Best towing vehicles for best MPGs

Snowman9000 wrote:
To expand on my previous post:

I can afford 5 MPG, or worse. Even at twice the price of today. That doesn't mean I find it acceptable. I use MPG to help me decide on an RV. I don't think I'm the only one. Everything isn't about money. Sometimes it's just personal preference.

I can see the freedom that comes from not caring about MPG. But when someone else cares, it's not necessarily about the cost.

While I "DO CARE" a bit about "gas mileage" while towing it DOES NOT AND WILL NOT "determine" what tow vehicle, trailer or motor home I would want to buy or own.

To put your request into perspective and why some folks are a lot over optimistic about how much weight or size will "affect" mileage are all wet.. I will post a few observations I have made from towing many different combos..

I found NO difference at all towing the same route with TWO different travel trailers.. A 20ft and a 26FT TTs, 20ft empty weighed 3,600 lbs loaded we were at 5K. 26Ft TT empty is 4800 lbs and loaded we are about 6K..

worst mileage was 9 MPG mountains and best mileage has been 10.5 MPG flat lands.

Interestingly enough I was lucky to make a trip on one of my regular routes that I use with my TTs but instead of towing a TT I towed my 18ft 10,000 lb GVWR flatbed utility trailer.. One way empty and the return trip with 3,500 lb car..

Keeping in mind that my flatbed trailer EMPTY weighs 2,400 lbs.

Empty with the flatbed I managed 10 MPG as a low and 11 MPG as the high average.. 70 MPH average speed.

With a 3,500 car loaded (loaded weight plus trailer weight of 5,900 lbs) on the return trip I averaged 9.5 as a low and 10.5 as my average high.. 60 MPH average speed on the return trip.

To further qualify this it was 600 miles each way so it wasn't any short trip by any means..

For me to envision anyone getting 30 MPG towing to me would mean a pretty darn small vehicle PLUS a pretty darn small trailer and even at that I am a bit suspicious about those claims..

Over the years I have heard LOTS of big mileage stories that are pretty much impossible and defy ALL laws of physics and laws of gravity..

Yes, towing costs mileage but I refuse to let something like mileage (or lack of) stop me or prevent me from buying and owning things I WANT..

If I was worried about mileage I would be driving a Prius and stopping at Motels..