Unfortunately all that matters from a legal POV is whether that specific model was originally put through the EC type approval process or not.
E class towing
- Thread starter Arthur01
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Unfortunately all that matters from a legal POV is whether that specific model was originally put through the EC type approval process or not.
renault12ts
MB Club Veteran
- Joined
- Mar 5, 2009
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- 16,671
- Car
- 2005 W215 CL500.
...and yours displays the GTW?
JDPEClassUK
Active Member
May be different in different places and model year. My E230d can tow, was fitted at factory with tow bar. Has type approval and tow ratings are in the book:
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EC type approval is specific to the exact model (so can depend on year). The VIN plate is what matters, rather than the handbook. If a GTW (Gross Train Weight) is given on that then the vehicle can tow. If it isn't, then it can't.
The rule applies from 1st August 1998 (date of first registration, so S plate onwards). Hence my 1997 SL can legally tow 1500 kg, but later ones can't (as the R129 was never type-approved).
renault12ts
MB Club Veteran
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- Mar 5, 2009
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- Car
- 2005 W215 CL500.
Indeed...as was stated in post#26.
Ayeupducks
New Member
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- Mar 15, 2017
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- Mercedes E220 AMG
Yes I believe it does, when I first became interested in purchasing (from Main Agent) didn't think it had a tow bar and did ask Main Agent to fit one, no problem they said and quoted a price, however on further inspection of the car we discovered a factory fitted swing out tow bar was fitted, and this was stated on the spec sheet.
popuptoaster
Active Member
I like a thread that wanders around and brings in some related but off topic answers (such as the bike rack part) can give info you didn't know which is handy AND makes a forum feel friendlier and the members approachable for a chat, bit more like a pub conversation than a lecture.
If there is contradictory information well that just opens up more chances to chat and has, in my experience on hot rodding and custom car website shown up a few grey areas in some legislation which are handy to know about.
GavinP
Active Member
I fully sympathise with your predicament.
Ironically, I was planning to buy an E53 estate until I found out it has not been type approved for towing - yet the E43 was.
Fortunately I found out before ordering!
Ironically, I was planning to buy an E53 estate until I found out it has not been type approved for towing - yet the E43 was.
Fortunately I found out before ordering!
Titchyferret
New Member
Hi Arthur,
Are you able to assist me/my parents on how you resolved your situation? I purchased the exact same car as yours in February this year for my parents to tow their caravan. They had a Mercedes Benz tow bar fitted and arranged by the dealership. Their VIN and logbook does have a GTW however they have just had their first towing experience in it and without over dramatising nearly died.. this is when they read their owners manual for the car and found on P191 that this vehicle is not even suitable to tow a trailer ! We are now back in discussions with Mercedes Benz, head office have confirmed it is NOT capable of towing anything... the dealer is stating they didn't know. How many people are out there being put at risk by towing in these cars when they shouldn't be ! Thanks & kind regards Teresa
The two AMG's I had weren't homolgated. It had nothing to do with the "body kit". MB just didn't bother homologating them.
Hi Teresa , that’s awful .
Can you tell us more please - GTW stated on the VIN plate , MTPLW of the caravan , what it says in handbook , just what it was that happened with your parents ?
Titchyferret
New Member
Hi Derek,
The GTW on the VIN plate is 2345KG, the MTPLW of the caravan is 1412KG, in the handbook it says 'General Notes' 'Trailer towing is NOT permissible on the following models: E220 BlueTEC Bluefficiency edition, E180, E63AMG, E63AMG S-Model, E63AMG 4MATIC, E63 AMG S-Model 4Matic. Essentially Mercedes Benz HQ have confirmed that their vehicle must not tow (even a trailer let alone a caravan). Essentially they could not drive above 40mph for the entire journey, the caravan was controlling the car, kept bumping them up and down, at one point dad had cruise on and he increased his speed to 55 mph and suddenly the caravan erratically swung from side to side (uncontrollable snaking), a car had to swerve in the opposite carriageway to avoid them, the car behind was flashing and using his horn. Dad being a very experienced driver cancelled the cruise control and did not touch the brake or accelerator and let the car naturally slow which gradually slowed the snaking. Mum said she honestly believed they were going to crash and prepared herself for it ! Dad said he couldn't drive at any point one handed - two hands on the wheels, fighting all the time, a white knuckle ride he said !
Be grateful for any views.. still waiting for what MB are going to do about given the fact that they arranged for the approved MB tow bar to be fitted, knew it was to be used for towing. The dealership are denying any knowledge that it couldn't tow and what it said it the cars manual - MB head office have recorded it as a complaint now.
Thanks
Teresa
MB are saying (correctly) that the car is not legally permitted to tow anything. That's not the same as it being physically incapable of doing so, and something must have been seriously wrong to get the symptoms you describe. What experience does your dad have with caravans and towing? I would suggest that the caravan was either overloaded (was the weight checked?) or balanced incorrectly (too little noseweight, or badly loaded with counterbalancing weight at both ends or weight high up). The other possibility is that the tyre pressures were wrong (you should generally use the highest plated figures on the car when towing, and caravan tyres normally run at much higher pressures than most people realise), or there was a problem with the stabilising hitch (had all the black coating been removed from the towball? Could there have been grease contamination on the friction pads?). Or any combination of the above.
Don't get me wrong - MB made a huge mistake in supplying the car with a towbar because this is illegal (even if you don't actually tow anything with it). But I'm sure there's nothing fundamental about the car that would cause the issue you described - other models in the range will be pretty much identical physically and will have been type-approved to tow.
Hi Teresa , that does sound bad , but do remember that the gross train weight is the all in weight of the outfit ; I’m sure an E Class weighs much more than 1000Kg ; my W124 estates weighed around 1600Kg ( and quoted a permissible trailer load of 2100Kg , although my caravan was about the same weight as yours ) and newer E class estates will be heavier ; your 1400Kg caravan was probably overloading it then . I’d guess the kerbweight of any E Class estate these days will be around 2000Kg , so with your 1400Kg caravan you were probably somewhere around 1000Kg over the plated GTW .
I have to wonder at the rationale of this as previous generations of. E Class have been excellent towcars and , even though over the limits , I have even towed cars on trailers with mine without issues such as your dad encountered .
It is odd that MB quote a GTW if towing is not permitted , although in days gone by they used to quote a max trailer load rather than a GTW .
The symptoms you described do sound quite alarming, but as BTB says they could be caused by a number of factors , including loading of the caravan , noseweight, use of stabiliser , tyres , presence or not of self levelling suspension , loading of boot in car .
I’ll be interested to hear outcome of this .
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