ML 420 on Eurotunnel

[smythp]

I just picked up my new ML 420 CDi this morning. After 6 years with an E Class I thought I'd like to drive an M Class before they get taxed out of existence.

So I'm sitting here looking forward to upcoming my trip to France and it suddenly dawns on me. I booked the tunnel when I had an E Class. Now I'm thinking the M Class won't fit under the height barrier for cars - or will it?

I checked the website and it appears that it will just squeeze under but that barrier at the tunnel always looks real low even in a car so I'm jittery about it.

Can anybody with an M Class with roof rails confirm that it will fit under the height barrier for cars?

TIA

 

[smillion]

I don't know about height but I do know that you are not likely to kerb your wheels in the ML wheras the 19" Lorinsers on my E class were drawn to the metal kerb like a magnet.

 

[BTB 500]

The heights M-B give are unladen, so in reality the vehicle should always be a little lower. Your handbook should give overall external height - what's the limit for the Eurotunnel? Barriers always look low ... I cringed when taking our VW Sharan under them but in reality it was well clear.

 

[MBManInKen]

Just tell them when booking that you need a space in a single deck carriage. You can go there even with bicycles on your roof. I think there is no extra charge for that.

 

[jeremytaylor]

I cringed when taking our VW Sharan under them but in reality it was well clear.

I've got closer than that.

After booking a 'low' carriage, because all the high ones were booked, I realised that our Citroen C8 with skis on the roof rack was technically above their restriction. But I thought, "they are bound to be a bit on the cautious side".

When we went to board the skis actually scraped the chain-hung height restriction bar and set it swinging. But I still thought "they are bound to be a bit on the cautious side", and sure enough we didn't touch the roof of the carriage. Only had 10mm spare mind ...

 

[BTB 500]

The Eurotunnel height limit is 185 cm and our Vito is 190 cm ... so I will have to decide how brave I'm feeling when I book later this year!

The new M Class is officially 181.5 cm to the top of the roof rails, so easily in.

 

[jeremytaylor]

From memory, our C8 with skis was measuring 191.5 cm. But I knew I could take the skis off if necessary and slot them inside. Don't think you could do that with your Vito roof, Bill!

 

[BTB 500]

Yup I don't think I'll risk it ... in fact the phone pack includes a stub aerial on the roof so I suspect ours is over 191.5 anyway!

I deliberately didn't specify roof rails though, to keep the height down for car parks etc.

 

[MBManInKen]

The Eurotunnel height limit is 185 cm and our Vito is 190 cm ... so I will have to decide how brave I'm feeling when I book later this year!

As I said in my other post, the 185cm limit is for the normal car carriages. For cars higher than 185cm (for example with a load), you can just mention this at booking time and they will put you in a single deck carriage.

 

[Gucci]

Shhhhhh, don't go giving ideas to Ken Livingstone...height restriction barriers on all roads into London shhhhhhh

 

[peterg1965]

I pick up my new GL on saturday, am sure that the ML420 has airmatic suspension like my GL and that it can be lowered; can it? My Disco 3 has air suspension that can be selected to a low setting for going into multi storey car parks. Lowers the car by about 2".

Wish I could have stretched to a GL420CDI, I bet you are enjoying your ML - an absolutely awesome engine!

 

[raymont]

Speaking as an ex D3 owner who now drives a GL I have to inform you that a GL with airmatic CANNOT be lowered in the way a D3 can. There are three off road height settings which raise the vehicle and three ride settings: comfort, auto and sport. Set to sport the vehicle lowers, but only a small amount.

With the D3 and the GL always say I have a high vehicle when using Eurotunnel so you get put in a carriage along with coaches etc.

At the tunnel check in the person said my GL would just be OK in a normal carriage. I got the impression they have some kind of device which enables them to check the height.

 

[BTB 500]

At the tunnel check in the person said my GL would just be OK in a normal carriage.

M-B give the height of the GL as 1.84 M. So assuming (as mentioned earlier) that there's some safety margin built into the 1.85 M limit on the 'normal' carriages, yes it should be OK.

 

[smythp]

I pick up my new GL on saturday, am sure that the ML420 has airmatic suspension like my GL and that it can be lowered; can it? My Disco 3 has air suspension that can be selected to a low setting for going into multi storey car parks. Lowers the car by about 2".

Wish I could have stretched to a GL420CDI, I bet you are enjoying your ML - an absolutely awesome engine!

Not found that feature on my car yet (if it exists).

Yes I agree - awesome engine and beautiful to drive.

 

[smythp]

Thanks for all the feedback

Thanks to all who contributed to my thread.

I'm feeling very confident that my ML 420 will fit under the height barrier at Eurotunnel although I will be ducking even more than I did in my E-Class.

What did suprise me was that some of the replies indicated that even if it didn't I could still go into a single-deck carriage at the same cost.

I had assumed that higher vehicles would be charged more as they can carry less of them. Good to know that this is not necessarily the case.

 

[MBManInKen]

I had assumed that higher vehicles would be charged more as they can carry less of them. Good to know that this is not necessarily the case.

From the Eurotunnel website:

We allocate space in the single deck carriage for cars higher than 1.85 metres and coaches and caravans. The carriages are twice as high as the double deck carriages so there is ample room. There is no extra charge so feel free to bring bicycles, roof boxes etc. Just inform us when booking.

 

[Mercedes cozy]

Just took my ml to france last week in the euro tunnel and no problems

 

[NewMB]

The ML will fit with no problems in Euro Tunnel.

As a company, we operate several of them and they have never been a problem. One of the is an ML420 with 20" wheels and roofrails, and yes, it fits.

 

[Mercedes cozy]

Even mine has 20" Brabus wheels, no problems

 

[marcos]

I just picked up my new ML 420 CDi this morning. After 6 years with an E Class I thought I'd like to drive an M Class before they get taxed out of existence.

So I'm sitting here looking forward to upcoming my trip to France and it suddenly dawns on me. I booked the tunnel when I had an E Class. Now I'm thinking the M Class won't fit under the height barrier for cars - or will it?

I checked the website and it appears that it will just squeeze under but that barrier at the tunnel always looks real low even in a car so I'm jittery about it.

Can anybody with an M Class with roof rails confirm that it will fit under the height barrier for cars?

TIA

Mine fits so yours should be the same.