MPG Honesty.

[Tex1961]

I use a different formula when going out... I use TPT (Trips per tank). We average trip to campsite, 3 trips to the swim beach, 1 trip to the store (cuz we ran out of beer).. 2 trips to the dump station towing our gray water tote) and 1 trip back home... I average 3/4 tank per trip... :-)

[oldmanAZ]

Originally Posted by Mustang65

It all depends on who is driving...snip...
My 1969 Olds 442/W30 got 5 mpg (max) going down hill and a strong wind pushing me. ... snip ...

Don

When I put in larger injectors, I expected my mileage to drop. It didn't. Probably because I was, and still am, easy on the throttle. When you think about it, it takes a given amount of energy to move down the road. My new injectors have the capability to supply more fuel and faster than before, but at less than full throttle my throttle position was supplying the same amount of fuel (energy) as before. Only the throttle position was different.

BUT, my factory, on-board computer said my fuel mileage had increased - a lot - with the larger injectors! From ~20mpg to ~27mpg. I was on cloud nine, until I fueled up. No mpg change! Then it dawned on me that the computer wasn't measuring actual fuel used, but how much fuel the computer thought (hmmm.. maybe computed is a better word) was being used based on the fuel stock injectors supplied at various throttle positions.

(BTW, my 1969 Camaro Z28 got .... sorry... I can't recall what the mpg was. Didn't care. )

[tugboat95]

06 Ford escape v6 light I get 30mpg hwy. With my 3000# camper I get 12mpg. With my beat up suburban with a v8 I get 18 mpg hwy light. With the same camper I get 9mpg. But it can carry a lot more stuff and weight than the escape.

[Stingray75]

2011 duramax - 18-19 unloaded @ 60-65mph & 11-12 loaded.

75 Corvette . . .

[skijlw]

Last winter I towed a FW that weighed 11K from WA to AZ. I averaged 11.5 mpg for 2500 miles round trip at 65 MPH. I average about 14 in town and 19 on the highway empty. I drive at least the posted limits. I don't have any stats on our new 361REQS but I will expect to lose a little.

[351rlts]

Originally Posted by Tex1961

Can I play Devils advocate for a minute? I see a lot of posts here re. MPG. unless I were doing a cross country trip and needed to know how far I could travel between trips to get to the next station I couldnt care less about what my mileage is. I have always figured an RV was like a boat, if you have to worry about the fuel then you shouldn't buy one.

Please understand, I mean no malice at all to anyone, I just was curious about why so much interest.

I have always watched my MPG and use it as a indication in the way the vehicle is running. Should it start to decrease I start to look for a reason. My Dad taught me that many years ago.

[clutch]

Pulling our Jayco 330RLTS travel trailer we get 10 to 13 mpg. Pulling our small 22ft travel trailer we get 12 to 14 mpg. Empty truck is usually around 18. Speed and wind are really big factors.

[33 RLDS]

9 empty and 7.5 towing
big block 496 Avalanche

[Plowtoy]

Originally Posted by 33 RLDS

9 empty and 7.5 towing
big block 496 Avalanche

Not many of those made? Sounds like fun...

The Tahoe gets about 14mpg empty, 6-8 towing. My last TV (an 02 Yukon) had a smaller engine (The 4.8L) and got about 1mpg better than the Tahoe. All that being said, the Tahoe didn't pull our 242 as nice as the Yukon. Not sure if the Tahoe has steeper gears, but just doesn't seem to tow as nice

[Iraqvet05]

13 empty mixed city/hwy, 8-9 towing

[Camper_bob]

2012 GMC Sierra 1500 (5.3L, 6 spd trans, 2WD, 3.42 rear end); I get about 15-16 average (mostly slow/city driving); around 20 on open highway if I can keep my speed down (which is difficult here in the wide open spaces of Texas); About 6-8 towing my 28BHBE (avg speed between 60 and 65) unless I have a tail wind, then I get a lot better, but that tail wind is a rare, almost mythological occurrence! LOL!

