What MPG 32' Class A Gas V10

legolas wrote:

Effy wrote:
While fuel costs are probably one of the largest expenses with Rving, it's still far better than plane, car, hotel or any combination of those. A 32' gasser is probably about the same price as a truck TT combo and while the MH may get a little bit worse mileage than the truck pulling the TT (maybe not) the toad you can bring along mitigates this. I think you are splitting hairs. The difference even if it were 5 mpg difference over a 1,000 mile trip is about $100 in fuel expense. (1000 miles @ 8 MPG @2.29 fuel = $286. the same @13 mpg is $176).

The benefits of a MH towing a car vs a truck towing a TT are huge. It's much easier to hook up a toad than a TT, much easier to set up camp in a MH, all the benefits of actually using the MH while travelling vs waiting until you get to where you are going and set up. etc..

But why would you assume you'd get so low mileage? You'll do much better than that.

I am not assuming on my own, which is why I came directly to my brain trust here at RV Net.....AND I found information I had not calculated. Conventional wisdom, which is often conventional as well as often not wisdom says5 mpg in a MH.....I wanted a better number and so I came here for ya'll to enlighten me....and you did....you and Tommy G.........I had not calculated the "toad" issue....my calcs were based on TOTAL FUEL COSTSof my last 2 trips to Sedona.....when i calculate fuel costs to travel 2000 miles one way at 9 mpg for the TT rig vs the MH at 7 mpg based on $2.25 per gallon the cost difference is $142......that doesn't bother me.....take the total fuel cost of one of those trips at $1794 and calculate that same cost based on 5 mpg for the MH and the cost jumps to $3229...a big difference....but when I realized the truth of the "toad" issue and looked just at the miles from home to Sedona at 2000 and factored in the fuel cost difference my heart rate and respiration returned to normal. Remember, I already have a rig and know that MPG as an issue between RV'ers and non-RV'ers is odd. I tell those of the non-RV world who ask me about MPG that if they have to worry about that then they shouldn't own an RV. It's quite a different story if you already own a nice rig - own it out right_ to move to a rig where you'll have initial acquisition costs and a loan AND incur fuel costs of 180% for the same trip. One has to ask oneself if that makes sense. Which again is why I came to ya'll. SO bottom line on fuel costs as I see it is not that big a deal.

So once again thanks so much for your input and advice....it was truly helpful in making my decision...now if I can get the price and trade in issues to my liking I will be the proud owner of an MH.

I'm an analyst by trade and your thought process sounds almost identical to how I would have approached it. maybe I did before I bought....I forget :-). I analyze everything, I am sure my notes or a spreadsheet is somewhere. I think I beat the numbers into submission to give myself approval to buy our MH. Good luck.

Effy wrote:
While fuel costs are probably one of the largest expenses with Rving, it's still far better than plane, car, hotel or any combination of those. A 32' gasser is probably about the same price as a truck TT combo and while the MH may get a little bit worse mileage than the truck pulling the TT (maybe not) the toad you can bring along mitigates this. I think you are splitting hairs. The difference even if it were 5 mpg difference over a 1,000 mile trip is about $100 in fuel expense. (1000 miles @ 8 MPG @2.29 fuel = $286. the same @13 mpg is $176).

The benefits of a MH towing a car vs a truck towing a TT are huge. It's much easier to hook up a toad than a TT, much easier to set up camp in a MH, all the benefits of actually using the MH while travelling vs waiting until you get to where you are going and set up. etc..

But why would you assume you'd get so low mileage? You'll do much better than that.

I am not assuming on my own, which is why I came directly to my brain trust here at RV Net.....AND I found information I had not calculated. Conventional wisdom, which is often conventional as well as often not wisdom says5 mpg in a MH.....I wanted a better number and so I came here for ya'll to enlighten me....and you did....you and Tommy G.........I had not calculated the "toad" issue....my calcs were based on TOTAL FUEL COSTSof my last 2 trips to Sedona.....when i calculate fuel costs to travel 2000 miles one way at 9 mpg for the TT rig vs the MH at 7 mpg based on $2.25 per gallon the cost difference is $142......that doesn't bother me.....take the total fuel cost of one of those trips at $1794 and calculate that same cost based on 5 mpg for the MH and the cost jumps to $3229...a big difference....but when I realized the truth of the "toad" issue and looked just at the miles from home to Sedona at 2000 and factored in the fuel cost difference my heart rate and respiration returned to normal. Remember, I already have a rig and know that MPG as an issue between RV'ers and non-RV'ers is odd. I tell those of the non-RV world who ask me about MPG that if they have to worry about that then they shouldn't own an RV. It's quite a different story if you already own a nice rig - own it out right_ to move to a rig where you'll have initial acquisition costs and a loan AND incur fuel costs of 180% for the same trip. One has to ask oneself if that makes sense. Which again is why I came to ya'll. SO bottom line on fuel costs as I see it is not that big a deal.

