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10-28-2017, 03:28 PM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SEATTLE, Washington
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21
Posts: 59
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Anybody towing with a Mercedes Metris?
I going to get a new tow vehicle and I need a van. I know that a Ford Transit with the 3.5L Ecoboost will do the job, but the Transit won't fit in my garage - big headache. The Mercedes Metris will fit in my garage and will be much easier to park etc. I'm mainly concerned about the ability of their 2.0L to adequately tow my 21'. Anybody towing with a Mercedes Metris?
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10-28-2017, 04:07 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
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The torque and HP doesn't come close to the small Ecoboost.
258/208 vs 375/325
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
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10-28-2017, 04:28 PM
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#3
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Janesville, WI, Wisconsin
Trailer: Escape 19 (sold) Escape 21 2014
Posts: 1,879
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An interesting vehicle, I especially liked the two speed reverse. I am thinking you are going to get the best answer to your question on a specific Metris site. I would suggest www.metrisforum.com as a starting point.
U.S. sales are about 6,000 vehicles per year, this combines the commercial and passenger models. Not a lot of these vehicles out there. I am a bit familiar with them as my sister owns a 2017 model, no towing however. Like most vehicles used for towing it is very important that you get a model equipped with a towing package. You are getting close to the 5,000 lb tow capacity and the 500 lb tongue weight rating. Not sure if Mercedes is using the new J2807 standards. It is important to have everything configured at the highest level for a safe tow.
__________________
Paul and Janet Braun
2003 Toyota 4Runner V8 now 2012 Toyota Sequoia V8
Escape 19' 2010 now 2014 Escape 21'
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10-28-2017, 05:46 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cvanzan
I'm mainly concerned about the ability of their 2.0L to adequately tow my 21'.
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The 2.0 L engine is a turbocharged diesel, so it won't be directly comparable to a typical 2.0 L, which is a non-turbo gas engine.
Like most small diesels, it has substantially less peak power output than common gas engines in similar vehicles... but some people are apparently happy with that.
The Mercedes 2.0 L has lower peak torque than the larger diesels in the Transit van and Colorado/Canyon, but higher power... it will be able to move the load, but will require higher engine speed than those other diesels, and will have lower performance than the gas engines (even the non-turbo gas engines) in the same vehicles.
Although the much larger Mercedes Sprinter van has a 3.0 L turbodiesel in North America, it usually has a 2.0 L in Europe... probably this same engine.
Whether performance is acceptable or not would depend on your expectations.
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10-28-2017, 05:59 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Southwick, Massachusetts
Trailer: None, sold my 2014 5.0TA
Posts: 7,124
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From the Metris web page, do they have a diesel too?
__________________
Happy Motoring
Bob
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10-28-2017, 06:18 PM
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#6
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Ack!
I thought they did... but the diesel must have been caught in the great German diesel disaster. Many apologies for the confusion, and thanks to Bob for catching my error. I really should have checked my memory of the specs, even on the little phone screen.
Okay... so the comparison would be a Ford EcoBoost 2.0, as used in vehicles such as the Escape. Performance will still be better than the small diesels, but only if you're willing to let it run at the engine speed needed.
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10-28-2017, 10:05 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: May 2016
Location: SEATTLE, Washington
Trailer: 2017 Escape 21
Posts: 59
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Thanks for the replies.
I've spent quite a bit of time on the Metris forum and it sounds like you're in for a load of problems if you don't get the full OEM tow package and electronics . I suspect that the 2.0L is just fine around town but at 60mph - maybe not so much. The Mercedes dealership here in Seattle did offer a "test tow", which I'll definitely take them up on before committing.
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10-31-2021, 01:43 PM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Location: Boise, Idaho
Trailer: 2009 Rpod 151
Posts: 12
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The Metris peak torque is at 1250 RPM. This is amazing for such a small engine. The 2021 models are 9 speeds. Should tow a 19ft with some safety factor.
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11-07-2021, 02:08 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2021
Location: 50 miles S of Atlanta, Georgia
Trailer: 2008 BigfootRV 25B21RB
Posts: 289
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The US Postal Service has purchased thousands of RH drive models of the Metris. I was told by a mail carrier that problems are starting to crop up. They are going into their third year now.
Charles
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11-07-2021, 07:56 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CharlesinGA
The US Postal Service has purchased thousands of RH drive models of the Metris. I was told by a mail carrier that problems are starting to crop up. They are going into their third year now.
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I wouldn't worry about a few anecdotes, particularly related to a huge deployment like this (a small fraction of USPS vans but still many thousand of them), but anyone interested might want to do a web search for something like "USPS Metris issues".
