Kapium

Hi all,

I want to get a couple of Jetskis and tow them with my C32. I've seen towing values listed in some foreign publications for the C32 at 1650kg, but MB here says they can't verify that, nor do they offer any towing hardware. Before you ask why I want to tow with this car, it's either this or my SRT-6 Crossfire. Anyone have any input on this?

thanks.

amdeutsch

AFAIK and have seen; the towing option was for a regular W203 and not ever for an AMG or a W203 with AMG add-ons.

Could the jet skis tow the R170 knock off instead? j/k

TemjinX2

i think towing wise you shouldn't have any problems. i knew someone that towed there jetski with a 127hp civic.

i would go with the srt6 as well.

Kapium

Technically it's a 193 chassis id and is faster than the 170 (and prettier IMHO). I wish I could tow them with it for the humor factor, but with the way its set up and the center exhaust it just won't work well.

bud4ya

Even if you could two 2 jet skis you still have a big problem. That problem is getting the C32 up out of the boat ramp once you launch the skis. That will be a challenge but a bigger challenge will be when you load them up and try to get back up the ramp. Every time I launched our boat and pulled it out of the water I needed our Sequoia in 4 wheel drive to get it back up the boat ramp. There are many times there was a lot of slippage even in 4 wheel.

I just do not think you would be able to pull that trailer and ski's back up out of the water with the C32.

I would invest in a small pick up for this job or something with at least AWD.

mkonei

prettier? why would you throw that out in a 32/55 forum? hope you have a kevlar suit

Kapium

LOL, I call it like I see it. I love the new SLK, but the old one... is just so so. Besides, I don't think too many people in here are going to flame a fellow AMG owner (fingers crossed)

mkonei

everyone here is pretty decent..please buy a 2wd truck if you want to tow...just my .02

Kapium

I know and agree with the assertion that the folks here are good company. I've been through the forums here for a while now, just never had much cause to post on anything before. As far as the truck goes, I don't have any real reason to buy one. I have no place to store it, I don't want to maintain it, and certainly don't want to drive it. I have no problem using a C32 for towing or anything else. I already use it as a daily driver, haul lumber in it, I'll drive it when there's a foot of snow on the ground, so why not tow. If we were in europe, no one would even bat an eye at that. Heck, I'd tow with the SRT if it were practical. Also with regards to the earlier comment about the boat launch. I don't think I'd have any problems launching or recovering with the Benz. It would certainly be more capable on the ramp than a small 2WD truck.

I'm getting the vibe though that if I were to be seen trailering two Jetskis down the road with a C32 I'd be the only one in the country doing so. Oh well, c'est la vie.

TemjinX2

can't be any funnier looking then this.


civic towing a truck

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKzr5M0iFrw

Kapium

Or this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8uEgFFWzQbk

bud4ya

You are correct it probally would be no different than a 2 wheel drive truck. That is why I mentioned 4 wheel or AWD and not a rwd or 2 wheel drive pu. If you have never pulled a trailer out of the water before you will have one big surprise when you need a tow up out of the lake. On most boat ramps you would have to back in far enough for the skis to just begin to float on their own to get them on and off the trailer. Dude at that time your *** end of your C32 would be submerged in water. If you have done this before you will know what I am talking about. You just dont back halfway down a boat ramp and toss the ski's off.

If you do decide to do this please take a video the first time you back in the water to release them and if you make it through that when you back in the water to pull them out.

I am not bashing here at all just highly suggesting the C32 is not the right tool for this job. I just would hate to see your car ruined or stuck because of this.

Kapium

I have launched a boat before, and would definitely think that Jetskis would be easier since they have no draft to speak of. Also, I would modify the trailer to extend further behind the vehicle for launch / recovery. I do agree that 4WD would be simpler, but I don't believe it's necessary to launch 1500lbs of low-draft watercraft, particularly since most of the weight is shifted onto your drive wheels, which are a bit wider than most trucks. If I ever end up doing this, I'll definitely shoot a video, but I think you'd be surprised by how smoothly it'd go.

bud4ya

Good idea with extending the trailer. That would be a must do. I know when we launch our boat the water is almost up to the bumper on the Sequia depending on the water level of the lake.

Video would be great of both towing, unloading and loading. I bet you would get some priceless looks towing down the highway. My neighbor used to pull 2 snowmobiles with his old GTI when he was younger. Said a lot of people look at him like he had 3 heads. He said it was hairy a couple of times even with snow tires on the car. Boy would I have loved to see that.

Take care,

Kapium

LOL, yeah. I love seeing oddball thinks like that. To me it says "Wow that guy really loves his GTI" That's how it is for me with this car. I want to take it with me, not leave it at home and take a truck, especially if I'm heading to my friend's cottage 250 miles away. Lots of people forget that back in the 50s nobody owned a truck just for towing (some exceptions of course), they just used their good old RWD sedans. As far as the trailer goes, the PWCs sit right at the back (which is great). I would put a sliding extension behind the hitch so I could move it back a couple more feet from the car to launch. I think this would be enough since the trailer would also be lowered to match the ride height of the car. An, of course, I would check to see where the end of the ramp was before backing down

bud4ya

did you get your towing package set up on the C32?