Just wondering

[Travelin' Texans]

Originally Posted by JimC

Thanks for the reply.
I have not been using the generator while traveling. Generator use is not a player.
I would expect better from the 6.0L Chevy.

Just be glad you didn't get the V10.
Are you using the tow/haul button on the shift lever? If not, try it, your mileage may improve, it readjust shift points. It also may improve with a few more miles on it.
As to believing ANYTHING a RV salesman tells you, take with a grain of salt. If guessing he/she has most likely never driven one other than around their lot so wouldn't have a clue what the mileage would be, just quoting from a brochure.

[AJMike]

Originally Posted by Travelin' Texans

Just be glad you didn't get the V10.

Why? Just curious.

I owned a 2008 Pleasure-Way Class B built on an E-350 chassis and it had the V10. I never had a single issue with it in all of the years that I owned and used it. Got decent mileage as well - somewhere around 13-14.5 in general - and had reasonable amount of power.

I also had the V10 in an older Winnebago Class A and got about 8-9 mpg doing 65. Again, never had a single issue with the engine.

[Oneilkeys]

I’ve had three V-10’s in the past 10 years and never had one issue with any of them. Over 100,000 miles From Florida to Alaska and back twice. The only thing I ever did to any of the three was to religiously change the oil and use the synthetic blend as recommended.

If you worry about gas mileage, you probably don’t want an RV.

[Chance]

The V10 isn’t that bad (within reason) in my opinion.

What drives highway fuel economy more than anything is aerodynamic drag, and the V10 can’t be blamed for the size of the motorhome, or how fast the driver wants to go.

Unfortunately, if one slows down enough to get better fuel economy, particularly with smaller motorhomes, there won’t be enough load on large engine to keep it in efficient operating range. That’s what happens to me due to small size of van.

For years some Ford-based smaller motorhomes like the Thor 19G and others had a 5.4L V8 (the V8 version of 6.8L V10) and reportedly had better fuel economy. That engine was discontinued a few years ago.

If thinking small RV to get better fuel economy, we also need to consider a proportionally smaller engine.

If 6.8L or 7.3L engine size is optimum for 8 MPG motorhome, then around 5.0L V8 should be a better size for a smaller rig aiming at 12 MPG. That might sound like engine would be working too hard, but there are car-based aluminum V6s in motorhomes large enough to only get 12 MPG.

[Oneilkeys]

To your point, my 9350 lb Class B Travato on a Dodge Promaster Chassis with its 5.7 L gas engine gets 14-16 mpg on the open road. Lower weight, better aerodynamics and smaller engine.

[Bob Denman]

Is that a 5.7 that shuts off cylinders?

[Chance]

Originally Posted by Oneilkeys

To your point, my 9350 lb Class B Travato on a Dodge Promaster Chassis with its 5.7 L gas engine gets 14-16 mpg on the open road. Lower weight, better aerodynamics and smaller engine.

The RAM 5.7 liter is a Hemi V8. The ProMaster has a 3.6L V6. And I agree, that’s part of why it gets 14-16 MPG.

[Bob Denman]

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

[Oneilkeys]

My bad. It’s the 3.6 L engine. Senior moment.

[Bob Denman]

As long as it feels like the HEMI V-8 when you're on the road...

[Chance]

The important thing is that even with 3.6L V6, a 280 HP engine in a 9,350-pound motorhome will leave just about any other camper behind.

And because engine is smaller, you have the choice to slow down and get even better fuel economy. In some rigs slowing down doesn’t buy as much, but a ProMaster cruising at 50~55 MPG should do better than 16 MPG, not that you’d want to drive that slowly just to save fuel.

[Oneilkeys]

It’s great in flat Florida. We shall see in the Smokies on the way to Canada - if things ever open up,

[Oneilkeys]

Originally Posted by Chance

The important thing is that even with 3.6L V6, a 280 HP engine in a 9,350-pound motorhome will leave just about any other camper behind.

And because engine is smaller, you have the choice to slow down and get even better fuel economy. In some rigs slowing down doesn’t buy as much, but a ProMaster cruising at 50~55 MPG should do better than 16 MPG, not that you’d want to drive that slowly just to save fuel.

No. But I take as many back roads and stay off the interstates as much as I can. Being retired, I am not in much of a hurry. DW and I have switched roles. She used to complain when I drove 4-500 miles in a day. Now she complains when I don’t.

[Dick Rohde]

2016 Axis 24.1...I get 9 - 12 mpg which is better than I got on my GMC truck and campers before. The V-10 does the job for me...I hold it at about 62 mph.