Gas Milage...RV pulling a vehicle

[NewRVLady]

We are narrowing down the type RV we want and plan to always tow a car or crossover

Is it as bad as everyone tells me? 8-10 MPG?

 

[connor2002]

We are narrowing down the type RV we want and plan to always tow a car or crossover

Is it as bad as everyone tells me? 8-10 MPG?

try- 6-8


2006 Ford v10, 32 bounder

 

[Cousin Ed C]

It mostly depends on what's doing the towing, then how fast it's going.

 

[ChrisinNJ]

We got 9 mpg towing our minivan home behind our allegro bus.

 

[2DIZNY]

7 mpg, 2002 Winnebago Adventurer, 33 ft, 8.1 L gas engine, towing a Chevy Equinox at 62 mph.

 

[TheRustyScupper]

. . . Is it as bad as everyone tells me? . . .

1) Not all that bad.
2) But, when backing up, be mindful of the BP Oil guy following you with a fuel pump.

 

[North of Mouse]

We get 8-9 mpg, depending on terrain with our 2013 34' Winnebago Sightseer (gasoline) towing a Suzuki SUV. We get the same, towing or not. We usually drive 65 mph, sometimes 70. No hotels en route though!

 

[5stljayhawks]

same camper - 5500 lbs
Ford explorer 8-10 mpg
Burb w/ 50% more power 8-10 mpg

new camper 8-10 mpg.

Also makes a difference is you are gas or Diesel as well. as some news trucks 2011-2014 ford /Chrysler dodge ram 2013/2014- have not heard about news chevy seem to have made some advancements while towing. Pushing 13-16 mpg.

 

[Magic Fanatic]

2000 Itasca Horizon Diesel pusher 37' towing 2014 Ford Explorer...7-9 MPG.

 

[CampFanatic]

We get 9.5 to 11.5 MPG with our Fleetwood Providence 40' diesel pusher towing a 2009 Jeep Wrangler. When we pulled a travel trailer with our Dodge Ram, we only got 9 MPG.

 

[grumpyaggie]

Just returned towing 2400 miles from central Texas to the Fort and back. Avg. 10.1mpg pulling a 37ft. - 12000 lb (if Glo's loading is watched)fifth wheel with a 2013, 3/4 ton Chev Diesel. We drove IH10 coming and going. Kept the speed between 70 - 75 mph.

Arnold

 

[cousineddie]

We are narrowing down the type RV we want and plan to always tow a car or crossover Is it as bad as everyone tells me? 8-10 MPG?

You're looking at it the wrong way. Don't focus on the gas mileage, otherwise you'll always be unhappy.

For example:
Last Christmas my wife and I along with two children and a dog left home and drove in a big 2500 mile circle. We spent twelve nights in seven different campgrounds. We stayed in some great locations (Gamble Rogers for one) for around $20 a night. We toured several great cities, three different capitol buildings, swam in the ocean, watched the sun rise out of the Atlantic and hit several tourist spots. We ate like kings, cooking our own food and eating out alike steps from the ocean and our campsite. We didn't have a motor home but pulled our travel trailer with a diesel truck at around 11-1/2 mpg.

All told the whole trip, basically when we locked the front door to unlocked it when we returned home, was $1700. That includes everything. We probably could've saved some more money by cooking our own food more and buying less souvenirs. Break that down and it's about $35 a day per person.

Was it worth it? Absolutely. Would we do it again? In a heartbeat. We're actually bummed we can't do it more.

It's all in how you look at it.

 

[RVMH]

8.5 mph average over 12 years and 170,000 miles in a 38' diesel pusher and the 3rd small SUV

I agree though that gas mileage is only a part (expensive as it is) of the overall story of RVing

 

[NewRVLady]

Thanks everyone!!

DH and I definitely want to be closer to nature and cook our own food- things we miss in current trips

 

[mkoerner]

I know it's not the same, but as an idea we pull a 5th wheel with an F350 and are lucky to get 8 mpg. So worth it though!

 

[jbrostek]

In my old 2001 Monaco diesel I saw 9. Did not matter if there was nothing behind me, a trailer full of golf carts, a car on the trailer, or a mini van on a dolly. The only time I saw under 9 was when I ran the genset in the summer.

A friend has a Newmar Baystar gasser. They generally see about 6.5 without their subaru 4 down behind it, and just shy of 6 pulling the car along.