What's your Gas (or Diesel) Mileage?

[85MH325]

A question came up recently regarding gas mileage. As prices rise, I think this is an item of interest to us all; particularly those who are contemplating buying a new tow vehicle.

I think it would be of interest if we posted what our tow vehicle is: Year, make and model; it's engine size; fuel; transmission (if there's an option); whether it's 2WD or 4WD; the rear-end gear ratio; and the approximate weight of the towed load. Then, if you have it, the average highway mileage you get, your average combined city/highway mileage, and your average mileage towing.

Hopefully this will give us a pretty good picture, real-world, of what to expect from the various engine/tranmission/rear-end/towed weight combinations. The caveat here, of course, is that YOUR mileage may vary!

Roger


My 2000 Ford Excursion V10 gas, 4spd auto, 4x4, 3.73 gets 16.5 mpg+ freeway with five passengers and luggage; 13.5 mpg combined city/highway; and a solid 10.5 mpg towing the 34' tri-axle at approximately 8500 lbs.

[overlander64]

Greetings Roger!

Here is the data on my tow vehicles:

1999 GMC Suburban K2500
7400 VORTEC V8
Dyno-Tuned for 93-Octane Premium Fuel
Four-Wheel Drive
Heavy Duty Overdrive Automatic Transmission
4.10 Differential Ratios
10,000 lb. Trailer Towing Package
6,100 Pound Towed Weight ('64 Overlander)
Towing MPG - - 55 MPH maximum speed when towing
- - 11.5 MPG (Plains) - - 9.0 MPG (Mountains)
Solo MPG - - 62 MPH or 3 MPH below posted limit
- - 14.5 MPG (Plains) - - 12.5 MPG (Mountains)
Currently has 124,000 miles about half of which included the trailer.

1975 Cadillac Eldorado Convertible
8.2 Liter (501 cubic inch) V8 - - 4 BBL Carburetor
425A Turbo Hydramatic (3-Speed) <Front Wheel Drive>
2.70 Final Drive Ratio
6,000 lb. Trailer Tow Rating
3,100 Pound Towed Weight ('78 Argosy Minuet)
Towing MPG - - 55 MPH maximum speed when towing
- - 8 MPG (Plains) - - 6.5 MPG (Mountains)
Solo MPG - - 60 MPH or at least 3 MPH below posted limit
- - 12 MPG (Plains) - - 10 MPG (Mountains)
Currently has 122,000 miles with about 2,000 including the trailer.

Kevin

[Midamrail]

2001 Ford F-250 7.3L diesel crew cab long bed 4x4 with fiberglass top:
- 19-21 highway not towing
- 12-14 city not towing
- 15-16 towing 24' Tradewind (approx. 3800 lbs loaded) + 2 adults and 3 large dogs
- 14-15 towing 31' Sovereign (approx. 6000 lbs loaded) + 2 adults and 3 large dogs

In 50K miles, much of it towing, our overall average mileage has been 15.9 according to the on-board computer.

We love our truck, but I know my father's Duramax got much better mileage not towing (though it was an extended cab shortbed and much smaller) and similar mileage towing. However, we'd sure like to try the new 6.0 Powerstroke...

[rluhr]

2003 Honda Pilot LX
240 hp V6, gas
AWD (FWD most of the time)
20-22 not towing
10-12 mpg towing 17' Caravel (2800 lbs loaded) + 2 adults & 1 child, at 60 MPH
9-10 mpg towing same load at 65 MPH

We bought the Pilot because we needed a roomy car that we could live with as a daily driver. So good non-towing gas mileage was a higher consideration than towing mileage.

I think what I'm seeing here is that:

(a) diesels have a huge advantage in mileage -- no surprise

(b) the length and weight of the trailer have a relatively low impact on mileage except in mountains. Aerodynamic drag is the bigger factor and that's primarily determined by the trailer's frontal area and in Airstreams they're all pretty similar.

-- RL

[ctdair]

2002 Dodge Dually Cummins Diesel.
10,000 miles not even broken in yet
4x4 4:10 gears Auto trans.
best highway milage not towing 15
best towing milage 13
worst towing milage 9.8
currently towing 30 foot classic slide out.
was towing 25 foot safari and worst milage was with it.
pulls 30 foot like it's no heavier than safari, that and longevity are the diesel advantages, I think diesels don't really get better mpg than any gas engine.
Had 2001 dodge 2500 3:54 gears 2wd
best towing safari 14
best not towing 17
I do tend to drive with a heavy right foot

[J&C]

The 6.0 litre is powerful and smooth. My only regret is I should have waited until this engine had been in production for 6 months or 1 year. I believe all my issues have been resolved, injector revision & eprom updates, just hate being the guinna-pig.

I have never owned a diesel except for a 81 Buick Rivera and that won't count! I don't know how it compairs to the 7.3 Power Stroke. Most owners, I've met, consistantly remarks how quick, quiet, smooth and efficient the 6.0 litre is. I've noticed that most owners of the 7.3 generally add chips, blower and other performance parts. The only item I would consider would be a Banks exhaust but really, I am satisfied with the stock set-up. I just turned 20k miles and it continues to get better mileage both by itself or towing.

I have only made one 700 mile road trip solo at 8000 miles, 18 mpg. (now that it has a few miles, I'd expect to see a solid 19-20.
Towing lately has been 11-14, a bit less in high winds or slight assending long grades. We tow a tri-axle 1999 34' Classic Limited @ 10,000 lbs.

It is a great tow vehicle and look forward to many miles of satisfaction.