If I could keep my wife from having an embolism, I would tow everywhere at 45-50 mph and get more like 10-12 MPG...

[33 RLDS]

Originally Posted by Plowtoy

Not many of those made? Sounds like fun...

The Tahoe gets about 14mpg empty, 6-8 towing. My last TV (an 02 Yukon) had a smaller engine (The 4.8L) and got about 1mpg better than the Tahoe. All that being said, the Tahoe didn't pull our 242 as nice as the Yukon. Not sure if the Tahoe has steeper gears, but just doesn't seem to tow as nice

Only made from 02-06 and I don't think to many. I almost always have somebody question my tow rig at campsites before I explain its a 2500 with a big block..lol

[NewBlackDak]

Mine is in the signature. Every big dip is towing. As others have said, wind is a huge factor. I don't baby it at all towing. 62-64 mph. If trailer tires were rated for higher speed, I would tow 66-69 mph since it seems to be the sweet spot in the power-band. All the speed limits around here are 70/80, and it would be nice to go a bit faster.

[mohok1]

I tow a 32BHDS TT (approx 9.5k on the road) with a 2008 Silverado Diesel.

Good day with little or no head wind @ 65 MPH 11 MPG Non Tow Mode.
Good Day with little or no head wind @ 65 MPH 9.5 to 10 MPG Tow Mode.

Empty or towing the major factors are head wind and speed. For every 5 MPH over 55 MPH expect to lose at least 1 MPG. The above figures are for more or less flat Interstate HWYs. Why would someone run 80 MPH with a Trailer attached?

[RUSSELL5000]

With the rig in my signature and driving between 60 mph and 65 mph, I run somewhere between 10 mpg and 12 mpg depending on wind and terrain.

This based on one season and around 2,500 miles.

Last trip of year was roughly 400 miles, roughly 11.5 mpg; no hills to speak of.

I understand that other HD diesel pickups with the DEF/SCR emissions system get around 1 mpg better. My truck has an earlier emissions system which is less efficient.

[etex211]

Our truck is a '96 Chevy crew cab with a vortec 454. We get between 5.5 and 6 miles per gallon pulling our fifth wheel.

We've owned this truck free and clear for 15 years, and it has only liability insurance. It's a very economical solution to the 2000 miles we need to pull the camper every year.

With the collapse in gas prices, my cost to tow has been reduced from ~50 cents per mile to ~25 cents per mile. I hope the prices hold out for the upcoming season.

[33 RLDS]

Originally Posted by etex211

Our truck is a '96 Chevy crew cab with a vortec 454. We get between 5.5 and 6 miles per gallon pulling our fifth wheel.

We've owned this truck free and clear for 15 years, and it has only liability insurance. It's a very economical solution to the 2000 miles we need to pull the camper every year.

With the collapse in gas prices, my cost to tow has been reduced from ~50 cents per mile to ~25 cents per mile. I hope the prices hold out for the upcoming season.

That's how I feel about our Avalanche. Its paid for and only has 30K on her. The big block will pull anything I own. And one look at the current truck prices makes me lover her even more !!

[krsmitty]

2007 Ram 2500 5.9 CTD: 13-14mpg towing 5er, 21-22mpg highway

[Bobx2]

9-10 MPG towing
18-19 MPG highway not towing
16'ish MPG average not towing
I would expect slightly higher numbers at lower elevations. All my driving is between 5,000' to 12,000' in elevation.

[nylyon]

Originally Posted by oldmanAZ

I towed many different trailers many miles with the truck below. I calculated my mpg many times under many road and wind conditions. I hauled very few very large or very small trailers. I usually drove on highways at 60-62mph, loaded and unloaded. Driving much faster than that, mpg dropped significantly. All that said..

Hauling travel trailers: 10-11mpg
Hauling 5th wheels: 11-12mpg
Unloaded: 19-20mpg

With my 2003 F250 6.0, I see about the same. Roughly 21mph highway (with a cap on the bed) and 12.5 towing the 30.5 BHLT 5th.