake/signal lights but you take a major chance of damaging something electrical on the truck.

To get to my point, $500 doesn't seem like a bad quote for peace of mind that it's done right.