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what's your mpg when towing?

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Initially Posted - 04/24/2006 : 14:46:34

Hi there,
For the last 6 years I have taken two or three weeks off in the late winter/early spring to sailing in the Keys. It's between 930 to 1000 miles one way from Knoxville, depending on where I launch in the keys.
My tow vehicle is a 2000 model Chevy silverado 4wd with a gas V8. I have a really good, overbuilt trailer which tracks straight as an arrow.
I get 9mpg with this setup. (that's 250 gallons, more or less) With current gas pricing, and political climate, I may not do this next year as these OPEC terrorist or socialist countries are really pissing me off, not to mention the cost of gas.
I cross a few mountains in Tennessee, and some hills in North Georgia, (using high test to avoid valve knock)but from Atlanta on south it's pretty flat. (using mid grade) Florida is very flat.
So I was wondering what others get for mileage on their trailer trips.
I think my next truck will be a diesel

Frank Gloss
Formerly 89WK/TR
85 Ericson 32-3 shoal draft "Molto Bene"

Edited by - on

danandlu
Navigator

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USA
174 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2006 : 15:03:48

'01 Silverado, 4x4, Xcab, 5.3L V8. Denver, Co to Missoula, MT, never much over 60mph, just under 1000 miles. 9 mpg. Had head/crosswinds most of the way. It towed great but 285 HP is not enough. I only have another 85 miles to tow to Flathead Lake soon so no need to change trucks. Ten gallons there, 5 back (unloaded).

Edited by - on

SailormanCGA72
1st Mate

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77 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2006 : 15:20:43

With my 2003, Siverado 2500 4x4 with 6.0l gas engine I get 8-9 mpg at 60 mph. I wish I had bought the diesel instead. Oh well.

Edited by - on

CapnEddy
1st Mate

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USA
25 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2006 : 15:21:17

Frank,

Every summer I tow my '97 250WB #265 from the San Francisco Bay area 800 miles up to Puget Sound with a ML320 V6. I get 10 1/2MPG round trip. Without the boat I get 23MPG. I would have absolutely bought the ML diesel had it been available in the U.S. I retired my '79 300SD this year with 300,000 miles. It got 27MPG. I replaced it with a '96 E300D that gets over 30MPG. The bad news is that diesel is frequently more expensive than premium in California.

Edited by - on

jesse camp
1st Mate

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USA
84 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2006 : 15:27:09

Frank,

I made the same trip from Knoxville to Orlando. I have a 1999 5.4 v8
Ford Expedition which was about 10 mpg. Yes, high test makes a huge difference when you are climbing hills. I normally use mid-grade down here. Last fall I spent a week in the Marathon, area and
launched at the Sombero Resort ramp which was perfect with my 8 ft extension. I have my boat in the water in Merritt Island now and hope to spend a week in the Keys again. Man, I miss that beutiful
clear water!
Jesse Camp 87 5550 SR/SK

Edited by - on

stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2006 : 16:51:24

I don't know what my mileage is...I have a 2000 GMC 3/4ton 4X4 long box, 6.0L gas, and I tend to pack it up with every tool I own. I recently towed from Kelowna to Calgary over the Rocky Mtns and though I don't know what the mileage was, I do know that it cost me $150 in gas, driving for about 7 hours at an average of 50 MPH.
I'd say that's acceptable.
We were discussing getting the lighter 250WB but decided that we really like our 81 SR/SK and will justify the higher gas cost with having a boat that is paid for, and a truck that is paid for.

Edited by - on

Derek Crawford
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
3321 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2006 : 19:06:29

Towing to the Nationals last year (my only experience towing) using a Tahoe we got 9.5 m.p.g. With current gas prices I won't be towing again for a l o n g time!
Derek

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Tom Potter
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1913 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2006 : 19:13:12

Not much! I pull with a F150 4x4, and not to often I might add! Planing a trip to Pensacola in June for the BEER cruise. I'm not looking forward to the gas bill. I'm just thankful I don't have to put 60 gallons in the boat.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2006 : 21:04:49

14+ MPG Northern Califoria coastal hills.

F250 4X4 Powerstroke Diesel (early model). The truck gets about 20 mpg over the same route without the boat and about 17 mpg running around locally.
(not bad for a 7500 lb vehicle). I've heard the newer ones don't do as well.

Best it's ever done is a little bit over 22 on I-5 at a steady 62mph. I think If I ever towed the boat for extended distances out on 'flatland USA' it would probably get about 17 mpg.

I have the 5 speed manual transmission with the towing package (410 differential gearing). The torque curve in 5th flattens very nicely right about 58 mph. it's a real 'sweet spot' and that's where I try to keep things when towing.

If you run a diesel in the flat spot of it's torque curve, it will pull like a mule and not drink much fuel. Push it outside the envelope and the mileage drops off radically.

