W211 Tow Bar Costs!

[Rosemeyer]

Phew!, I have just received a quote for fitting a detachable tow bar to my W211, a snip at £672.... I don't think!. I only need it for the gardeneing trailer I use at our place in France, so it maybe cheaper to get a petit camion like an old Citroen C15 in France, and still have change for a beret and a packet of Gauloise.

Part of the costs are for a 'car specific wirng kit ' at £ 162, I've never had the need for one before so why now?. All the other installations I've had used a bypass relay, and inline connectors to the existing lights, so why can't they, or even me, if I install it myself, do that this time?

 

[A210AMG]

Hello


Is that quote in France or the UK?


My last car an ML I Had a westfailer detachable fitted with twin electrics and fitted at the house with the bypass relays was £330 all in.

Have you tried towsure or Towequipe?

Thats sound way more than it should be. Especially as its only single electrics you need.

 

[Benzowner]

£600+ was the cost I had when I fitted a tow bar to my S Class 4 years ago. Just been quoted for my B Class at £350. It may be because they tend to fit the new 13pin connectors now not just the single 7 pin so you end up paying for twin electrics even though you may not need it.

 

[prprandall51]

Be careful. When I was ordering my S211 I thought I would save a few bob by getting a tow bar fitted after delivery. My (excellent) local tow bar fitter got a copy of the Whitter fitting instructions for the 211 and it said to "cut the ends off the rear chassis rails" to make it fit.

I promptly added a factory bar to my options list.

I remember at the time that I wasn't saving that much money, anyway, because of the electrics on the fitment being so expensive aftermarket.

 

[A210AMG]

^ Seems odd, so far the Merc(s) we have had them fitted to have no issue even other cars where I have had removable bars fitted.

Each time the bar is at least half what the dealer would fit for the same bar.

My Current S211 has single electrics and to Add the double electrics at a local towbar garage is £90 fitted inc vat etc.

 

[Rosemeyer]

It's a UK quote from Towequipe, they are only a couple of miles away from me, as I said the key thing is why the need for a 'car specific wiring kit'?

Anyway, I have gone back to them and asked the question...

 

[jaymanek]

I use towequipe and have fitted many towbars to E classes, never paid anywhere near that.

The wiring kit is needed as simply splicing into the wires can upset the bulb warning system.

 

[Rosemeyer]

Jay,

I've had 3 others fitted by them including a BMW E60 5 series, and again no where near that cost, so it looks like I'll do it myself and save enough for a gearbox oil change!

Bernd

 

[Gollom]

Phew!, I have just received a quote for fitting a detachable tow bar to my W211, a snip at £672.... I don't think!. I only need it for the gardeneing trailer I use at our place in France, so it maybe cheaper to get a petit camion like an old Citroen C15 in France, and still have change for a beret and a packet of Gauloise.

Part of the costs are for a 'car specific wirng kit ' at £ 162, I've never had the need for one before so why now?. All the other installations I've had used a bypass relay, and inline connectors to the existing lights, so why can't they, or even me, if I install it myself, do that this time?

I have a conventional towbar here complete with wiring (was on a 2006 E-class saloon) that you can have for £100. But you'll need to arrange shipment/come get to as it is v.heavy! I am just off J31a of M6


(Will be wierd it going to to the Charante as it "visited" a few times! LOL)

I

 

[Rosemeyer]

Have you got the Manufacturer and model number?

 

[Gollom]

Have you got the Manufacturer and model number?

W211 (2002-2009) Witter MR23 towbar & Electrics (twin with the single European socket)

If you are interested I'm sure the mods will open up your account for PMs

BTW - I actually work in Warrington not far from J21A of the M6 so it would not be impossible to save you 30 miles or so. Friendly forum this - we like to help each other as others will attest

 

[developer]

Mine was fitted here - Towbars, caravan movers, towbar fitting and accessories in Warwickshire - local(ish) to you.

