Gas Mileage

[Jake-n-Marty]

What are all of you averaging for gas mileage in your Axis and Vegas?

[taylorbob1]

Many posts on this topic.
Use the search function to find more responses.
For Vegas Axis, depending on how loaded and what is being towed...also up and down mountains:
The general consensus is a high of 11-12, low of 9
Generally around 10 mpg average which includes running the Generator.

[Bob Denman]

It all depends on the dance that your right foot is doing on the "loud pedal"...

[Oneilkeys]

It depends a lot on your speed, hills, wind conditions and how “heavy” your foot is. You’re pushing a 12,500 lb high box and the faster you go and the more wind and hills makes a big difference.

[Muggs]

9 to 11 with or without trailer. Best ever no trailer 11.01 MPG no generator. Best with 5500 lb open trailer w/generator 10.75 MPG.

Worst is high 9 MPG. I did have down in 8MPG once but was shakedown trip to Disney with lot of time over 80 MPH.

I do usually try to draft off semis or other RVs on longer runs.

[Jake-n-Marty]

FYI I just got back from a 1500 mile trip and with very heavy generator use I got about 9.5 average. Fixed a solenoid issue that prevented my house batteries from functioning properly.

[galOnTheGo]

ditto taylorbob1; we just had our best ever at 11.7, made me smile. usually near 10+-. I have a few thoughts on why, but no real evidence. polish and wax lots, and running premium gas are the only two differences last time out. anyone else running premium? if so, any difference?

[Pete'sMH]

Originally Posted by galOnTheGo

ditto taylorbob1; we just had our best ever at 11.7, made me smile. usually near 10+-. I have a few thoughts on why, but no real evidence. polish and wax lots, and running premium gas are the only two differences last time out. anyone else running premium? if so, any difference?

I wouldn’t expect a change from using premium unless the engine actually needs it and few do. Unless, the premium you were using was ethanol free “real gas”. That stuff will show a benefit but it’s spendy and hard to find!

[Chance]

Originally Posted by galOnTheGo

ditto taylorbob1; we just had our best ever at 11.7, made me smile. usually near 10+-. I have a few thoughts on why, but no real evidence. polish and wax lots, and running premium gas are the only two differences last time out. anyone else running premium? if so, any difference?

Drivers can control things like driving speed, load, and air pressure in tires, but other variables may seem the same but are too difficult to notice or even measure.

Wind speed is one that can make a big difference even when it’s not strong enough to notice, unavoidable drafting of other vehicles in heavy traffic, elevation changes, ambient temperature, etc... And as Pete stated above, energy content of gasoline also — pure gas has more energy per gallon.

I’m impressed with your 11.7 MPG.

How fast were you driving? That’s probably one of, if not biggest factor.

[The_Breeze]

after 11.4k miles I only average 7.54. I also ran into some 85 octane gas recently and noticed she downshifted on the smaller grades where that wasn't the case before. I'm not carrying any more weight in the RV but did have a full tank of gas in the toad (~13g) where it usually only has 1/2 when towed. I full time. The towed goes everywhere it does.

My best ever was 10.23 from Ft. Chiswell, VA to Knoxville, TN. My worst was 4.11 from Sonora, TX to Ft. Stockton, TX. I fought a 10mph headwind halfway through the run and it never stopped. I ran the Gen in Ft Stockton for 1.95h@.585g

I saw premium mentions. I have to wonder if octane doesn't play into it somehow.

[galOnTheGo]

nothing different that trip as far as the drive. went to Shenandoah, skyline drive, around town some, thus it was up hill, down hill, rather slow through there, and 60mph on route, so it was all about the same for drive. as far as what gas, I get Costco or Sams when I can as the price is usually the best there, just gas.

as for tire pressure, I have monitors, thus always in good condition. two things I insist on, a good surge protector, and tire monitor system. I was chatting with someone at their site, looked at their tires and thought the rear looked low, offered to check it for them. turns out it was at 10psi, outside rear dually. I took it off and found a screw in it, took it to get it fixed, put back on and a happy and safe camper. if I hadnt noticed, that would have been trouble, they were unaware. You have to have tire monitors, imho. additionally, I was having a slow leak in my rear dually two months ago, inside, and found the valve extender was leaking. after 4 years it was worn out, time for a new one. sorry to wonder off topic, but tire pressure is very important, imho.

[jb1911]

Trip from NW Indiana to Destin Florida and back. We got 9 almost exactly.

[twovillagers]

Thor Vegas-9.9 mpg with little generator use and speeds 60-65mph.
9.3 mpg using generator half time and 70 mph.

[Easygoing81652]

I found mine likes 65 mph. That speed keeps the motor in the sweet spot, you aren't pushing a lot of air and it's easier to control the rig.

[SEnsley]

Originally Posted by Jake-n-Marty

What are all of you averaging for gas mileage in your Axis and Vegas?

I get the following at 35,000 miles on my 25.5 2018 Vegas

60-65 average 14 mpg
65-70 average 12 mpg
70-75 average 9 mpg
75-80 average 7 mpg

I usually try to drive at 67 mpg because that seems to be the sweet spot for the Triton V10 engine.

[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.

[Jinx]

What TaylorBob said:
For Vegas Axis, depending on how loaded and what is being towed...also up and down mountains:
The general consensus is a high of 11-12, low of 9
Generally around 10 mpg average which includes running the Generator.

[JimC]

I don't have a Vega so I hesitate to reply to this thread. I have a Daybreak 22GOC [24ft, 6.0 Chevy engine]. On a recent trip from Wichita KS to TX, to NOLA, along the Gulf Coast to Pensacola, to Memphis, and back home we averaged 8.25mpg. Driving speed was 60-75mph [speed limit]. Headwinds of 10 to 20mph were a constant factor except for NOLA to Pensacola. Total trip distance 2478mi. Load included 6 adults and two Bernese Mountain Dogs [100/125lbs]. High mileage was 9.25. Low was 7.8mpg. Generator was used 15 out of 49 travel hours.
To the credit of the vehicle, much of the drive was on rolling hills, against the wind, causing the transmission to run in 5th gear a significant amount of the time.
Overall, I am disappointed in the gas mileage. We were led to believe by two different dealers that this smaller rig with the Chevy engine should average 9 to 12mpg.

[Chance]

Engines have a sweet spot, or more accurately a sweet area of performance at highest efficiency if we are more realistic, but that has to be balanced against vehicles requiring less power as they slow down. When it comes to MPG, there is no speed that can yield a sweet spot just because it’s a V10. It doesn’t work that way.

The same V10 may maximize MPG at 45 MPH in one motorhome, and 55 MPH in another motorhome. And even that is affected by driving conditions beyond speed.

My highest MPG on the many motorhomes with V10 I’ve driven have always been at the slowest average speed for that tank of gas. That applies to my Class C, rentals, or present van.

I know based on technical education that there has to be a low speed at which MPG starts to drop off because it’s too slow, but I honestly haven’t come close to that speed yet because it’s so slow that I don’t have the patience to drive that slowly, even if it were safe (and it wouldn’t be most of the time).

My highest mileage gains were when sight seeing at low speeds for extended periods. And they were often at high elevations where air is thinner, which can also improve fuel economy (MPG).

[RVthereyet]

I’m averaging about 24 days per gallon.