How fast do you run? I try and stay between 60-65 and do try and keep it from downshifting going up the hills. I never use the cruise, it always wants to floor it. When I came up your way for the Duck Cup, that was the longest trip I have take it on. 6hrs each way, spent about $400 on fuel. We usually only travel 3-4 hrs for most of the places we go.

Todd's correct on the mileage of my old RV

10mpg at 65mph

I towed b oats all over the us and up to Quebec

think if I bought a new one I think I'd have them turn the shitter into a closet. I don't need a can or a shower, it seems kinda ridiculous in the model I'm looking at anyway. I just need someplace dry/cool to sleep, and the ability to make breakfast in the morning would be sweet. Plus someplace to hide from you heathens when the rain is on. Nothing worse than a building packed full of stinky wet sailors.


Triple stacked with my pickup about the best I can expect is 15mpg, at worst I think I've seen mid-10's, typically I'm around 13-14mpg doing 72mph and I constantly use the cruise control, but that's with a proper transmission, not some automatical, and thats with ~600 ft/lbs of torque at the wheels. The worst mileage I've ever gotten period was coming north through illinois with about a 40mph headwind with a large safe in the box of the pickup, a 24' enclosed trailer, and about 25k lbs gross weight. I was down around 7mpg. That frickin sucked!

I have a 35' diesel A class and get 10-12 mph driving around 70 towing boat or boats. Tanks hold 90 gallons of diesel and 100 gallons of water.

Another pro off the camper is you don't pay licensing fees every year. Just put your truck plate on it when it's on the truck. Don't forget to put it back on the truck when you take the camper off. (Don't ask me how I know) Your state laws may vary.

Your heater will run off the 12 volt system but you need a genny for the A/C to run. For mileage I get about 18 to 19 without mine on and 14 to 15 with it on.

That's not a bad hit at all.

That rig looks pretty nice.
I'd keep the crapper,just put a closet rod over it and you've got a closet.I did that with the shower(hanging wet locker) in the rv and use the tub part to set wet gear and the beer cooler in.

My neighbor just picked up one of these used... it was high miles, but he got it cheap... think he said $15K It is set up like the old VW Vanagon Westfalia and he has no problem towing a trailer of four dirtbikes and gear all over the place..

http://sportsmobile.com/index.html

I had the VW Eurovan camper before I bought the rv and my main problem was you had to move to much stuff around to switch from sleeping to living, even with the pop-up loft, and not enough storage for clothes and sailing gear. It got 20 mpg until you hooked a trailer up then you got 13-14. It would tow a trailer fine though.
That 4x4 sportsmobile looks awesome.

Can't believe that I didn't think of this sooner. The main reason we bought our first RV in the first place was that at our local Hobie fleet sailing venue, there is nothing but a field and the beach. Most regattas we've attended have been very similar. So, the bathroom and shower were extremely critical in our decision making process.

Our first RV was a $4200 1978 Winnebago. Not much to look at, but everything worked, and we took it to a LOT of regattas.

Our current RV is a 1993 Fleetwood Tioga Arrow, Ford Econoline E350, with a 460-ish gas engine. Gets 7-7.5 mpg no matter how I drive, although it usually gets over 65 with no effort on flat roads (good luck finding those up here). The "hills" here will drop you to 40 MPH if you try to keep from downshifting, and the strain on the engine and tranny isn't a good idea.

Towing cats has never made any difference behind either RV (in terms of MPG), even when double stacked. All the drag is in the front of the RV, and the added weight doesn't seem to matter.

Mike

That is what he got a 2003 Ford 4 X 4..

Are you refering to the Winnabego piece of __________ They missed the mark with that, should have stuck with Westfalia, but then again when the competition owns it, it is hard to do business..

In Europe VW sells a camper van The California and I wish they would import that to the US.. 2.0L Turbo Disel with a 6 speed manual.. Had a few of them pass us on the Autobahn....

A guy in own has one of those sportsmobiles on the dodge sprinter platform. Its pretty sweet.

A frickin Sprinter is $40k for a cargo version. Ouch. I want one for work, but that not in the budget.

Hell, I priced out a new enclosed trailer yesterday since mine is quickly approaching road hazard stage, that SOB was almost $10k.

I need to win the Powerball.....

build your own truck bed camper. You're a genius with wood. Get crackin'

F that noise. Wait to you see the new sailbox. Oh yeah, plywood cube. You know it. I want to make something fancy, but after sitting in this piss hole for X number of hours per week, the thought of doing anymore makes me a bit nauseous. Especially non-billable time.

Don't we all!