Community Forums

bandmbrown · 06-07-2008, 12:10 PM

has anyone put a pencil to the correlation between toad weight and class A mileage. Trying to decide what the difference in mpg between a 4500# SUV and a 3400# small sedan.

bandmbrown · 06-07-2008, 12:10 PM

has anyone put a pencil to the correlation between toad weight and class A mileage. Trying to decide what the difference in mpg between a 4500# SUV and a 3400# small sedan.

paz · 06-07-2008, 01:56 PM

bandmbrown, welcome to iRV2.

The first year we owned our motorhome we towed a half-ton Silverado 4X4 extended cab weighing in the neighborhood of 5400 lb with fuel and "stuff" on board. We now tow a V6 AWD Saturn Vue weighing 4000 lb. We get about .5 mpg better mileage towing the Vue. I also notice slightly better acceleration with the Vue.

Route 66 · 06-07-2008, 02:03 PM

bandmbrown, WELCOME TO iRV2.

I wouldn't expect to see a great difference, and less with a diesel pusher.

sgtjoe · 06-07-2008, 02:12 PM

I was wondering about this. I tow a 2003 Pont grand Am, about 2700 lbs and when we are out of the mountains can pull 10 mpg easy with my CAT 300. We've been thinking of something else around 4500 lbs or less. Do you think it will hurt us on mpg with that much difference? Maybe not the weight difference, but what about the drag?

bandmbrown · 06-07-2008, 03:02 PM

thanks to all. I was wondering also about the drag.
We downsized our auto inventory to only one SUV. Was sort of hoping the gas milage due to weight and/or drag would allow me to justify another car/toad.

David K · 06-07-2008, 03:26 PM

I don't know if this will help you are not but, for a while I was pulling a Ford Freestyle on a tow dolly. While traveling in Georgia and South Carolina, I was averaging a little over 9.2 miles to the gallon. I think the total weight of the toad and tow dolly was a little over 4,000 lbs. I have now switched to a Ford Focus which weighs in at 2,500 lbs and have traveled the same route -- mileage improved to a little over 10.3 MPG. Driving the same speed, same driving habits, etc. I do think weight and drag does affect the MPG -- even on a diesel.

OldHiker · 06-07-2008, 03:36 PM

Last August I bought my first rv. I averaged 7mpg up and down the east coast. Then I pulled my Hummer H2, 6500lbs. It's like pushing a brick through water, just like my coach. It costs me less then .7mpg. Cost of gas does not outweigh the convenience of having my own vehicle whenever needed.

Gary RVRoamer · 06-08-2008, 09:53 AM

Weight per se doesn't have a lot to do with it, since you are rolling the car rather than lifting it 90+ percent of the time. But toad weight can affect the rolling resistance on the toad tires and a heavy toad may also have larger tires (more road resistance) or a larger profile (wind resistance). Thus we see conflicting reports about toad changes and the effect on fuel economy.

In general, a toad is going to cost you something to tow, perhaps in the 0.5 mpg range. The difference between any two toads is much harder to predict. The original question asked about a small sedan vs a large SUV and in my opinion there will be a difference, but not a huge one. But these days, maybe any extra cost in mpg is an unacceptable burden?

SargeW · 06-09-2008, 08:19 PM

I don't think that it's much different at all. And certianly wouldn't justify buying a new toad as the only reason.

I was towing a 2001 Jeep Wrangler which weighed in at just over 3500 pounds. I just bought a 2008 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 4 door which I just had weighed at 4840 pounds. In my trips so far I have noted less than .5 MPG with the new toad. Do I feel a difference when towing? Sure, I can feel the more than 1000 pound difference that is rolling behind the MH.

Is it a big difference? No. Would I buy the new toad again? ABSOLUTELY. Bottom line, if you want a new toad, get one. If you really like your current tow vehicle, keep it. It's not that big of a difference.

Sarge