[Photobitstream]

Tow vehicle:
2000 Ford E350 V-10
3.73 limited slip rear end
4-speed auto tranny

Non-towing highway mileage: 12.5 at indicated 75 mph
Towing highway mileage: 9-11 at indicated 62 mph
City mileage: 10

My next tow vehicle will have a diesel engine. I bought a 1982 Mercedes Benz 300D six months ago to use as my daily driver. It gets 24 mpg at 75 mph. Haven't tried towing with it.

[InsideOut]

Here's a poll that was started some time ago you might find interesting...

Fuel Consumption Poll

Shari

[alan]

2003 3/4t 4x4 Suburban
6.0, 3.73 rear
1985 25 ft Sovereign (about 6,000 lb)

Mixed city/highway driving: 14 - 15 mpg
Highway only: 16-17 mpg
Towing average, 60 mph in 3rd: 11.9 mpg

The mpg number reflects the state of Washington, where a typical towing trip for me involves 6% grades and mountain passes.

[john hd]

or more commonly known as the 6.0

3/4 ton (8600 gvw) 4x4 4l80e tranny 4.10 gears.

12 towing

15 empty

possibly the best towing vehicle i have owned. and does pretty good at hauling lumber and other pickup truck duties.

john

[overlander63]

My 1995 Dodge Dakota
5.2 Liter (318)
518 Automatic transmission
Extended cab, 2wd
3.70 rear
14 MPG empty, freeway
9 MPG towing, freeway, my Argosy, 3700 pounds
11 MPG empty, city
This thing weighs almost the same as the full-size trucks, if I was doing it over, I would get a full-size pickup, and have more of a reason to get the poor mileage.
Terry

[davidz71]

tow vehicle: '01 Chevy 2500hd ext. cab 4X4 with 8.1 gas engine, Allison 5 sp. auto transmission, 3.73 rear end ratio.

trailer: '77 Excella 500 31' weighing 6,400-6,700 lbs.

mileage solo on highway: Just under 15 mpg at 65 mph and have gone over 15 barely twice. At 70 mph mileage runs around 14.65 give or take .2 mpg.

mileage towing: 9.6-12.5 mpg depending on whether I run 70 or 64, hills or flat interstate.

[Tinsel Loaf]

Ford 7.3 liter powerstroke 17 mpg level road 10 to 11 mpg while towing. The price of diesel is way too high.

[RoadKingMoe]

2002 Ford F-250 7.3L PSD/auto/4WD super cab long bed with soft tonneau cover:

20 mpg highway not towing
14 mpg commuting on city streets
17 mpg mixed

Haven't done a long enough haul with the 34 Limited to use enough of the 38 gallon tank for an accurate measure, but it looks like it's going to be about 12 mpg.

[wingfoot321]

2003 GMC 2500HD 4x4 Extended Cab short bed/fiberglas cover
6.0, 4spd auto, 4.10rear, 5500miles to date, 6500lbs.

16mpg interstate
11.8-12.2 towing 29' Sovereign at 6700lbs/ 58-62mph

12.0 around town

12.2 overall average by truck computer.

[joshua32064]

2003 GMC 1500 HD
V-8 6.0 - Quadrasteer

When towing my 28' International CCD and staying at 65 miles per hour, I average between 10.5 and 12 miles per gallon.

When traveling at 75 miles per hour with the same set up, I am atround 9 to 9.5 miles per gallon.

[newae]

1996 GMC Suburban 6.5L Turbo Diesel
1984 29Ft. Sovereign

16-17 Highway

13 Towing at 65MPH

[flyfisher]

2000 Ford F-250 7.3L PSD/auto/4WD regular cab long bed w/cap on back

I have been towing a 28' SOB getting about 10.5 mpg loaded, and I get about 18 mpg hwy empty.

I have a rather heavy foot on the accelerator, so I may be able to get a mile or so better mpg if I slowed down a bit!

I have a 30' Classsic Ltd on order, so we'll have to see how that effects my mileage. I purchased my truck new 4 years ago in burgandy and silver to match the Ltd's graphics, so I can hardly wiat until my new Airstream finally arrives!

I'm especially interested in anything any of you guys may have done in the way of performance enhancements to your tow vehicles to improve your mileage (such as computer chips, etc).

The only thing I've done so far is to put a standard K&N Air Filter on, but I think that only saves me the cost of replacement filters rather than increasing my mpg.

John

[Cracker]

This question seems to come up ever so often but, for the record, I'm currently getting 17 mpg, highway, non-towing, using winter-blended fuel. I know from past experience that this will go up to 18+ using summer-blended fuel. Note in my signature that this is just about the heaviest stock GMC dually available. Others, with a short bed standard cab - or even with an extended cab - and without 4-wheel drive, are reporting better mileage. My truck has just a little over 10,000 miles on the odometer as of last weekend. I haven't towed enough with it to have any data for a loaded configuration. I may experience even better mileage this summer as many have reported a significant improvement in the Duramax mileage after about 12,000 miles on the odometer. Don't ask me why!

[J&C]

When 6.0 Excursion was new, the fuel mileage was disapointing. I was told by many diesel owners, "MPG will increase as you get miles on the clock", it's true! I guess new diesel bearing tolerences are extreamly tight, as parts "wear-in", it sure makes a remarkable difference in performance and economy.

Over the years, I've had several new gasoline auto's but never noticed quite the swing in MPG over my ownership.

One note, I 'm impressed with overall honesty regarding MPG from this thread, we've all heard padded claims or "YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN THAT FISH!