Been offered a Mercedes R Class from work. 3.2 litre Cdi.
Sports package, seats, AMG alloys etc. Very handsome car but not heard of anyone using it to tow with.
I could really do with not having the added expense of a new tow car for my Avondale Dart 556/6, but my Previa has a VERY thirsty petrol engine and no longer practical so using the work car would be great.
Any thoughts, experiences etc?
Many thanks in advance.
Nick.
I am in the fortunate situation of not paying tax.
I am apart time chauffuer for an Executive company in London (when not doing the day job) and boss has said he wont mind if i put a tow bar on it (i am able to keep cars for my own use).
Got an S Class at present but think the R might be a better tower etc. My Previa is only giving around 15 to the gallon towing and not much pull, even on my light van.
I read somewhere that Mercedes dont recommend towing with the R class, but not sure if that was official or not.
Thanks for the input.
Nick.
Quote: Originally posted by nick holder on 29/3/2008
I am in the fortunate situation of not paying tax.
I am apart time chauffuer for an Executive company in London (when not doing the day job) and boss has said he wont mind if i put a tow bar on it (i am able to keep cars for my own use).
Got an S Class at present but think the R might be a better tower etc. My Previa is only giving around 15 to the gallon towing and not much pull, even on my light van.
I read somewhere that Mercedes dont recommend towing with the R class, but not sure if that was official or not.
Thanks for the input.
Nick.
If you are using the car for personal use , you WILL have to pay tax on it. Just because your boss does not declare it, does not make it right. I would check with the taxman (you can do it anonimously), they will come after you, not your boss.
Please be careful, the taxman is ruthless - I know from experience.
Steve.
------------- Some days I am the statue - others the pigeon.
I have an R320 cdi which I use to tow our 1700kg Hymer caravan. It really is an exceptional tow car. We have the long wheelbase version which gives a huge luggage area. We also have the optional Airmatic suspension which gives a limo like ride, but more importantly for towing it is self levelling. Fuel economy averages about 33mpg solo and 21 towing though ours has only done 5k miles. I am sure this will improve but with the amount of performance available I think it is more than acceptable. The all-wheel drive is a boon for towing especially as it comes without the usual drawbacks of a 4x4, it really does drive like a (big) car. We had the towbar retro fitted at the Merc dealer. Its a Westfalia detachable and is totally invisible when not in use. Although it was expensive it really is good quality and easy to use. The only criticism I can think of with the car is its sheer size does make parking tricky sometimes but its a small price to pay. The 7 speed gearbox is a joy to use. As you probably guessed I'm very impressed with it and would highly recommend it. I don't recall what the max towing limit is but its well in excess of 2 tonnes so will easily cope with any caravan on the market.
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Topic: Mercedes R Class ??
