Flat towing advice

[Mtnbikerx]

Purchasing a 2012 Winn Journey with the 360 Cummins. It already has a Blue Ox tow bar. We will be towing an AWD ML350. Before digging into the owner's manual of the Benz I would like some comments regarding safety and maintenance of both vehicles. Would a trailer for the toad be a better plan?

[eheading]

That's too bad that you just returned from Lakeland. We could have shown you our Mini!!! It is also too bad that your son-in-law's Mini is an automatic. To the best of my knowledge, they are not towable four down. You would have to tow it with a tow dolly.

Ed Headington

[Mtnbikerx]

Ed, we just returned from Lakeland, rented an RV for Sun N Fun. That's what got us started shopping for a class A. Does your Mini have the standard or auto? Our Son in Law's Mini is an auto.

[eheading]

If you check with Mini you will see that they don't recommend towing it 4 wheels down. However if it has the manual transmission, there doesn't seem to be a problem I suspect they just never tested it. A number of people are towing them including myself, and Blue Ox makes baseplates for the Mini. We are towing the Mini Roadster, and have a little less than 1000 miles of towing on it with no problems whatsoever. I have talked with others who have towed them for many more miles than us and they have experienced no problems either.

Ed Headington

[Mtnbikerx]

Yeah, what I thought. Shouldn't / can't flat tow. I didn't really want to pile miles on my wife's ML six feet behind a potential sand blaster. I guess the smart choice is to pick up a task specific vehicle for a toad. Hmmmm, our son in law may be selling his Mini convertible. thanks for the replies.

[MaverickBBD]

A trailer may be your only option. As others have mentioned read your manual. If you are lucky you may be by with a dolley.

[naturist]

Gotta be careful about AWD vehicles. Some can't be towed 4 down at all.

[Bumpyroad]

rr2254545 wrote:

nevadanick wrote:
We have had a couple Ml's, a couple GL's and currently have a GLC and none of them could be flat towed or dollied. All of them being 4Matic.

Yep in all my travels never seen a MB being towed - a few BMW's but darn few

and you can't rely on just seeing something being towed. they could have a tranny pump, drive shaft disconnect, etc. making it possible.
bumpy

[rr2254545]

nevadanick wrote:
We have had a couple Ml's, a couple GL's and currently have a GLC and none of them could be flat towed or dollied. All of them being 4Matic.

Yep in all my travels never seen a MB being towed - a few BMW's but darn few

[nevadanick]

We have had a couple Ml's, a couple GL's and currently have a GLC and none of them could be flat towed or dollied. All of them being 4Matic.

[rav]

read the owners manual as stated above, also if uncertain ask the dealers service department. go to blue ox's website and see if the have the baseplate and any other equipment available for you specific year and model car.

[Bumpyroad]

the first thing you should do is read that owner's manual for "valid" information. what does that say under either recreational towing or towing behind a motorhome. only if that gives proper directions to do so, should you be asking those other questions.
bumpy

[Triker33]

It probably will be impossible to find a base plate for any model of a Benz to tow it 4 down. Even if the manufacture recommends pulling it 4 down. Which I would guess they don't.

Get a light trailer. Even then hope your Winn can pull over 5K lb.

That is the reason I went with the Lincoln MKS AWD Ecoboost. It can be pulled 4 down.