Tow hitch on Mercedes ML 350 Bluetech

On Friday, April 3, 2015 at 1:08:59 PM UTC-4, wrote:
I am driving my fourth Mercedes ML. Fantastic tow vehicle.

Um, if its a fantastic tow vehicle, how come you're on your 4th?
Just wondering ;-)

At 200,000 miles I sell them.

Was wondering if anyone tried Uhaul? They seem to have great prices and install many hitches. Any comments good or bad regarding Uhaul.

On Friday, April 3, 2015 at 1:11:29 PM UTC-4, Dave Nadler wrote:
On Friday, April 3, 2015 at 1:08:59 PM UTC-4, wrote:
I am driving my fourth Mercedes ML. Fantastic tow vehicle.

Um, if its a fantastic tow vehicle, how come you're on your 4th?
Just wondering ;-)

As they say on the "Internet"..... "Powned"........

Frankly, most new cars have a recommended hitch to install (usually listed in the owners manual). These are usually a "basic bolt up" that may require a bit of "slicing & dicing" for bumper covers. The "possible higher buy price" is almost ALWAYS reduced by the "install labor" price.
I've done quite a few over the years (various brands & models) and using the recommended hitch saves a TON OF TIME!!!!!! They usually use existing "welded nut plates" in the uni-body so they basically just bolt up (regardless of the original language of the "direction writers"......sigh.......) and then the use of commonly used "6 light to 4 light" conversion boxes (box with with wires & diodes)covers the light power.
Yes, there are "PITA's", but these we can handle. Ask around your at local gliderport, I'm willing to bet there is a "MacGuyver:" among them...... ;-)

On Friday, April 3, 2015 at 3:07:04 PM UTC-7, Charlie M. (UH & 002 owner/pilot) wrote:
Frankly, most new cars have a recommended hitch to install (usually listed in the owners manual). These are usually a "basic bolt up" that may require a bit of "slicing & dicing" for bumper covers. The "possible higher buy price" is almost ALWAYS reduced by the "install labor" price.
I've done quite a few over the years (various brands & models) and using the recommended hitch saves a TON OF TIME!!!!!! They usually use existing "welded nut plates" in the uni-body so they basically just bolt up (regardless of the original language of the "direction writers"......sigh.......) and then the use of commonly used "6 light to 4 light" conversion boxes (box with with wires & diodes)covers the light power.

I've had U-Haul do a number of hitches over the years, if they'll do it at all, they are "bolt up". In most cases, they were the recommended hitch with a "U-Haul" sticker pasted over the brand name. The one exception was the hitch they put on my Eurovan, I discovered years later that the "bolt-on" hitch they used did not permit the spare tire to be removed without dismantling the spare tire mount or removing the hitch...

Marc

I got a great and reasonably priced hitch installed on my Subaru
Forester years back. When I bought my new Ford Edge, I took it to the
same shop that the dealer used for his installations. I even got the
dealer price.

On 4/3/2015 2:30 PM, Jonathan St. Cloud wrote:
Was wondering if anyone tried Uhaul? They seem to have great prices and install many hitches. Any comments good or bad regarding Uhaul.

--
Dan Marotta

On Friday, April 3, 2015 at 2:38:50 PM UTC-4, wrote:
At 200,000 miles I sell them.

Wow, and I thought I drove too much!
I'm only on my 2nd Acura MDX (traded 1rst at 207,000)...

On Thursday, April 2, 2015 at 1:03:04 AM UTC-7, wrote:
I was quoted $3,500 to $4,000 by the Mercedes Benz dealer to install a factory tow hitch on to a ML 350 Bluetech 2011! I was wondering if anyone else had this happen and if so, where did you go to have the work done and were you happy with it? I live in Southern Cal.

I got my hitch installed at Uhaul and I just want everyone to beware. I have a brand new 2015 ML350, after they installed the hitch I've had a constant rattle under the vehicle. I had another Uhaul location take a look at it and they state that the heat shield was trimmed and the way that they trimmed it they cannot repair it. I filed a claim with RepWest, their insurance company, and my claim was denied. Now, I've been trying to get a hold of the location that installed the hitch and have not received a call back after a couple attempts.

Avoid the headache. It's just been one issue after another with Uhaul. Hind sight is 20/20, definitely a lesson learned. Now just trying to figure out how to fix my new car. So frustrating and upsetting.

This is precisely why I paid Mercedes dealer to install my hitch. Yes, it was expensive, but I negotiated the install price before purchasing the vehicle. This worked well at the end of the month as they were motivated to sell the vehicle.

This is precisely why I paid Mercedes dealer to install my hitch. Yes, it was expensive, but I negotiated the install price before purchasing the vehicle. This worked well at the end of the month as they were motivated to sell the vehicle.