Not good to be in a big hurry with a big boat anyway.

Edited by - on

britinusa
Web Editor

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USA
5404 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2006 : 21:16:23

2006 Ford F150 SuperCrew 4x4 5.4L V8 - C250WB - 11.2 mpg in south florida and the keys. Next trip we'er going to keep the speed bellow the limit to see if things improve.

12+mpg without the trailer, but that is for very short trips. (my office is only 2 lights from the house.)

Paul

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wmeinert@kconline.com
Past Commodore

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USA
353 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2006 : 21:17:46

2002 Ford F-250 crew cab super duty, 7.3 liter diesel, 10,000 miles last year from North East Indiana to Idaho, Kansas, Northern Michigan, Southern Indiana and Local weekend hauling, 12 miles to the gallon Mountain, 16 MPG flat roads at 65 miles an hour. Go Ford or stay home! and yes Diesels are the only way to go. See all you travelers in Cleveland!!!!

Bill Meinert

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Gary B.
Admiral

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USA
969 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2006 : 22:14:08

78 Ford 250 super cab 2 wheel drive, 460 gas. 10 MPG empty...8.5 to 9 ish pulling my SK, or even with a one ton camper.

As for Frank Gloss's opening comments: When last year, after the Katrina "excuse", Exxon makes the largest PROFIT in the history of the world's corporations, plus gets tax benefits from the current admin, IMHO, you need to rethink everybody you are pissed at......This country has been stupidly BEHIND in getting off the oil "addiction". We should have learned that lesson in the 70s when Carter got blamed for gas prices going up and the resultant inflation.

Gary B.
s/v Encore! #685 SK/SR

My truck is usually PARKED; I commute in a 40+ MPG Mitsubishi Mirage with 175,000 miles on it.

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atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 04/24/2006 : 23:59:36

O3 Suburban with 8.1. !!!!!!

12 around town.
16 hwy
9 towing 88wing

It has ample power. But...is getting traded this summer after she pulls the boat to the west coast. I will find a 78 camper special and get AAA to deal with the reliability.

I found a house that has a dock!!!!!!!! on the Puget Sound!!!!!!!!! Once I get the boat there, A Ford Escort will do.

Tom.

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tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2006 : 02:47:40

1999 3/4 ton 4x4 suburban with 454 ci (7.2l ?) We refer to it as the beast. We get about 10 mpg in town and 12 on the highway. We run mid grade gas as it nets us 2mpg better. Super is no better than mid. At 10 cent premium its cheape to run mid grade.

Anyway, with our boat in tow we get about 8 ave. Headwinds make a big difference!

Edited by - tmhansen on 04/25/2006 02:49:39

Arlyn Stewart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2980 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2006 : 06:09:18

I've always pulled my 250 water ballast from Texas to Great Lakes with a GM half ton pickup. The route has few hills. The '96 model with 350 motor yielded 13.5 mpg while towing and the '01 model with 327 motor gets one mpg less.

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2006 : 07:50:33

I believe the Association discussed this situation several years ago but the current upward trend in gas prices and attendant cost of hauling our boats begs the question, is the "nationals" doomed to become a purely local event?. Do we need to start rethinking the "nationals" or is this a non-problem with everyone? I would hate to think that the event would die before I got a chance to skipper a boat in it.

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2006 : 15:17:40

Nice feedback folks.
I guesse my 9mpg for a gas pickup is about average

My biggest surprise is the 2 mpg gain using mid grade gas. That would be well worth it. I use a better grade to lessen valve knock.

I'm curious about the discussion of torque curves and the sweet spot. I'm completely stupid on this issue.

Yes, the oil companies piss me off too, (Exxon, the sign of the double cross) but the average oil company profit on a gallon of gas is 9 cents, while taxes average 40 cents.

I wonder how much the environmental additives cost per gallon.

Maybe next winter I'll go skiing instead, but lift tickets are getting out of sight now too. (I'm spoiled from my former job as a Jackson Hole ski instructor, best job I ever had

)

With the cost of car payments and insurance it would still be more expensive to drive a small Honda around town.

At least my sailboat will burn less than 3 gallons this whole season. The lake is a lot less crowded these days too, it is the only consolation of high gas prices

Edited by - on

Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 04/25/2006 : 15:36:28

this talk of gas guzzling is too depressing. It's blowing 14 now, gusting to 21. I'm headin to the lake to do some turns (we have a small lake)

Screw mowing the lawn, it can wait.

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tmhansen
Captain

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USA
397 Posts

Response Posted - 04/26/2006 : 02:20:51

Regarding the plus 2 mpg with mid grade. We have found this only works on the Suburban, our v6 Isuzu Rodeo could care less what we put in it as far as MPG goes. I don't know how it works but I log every tank of gas and what we put in. Every once in a while I mess up and out of habit hit the regular button on the pump and don't notice until I am done. Every time the tank is full of regular there is a drop in MPG.

