Gas milage - towing

[3_dog_nights]

OK, I've got a V-10 Gasser, weight is about 24k#, about to take the first trip with the Toad, weighs 3500#. What kind of effect will this have on my MPG ? Trying to plan stops.

[tropical36]

3 dog nights wrote:
OK, I've got a V-10 Gasser, weight is about 24k#, about to take the first trip with the Toad, weighs 3500#. What kind of effect will this have on my MPG ? Trying to plan stops.

I'm guessing from some experience, that it only takes a loss of approx. 1/2mpg for a toad.

[3_dog_nights]

OP here, purpose of question was the up coming trip is 300 miles out, 300 miles back. Have an 80 gallon tank @ 8mpg, should be able to complete the trip on one tank. I'm not a fool, will plan on filling up on the flip. Question was if I'm going to be surprised by dropping to ..say 4mpg, I probably need to locate a truck stop or large gas station on the way out, and plan to stop there again on the way back. First trip with the toad, I don't like surprises. Also don't like searching for appropriate sized gas stations while traveling. Did that once with my 5'ver and almost ran out before I found a diesel station. Consensus seems to be I won't lose more than 1 mpg, so I will stick with original plan. Thanks All !!

[Gjac]

It all depends on how you camp/travel and how you use the toad. I usually put as much or more miles on the toad as I do on the MH. The MH gets 8.7 mpg and the toad gets 40 mpg. Say you visit Yellowstone for a week you will put a lot of miles on the toad running around seeing the various parts of the park. Using your toad more that makes up for any gas mileage that you use towing.

[ferndaleflyer]

If you have it and plan on using it you need to put fuel in the tank so what does the MPG matter?

[wildtoad]

I used to check gas mileage after every trip; long or short. After. Our recent 5k mile trip, I’d decided that for planning purposed I will use 7 MPG, towing or not. I have now swapped my 2,700 lb Chevy Sonic for a 4,000 (+/-) Jeep Wrangler and may be compelled to check it again. Though I’m not sure it matters that much.

[valhalla360]

Dale.Traveling wrote:
Probably 1/2 MPG but since you will be two vehicles you have a "Double Bonus". So from 8 you'll drop to 7.5 or so, but with the double bonus if will feel like 15 MPG. Just be sure to remove the EZ-Pass transponder or the toll authority will also get a double bonus also.

What's the "double bonus"? (I do get the toll transponder part but not the MPG part)

[happy-2]

I always use my cruse control as much as possible. And remember you don't buy an RV for gas millage.

[2gypsies1]

We found that towing doesn't make much of difference. Not sure why you have to 'plan'. When you drop below 1/2 tank or so start looking.

[LVJ58]

We have a 2000 v10 powered coach 37'8" loaded weight 21,130lbs with a toad same weight as yours. Over the years we've averaged 7 mpg.

Good luck and safe travels.

[ArchHoagland]

I lose about 1/2 mpg pulling my 4,000lb toad.

How far are you going?

For planning purposes I calculate 50 mph average speed even if it's all freeway.

[Stim]

But look how great the toad mileage will be!! 🙂

[FIRE_UP]

Tom/Barb wrote:
Plan on 6 hope for 8

That's some of the most REALISTIC advice I've seen on the subject of gas milage. When you're driving a rolling Kleenex box with ZERO aero dynamics, expecting ANY gas mileage is well, wishful thinking. It is what it is.
Scott

[bgum]

Toad will decrease mpg by 1.

[Dutch_12078]

As with the others, we also see about a 1/2 mpg drop with the toad in tow. On the other hand, the toad is going all those miles on zero fuel, so it more than balances out. 😉