My New Tow Vehicle
10-04-2012, 10:09 PM
#1
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2009 SL63, 2009 ML550 4Matic
My New Tow Vehicle
Actually, it's the wife's most of the time. She needed a new SUV and I needed something to tow my Nitro bass boat, so we just picked up an '09 ML550 CPO. It had higher miles that what I was looking for (62K) so I went for the 3yr/135K extended warranty just for some piece of mind.
So far we are loving it, although the gas mileage is almost as bad as my V10 Ford Dually. I just got back from a 900 mile fishing trip in Canada, and it did a little under 12mpg towing. The seats are a little on the firm side for my taste, even firmer than my E550 seats, but my wife doesn't mind. She has more cushion.
Also, I went absolutely NUTS trying to figure out why my trailer lights wouldn't work, and finally found out through this forum that LED trailers don't work without an adapter!! I was stuck on the day of my trip, so I ended up swapping out the main two lights on the trailer for regular incandescents, left the 5 LED marker lights and it works fine now.
It's got the P2, AMG, Leather and Chrome packages. I thought the wheels were aftermarket but they are genuine Mercedes 20" wheels. Not sure why the original owner ditched the AMG wheels. It tows like a dream. I can hardly tell I'm pulling anything. Did 75-80 the entire trip even on the steep hills.
So far we are loving it, although the gas mileage is almost as bad as my V10 Ford Dually. I just got back from a 900 mile fishing trip in Canada, and it did a little under 12mpg towing. The seats are a little on the firm side for my taste, even firmer than my E550 seats, but my wife doesn't mind. She has more cushion.
Also, I went absolutely NUTS trying to figure out why my trailer lights wouldn't work, and finally found out through this forum that LED trailers don't work without an adapter!! I was stuck on the day of my trip, so I ended up swapping out the main two lights on the trailer for regular incandescents, left the 5 LED marker lights and it works fine now.
It's got the P2, AMG, Leather and Chrome packages. I thought the wheels were aftermarket but they are genuine Mercedes 20" wheels. Not sure why the original owner ditched the AMG wheels. It tows like a dream. I can hardly tell I'm pulling anything. Did 75-80 the entire trip even on the steep hills.
10-05-2012, 11:27 AM
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2014 c200, 2009 BMW 118i & 2003 c180k coupe
Changed wheels
He probably ditched the AMG wheels because they would have been 21" and the tyres are difficult to source and are very expensive! Here in NZ they cost about $1400 each!
10-06-2012, 07:05 AM
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C63 507 AMG DA Car #19
We tow jetskis with ml500. The ml is a fine tow truck. We get 17- 18mpg running 75mph.
I have dreams of picking up a used ml63 to tow when the ml500 runs its course.
I have dreams of picking up a used ml63 to tow when the ml500 runs its course.
10-06-2012, 11:58 AM
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I didn't believe they were factory wheels either, until the salesman showed me the build sheet, and this was in the glove box....
10-07-2012, 09:17 AM
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X350d GLE500e 2017, ML350 BlueTec 2012(sold), A200 2013, ML350CDI 2009(sold), Aston Martin DB7 2003
Those tyres on the brochure are noted as 275/50R20. They would have a diameter about 30.8". This is much larger than the standard ML tyres of about 29".
Could this be a misprint where they have given the GL tyre size?
Are your tyres this big, or something more akin to the regular ML sizes?
Could this be a misprint where they have given the GL tyre size?
Are your tyres this big, or something more akin to the regular ML sizes?
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10-11-2012, 08:47 PM
#9
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gt3mike, you got me beat. 25 foot Tracer RV, 5200 pounds, 60-65MPH and about 13.5MPG with my 2007 CDI.
Hear those Ecoboost guys are at 9mpg with similar weights.
Hear those Ecoboost guys are at 9mpg with similar weights.
Last edited by dgiturbo; 10-11-2012 at 08:51 PM.
10-12-2012, 02:04 AM
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2002 CLK (sold) 2011 ML BT (sold) 2014 ML BT
dgiturbo, you got me beat too! 25ft is harder to tow than 20ft. I was thinking switch to 18ft but with the WD set up, it tows well with the 20ft.
The cdi/bluetec is great for mpg. My friend tow the same trailer and weight with a 2010 tundra, I am no sure the mpg but he usually paid double at the gas station with same distance travelled.
The cdi/bluetec is great for mpg. My friend tow the same trailer and weight with a 2010 tundra, I am no sure the mpg but he usually paid double at the gas station with same distance travelled.
