How's the 320 for towing? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

mplafleur · #1 08-18-2002, 12:24 PM

We need a vehicle for towing and 'course it has to be an MB. I'll be towing 'bout 4000 lbs at most and am concerned about the mileage. Al the vehicles we'd used or borrowed to tow our trailer that were 6 cly got about 10 mpg downhill. (with a wind at our backs)

The 320 is the only one we can afford (Kids going to college soon and I want to save for a plane). From searching old posts I'm not concerned with towing ability, but I don't know how the gas consumption is. I want to start doing some longer camping trips, that is, out of the state and 10 mpg won't do it. I don't want to take a loan out for fuel.

How about some towing stories?

Lebenz · #2 08-18-2002, 11:21 PM

The ML is rated at 5000 lbs towing capacity and, I think (but don’t quote me, cause I’m not positive) at 700 lbs tongue weight.

It is a pathetic comparison next to pulling 4000 lbs but I have pulled a mildly loaded Uhaul up a loooong hill (about 40 miles and 2500 feet of elevation gain) and it was all but effortless. Same for coming down the hill. No temp gain, and the ML didn’t get pulled around by the trailer or cross winds.

I would rate the ML as very good, but that is the only towing experience I have

G-Man · #3 08-19-2002, 08:44 AM

From your post I would assume you are pulling a travel trailer. Wind resistance is the big killer, the wieght wont bother the ML. So milage depends a little on what you are towing. If the trailer is not much taller and wider than the truck your fuel consumption will not be too bad. I would expect about a 5mpg drop from unladen, though I have no personal experience towing with the ML, just a guess based on lots of other towing experience. That probably puts you at ~15mpg. Keep in mind that nothing capable of towing that much is going to get "good" milage.

mplafleur · #4 08-19-2002, 09:11 AM

Understandable... but 15 mpg across country is better than 8 mpg!

Yes, it is a travel trailer; 21 ft, not too high.

Lebenz · #5 08-19-2002, 10:03 AM

Oh, I missed the part about mileage. The ml got 17 mpg for the trip (~160 miles), compared to the 20.5 it usually gets for the same trip without a trailer.

Jim Anderson · #6 08-19-2002, 11:16 AM

I have a 4x8 foot utility trailer with 2 foot high sides I use for camping and stuff. The last trip I got 17 mpg, I usually get 24.

JAshburne · #7 08-22-2002, 08:11 PM

I towed a 20 foot enclosed car trailer, 8 feet high and weighing just under 5,000 lbs with a 1998 ML320. It did fine, although it really had to work on the hills to maintain highway speed. I moved up to the ML430 so that it would be easier to maintain good speeds (70-75 mph) up hill.

Mileage on the ML320 towing was about 10 mpg. With my big square box, the wind resistance really reduces the mileage as speed increases. With a travel trailer, if it has an aerodynamic front, the mileage should be a bit better, but I wouldn't expect much more than about 12 mpg with 4,000 lbs.

Good luck!

mplafleur · #8 08-29-2002, 11:34 AM

Well that's good enough!

I'm flying down to Houston tomorrow to pick one up I bought off eBay. Wanted one 4 years ago, but couldn't afford it.

It's a '98 ML320 with 75k miles on it. Now we'll have to go camping again and see how it pulls.

That makes 3 MBs in the family. Now I have to find that good deal on a '87 300SDL.