Ive always wanted a w124 body diesel(peviuosly owned 4 w123 and 1 w126) . Ive located a 1995 E300D with 200k miles on it. I was wondering if it could pull my 5x8 utility trailer with two 400# bikes on it? And if there is a reciever type hitch available for it?
Thanks!!
Mark

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2006 Jetta TDI DSG 320k miles
1997 Ford F150 325k miles 4.2L V6 "Work Truck"
2008 Tundra 225k miles 5.7L
1982 240D.....sold
1984 300D...Totaled OUCH!
1985 300D Turbo 222k miles "Dos" sold to 79Mercy
1986 300SDL 98K miles "The Beater"....sold
1987 190E 2.3 16v Euro spec 115K miles....sold

Per a Google Search for the tow capacity of the car, I found another post from these forums asking the same question in 2003.

The OP says

I know we've all seen these towing trailers in Europe, but apparently MBUSA does not want these to tow anything.

I would borrow a pickup or cargo van if I needed to really tow/haul anything.

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Milan Brown 1979 240D, rebuilt OM617.952 turbo diesel, rebuilt 722.315 transmission (my only daily driver)

Instagram: @maximed93

These cars can tow very easily, the additional equipment on towing cars is a separate ATF cooler which fits in the right side of the bumper along with a duct and a cooling fan triggered by a 100C switch in the ATF cooler lines.

Almost all european E300D estate wagons had them by default.

I'll try to find the capacity rating.

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

Thankyou for the info.
My 06 Jetta tdi tows it easly so i figured since the Benz is so overbuilt it would be a no brainer. Maybe the w123 are better suited :-/ Ill look into a tranny cooler and fan/ temp display.

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2006 Jetta TDI DSG 320k miles
1997 Ford F150 325k miles 4.2L V6 "Work Truck"
2008 Tundra 225k miles 5.7L
1982 240D.....sold
1984 300D...Totaled OUCH!
1985 300D Turbo 222k miles "Dos" sold to 79Mercy
1986 300SDL 98K miles "The Beater"....sold
1987 190E 2.3 16v Euro spec 115K miles....sold

If your trailer is a flat bed you should be fine without an additional cooler. U haul is a possible hitch source.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

The load mentioned by the OP shouldn't tax the car much, unless you're blasting up a continuous grade in the Rockies in the summertime.

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'82 300CD
"Pearl", the very first turbo diesel 123 coupe
Totaled 11/23/18, rebuild in progress.
'85 300TD, "Artemis".
'78 300D euro, "Ol' Red", mostly retired.
'85 300D, "Gandalf".

Curt Class 1 hitch is probably the most popular one used on the 124. I had one on my 95 E300 and used it to pull my trailer and riding lawnmower on occasion. If I remember correctly, the Curt website has excellent directions for install, they also come with the hitch/receiver as well. I also put one on my 87 300TD wagon, install only took a few hours. Very good hitch.

Never felt like it was doing any harm to either car when pulling trailer. You should be fine.

Wind resistance is the major factor when towing a trailer at speed. Given your trailer is open and about same width of the car, drag won't be increased that much.

Will it be hilly where you are traveling, at what speed and for how long?

Does the trailer have brakes? 1,500 - 2,000 Lb is the typical limit for a non braked trailer to be legal. While less of an issue with a rear drive car, the rear of a front drive car can be pushed around under hard braking especially if you are braking hard and turning to avoid something. Trailer brakes reduce this effect dramatically.

Under braking, the cars nose drops and tail rises. This lifts the trailer tongue up transferring weight off the tongue and to the trailer axle further reducing the cars rear loading.

There is also a sway issue with long single axle trailers that can be recovered from by applying the trailer brake to straighten out the whole train. Yours is short so not a big deal but still a nice feature to have.

In general, most anything can tow most anything else, it just depends on how fast / how far and how safe you want to be. In your case, the MB will not have a problem going or stopping, I'd be more concerned about the Jetta stopping and being stable.

If a trailer you are towing gets to wiggle wagging and you have no controllable trailer brakes the only recourse is to floor the gas. This takes some courage especially if going down hill, which is where you are most likely to get the wiggle waggling.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

W210 Trailer Hitch Fits a W124 also.

I towed a harbor freight 4'x8' trailer to salvage lumber. I am sure that I towed over 1000lb loads.
Have the load balanced so there is enough tongue weight and the tail will not wage the dog.
I drove appropriate speeds for the tire's rating.

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Greg
2012 S350 BlueTEC 4Matic
2007 ML 320 CDI
2007 Leisure Travel Serenity
2006 Sprinter 432k
2005 E320 CDI
1998 SLK230 (teal)
1998 SLK230 (silver)
1996 E300D 99k, 30k on WVO
Previous:
1983 240D, on WVO
1982 300D, on WVO
1983 300CD, on WVO
1986 300SDL 237k, 25k on WVO (Deerslayer)
1991 350SDL 249k, 56k on WVO - Retired to a car spa in Phoenix
1983 380 SEC w/603 diesel, 8k on WVO
1996 E300D 351k, 177k on WVO

Agreed, absolutely vital that the trailer is front loaded so you are at least 60/40 front to rear on a single axle trailer.

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The OM 642/722.9 powered family
Still going strong
2014 ML350 Bluetec (wife's DD)
2013 E350 Bluetec (my DD)

both my kids cars went to junkyard in 2023
2008 ML320 CDI (Older son’s DD) fatal transmission failure, water soaked/fried rear SAM, numerous other issues, just too far gone to save (165k miles)
2008 E320 Bluetec (Younger son's DD) injector failed open and diluted oil with diesel, spun main bearings (240k miles)

1998 E300DT sold to TimFreeh
1987 300TD sold to vstech

Aren't the transmissions in the 1995 W124s very weak?

No, the 722.3 and .4 are very robust and last a long time with proper fluid and filter changes. Both of my 124 car, '87 300TD and '95 E300 are getting close to 400k miles, original transmissions.


Have a hitch rated for up to 1500KG on my '87 wagon.

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Respectfully,
/s/
M. Dillon
'87 124.193 (300TD) "White Whale", ~392k miles, 3.5l IP fitted
'95 124.131 (E300) "Sapphire", 380k miles
'73 Balboa 20 "Sanctification"
Charleston SC