£475 all in (detachable) and nice guys with it.

 

[madmerc1]

I have just bought detachable bar with bypass relay for my S211 manufactured by Tow-Trust (Ebay £217 inc. electrics, post etc.). I fitted the bar yesterday and apart from working out how to remove the rear bumper (which is relatively simple when you have done it!), it is quite straightforward. The bar itself is robust and top quality.
The bypass relay they supplied in the S211 kit looks straightforward to wire in - I will be tackling that today (weather permitting).
The wiring instructions state it will not work with LED rear lights, but mine are bulbs so OK. Interestingly, the car tail and brake lights use the same bulb but change the brightness by modulating the supply. This is accommodated by the bypass relay using just one input , it gives separate sidelight and brake-light outputs (it assures me!). Hope this helps.

 

[Rosemeyer]

Thanks guys, all very helpful, and Gollum, many thanks for the offer, but I really want a detachable bar.

This is such a great place to be

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

Try these guys - they've fitted a fixed towball to a Range Rover and Vauxhall Omega for us, and and a detachable Westfalia to our ML. Competitive price and great service, all done on your driveway.

I've just been in touch with them about fitting on a potential purchase - sadly they say they can't fit to that particular car. You'll have no problems on your W211 though.

Best of all, they're in Warwickshire too (assuming you want it fitted in the UK).

Welcome to CDF Towbars ::

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

PS On subject of detachable towbars.

IIRC The detachable Westafalia cost a fair bit more than a fixed towbar, and Mrs D thought it was an uncessary expense. So glad I did go for it though.

Looks "better" IMHO, probably because it's indistinguishable from factory fitted, which was important because our ML was probably only 18 months old at the time.

I used to remove it between uses, but haven't for years. Offers a little rear end defense in parking spaces!!

 

[madmerc1]

Quick update - I've wired in the electrics and the car seems totally oblivious to the "nasty by-pass relay device" that has been fitted, and is quite happy. All the lights work OK with no warnings at all. The only thing left is to connect the trailer, but that doesn't arrive until Wednesday. Though naturally a pessimist, I am not expecting problems as the only thing not tested now is the outputs from the relay under load from the trailer.

 

[spacecomm]

Hi there
I have a w211 est 2007, and I phoned my local merc dealer (Pentagon Portsmouth) and asked for a price for a detachable tow bar, he wanted £1200 for the tow bar and £750 for fitting. After picking myself up off the floor, he went on to say that the were all sorts of things that they have to do to numerous computers within the car.
All I can think of is the need for some relays to interface the electrics if need be.
I have reversing sensors fitted, I assume that I should simply disable them whilst towing.

I also understand that merc say an uprated cooling fan needs to fitted to the radiator, if this is not done then the guarantee is void.

Regards

Dave

 

[Black c320]

Quick update - I've wired in the electrics and the car seems totally oblivious to the "nasty by-pass relay device" that has been fitted, and is quite happy. All the lights work OK with no warnings at all. The only thing left is to connect the trailer, but that doesn't arrive until Wednesday. Though naturally a pessimist, I am not expecting problems as the only thing not tested now is the outputs from the relay under load from the trailer.

I know this is an old thread but did the trailer lights work ok with the bypass relay, does your car have the HiP rear lights that look like led.

On my caravan the brake light illuminates instead of the side lights so with the brakes applied there is no change in the brightness.

I checked the output at the relay terminals and only got power to the red brake output, with tail lights or brakes applied.

The relay supplier reckons the tail,stop and fog have to be wired to the back of the light switch and stop switch with a 3 core cable from the relay.

Seems odd to me...I thought the relay was for this application.

The relay is the TEB7AS and the indicators and reverse are working ok.

Any ideas appreciated I am struggling to get info.

 

[mikeo]

I'm thinking of getting a w211 320 or 280 CDI sport estate. Can a towbar be fitted to these?