So once again thanks so much for your input and advice....it was truly helpful in making my decision...now if I can get the price and trade in issues to my liking I will be the proud owner of an MH.

wa8yxm wrote:
I would gestimate 8-10, but I drive a Chevy, not a ford.

By the way, I've hit 11, with no towed and a fresh wax job.. That wax job really helps.

Was talking to someone today about MPG.. Mentioned I normally get 8-10 but one time coming home from Quartsite I was reading about the 14MPG class A on the internet, and though I'm tempted to say "Don't exist" the fact is I was getting 13.8 MPG..

He ask the perfect question "How did you do that"

Well, the 100 MPH tail wind, I mean DEAD astern, That might have helped a bit.

The newer, small DP's get close to that. Maybe that's what you were reading. A Friend of mine has a Palazzo and it gets 11-14.

While fuel costs are probably one of the largest expenses with Rving, it's still far better than plane, car, hotel or any combination of those. A 32' gasser is probably about the same price as a truck TT combo and while the MH may get a little bit worse mileage than the truck pulling the TT (maybe not) the toad you can bring along mitigates this. I think you are splitting hairs. The difference even if it were 5 mpg difference over a 1,000 mile trip is about $100 in fuel expense. (1000 miles @ 8 MPG @2.29 fuel = $286. the same @13 mpg is $176).

The benefits of a MH towing a car vs a truck towing a TT are huge. It's much easier to hook up a toad than a TT, much easier to set up camp in a MH, all the benefits of actually using the MH while travelling vs waiting until you get to where you are going and set up. etc..

But why would you assume you'd get so low mileage? You'll do much better than that.

tommy g wrote:
Take into account the mpg on your toad as compared to your Slverado when not towing now. I put as many miles on my Accord(27mpg) as I do on my Bounder(6-7mpg).

I also did not think about that.....once the TT is parked I am using the Silverado to "tourist" and I get probably 14-15 mpg on the Silverado. A toad would give me 20 mpg or better cutting down the delta for fuel. My last trip out west we stayed in Albuquerque for 7 days and touristed around including trips to Santa Fe and Taos. Obviously the 6 mpg or better difference between the Silverado and say a Honda CRV would narrow the fuel cost of the trip....and thats really the issue....how much do I have to pay in fuel costs to do a trip from home to say Sedona and back including all the costs.

Thanks so much for your comment.

cross country wrote:
Don't know about a V10 5 speed but driving at 55mph as opposed to 65 with a 454 3 speed can and will amount to a very substantial gain in mpg. I did not read your desired cruising speed.

As Mr. Mark points out the time saving 'convenience gained' with an A over a TT may more than make up for the estimated time of dinner on the table in the campground, even though you travelled at a slower more economical speed.

I generally drive in the 55-60 mph range. My whole reason for considering a move from a TT to a MH are the "convenience" factors which are somewhat intangible from a cost benefit metric, but are nevertheless reason many rv'ers choose an MH over a TT.

Mr.Mark wrote:
The convenience at a rest stop of not having to leave the motorhome to go to the rest room is worth a little more fuel usage.

It's also nice that you can use the motorhome when you pull into a campground in a pouring rain and connect when the rain stops instead of sitting in your truck. Crank up the genny, put the antenna up, enjoy a snack, etc.

Safe travels,
MM.

Both issues I have thought about which are a couple of the reasons I have been pondering the move. Also, setting up the TT is an issue and will be more so as I (hopefully) continue camping into my 70's and 80's.

Folks, thanks so much for your responses. All helpful and many I have pondered. I imagine this is all going to come down to being able to wrap my mind around the added cost as the downside of the upside benefits. I have been on this ledge for a couple of years now. I suppose it all comes down to the numbers in the end it's cost/benefit and the MH has a number of "intangibles" that are hard to put a number to. Convenience is obviously the main benefit.

I don't know about A's, but our pickup/fiver and two C's all did better with foot control instead of cruise control. I'd say 0.5 to 1 MPG better. But it takes a smooth foot.

That doesn't mean I never used cruise, though.

8-9 but frankly I have no real clue. I gave up tracking MPG long ago. Since it wasn't going to impact the frequency or distance of any trips I figured why worry about it. If I was concerned about MPG I would have bought a Prius.