Mileage/Gas Tank Info for Class B to Live In
Hello :) I posted on this site a month ago about my journey to purchase a class B to live in. I am a female touring musician looking to give up my apartment and take to the road permanently. You were ...
Forum Discussion
Hi girasoledonna
I drive a 1989 Dodge Maxi-van. It has a 5.9 liter V8 (360ci). I can get 14-15MPG on the highways doing 50-55MPH. The faster you go beyond that, the more your MPG will suffer. My van is old, ugly, and not as efficient but only cost $3000.
You can find the RoadTeks/Pleasureways (similar enough to mine to make the comparison) with a 318ci engine and they can get up to 17MPG. You really are not going to find much more MPG out of a V8 motor after that. You can get a good RoadTek or similar for around $15,000.
The Riata's come with V6's so you may squeeze 18-20's out of them. The Diesel versions will get slightly more, but Diesel fuel also costs slightly more so it all really balances out. The Rialta's I've seen online are $20,000 or more.
To conclude, 15-20 is your range for MPGs. Engine size is your largest factor.
Just to make you think of even more options, here is a non-conformist way of thinking:
Buy an older vehicle (but keep it in the EFI era... '89 or newer). Basically, you can spend more on the vehicle to save on future gas costs. Or, spend less on the vehicle and use the money saved to fill up your tanks for years to come. My van and I travel all over the place, between 13-15,000 miles each year (48,000 miles total in 38 months). I spent $3,700 each year on fuel the past three years, so my van + all it's fuel for the past 3 years have cost less than the purchase price of a RoadTek or Pleasureway that you have not even put fuel in yet. The down side is that you have to be willing to 'tinker' on things.
I drive a 1989 Dodge Maxi-van. It has a 5.9 liter V8 (360ci). I can get 14-15MPG on the highways doing 50-55MPH. The faster you go beyond that, the more your MPG will suffer. My van is old, ugly, and not as efficient but only cost $3000.
You can find the RoadTeks/Pleasureways (similar enough to mine to make the comparison) with a 318ci engine and they can get up to 17MPG. You really are not going to find much more MPG out of a V8 motor after that. You can get a good RoadTek or similar for around $15,000.
The Riata's come with V6's so you may squeeze 18-20's out of them. The Diesel versions will get slightly more, but Diesel fuel also costs slightly more so it all really balances out. The Rialta's I've seen online are $20,000 or more.
To conclude, 15-20 is your range for MPGs. Engine size is your largest factor.
Just to make you think of even more options, here is a non-conformist way of thinking:
Buy an older vehicle (but keep it in the EFI era... '89 or newer). Basically, you can spend more on the vehicle to save on future gas costs. Or, spend less on the vehicle and use the money saved to fill up your tanks for years to come. My van and I travel all over the place, between 13-15,000 miles each year (48,000 miles total in 38 months). I spent $3,700 each year on fuel the past three years, so my van + all it's fuel for the past 3 years have cost less than the purchase price of a RoadTek or Pleasureway that you have not even put fuel in yet. The down side is that you have to be willing to 'tinker' on things.
