What RVs get the best mileage?

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moonguide

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I know there are other important questions to answer, but I'd like to get an idea of what RVs get the best mileage. To limit the discussion, we're considering something in a Class-C. There are only two of us and it is unlikely we'll be traveling with anyone else sharing our RV overnight so we don't need to be able to sleep more than 2. On the other hand, we'll probably be more comfortable in separate beds on some occasions since we're used to a king, so I suppose the designation of "sleeps 4" makes sense as a minimum.

The real question is where do I look for this kind of information and how do I phrase the question? I tried searching this forum site for [best mileage] and got hits with the word "best" and the word "mileage" separately. Then I tried ["best mileage"] but what I got didn't make sense to me -- there were lots of subjects that were unrelated to mileage.

Thanks for any advice.
 
The best fuel economy is when driving no more than 60mph.  55 is probably the ideal speed for maximum fuel economy in an RV.  It's independent of the actual RV, more a function of the driver.
 
Rv's get from 1 mpg to around 10 mpg is the best I have heard.

I just remember to smile when I pull up to the pump and don't look at the screen when I am done.

Mine seems to be around 8mpg I have only done 3 drives this year so it will take me awhile to get good info on my MPG's.
 
I have a 29ft V10 Tioga class c and I get about 8-9mpg.  If you are looking to purchase the smaller the better on gas mileage but it depends on how you plan on using it and your comfort level or how spoiled you want to be.  I would go to a big dealership to get a feel for the size you want.  No one buys an RV because of the mileage but some do better than others.  Good Luck and happy shopping
 
The old VW Van Campers got pretty good mileage. I hear that the RV's built on the Sprinter chassis gets good fuel economy. I value comfort more than fuel econmy. I get 7.8-9 Mpg on my coach.
 
My brother just purchased a RIALTA by Winnebago on a VW chassis, V6 fuel injected class "B" 22 Ft.. I had never heard of this unit until he bought it, then I researched it on Google, He is reporting 16 to 22 MPG and good power.>>>Dan
 
Motorhomes built on the Sprinter diesel van chassis are reporting numbers in the 14-16 mpg range. Probably best of breed for fuel economy. Examples are Winnebago View, Airstream Interstate, Chateau Citation Sprinter, Four winds Siesta Sprinter, Fleetwood Quest & Pulse, and no doubt several others from various RV builders.
 
man that's a loaded question. I get 5-6, but I'm not sure that the size matters as much as a driving style... well that is when you start getting into 20+ feet long that is. I know your talking about class c but I'm guessing at a certain point, length,weight, no matter what class they would be close to eachother.
 
Thanks! That's a lot of good information. Now to do some more Googling to see what's out there and come up with more questions.
 
8-10 mpg is common in smaller Class C's, but the larger ones may dip down to the 7's. Anything above 10 mpg should be considered excellent.

If fuel economy is the most important criteria for you, think smaller, lower, and streamlined. Most of the fuel cost comes from pushing tons of air out of the way with that big front end. That's why driving speed is so important - air resistance increases with the square of the speed. A small but powerful diesel engine helps too. The big Ford v10's used in most C's are thirsty buggers to begin with and they work hard to move the coach.
 
I have a similar question. Currently looking for a used rv around 26' (for rear bed) and between $20 and 25k price range. Considering a Fleetwood terra 26 with 8.1 gas which I expect will get 7 or maybe 8 mpg. Also found a nice BTCruiser 27 with the Ford v-10. Not sure what to expect from the BT so that leads me to my question. Are these more streamlined rv's like the BT getting significantly better economy? If they could get 10 or 11 it would seem to be worth the tradeoff. I have not found much about this on the forum.

I cannot ever see myself sleeping in a bunk over the cab so not having that option is not a big concern.

Thank you.
 
Re: What RVs get the best mileage?

? Reply #7 on: July 10, 2011, 09:57:46 PM ?

QuoteMotorhomes built on the Sprinter diesel van chassis are reporting numbers in the 14-16 mpg range.

We have a Roadtrek Sprinter RS Adventurous.  The worst mileage we ever have gotten was 18.  The best, 22.  Averaging a little over 20.  It's 23' and you can get the bed as a single, they say king, or twins separated by a night stand.  A good used RT will run more than 25K, I'll bet.  But, you never know.
 
dave61 said:
I have a similar question. Currently looking for a used rv around 26' (for rear bed) and between $20 and 25k price range. Considering a Fleetwood terra 26 with 8.1 gas which I expect will get 7 or maybe 8 mpg. Also found a nice BTCruiser 27 with the Ford v-10. Not sure what to expect from the BT so that leads me to my question. Are these more streamlined rv's like the BT getting significantly better economy? If they could get 10 or 11 it would seem to be worth the tradeoff. I have not found much about this on the forum.

I cannot ever see myself sleeping in a bunk over the cab so not having that option is not a big concern.

Thank you.

P.S. Bought the BT.
 
kevin said:
man that's a loaded question. I get 5-6, but I'm not sure that the size matters as much as a driving style... well that is when you start getting into 20+ feet long that is. I know your talking about class c but I'm guessing at a certain point, length,weight, no matter what class they would be close to eachother.
5-6, u are really pushing that big boy!
J
 
As Gary noted, aerodynamic drag is the principal determinant of mileage. But, you foot is the primary determinant of what that is. Drag increases as the square of velocity! In practical terms that means the power required to maintain speed at 50 MPH is half of that required at 70 MPH. On a level road with no wind this is almost a direct prediction of mileage; e.g. if you get 10 MPG at 50, you'll get about 5 MPG at 70 MPH. Note that either of these is a common occurrence when wind speed is added to vehicle speed.

Implicit in this is that you can get a pretty good idea of relative mileage by just comparing the frontal area of two coaches (all else being about equal).

As an aside, that is also the ratio of the energy your body must absorb if you hit a wall at those speeds.

Ernie
 
So far the research I've done. The Toyota mini RV, is the winner! I have found they range from 18 to 22 mpg. The downside is they stopped making them past 1994. Still, they are fairly cheap, but usually need refurbished. You have to count the cost. A brand new class C for $30,000 to $80,000; depending on year, make, and model. OR. You can buy an old Toyota for around $9,000 and put $5,000 of work into it. You come out the other side with a nice RV, for around $14,000, that also gets 18 to 22 mpg. I think that's better than paying over $30, 000 for an RV that gets 8 or 9 mpg. Of course the Toyota's are smaller, but they have all the necessities. Depends what you want it for.
 
A refurbished 1978 GMC Kingsly 26' with twins or a Queen bed, side bath and shower and a 433 GMC will cruise all day at 55-60 and get 12mpg. DeLoren designed it using a wind tunnel. I almost bought one but storage was limited without putting pods on top and 2acs or heat pumps are needed in sunny climates.

So instead, I bought a '94 with a Cummins 5.9L 230 that has storage and 11.75mpg when towing a dinghy.
 
utahclaimjumper said:
My brother just purchased a RIALTA by Winnebago on a VW chassis, V6 fuel injected class "B" 22 Ft.. I had never heard of this unit until he bought it, then I researched it on Google, He is reporting 16 to 22 MPG and good power.>>>Dan

Correct the newer class B's do pretty well on fuel, also look at the Road trek.
 

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