Gas Mileage

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by RVthereyet

I’m averaging about 24 days per gallon.

My Missus owned a 1974 Vega that got just about 30 mpg...
Oh: we're talking about Vegas RVs?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrbybKWwb7c

[Easygoing81652]

I think I got double that over the last couple of months ;-)

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by Easygoing81652

I think I got double that over the last couple of months ;-)

Yeah... I went two and a-half Months without filling up my car.
And when I did: it took less than five gallons!

[Chance]

No worries, I went through your share of gas.

I just made a quick unplanned trip and went through about 90 gallons in under 24 hours.

[Bob Denman]

What were you driving, and (more importantly): how fast were you driving it?
I hope that everything is okay...

[Chance]

Made trip in 22 hours including a 4-hour stop to get a little sleep. And yes, I was moving along so only averaged around 13 MPG. Normally I get closer to 15 MPG at ~70 MPH.

When you have the need to just jump in and go, it’s when I appreciate the value of a small van the most. Yeah, it’s no where near a house on wheels (more like a metal tent you can sleep in), but serving as a second car and always at the ready can be priceless sometimes.

MPG (or cost of gas) isn’t always that significant to me. With today’s cheap gas I spent under $200, and even had it cost $300 for a much larger camper, I would have not made the trip as quickly. This time speed was more important.

I normally would have flown commercial, but driving seemed safer.

[The_Breeze]

Originally Posted by Easygoing81652

Those numbers sound absolutely correct. It was the same %'s of mpg loss when I was driving big truck and running over 65 mph. Drive/accelerate like you have an egg between your foot and the gas peddle and use Cruise Control...You'll be amazed on the difference of your MPG.

Thx. I do, for the most part. I run 60-65, 70 downhill. When I'm climbing and the motor jumps to 4g, I hit the off button and use my foot to keep at 3-3.5. If she only does 45 up that hill, then that's where she stays until she crest the hill. I tried using cruise control on that trip to Ft. Stockton and only achieved 4.11mpg. That's when I turned away from relying on CC. Maybe time to reconsider.

[The_Breeze]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

My Missus owned a 1974 Vega that got just about 30 mpg...
Oh: we're talking about Vegas RVs?

You do realize you're a nut - right?

[The_Breeze]

I'm extremely curious about the weight of the coaches getting 9, 10, 11mpg. How long is an Vegas or Axis at 24.1 or 25.5. I'm at 33', 53' w/towed. Last scale:14900, towed 3560, total 18460- full gas and 1/3 fresh water.

[Oneilkeys]

My two 24.1s were 25’6” and weighed in at around 12,500 lbs.

[The_Breeze]

Originally Posted by Oneilkeys

My two 24.1s were 25’6” and weighed in at around 12,500 lbs.

6k lbs may make a difference. The toad is 4 down, so only tow weight. Tongue weight is nominal.

[Muggs]

My 24.1 is heavier on average because I carry spares and tools even when not racing. Fresh water is alzo full and I sometimes carry an extra 30 to 50 gallong of wafer so I am as heavy as 13,200 without trailer, then add 5500 to 6000 for trailer. I do have minimal towing in anything steeper than rolling hills in North Florida. Most is on flat roads.

[The_Breeze]

Originally Posted by Muggs

My 24.1 is heavier on average because I carry spares and tools even when not racing. Fresh water is alzo full and I sometimes carry an extra 30 to 50 gallong of wafer so I am as heavy as 13,200 without trailer, then add 5500 to 6000 for trailer. I do have minimal towing in anything steeper than rolling hills in North Florida. Most is on flat roads.

I got great mileage in the southern flatlands. I averaged 8.3 from Fanning Springs, FL to Loxly, Al, 8.32 from El Rino, OK to Joplin, MO and 8.73 from Comfort, TX to Sonora, TX.

Flat is my friend but boring as hell.

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by The_Breeze

You do realize you're a nut - right?

But I make up for it by being exceedingly ugly..,

[The_Breeze]

Originally Posted by Bob Denman

But I make up for it by being exceedingly ugly..,

Sorry, no distractions. Lunacy is lunacy.

Hope all is well as it can be.

[JamieGeek]

Originally Posted by The_Breeze

I'm extremely curious about the weight of the coaches getting 9, 10, 11mpg. How long is an Vegas or Axis at 24.1 or 25.5. I'm at 33', 53' w/towed. Last scale:14900, towed 3560, total 18460- full gas and 1/3 fresh water.

Axis/Vegas units are a bit more aerodynamic than your class-C. That alone probably accounts for one or two mpg.

[The_Breeze]

Originally Posted by JamieGeek

Axis/Vegas units are a bit more aerodynamic than your class-C. That alone probably accounts for one or two mpg.

Really. Axis/Vega have a full frontal area - like pushing a sail down the road. How do the aero's differ? Are the drag coefficients that much different and what causes the class C to be so much inferior in that regard?

[Bob Denman]

Originally Posted by The_Breeze

Sorry, no distractions. Lunacy is lunacy.

Hope all is well as it can be.

We're both too stubborn for human consumption, and are dug in deeper than a couple of Texas chiggers!

[Chance]

Originally Posted by The_Breeze

Really. Axis/Vega have a full frontal area - like pushing a sail down the road. How do the aero's differ? Are the drag coefficients that much different and what causes the class C to be so much inferior in that regard?

Class Cs like a 31L have larger frontal area because they are 99 inches wide versus Axis/Vegas at 94 inches. Height are similar, so about 5% difference.

Class Cs like Chateau and Four Winds also have squared-off panels on either side of cab facing directly into wind, and the overhead bed area that extends beyond windshield normally makes for a higher coefficient of drag.

The Axis/Vegas “should” be significantly more aero than a 31L or other large Class C. The front of an Axis/Vegas is also unusually tapered due to narrower front track (compared to other Class As), which should reduce overall drag.

[The_Breeze]

I can see that in my head. Thanks for chiming in.

I thought the frontal area of the nose would force air outside of the side panels. I can see where the 'swirl' back in would create drag.