Fuel-Efficient RVs Debut

[WishIhadatruck]

and those who might have bought one in the past to save money on lodging and food on their road travels are now realizing that filling ‘er up might end up costing more than hotels and restaurants.

As if the people buying motor homes could possibly EVER claim to be saving money by taking the RV! Those things cost a fortune!

I just bought an 8 year old trailer and I'd never be able to claim I'm saving money either. I figure at $5/gal. gas I'd break even at worst on a long trip out west to the mountains, NOT counting the cost of the trailer. We do it because we like to not because it is cheaper.

I do appreciate the fact they are moving toward more fuel efficient RV's. It seems a number of RV trailer mfg's started making more light weight, narrower, aerodynamic, trailers back in the 90's. In the last several years the ones they call "light weight" don't seem so light anymore. Perhaps the first wave of lighter RV's were to attract the people with smaller tow vehicles or the more modest power outputs of the time even in trucks? I would think they would be even more popular now due to gas prices so hopefully they really DO start making more.

My trailer is 3600lbs dry and only 7'3" wide. Most "light" models today are back to 8' wide like a standard trailer.

[cyclone]

Originally Posted by F14CRAZY

They're not new...A Sprinter based RV would do pretty well.

The 21' Vixen RV in the '80s could get 21 mpg. They were first powered by a BMW turbo diesel w/ manual trans but later received a GM 3800 LN3 and 4T60



actually the 2.4L BMW could get up to 30 mpg

my friend used to own something exactly like that.

[jry]

Originally Posted by F14CRAZY

They're not new...A Sprinter based RV would do pretty well.

The 21' Vixen RV in the '80s could get 21 mpg. They were first powered by a BMW turbo diesel w/ manual trans but later received a GM 3800 LN3 and 4T60



actually the 2.4L BMW could get up to 30 mpg

But the Vixen is a short motorhome. Not sure you could tow anything with it, either. This Damon is over 31 feet long.

[Wolfman01]

I have a 37 foot Safari Sarengeti edition diesel pusher RV with a 250hp 8.3L Cummins diesel attached to the Allison 6 speed auto. The crappy mileage of "modern" RV's is due to the usual quest to make the biggest, baddest, meanest coach on the planet. My coach does not have slides, does not go 90 mph uphill, and doesn't have marble and granite tile throughout. If I maintain 55 mph, I can easily average 10 mpg out of it, and even somehow (don't ask me how, as I have no clue how I did it) managed 14.6 mpg out of it on one short trip. So, unless that Damon can knock on the door of 20 mpg with my reserved driving style, I'm not impressed.