New MB Eclass no longer viable for towing.

but if you have £40k to spend on a car, then surely another few quid VED  is a proverbial in the ocean

and didnt i read somewhere that the wheel sizes are different, front to rear and spare only fits rear wheels, or did i dream this?

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maybe just tyres, i am sure there is some valid technical reason for this, no spare would concern me when towing

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It seems quite a few go-faster AMG Mercs have different wheels front & back either width, offset or diameter. That's why skinny spare wheels are used. My Smart Roadster has different offset front & rear and the 451 has different width & offset.

Interesting discussion and members are right to be cautious.

I currently have a C250 (2015) which when they came out no towbars had been created for this new shape. Subsequently I fitted a detachable Westfalia which the dealer was fully aware of as they programmed the electronics after towbar fitting, as they agreed at sale to do so.

I never needed to claim on warranty but would have been very surprised to be refused for this known change

Roll forward to now and I am about to buy a W213 (E220d). There are plenty of approved towbars that will fit (both shape and price) and now MB do not need to code as the towbar fitter can do this themselves.

Currently the option list on MB cars are very reduced from previous as Stephen P says, as not only can you not specify a towbar on most cars, but also not other features such as air suspension, improved audio, panoramic roof, etc. We all would spec a spare wheel if we could I expect.

Whatever towcar you pick, it is the holiday that matters most!!

Update after fitting a detachable Westfalia towbar to a MY20 E class estate. The towbar company can now code the dedicated electrics but I had the dealer do this for me.

Towbar operation is same as previous MB's although on this towbar brand the drop down electrics is on the offside so I needed to shorten my flex length off the van.

Only other comment is that the front and rear tyres are different size so NO spare, NO inflation kit as the tyres are run flat and the manual states they can run for 50 miles. Hopefully I will never need to test this claim.

Have towed over 1000 miles this summer (UK only obviously) and the car tows very well and is as stable as any I have had.

Get a space saver wheel. That gets round the different size tyres and at least provides some element of backup.

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