Bought a Yamaha Vino 125 scooter in October for my 4 mile trip to work each day. It has 1200 miles on it already. Thats 1200 miles that I did not drive the beast and its fun. It gets 70 mpg. I figured the money I am saving on gas is paying for it.

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 04/27/2006 : 00:33:16

'98 Dodge Ram 2500, regular cab, 2WD, 24-valve Cummins Diesel. powertrain is a New Venture Gear NV-4500 5-speed manual transmission with granny-low first and overdrive fifth. 3.54:1 Dana 80 rear axle with posi. Outside of California, this truck gets 15 mpg towing "Quiet Time", in California my towing mileage drops to 12 due to our special California-only "boutique" fuel blend. I don't know what they do to our diesel fuel here that cuts it's power output 20% compared to diesel fuel everywhere else, except that it's supposedly lower sulfer emmissions and less soot. I have heard that long-haul truck drivers try to never buy fuel here, they fill up in Reno or Las Vegas (or Ashland Oregon if coming down I-5 from the north). It's really aggravating that our diesel fuel costs 30 cents a gallon more than it does in Reno Nevada, only 135 miles east of my house, AND gives me 20% less fuel economy.

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 04/27/2006 : 08:41:12

Larry,
You da man
A cummins diesel is just what I was considering. I'll consult with you in a couple of years when I'm ready to buy.

Reformulating fuel to get lower mileage probably causes more pollution in the long run

Why can't Scotty just beam us up?

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Frank Hopper
Past Commodore

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Pitcairn Island
6776 Posts

Response Posted - 04/27/2006 : 11:01:49

Mountaineer, 5 liter, 11-12 mpg

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lcharlot
Master Marine Consultant

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Antigua and Barbuda
1301 Posts

Response Posted - 04/27/2006 : 23:37:07

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Gloss
 A cummins diesel is just what I was considering. I'll consult with you in a couple of years when I'm ready to buy.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

As you are probably aware, Chrysler got bought out by Daimler-Benz a couple of years ago, which has led to a raft of rumors about the future of Dodge trucks. One of the juiciest of these rumors is that Mercedes Benz wants to put it's own diesel engine in the Dodge trucks, since it can probably save some money that way; the rumor then goes on to speculate that since Dodge will no longer be using the Cummins engine, it will move over to Ford and replace the Navistar (Powerstroke) diesel in the Heavy-Duty F-series trucks. That would be a nice truck! I always liked Ford's pickups and was dissapointed when they dropped the Twin I-Beam suspension in the early '90's and went to a conventional A-arm suspension. The twin I-beam was a stronger, more durable part, and it kind of set Ford apart from Dodge and Chevy. The Cummins main claim to fame I think is it's simplicity and durability. The in-line 6 configuration is MUCH easier to work on than a V-8, and the camshaft is driven by a gear set instead of a chain, so it lasts forever.

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 04/28/2006 : 08:59:36

"camshaft is driven by a gear set instead of a chain, so it lasts forever."

I'd guess that either engine will outlast the body/running gear etc.
(with 'normal' use). (not to mention outlasting the driver)

I've driven both rigs... the main difference I percieved is that the Powerstroke 'drives' like a gasser (wider powerband, revs easy)... the Cummins drives like a diesel... (low revver, relatively narrow powerband).

Driving around town with a manual tranny and the Cummins gets a bit annoying as you're short shifting all the time... out on the open road it comes into it's element and lopes along.

Must admit that I haven't driven any of the newest models of the either the Chevy, Ford or Dodge... probably quite a bit of 'progress' in the last 5 years.

Any way you look at it... when you're ready to buy, go drive 'em all and pick the one you like the best. Mechanically speaking, they are all pretty well 'sorted out'.

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Gloss
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1916 Posts

Response Posted - 04/28/2006 : 10:49:48

the number one issue for me in purchasing a truck is how much leg room and comfort it has. They design vehicles for short people, not normal size people like me (6foot 2 inch) My Silverado was designed for folks up to 6foot 4 inches, and indeed was the main reason I didn't buy a Ford or Dodge
Power seats and extra cab also gives better let room too.

Remember back in high school when the car with the biggest back seat was the best?

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Doug C.
Navigator

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USA
146 Posts

Response Posted - 04/28/2006 : 17:57:31

2003 Ford F250 7.3 Powerstroke. Close to 14 when towing the boat depending on terrain. Stay at 65 mph or under which is where the diesel likes to live too (below 2000 rpm yeilds best mpg).

Glad we're moving the boat to Mexico as diesel is running 5.38 pesos per liter which works out to about $1.85 per gallon. I'll make sure to fill up before crossing back into the US.

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