I did a search and read everything that came up in the first couple of pages relevant to issues, and found only one recall which was not exceptional for recent vehicles.
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11-07-2021, 09:11 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Colfax, California
Trailer: 2024 Escape 23 on order, 2022 RAM 1500 5.7L Laramie
Posts: 583
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I own a 2018 Metris passenger van. 2/3 of its mileage has been in towing our Airstream Basecamp which was probably some 900 lbs. lighter than how we will use the 21C though, the final weight is yet to be determined. The torque curve of the Metris never ceases to amaze me.
The Basecamp got towed by the Metris as well as our 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland. The Jeep has some 40 more HP, and the torque is near the same as the Metris, but with the Metris, the torque begins way down the rpm curve and holds even for what seems like forever. The tongue weight of the Basecamp varied depending on how much fresh water we carried. The more water, the lighter the tongue weight. I have seen 485 lbs on the tongue and it did not affect towing for a 6,000 mile excursion from California to Florida and back including a near torrential downpour that started west of New Orleans and lasted to Dallas.
We decided to pick up our new 21C in 10 days with the Jeep because it is AWD and we have winter wheels available to swap out for it. Were it not for potential snow, I might have opted for the Metris.
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11-08-2021, 06:29 AM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: May 2020
Location: Overbrook, Kansas
Trailer: 2021 E19 (Padawan)
Posts: 1,905
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I considered a Metris before I got the Ranger. We like small vans, but distance to the closest dealer was a no go.
__________________
Randy & Barb
1998 C 2500 (Cruncher) and 2021 Ranger (Yoda)
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12-13-2021, 12:08 PM
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#13
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: San Francisco, California
Trailer: Escape 2019 19'
Posts: 44
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We have been towing our Escape 19’ with a 2018 Metris for over 2 years. We have had 4 adult passengers and a lot of camping equipment in the van while towing our Escape with water and black tanks filled.
I drive 55-65mph on the freeway and it runs fine with the wdh with sway bars. However when climbing a mountain, it struggles a bit. I make sure to keep an eye on the temperature gauge and on hot days I roll down the windows and turn off the AC. The Mercedes is a work horse and gets the job done. Just make sure to take it easy drive like a grandma.
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12-13-2021, 12:12 PM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: San Francisco, California
Trailer: Escape 2019 19'
Posts: 44
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We got a lot of compliments
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12-13-2021, 02:57 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2020
Location: Venice, Florida
Trailer: 2020 Escape 19
Posts: 1,265
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Quote:
Originally Posted by mtbmitch
The Metris peak torque is at 1250 RPM. This is amazing for such a small engine. The 2021 models are 9 speeds. Should tow a 19ft with some safety factor.
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https://www.mbvans.com/content/dam/m...s-Brochure.pdf
2600 lb payload, which means even with a 500 lb tongue weight you can still load 2100 lbs of passengers and gear.
GCWR 5000 lbs more than the GVWR means you can fully load the van and still tow the full tow rating.
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12-13-2021, 08:48 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: Yarnell, Arizona
Trailer: 2024 Bigfoot 21 Rear Bed
Posts: 545
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What engine do you have? The 3 liter common rail diesel?
__________________
Myrl and Gary
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12-13-2021, 10:03 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SLO County, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21C 2019 Expedition
Posts: 5,210
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brroberts
I considered a Metris before I got the Ranger. We like small vans, but distance to the closest dealer was a no go.
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After speaking with a friend w/Sprinter saying it took a month to book an appointment with local Mercedes dealer it wasn't hard to go Ford again after a perfect experience so far with the 2019 Expedition/30K miles- both with EcoBoost 3.5 engines.
__________________
"We gotta get as far away as we can!"
- Russell Casse, Independence Day
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12-13-2021, 10:08 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SLO County, California
Trailer: 2014 Escape 21C 2019 Expedition
Posts: 5,210
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Now we have the Mother-In-Law suite
__________________
"We gotta get as far away as we can!"
- Russell Casse, Independence Day
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12-14-2021, 02:01 AM
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#19
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Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: San Francisco, California
Trailer: Escape 2019 19'
Posts: 44
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Rossue
Now we have the Mother-In-Law suite
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Wow, that’s amazing you use your camper van as your tow vehicle! Sweet rig!
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12-14-2021, 02:14 AM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2012
Location: Edmonton, Alberta
Trailer: 1979 Boler B1700
Posts: 14,935
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Upfisk
What engine do you have? The 3 liter common rail diesel?
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The Metris is not available with that engine. It is called the Vito in Europe, where it is available with various diesels, but none are that large; here only the M274 turbocharged gasoline engine is available, as discussed at the beginning of this thread.
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