W211 Tow Bar Costs!

[Troon]

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

Yes. It's only the AMG that can't take a towbar for certification reasons.

A Witter flange bar with dedicated electrics can be yours for self-fit for under £400:

Mercedes E Class Estate 2003-2010 Detachable Flange tow bar (select the electrics kit).

I had a quote from a local company to supply and fit for £583, but I'd do the work myself as it doesn't appear to be particularly tricky (towbar PDF; electrics PDF). The dedicated electrics are better than the botched-in bypass relay option as the car can then do clever things like not illuminate the car rear fog lamp and check the indicator functionality.

 

[developer]

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

Go detachable - fixed towbars and Sport -it's just not cricket you know........

 

[sinewave]

Go detachable - fixed towbars and Sport -it's just not cricket you know........

Depends if ya towing one of these,

................... or one of these!

 

[mikeo]

I've now bought the car and agree, it would have to be detachable on a w211 sport estate.

I previously had a w210 estate which I fitted a tow bar on together with a relay for the parking sensors. Could I not just switch the parking sensors off when towing and forget this relay?

 

[SL300-24]

Is that what people mean when they say "you need to look at the bigger picture?"

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I've now bought the car and agree, it would have to be detachable on a w211 sport estate.

I previously had a w210 estate which I fitted a tow bar on together with a relay for the parking sensors. Could I not just switch the parking sensors off when towing and forget this relay?

Yes, factory fit parking sensors have a manual "off" overide, although some after market kits do to. A tobar fitter I spoke to on Friday said they usually fit a toggle switch in the boot if there's no other way of disabling the sensors.

If you use the universal relay kit then it's one of the things you have to do - the dedicated kits alleviate the need to do this, but come at a price - I've just fitted one.