Seriously thinking about making a change

[lwgrubbs]

We get 11+ with our 350 Ford a Diesel. Our friend with a Tiffin Phantom gets 7-8 depending on terrain. So we get a few extra miles to the gallon.

Do you get that towing? On occasion I can pull that off but it has to be a flat road that's very straight and a slow speed limit. I pretty much average about 9-10 no matter what the terrain.

 

[JohnEileen]

Yes towing. 11.3-11.4. That's been consistent during the trip from Indiana to Maine too. Not towing we get 19.5 - 20.

 

[atom ant]

You must drive around 60? I can get 21 out of mine if I lock it down to 55 on a straight and level.

 

[JohnEileen]

Kept it around 65 all the way here.

 

[b41wright]

one thing nice about a truck and fifth wheel is all the maintenance and improvements you can handle yourself, a lot of that is not possible with a MH.
Also, almost any motorhome, will depreciate considerably faster. After considering both we ended up going the fifth wheel route and have never looked back. I truly believe that Redwood is half the time setting up and leaving as any MH, also for us it is a cost vs benefit situation as we no longer full time and only use the Redwood for summer travel.
Bill

 

[JohnEileen]

Adam,
This new diesel is pretty amazing. It is so quiet that most people think it's a gas engine. When we pulled into Mt Desert Narrows Campground the read out on the average mpg indicator was 11.3. I was very hesitant about the engine because this engine came out in 2013, but so far we love it. We bought it two weeks before the Redwood and people ask us if we bought the truck to match the RV. We have 3900 miles on the truck.

 

[Rick and Mindy]

Adam,
This new diesel is pretty amazing. It is so quiet that most people think it's a gas engine. When we pulled into Mt Desert Narrows Campground the read out on the average mpg indicator was 11.3. I was very hesitant about the engine because this engine came out in 2013, but so far we love it. We bought it two weeks before the Redwood and people ask us if we bought the truck to match the RV. We have 3900 miles on the truck.

I think the engine came out in the 2011 models. I have a 2011 with the new 6.7 diesel and so far love it. I've gotten as low as 9.8mpg with a head wind but normally pulling my 31SL will get 11-13 mpg and you are right, you can hardly hear the thing run! I've gotten to the point where I don't pull over 60 due to the tires but I usually pull 55mph. I'm not in a hurry and I usually will pull up to 400 miles in a day. I can pull 350 miles without a fill-up usually without a problem.

 

[JohnEileen]

Rick and Mindy I stand corrected. I wasn't sure of the date they came out, but knew it was fairly recent. I am glad to hear your getting the same mileage we have experienced.

 

[atom ant]

My old 2008 6.4 is super quiet, a nice change from the prior 6.0 that used to wake the dead in the mornings, almost as bad as the 7.3 before that!

Mileage is not as good as your 6.7 though. 8 tops towing, and if the exhaust filter cleaning comes on, it gets to 7 in a hurry (mine uses fuel to clean). in town I get 11-13. Like I said highway empty, I can get 21 if I lock down at 55, but doing 75 chews it down to 14 pretty fast.

 

[Rick and Mindy]

Rick and Mindy I stand corrected. I wasn't sure of the date they came out, but knew it was fairly recent. I am glad to hear your getting the same mileage we have experienced.

I thought maybe they changed it in 2013, wasn't sure, but I knew mine was a new engine in 2011. I had a Dodge 2500 Cummins before this and I loved it but it was taking Dodge too long to bring out the new truck so I hesitantly went with the Ford and so far, it has impressed! There aren't a lot of diesel trucks made in the last 10 years that don't get the job done!

 

[JohnEileen]

We had a Dodge too prior to this Ford. It was a 2002 and was a great truck with the exception of going through breaks faster than any vehicle we've owned .

 

[dave and ginny]

We go back and forth in our decisions. Love our RL, but traveling with a dog and cats it would be so much easier to just load the critters into the coach once. Would also make it easier to explore places. Tracy's not comfortable driving the Dually and it can be a PITA to find a place to park it in a congested area.

Like I told my wife, the 5th wheel is better when you get somewhere but in certain areas the dually is a problem parking due to smaller parking lots. I've experienced this a lot in Maine and also Boulder CO.

