Trucks & Trailers - Does anyone tow with a MB GL 320?

Car would mostly be used for long distance trips towing nothing, but want to be able to tow my regulator a few miles a couple times a year. Anyone have experience with these?

The Audi Q7 TDI is a nice car but the rating is only 6600 pounds. Any other vehicles to consider? Nicely appointed, practical (hence the diesel preference) that can tow over 7500lbs.

Check on the Airstream travel trailer forum. Lots of threads about towing with X5's Toureg's, ect.
The common thread is that people do it even though the tow ratings of their vehicles are exceeded.

I am pulling a 6500# boat a few hundred miles this weekend with a GL550, that might have enough power for an occasional trip with a 26 Reg.

I tow a 23 SeaCraft with a 2008 GL320. Overall, its a adequate tow vehicle provided you stay within the ratings which I think your 26 Reg will be well over. I'm at about 6800lbs loaded boat on the trailer. If your looking at one make sure it has had the trailer hitch recall, they had to reweld the joints where the receiver attaches to the cross bar that connects to the unibody/rear frame because the OEM supplier had a quality control issue. You also have to be very aware of your tounge weight as the hitch is rated low. I also had an issue with my LED trailer lights which required the use of a adaptor with a resistor to get the lights to work with the truck. You'll also need an aftermarket trailer brake controler if you use eletric or elect over hydro brakes. check out the airstream forums as mentioned above there is a guy on there who tows a big one with a GL320. I think he had reinforcements done to the hitch, welded on gussets and added a welded on bar to spread out the load better.

Now as a SUV without towing at its limit its great. Over 53k miles I'm averaging 21 MPG with alot of miles in NYC traffic. The diesel engine is perfect for the SUV. The airmatic supension smooths things out and levels out the truck while towing givign a great ride.Buy the extended warranty, MB repairs are expensive. Over 7500lbs towing I think you'll have to look to a Suburban/Yukon (1/2 or 3/4 Ton) or Escalade otherwise 1/2 ton pickup.

I tow a 23 SeaCraft with a 2008 GL320. Overall, its a adequate tow vehicle provided you stay within the ratings which I think your 26 Reg will be well over. I'm at about 6800lbs loaded boat on the trailer. If your looking at one make sure it has had the trailer hitch recall, they had to reweld the joints where the receiver attaches to the cross bar that connects to the unibody/rear frame because the OEM supplier had a quality control issue. You also have to be very aware of your tounge weight as the hitch is rated low. I also had an issue with my LED trailer lights which required the use of a adaptor with a resistor to get the lights to work with the truck. You'll also need an aftermarket trailer brake controler if you use eletric or elect over hydro brakes. check out the airstream forums as mentioned above there is a guy on there who tows a big one with a GL320. I think he had reinforcements done to the hitch, welded on gussets and added a welded on bar to spread out the load better.

Now as a SUV without towing at its limit its great. Over 53k miles I'm averaging 21 MPG with alot of miles in NYC traffic. The diesel engine is perfect for the SUV. The airmatic supension smooths things out and levels out the truck while towing givign a great ride.Buy the extended warranty, MB repairs are expensive. Over 7500lbs towing I think you'll have to look to a Suburban/Yukon (1/2 or 3/4 Ton) or Escalade otherwise 1/2 ton pickup.


Thank you for your first post! My trailer has surge brakes which sounds like it would make it easier with any vehicle. I am now aware in 2010 the car became the GL 350 and I assume the hitch was upgraded in these models? I see that next year the GL will be redesigned so I'll keep an eye out for 2010+ GL 350 models popping up for sale.

I am hoping to have my boat weighed to confirm exact weight but I have access to a friends GMC duramax dually truck for longer trips. I am looking for something to pull her out with a fast approaching storm etc.

I wouldn't consider this vehicle with the 4.6 or the 5.5 liter gas engines and I'd rather avoid an HD truck. The new ford F150 Ecoboost is appealing and rated for 11,000lbs+. Maybe I'll look at those. As much as I'd love to buy an american car there's just nothing that seems to suit everything very well. I live on Beacon Hill in Boston and even my Audi S5 seems wide driving around downtown. Tahoe/Suburban would barely fit into my parking space. GL isn't very wide, but the length is a non issue.

You'd be okay with the Merc. if you were just pulling the boat out of the water and pulling it a relatively short distance.

And, don't feel bad about American vs. foreign cars. The Merc. is made in Vance, Alabama--and they have an absolutely great car/truck factory there.

Space is very limited inside of Boston, and size does matter when you have to park and negotiate such narrow streets. But, if you're going to trailer the boat very often and very far, there's no replacement for a full size pickup truck.

I'm running a F250 diesel crew cab, and it's one of those vehicles I wouldn't take into Boston. Last time I parked my Expedition in Manhatten, they charged me double rate because it wouldn't fit into their elevator to take it upstairs.

Good luck!

As a misc. update since I was driving a different car, the GL550 towed wayyyy better than I expected. Not quite like my Duramax but pretty damn good. Girls liked it better too for some reason...?

All of the VW Touaregs are rated for around 7700 lbs, IIRC and I think that the Porsche Cayennes are rated for the same, I'm not sure why the Q7 is rated for 1000 less because it essentially a stretched Touareg/Cayenne 2 chassis.

I have a VW Touareg TDI and it pulls my Grady 228 with no problem at all.

Look at the 2013 GL 350 Bluetech (diesel), towing capacity is 7500lbs