Real World V-10 Mileage Report

OK, several points regarding tuners, mileage, ScanGuage and Class-A RVs. In no particular order.

I bought a 5-star tuner at the Hershey RV show on Saturday, installed the program on Sunday and took off on a 500 mile round trip on Monday. Mileage was no better, maybe 0.1mpg better, than before. Shift points however and uphill performance was different in a majorly positive way. Hills I used to hit and have the rig drop to 3rd and scream along at 5200 were pulled in 5th or maybe 4th at 3400. The cabin noise because of this was markedly decreased. It is a keeper.

ScanGuage, Nice idea, but don’t be fooled. Now I may need to reconfigure mine due to the 5-Star, but the MPG it shows is at least 1 to 1-1/2 MPG higher than what simple match says I got on this trip.

Mileage, I have a simple Excel spreadsheet into which I input the date, the odometer reading, the gallons and the cost of the fill-up. I have run this spreadsheet since I purchased my RV.

Set up it reads:
Date-Start-Finish-Gallons-Cost-MPG-Miles this tank-Lifetime Average MPG to date-4 tank MPG-10 tank MPG-MPG trend

Over 20,000 miles of good and bad, chipped and unchipped, towing and not towing my MPG is 6.375MPG, my highest MPG was in the upper 7’s and the worst was low 5s.

Travel in a Class A. I also have a spreadsheet that compares RV to SUV to Air Travel. I input the MPG of the RV and SUV, I add in Campground costs, estimates for food, hotels, airfares, round trip miles and the number of people. This yields the estimated cost of the trip both total and per person. I have compared the results to the actual RV costs and that runs true. The RV last week for three adults and 500 miles ran about $830 on the calculations, and was within $20 of the actual. Now this does not include a couple dinners, about $60 each person total and a few other expenses that would have occurred regardless of travel mode. Comparing this to my SUV and a hotel for the same time we saved an estimated $ 500.00! Even without the hotel cost included as we would have been comped this trip, we still saved at least $50. And we have the benefits of our own place, not some dubious hotel room.

We have 5100 miles on our 2012 F53 under a Winnebago Vista 32K and have averaged 6.8-7.5 mpg. I honestly dont see much difference solo or pulling the Chaparral. I have noticed that my biggest milage killer is head wind. Averaged 5.4 mpg coming up I15 from Cedar City Utah through Barstow in a heavy head wind.

AggieDad wrote:
What's all the complaining about gas prices? Prices over the past 50 years has increased by a factor of 7.5 to 8.0.

Gas prices have increased by a factor of about 10 to 10.5 from 30 - 31 cents to about $3.25 now. Diesel, of course, jumped incredibly, but that is due to a change in the taxing structure.

An average house in 1963 was about $15,000 (stats vary). If its rate of increase were the same as gasoline, it would be about $150,000 - $165,000 today (how's that working for you?).

There are lots of comparisons - some better (eggs) and some far worse (college). But my point is that gas generally is priced comparably to what it was back in the time of huge V-8s and muscle cars.

Here's the way I look at it. In the last ten years the price of gas has more than doubled. My income didn't, did yours? So why should the price of gas? I think its called greed! Not much we can do about it though....

What's all the complaining about gas prices? Prices over the past 50 years has increased by a factor of 7.5 to 8.0.

Gas prices have increased by a factor of about 10 to 10.5 from 30 - 31 cents to about $3.25 now. Diesel, of course, jumped incredibly, but that is due to a change in the taxing structure.

An average house in 1963 was about $15,000 (stats vary). If its rate of increase were the same as gasoline, it would be about $150,000 - $165,000 today (how's that working for you?).

There are lots of comparisons - some better (eggs) and some far worse (college). But my point is that gas generally is priced comparably to what it was back in the time of huge V-8s and muscle cars.

Roadglider09 wrote:

John&Joey wrote:

nemo45 wrote:
Class A's are a great way to go for a full timer. So, I don't think they'll be obsolete soon.

For some the math simple does not add up anymore as a viable way of "C'ing da USA." When all you have is a week's vacation and you want to take in the sights 2,000 miles away, there are better ways.

The sights are all along that 2000 miles, or to put it another way, the journey is the destination. As far as cost and and gas mileage, I think 7.5 for a gasser is pretty good. At least for us it is. The family time together in the coach, the 4 of us having breakfast together in our little booth dinette, being able to stop at any point along the way because we come upon something or place that we've never seen before - all priceless. Everyone has to pay for their pleasure, and I don't mind paying for this.

I couldn't agree more.

nudefirefightercvn71 wrote:
I'm curious if these fuel reports are with AC? Whether dash air or generator running roof air.

I use dash a\c :W

I get about 6.5 mpg over long distances and several tank fills pulling a 5000 lb toad at a cruise controlled 61 mph. I gain about 1 mpg when the Explorer is not being pulled.

As for the economics, the lack of motel bills and a lot of restaurant bills pays for the added gas that a MH consumes. Plus you sleep in your own bed every night and the toothpaste is always in the same spot!!!

John&Joey wrote:

nemo45 wrote:
Class A's are a great way to go for a full timer. So, I don't think they'll be obsolete soon.

For some the math simple does not add up anymore as a viable way of "C'ing da USA." When all you have is a week's vacation and you want to take in the sights 2,000 miles away, there are better ways.

The sights are all along that 2000 miles, or to put it another way, the journey is the destination. As far as cost and and gas mileage, I think 7.5 for a gasser is pretty good. At least for us it is. The family time together in the coach, the 4 of us having breakfast together in our little booth dinette, being able to stop at any point along the way because we come upon something or place that we've never seen before - all priceless. Everyone has to pay for their pleasure, and I don't mind paying for this.

What's with all the whinning?
Whether I had a pull trailer, 5th wheel and now a gas powered A class I averaged around the 8 MPG range.
You either love the lifestyle or you don't.
I save a fortune eating like a king with the meals we cook. One has to eat anyway and we more than make up for gas costs while travelling by wining and dining in house.

I'm curious if these fuel reports are with AC? Whether dash air or generator running roof air.