What kind of gas milage do you REALLY get on your conversion van or Suburban?

[Leader of the Club]

We really need to get a bigger vehicle. I am thinking a used conversion van or a used Suburban.

What kind of gas milage do you really get on those things. My old mini-van gets an average of 17 mpg, so something comparable would be great.

 

[DiznEeyore]

We had a Ford conversion van. It got around 12-14 mpg. We sold it two years ago when gas prices started to go up, and we're so thankful we did. My brother and sil had a used Suburban that was (as my brother put it) running them into the poorhouse filling up the tank. My brother drives about 30 miles round trip to work and he was spending almost $300/month in gas (they drove my sil's car when they went out as a family).

They tried to sell it for months and ended up finally trading it in towards a used minivan about a month ago.

 

[DVC Sadie]

We get 13 miles per gallon city and about 17 to 19 highway. It depends on how fast my dh drives on the highway.

Edited to add:
This is on a SUV but not a Suburban, sorry.

 

[ckoncurat]

I'd like to know this too. We need to upgrade to an 8 passenger vehicle but don't plan on buying new. I'd like to know what people are using and what they enjoy.

 

[WatchinCaptKangaroo]

The Honda Pilot seats 8 and gets about 17-20mpg

 

[tinatark]

13 city, 17 highway. 2004 Yukon Denali Xl AWD

 

[kmccain]

We have a Ford Excursion V10, seats 8 with lots of extra room!

I get 12 locally, we live in the country so there is no city. I never took it out on the highway without the camper behind it. When they are hooked up, depending on the speed DH goes, we get anywhere from 7-9 but that is pulling a 10,000 # camper!

Good Luck!

 

[We4mickey]

We get 12 to 13 pulling our pop up camper. Around 15 without it. Filling up is expensive, but the room and comfort on the road is great. Do remember you also are going to have a bigger tank to fill, regardless of mileage. We have a 35 gallon tank x $3.00 a gallon = .

 

[DisneyMomJen]

I have been wondering the same thing. We have had Chrysler Town & Country's for the past 8 years and I feel I need a change and out lease is up this summer. I get 15.7 mpg with most of my driving around town. I was thinking of a Denali or Escalade (used), but I am really afraid of the mileage with the price of gas. If people really get around 13 mpg that is not that much of a difference. I know financially the T&C makes better sense. I am so confused! How do people like their Suburban type cars and are they hard to drive?

 

[Katie]

We have a 2004 Suburban Z71.

I get 14 mpg city and almost 17 highway!
Usually for me, about 15-16mpg per tank full.

I love my Truck! Wonder what I did before I had it!

 

[Gillian]

Toyota makes their Sienna minivan in an 8 passenger version. Ours is a 7 seater, but we love it! This is for the 2004+ version.

We met someone at a campground who had recently purchased a used Ford 12 passenger van. I'm not sure of the mileage, but he said it was a great deal and that there are quite a few of them available. They are former rental cars, I believe. It might have been an E350. It's not a conversion van, just a BIG van with lots of seats.

 

[bord1niowa]

Ford Conversion Van. Full load for vacation, about 12. Empty and not real windy about 14-15. We'll see what it gets going to Fort Wilderness with the pop up camper. My guess is around 10 or 11.

 

[ceecee]

Our neighbor just bought a new Yukon and it only gets 11 mpg. She has kids and always drives them to sports, etc. It cost her $75.00 in gas for a week. That makes me feel better about my mini van. DH's car gets 24 mpg.

 

[corie161]

I'm not sure of our mileage, as my husband used it for work and was generally pulling a trailer or our camper with our 99 Suburban.

I just wanted to jump in with a shameless plug that it's for sale if your in the MN area. DH decided he wanted a truck rather than the suburban for work and so now we have 3 vehicles.

As far as driving, I always thought I wouldn't like something that big, but I really don't mind driving that.

 

[PlaneJoy1]

We had a 2001 Yukon XL up until a week ago. I got 14 mpg, combined city/highway driving. We had been thinking of getting something else because of the gas mileage, and after spending $200+ on the Yukon alone in two weeks time ($70+++ per fill up) - we decided we had to get something more economical.

We just traded in for a 2006 Scion Xb that gets 30+ mpg.

 

[trustknoone]

I have a 2001 GMC conversion van and get around 14-15 normal day driving and about 12 on trips with it fully loaded. Filled it up last week gas was around 2.80 gallon and it was 75 to fill it.

 

[moniot]

We have a 99 Chev. Suburban - seats 8 - We get 12-13 daily and on our last two road trips, towing a heavy trailer, we averaged 14.5 mpg.

I love our Suburban - plenty of room, good visability, and comfy. It does hurt when you fill it up.....but it last awhile.

Our 99 Windstar only gets about 16 to 17.

 

[Stein]

We have a 93 Suburban and average 14-16. Like many others, we have been a little concerned with all of the attention gas has been getting and considered downsizing to a smaller, newer SUV to complement the Civic commuter we also own.

When it comes down to it, it would cost us at least $15,000 plus tax, license and increased insurance. If we could go from 14 to 20 mpg, that would save us about 980 dollars a year. At that rate, the newer rig would take probably 18-20 years to pay for itself.

In the end, we are happy to have the convenience and hauling capacity of the Suburban and will likely run it until the wheels fall off, as they say.

 

[mommabo]

Toyota makes their Sienna minivan in an 8 passenger version. Ours is a 7 seater, but we love it! This is for the 2004+ version.

We have a Sienna and LOVE it too! We have had it since May 2003 when the 2004 was just coming out. We jumped on the 8 seater. We keep the middle seat out so it works like a 7 seater, but can pop the 8th seat in very easily whenever we need it (and it still has loads of extra grocery/luggage room). It gets very good mileage for a van. Over the life of the van with most of our driving in the city, but using it at least once a year for longer trips to SoCal or Texas, it had averaged 21 mpg. Not bad I say. Of course, we love Toyota so much we bought a Prius in May 2004 (before crazy mark-ups and the extreme limited supply). We still use the van for lots of running around since we have 3 kids and usually 1-3 more in for carpool. However, the Prius definately gets used especially with rising gas costs. Both these cars have been the best auto purchases we have ever made.

 

[DisneyDotty]

2000 Chevy Express Conversion--maybe 13 mpg if we're lucky. Which is why it's basically in "dry dock"--taken out for carpooling or pulling our camper only.