MPG towing vs MPG TV Alone

[garym053]

Just curious as to what we all encounter for Gas Mileage decreases while towing, and how much it actually increases the cost of camping! The average gas mileage for my Jeep actually goes UP during the summer, (probably something to do with Winters and 4 wheel drive here in Vermont!), but I do know I average about a 2 MPG drop when towing on the interstates and a 4 MPG drop on secondary roads. So averaged out to a 3 MPG drom from my usual 16 1/2 MPG in summer, that's an 18% decrease in gas mileage, which on paper is a lot! BUT really costs me just $2.69 per hundred miles at $2.00 per gallon of gas. That makes me feel MUCH better!

[chasd60]

55mph towing=9.5MPG
70-72mph towing=7.2MPG
70mph towing and drafting behind a big truck=8mpg
55mph not towing=20mpg
70mph not towing=13.5mpg winter, 15mpg summer

Just got back from a 3200 mile round trip with my new camper and that is what I got towing.
 
I don't tow with my 96 Geo Metro but I just filled it and got 42.4mpg at 70mph.
It is my commuter car, I work 46 miles from home, all highway except for 5 miles. Truck was getting too expensive to use for commuting.

[Diplomat]

We can't tell from the mileage or the performance that we have anything behind us in the Suburban!  I have noticed that the speedometer and fuel guage needles move in opposite directions at an exponentially increasing rate as the speed of the TV increases; though not quite as fast as the rising price of gas here in sunny SoCal.

[SactoCampers]

19 mpg mixed driving without towing
 
12 mpg mixed towing 17-foot hybrid
 
15-16 mpg mixed towing popup before we sold it.
 
Tow vehicle: 1998 Chrysler Town & Country AWD 3.8 liter.

[tlhdoc]

In the summer I get 18 mpg on average with mixed driving.  The Explorer likes the highway and hates stopping and going.  The mileage really drops in city driving.  When I tow going 65 to 70 my mileage drops to 12 to 13 mpg. :yikes:   If I tow at 55 my mileage is about 15 to 16 mpg.

[OC Campers]

Our Astro gets bad mileage no matter what.
 
18 mpg Highway (not towing)
14 mpg highway towing
14 mpg city (not towing)
 
But since we live in over-crowded Southern California, we do all city driving. It is rare that my van ever gets to go 65 here in Orange County.
 
Jacqui

[aw738]

I can't really vote on the poll since I haven't towed after I rejetted my carb. Before rejetting when engine was running lean I got about 15 mpg towing here in WV and Virginia. All of it was mountain towing with a combination of interstate at posted limit (70mph) and curvy hilly two lane at posted limit. Most of the two lane was on Skyline Drive and other similar roads. Since then I've rejetted and am now getting 13mpg without towing. I have talked to other people with new trucks with the same size engine and "fuel injection" that aren't doing much better than me. I guess tha I will find out when I got the the eastern rally.

[brainpause]

I actually get pretty close (maybe 1-1.5mpg difference) mileage. My commute is mixed between stop and go, and slow highway (35-45) cruising. When towing, if I keep it around 65-68, I can get 19 mpg or so. I get 19 driving to work!

I put slightly larger, new tires on during the winter. My little 4banger can tell it too! City driving has dropped the mileage 1-1.5 mpg. On our two trips this year it dropped our mileage a little more (16.9 mpg). I told Holly it would be cheaper to drive a diesel at that rate! (hint hint).

Larry

[PopupSgt]

But Larry, Nissan hasn't offered the Titan in diesel yet (hint, hint)

[brainpause]

But Larry, Nissan hasn't offered the Titan in diesel yet (hint, hint)

TELL ME ABOUT IT!!!  

I have friends that work at the Nissan plant in Smyrna (a couple of engineers). There was a rumor that there would be a 3/4 ton Titan available for '05, but I have heard more recently that it won't be ready for '05. I think Nissan already makes a diesel (maybe smaller than needed), but at least the experience is there!

Larry