truelove

alot of people have asked me this and i have no idea. what is this little square cover thingy you see on alot of cars? just curious.

VoyagerDude

It's a plastic cover for the place in the bumper, into which you can screw in the provided tow hook.

avlis

I can't find my tow hook!

Lynn

It should be in the spare tire well. If it isn't, get your dealer to give you one.

pokerFACE

be careful when you open the cover.. they snap off. i broke the rear one.

avlis

What does it look like? Is it a threaded eye bolt? I've got all the other stuff (lug bolts, wheel chock, alignment pin, etc.).

trench

Yes.

It should have been in the styrofoam thing with the rest of that stuff. I imagine you have an empty spot where it goes.

- BT

jswedberg

By the way I've had a very good towing company tell me NOT to use the eye hook if possible. (They were putting my Porsche on a flatbed - long story!)

The reason is the winch is usually in the center of the flatbed and it will tend to pull the car diagonally off the ramp.

They used chains attached to the suspension attachments points, close to the body (I think - I was a little distraught at the time)

But you definitely don't want to let Joe-Bob the tow truck driver hook onto the bumper - then, if you have to, use the eye.

moomeh

i was waxing the car today and was wondering what that was. i thought it might be for that optional C15 package... you know the one with a hidden rocket engine in the back and machine guns in the front.

Matt230K

I don't think most tow truck drivers even use this to winch the car with. I think it is mostly for using a tow rope or something if you have to pull a car out of a ditch or something like that.

jswedberg

I hadn't thought of that - could be - Aren't you just supposed to call 1-800-4MERCEDES or push TeleAid?
I mean, really, actually do manual labor? Mercedes owners let other people do that their labor for them!

Matt230K

That's true. A typical Mercedes owner could never do anything for themselves. Their money is supposed to do everything for them. But whoever does it, they still need a way to do it. So I guess that hook is for roadside assistance to pull your car out while you talk on your cell phone, calling the dealer to tell them that your car has a problem and it is their fault and they better fix it under warranty or you will turn in your keys and go buy a lexus!

avlis

Now THAT'S what I call comedy!!

taylor192

To someone who has opened these square holes... do they close nicely too? I can't imagine the fit is very good once they are opened...???

truelove

that's exactly what i was wondering.

Matt230K

If you do it right, it should open and close very easily.

MB-BOB

This has been discussed before. I recall the bumper tow hook is more prominent in Europe. For cost savings, they simply don't delete this "feature" in American cars. I've had several cars towed. None of them were towed in this manner.

My little doors will forever remain closed...

jswedberg

I did open mine, once, for laughs. I don't dare do it again.

If you are VERY VERY careful, it seems to close back up well.

I wouldn't do it very often - it looked to me like it could easily be damaged.

pokerFACE

as I have posted above,

the cover on my rear bumper snapped off

the plastic "cord" that keeps the cover from falling off entirely (and you losing it) is made of cheap, stiff plastic

so be very careful! i learned the hard way.

i just ended up pressing it back in securely.. hope there wont be any reason for it to pop off :o

shtatc

I covered up the front little square when I put the Stonegard on the front bumper. How many people actually got the towing hooks? I did not get one when the car was delivered....was wondering if it is worth trying to get one.