Towing with an E Class Cabrio or Coupe

[SoftTopWilko]

I'm trying to get any comments / experiences from anyone towing with an E350 Bluetec Cabriolet or Coupe on an A207 or C207 chassis with 7 G-tronic gearbox. Most specifically what weights you tow and if you have made or been advised to make any modifications to your car, cooling fan upgrades, auxilliary trans cooler etc.

Any first hand experience would be most welcome

Thanks.

 

[Piff]

Varied from model to model - whether MB bothered to get type approval. Mine can (2013 250CDi Sport A207) and the towing weights given in the V5 are 1800kg braked and 750kg unbraked.
I know when I was looking to buy, another I was looking at had no type approval. Check the V5

 

[BTB 500]

I know when I was looking to buy, another I was looking at had no type approval. Check the V5

It's the VIN plate on the vehicle (gross train weight) that counts ... check that to be 100% sure.

 

[SoftTopWilko]

I researched the car's towing capacity and checked the VIN plate before purchase so I know it has a legal towing limit of 1800kg. The handbook (which I appreciate has no legal standing) specifies 1800kg (braked, 750 unbraked) for all models apart from the E400 which is not type approved although I have heard, via my online searches, of people who don't have a train weight on the VIN plate of vehicles of very similar spec and age to mine. It also states words to the effect "some vehicles may require modification before being used to tow a trailer, check with your local MB service center". So having bought the car I spoke to the company which has supplied all of my towbars who sourced a bar which would fit my AMG without bumper cuts, with a detachable swan neck and retractable electrics socket so it cannot be seen when not in use. I had it fitted by a local retired towbar fitter and headed off to my local MB service center to i) activate the plug in relay and ii) advise on any modifications required as per the handbook. Their response was, not unexpectedly, as we didn't fit the towbar we cannot help.

I emailed MB Customer Service who replied that as the towbar was not fitted by MB they could not comment. After an increasingly heated exchange of emails, calls to the UK CEO's office and finally a recurring email to Dieter Zetsche I finally got an email from his successor, Olla Kallenius's office saying that the reason MB would not comment is that they "do not recommend the vehicle as a towcar" and so could not comment further or enter into further correspondence.

Despite this, an email to our next nearest MB main dealer for a quote to fit towbar and electrjcs returned me a quote of 1900.00, less a couple of gin and tonics. I asked if the vehicle needed any modifications. They advised they would check and came back two days later to say no. However, when I collected the caravan and drove it back, 250 miles from Cornwall I did notice the trans tunnel getting quite warm. I had the trans fluid changed last month at it's 50k scheduled interval and the garage who did the work said there was nothing unusual with the condition of the fluid coming out.

I'm just getting paranoid about whether I need to take steps to improve cooling on the transmission fluid, either by upgrading the cooling fan or fitting an auxiliary cooler, neither of which are cheap options, but considerably cheaper than a new box.

 

[Deleted member 150136]

I plan on towing with my c class cabrio, small bike trailer(unbraked) and large caravan(braked).
I wont tow the caravan far or very often, but when I do I'll be using it in manual mode and not auto.
I've always found that its easier on the transmission that way, even using my range rover that would pull it with ease.
Not the answer you were looking for but your problem also occured to me.

 

[219]

I researched the car's towing capacity and checked the VIN plate before purchase so I know it has a legal towing limit of 1800kg. The handbook (which I appreciate has no legal standing) specifies 1800kg (braked, 750 unbraked) for all models apart from the E400 which is not type approved although I have heard, via my online searches, of people who don't have a train weight on the VIN plate of vehicles of very similar spec and age to mine. It also states words to the effect "some vehicles may require modification before being used to tow a trailer, check with your local MB service center". So having bought the car I spoke to the company which has supplied all of my towbars who sourced a bar which would fit my AMG without bumper cuts, with a detachable swan neck and retractable electrics socket so it cannot be seen when not in use. I had it fitted by a local retired towbar fitter and headed off to my local MB service center to i) activate the plug in relay and ii) advise on any modifications required as per the handbook. Their response was, not unexpectedly, as we didn't fit the towbar we cannot help.

I emailed MB Customer Service who replied that as the towbar was not fitted by MB they could not comment. After an increasingly heated exchange of emails, calls to the UK CEO's office and finally a recurring email to Dieter Zetsche I finally got an email from his successor, Olla Kallenius's office saying that the reason MB would not comment is that they "do not recommend the vehicle as a towcar" and so could not comment further or enter into further correspondence.

Despite this, an email to our next nearest MB main dealer for a quote to fit towbar and electrjcs returned me a quote of 1900.00, less a couple of gin and tonics. I asked if the vehicle needed any modifications. They advised they would check and came back two days later to say no. However, when I collected the caravan and drove it back, 250 miles from Cornwall I did notice the trans tunnel getting quite warm. I had the trans fluid changed last month at it's 50k scheduled interval and the garage who did the work said there was nothing unusual with the condition of the fluid coming out.

I'm just getting paranoid about whether I need to take steps to improve cooling on the transmission fluid, either by upgrading the cooling fan or fitting an auxiliary cooler, neither of which are cheap options, but considerably cheaper than a new box.

I'd go to an MB Indy with STAR who can code the adaptation you require without being subservient to MB policy .

 

[SoftTopWilko]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I was driving past MB in Tamworth recently and popped into ask about coding and cooling. Finally I found an MB dealer living in the real world. The person I spoke to, who I shall not name was extremely helpful. He confirmed that they are not allowed to activate the relevant towing code due to instructions from MB however he put me in touch with a local indy who will code the vehicle for me, and "will be at liberty to fully discuss using your car as a towcar". Sadly it's not that local to me, but I will be in touch with them shortly.