The MH is better while on the move for the passengers but then you have to contend with how you're going to tow a car. We have plenty of cars at our access so putting one in a trailer isn't a big deal. But then we would have a trailer to deal with at the camp grounds...No real easy answers to any of it.

In our case we love the Redwood and have towed it all over the country without a problem. However, when thinking of our elderly parents...we think the MH would be best but this isn't a "for sure" deal yet. We're just considering all options at this point.

 

[Rick and Mindy]

Wow Dave! You sound just like me and the wife, well, if we had this then we have to worry about this, but if we had that then we would have to solve this! You are right, there are pros and cons no matter which you choose. And needs change! You just have to be very thorough when thinking it out. Don't go look at MH first. Decide that the MH is the way for you, then, and only then, go look! If you look first, you will be in one before you know it and then you'll be asking yourself, "how did that happen"?

 

[atom ant]

Like I told my wife, the 5th wheel is better when you get somewhere but in certain areas the dually is a problem parking due to smaller parking lots. I've experienced this a lot in Maine and also Boulder CO.

hahaha I grew up in Boulder, and they try really hard to make life miserable for anything except a bicycle

I don't know if there is an advantage, but my Uncle tows his jeep Cherokee and says it is one of two vehicles that can be towed 4 down and stay in warranty (Saturn is the other). He added an air brake system to the Jeep so it connects via airline to his MH and somehow presses the brakes on the Jeep, but nothing visible inside and nothing required to move. It's all under the dash.

 

[dave and ginny]

Wow Dave! You sound just like me and the wife, well, if we had this then we have to worry about this, but if we had that then we would have to solve this! You are right, there are pros and cons no matter which you choose. And needs change! You just have to be very thorough when thinking it out. Don't go look at MH first. Decide that the MH is the way for you, then, and only then, go look! If you look first, you will be in one before you know it and then you'll be asking yourself, "how did that happen"?

I've studied and been around RVs most of my life. My wife thinks it's a disease sometimes. I guess someday I'll have to join a 12 step program to rid me of this obsession.

 

[atom ant]

I've studied and been around RVs most of my life. My wife thinks it's a disease sometimes. I guess someday I'll have to join a 12 step program to rid me of this obsession.

It doesn't work :nonono:

 

[Rick and Mindy]

I think I may be on step 14!!

 

[Blue Dogs]

We just came from a Tiffin to the RW. I could set the Tiffin up in 1/2 the time I can the RW, much faster.
IMO the only way to tow behind a MH is to flat (dingy) tow. If you go to a 45' with a tag and the at trailer 20'+ your aren't very maneuverable and you would be very limited where you can stay that can handle the length and have a place for that big of trailer.
My DW didn't like riding in the MH, always said it was so wide it looked like we were going to run off the road (that could have been my driving not the MH) but is much more comfortable in the pickup.
I will say, if you drive in windy conditions much, the 5er is much easier to drive.
I think 8MPG is very realistic to figure on the MH. Grab you wallet when it comes time for service, they really get you and there are limited places that service them. Many RV dealers that sell them will not and do not work on the Chassis so beware of that, even for warranty. On ours we had to drive 200 miles for any service and it usually required a 90 day wait!

 

[Rob_Fla]

We get 11+ with our 350 Ford a Diesel. Our friend with a Tiffin Phantom gets 7-8 depending on terrain. So we get a few extra miles to the gallon.

Same here, we get 10.5 to 11 Mpg when towing our SOB 5th Wheel, weight and length was about the same as our new RW.

Guess we will get a chance to check fuel mileage pulling our RW tomorrow when we head south.
(we try not to exceed 350 travel distance per day)

 

[dave and ginny]

On my 4000 mile excursion trip to Maine which I just returned from, I averaged 10.9 mpg overall. Keep in mind it was windy and ....yes I am an aggressive driver. Going out I was only getting 9.5 most of the way fighting the winds and hills. Coming back I was averaging 11.5 going down hill. I drive the truck with the traffic, which at times gets going at a pretty good clip. I never worry about the MPG, I just drive the rig like I think I have to and pay at the pump later.