How do you answer when a stranger asks about MPG?

[holstein13]

WARNING: This post is about fuel mileage and how to talk to strangers about it. Many folks get very, very angry when you mention fuel mileage on this forum. They feel as if you should never ever talk about fuel and RVs in the same conversation and anyone who does is committing a grave offense. If you are one of those people, please stop reading now and skip this post.

OK, back to my question. I get asked on a fairly frequent basis what kind of fuel mileage I get on my rig and I've never really had a good answer for that.

Technically, over the last 21,468 miles, I've averaged 5.97 MPG; but that really doesn't tell the story and feels misleading to me. Most folks want to compare fuel economy of their current daily driver to the fuel economy of a motorhome and the comparison makes no sense at all. We don't use these vehicles in the same way.

What does the question really mean anyway? Do they want to know what it would be if we were both driving next to each other side-by-side in a similar fashion? Or do they want to know how much fuel I consume over a period of time. Here's the real answer, "It all depends."

My mileage can range from 2.2 MPG driving up a mountain to 38 MPG coasting down a long slope. But it gets even more complicated than that. I use diesel fuel to power my generator, heat my water and even to pull my toad. Where does that factor in? Here's what I've estimated:

At a low altitude (denser air)
On a cool day (denser air)
On a flat highway
With no wind
Not towing a truck, running the generator or heating water
Driving at around 60 MPH
With my tires properly inflated and all maintenance performed

I'll get around 9 MPG. That's the better answer, but it takes a while to explain that, and I don't always know what the other person is looking for when they ask me the question. How do you handle it?

[usersmanual]

sask66 wrote:
I say if you can afford the luxury of a motorhome, don't worry about gas mileage.

true if u actually have a "luxury" MH but 50% of the mh owned by members here and talked about are hardly luxury models by any stretch

[sask66]

I say if you can afford the luxury of a motorhome, don't worry about gas mileage.

[JFNM]

I love the 'how much does your house get' response!!

I've used a variety of answers. One used most often is "about 40 MPG for each vehicle" - the coach, the Jeep, the two bicycles, and the kayak (8 mpg x 5).

[JumboJet]

soren wrote:
I had some flake of a woman who really wanted to create a scene at a gas station, over this topic. She started by standing at her pump, shrieking "sir, sir" repeatedly, from fifty feet away. As I asked her if she was talking to me, she shouted, "how much gas does THAT use?" I answered, "about seven miles per gallon". She then let out a dramatic scream. It was over the top. I then asked how many MPGs HER house gets? She got defensive, and said, "well that ISN"T a HOUSE!". I replied, "Well, it has a bathroom, a kitchen, a bedroom, and I live in it, does that sound like a house to you?". She said, "well, I never though of it that way", got in her car, and took off.

What a fruit loop.

You must have run into one of my Facebook friends. She would have us all wiping our rears with leaves if she could.

[mpierce]

Truthfully.

[soren]

I had some flake of a woman who really wanted to create a scene at a gas station, over this topic. She started by standing at her pump, shrieking "sir, sir" repeatedly, from fifty feet away. As I asked her if she was talking to me, she shouted, "how much gas does THAT use?" I answered, "about seven miles per gallon". She then let out a dramatic scream. It was over the top. I then asked how many MPGs HER house gets? She got defensive, and said, "well that ISN"T a HOUSE!". I replied, "Well, it has a bathroom, a kitchen, a bedroom, and I live in it, does that sound like a house to you?". She said, "well, I never though of it that way", got in her car, and took off.

What a fruit loop.

[down_home]

Six mg is about what we get towing at usually 70 mph and the traffic , and mtn,and slow speeds around cities. Running 62 mph, we can get a bit, over 7mpg.
On flat, midwest, we show as high as 8.6 mpg, at 62 mph and on cruise, unless there is traffic to muck it up.

[Raloma]

I tell them for a car it's pretty bad, but for a house it's pretty good. And leave it at that.

[htowners]

roam1 wrote:
I tell them I don't know, it's my dad's and I'm using his credit card!

:B

[roam1]

I tell them I don't know, it's my dad's and I'm using his credit card!

[mpierce]

I tell them the truth. What is the big deal?

[C20]

I tell them when it gets low on fuel you put more in. I didn't buy it for gas mileage! After all it's not a VW diesel, oh wait.......

[JumboJet]

According to which way the wind is blowing, the terrain, and how fast I am traveling. I have seen 7 and 11.

[prstlk]

It's hard to keep a straight face..I don't know, first time I ever filled it. Did you just buy it? No I've owned it for 6 years. How big is your tank? Don't know that either.
Then I tell the truth 6 to 8 depending on terrain, but good for a house.

[1968mooney]

I tell them the "truth". I know it is hard for some posters on this forum to do the same.