Towing a Smart car with A frame (1 Viewer)

[5er]

Hi all,
Been a member of this group for a while but this is my first post.
We'll be soon taking delivery of our new to us 2017 Concorde motorhome with which we intend to flat tow a Smart for2, not sure which year yet but it will be a latest version designated 453.
My preferred choice is the automatic version and I know a lot of members might say you can't flat tow an automatic, or just put it on a trailer.
However, I've attached a technical bulletin from Mercedes Benz Smart car America that states you can and the procedure you need to carry out to avoid any issues.
I would like to hear from any members out there who have experience good or bad who might have flat towed a Smart 453 automatic.
TIA.

 

[TizzyOnTour]

Don’t want to rain on anyone’s parade and our experience may be just misfortune or error. We had a 453. Got A Frame fitted, including required battery isolator. Followed those instructions to the letter. First time towing, arrived at destination with oil gushing from the gearbox on the 453.
To cut a long story short, we got the car recovered under warranty by Smart (Mercedes). Next day they inform us it needs a replacement gearbox and not covered under warranty due to flat towing. We spent months battling Mercedes and the Insurance Ombudsman, using this instruction document as evidence. They consistently hid behind the contradictory towing instructions in the standard 453 manual. Eventually, we reluctantly cut our substantial losses On the basis the cost of taking legal action without any guarantee of success was ,ore than we were prepared to risk.
Our advice, get Smart (Mercedes) to confirm in writing it can be flat towed. At least you’ll have some chance of things do go wrong.

 

[wiljoy]

There used to be a warning in Smart instruction books.advising not to flat tow.
My friend has a fleet of recovery vehicles and they aren't allowed to use aframes or flat tow Smarts.

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[philmc79]

Throw this one in the ring, i have a Smart EQ for4 FULL electric and no one can tell me if i can tow it with an A frame even Merc can tell me.

 

[Gaza1515]

Hi all,
Been a member of this group for a while but this is my first post.
We'll be soon taking delivery of our new to us 2017 Concorde motorhome with which we intend to flat tow a Smart for2, not sure which year yet but it will be a latest version designated 453.
My preferred choice is the automatic version and I know a lot of members might say you can't flat tow an automatic, or just put it on a trailer.
However, I've attached a technical bulletin from Mercedes Benz Smart car America that states you can and the procedure you need to carry out to avoid any issues.
I would like to hear from any members out there who have experience good or bad who might have flat towed a Smart 453 automatic.
TIA.

Hi all,
I don't get it.
Why have a moho, and drag a car around?
Why not drag a caravan around instead?

 

[Spriddler]

Hi all,
I don't get it.
Why have a moho, and drag a car around?
Why not drag a caravan around instead?

Access to places or parking unsuitable for a m/h.
Not all of us want to cycle or use public transport.

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[Gaza1515]

Access to places or parking unsuitable for a m/h.
Not all of us want to cycle or use public transport.

So why not drag a caravan?

 

[Larrynwin]

Hi all,
I don't get it.
Why have a moho, and drag a car around?
Why not drag a caravan around instead?

Because when travelling in Europe a caravan is not practical stopping on aires etc so for me motorhome and bikes over there and motorhome and toad in U.K.

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

I'm not a fan of A frames but all I will say is if people want to do it what's it got to do with anyone else?

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[Speve]

So why not drag a caravan?

There are lots of threads about this subject stating all sorts of reasons for towing a car and all very valid reasons no one is the same and we all have our reasons or not?
it’s down to personal choice

 

[Spriddler]

So why not drag a caravan?

Many prefer to drag a caravan with a car. There are even clubs for them as well.