Gas mileage when towing with big motors

[Dimitri-2000X-Tampa]

I think it is a valid point that in general, we don't tow most of the time we use our vehicles so one could make the argument that better gas mileage in general is more important than the extra power (primarily torque) we get from our big American (light) truck motors. So to be really practical, smaller motors probably do get better efficiency overall...but its not really an issue of practicality all the tme. And I suppose when you tow with a really small motor like a 2L or something you would find outside the U.S., that engine is straining pretty hard and you must have to use much higher RPM's than what we can use with big V8's...but you still get better gas mileage.

Mine does not tend to shift much at all unless I hit hills....and pretty much never when not towing.. And when I used to tow with a 3.8L V6 minivan, it shifted into higher RPM's a lot more often and required a lot more torque converted RPM to pull the boat up the ramp and out of the water. So, practically speaking, it would be nice to have a nice fuel efficient yet sporty car to drive around with most of the time, and a big truck to pull the boat around with..but most of us don't have that luxury (including me) so we prefer to spend the money on some extra gas and have the high power and a lot of space available.

Maybe I'll buy the sports car to drive back and forth to work with and then use the truck to teach the teenaged kids how to drive in..and eventually use I've been on this board a long time without changing my picture...one of the kids in the picture of my avatar has her learner's permit and the second will be there in a few months.

[dlandersson]

We do that...got a Honda Fit (35 mpg) for commuting, and a 98 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited for twice a year towing/church/special events. Seems to work.

Maybe I'll buy the sports car to drive back and forth to work with and then use the truck to teach the teenaged kids how to drive in..and eventually use I've been on this board a long time without changing my picture...one of the kids in the picture of my avatar has her learner's permit and the second will be there in a few months.

[Catigale]

Six months before both my Exec officer and my Chief Petty Officer get their permits...luckily I've already had them driving the Volvo stick shift in the parking lots so I'm already through my first heart attack.....

[Ormonddude]

My 01 Dodge 1500 gets 12-13 miles a gallon on the highway, I am thinking of buying a scooter to get around town to save my Tow fuel cash. I am just afraid it may look something like this - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BNr80gYj ... =endscreen

[PNKFLOYD]

Six months before both my Exec officer and my Chief Petty Officer get their permits...luckily I've already had them driving the Volvo stick shift in the parking lots so I'm already through my first heart attack.....

Consider carefully which vehicle you will list the new drivers on for insurance rates. You could get a nasty surprise!
Mike

[DaveB]

Dimiti,
Thats the same route I take, it's 36 miles shorter and $32 less in tolls one way (if you take 75 and FL. Turnpike) from Cape Coral.
Getting 12mpg saves $22 in fuel and $64 in tolls. Thats $86 of extra money you could have spent for fuel and much better senery on 41.
I think haveing the Tandem Trailer distributes the weight on all 4 tires instead of two and is far more easier to roll along.
Bad part is that Tolls love to charge for that extra axel. Why I avoid them.
The New Ford F150 with the 3.7 liter V6 is rated for tork almost same as my 4.2V6 but with 100 more HP and 6 speed trans.
The Eco Boost 3.5 V6 gas is rated around 425 tork low rpm and can tow around 12500 lbs, much more power than we need to pull a Mac. over the mountains.
I only tow about twice a month and it's only 4 miles to the ramp but I do take at least 2 trips a year over 400 miles round trip.
Why I perfer a Truck that gets 17-23 mpg without towing. Bet the new 3.7 gets around 13mpg or higher towing my Mac.
The newer F150's have the sway bar controler I don't have and would help big time when a Semi goes by me at 70mph on 75 getting to last exit 101 to 41 before tolls.
Dave

[quote="Dimitri-2000X-Tampa"]Great mileage Matt....another variable that certainly makes a big difference when towing is speed. Now that I have that shiny new tandem axle, it pretty much drives like a dream so I don't really slow down much, but there is a good possibility that if I didn't have a (trailer sized) lead foot, I could get up there around 11mpg as well. In fact now that I think about it, when I came back from the Keys via US41 instead of I-75, I think I was getting around 11mpg on that segment at more like 55-65 kinds of speeds without many stops...so slowing down 5-10 mph very well could be saving 1-2 mpg.

[dlandersson]

And here, in the great midwest, snow is expected tonight.

Dimiti,
Thats the same route I take, it's 36 miles shorter and $32 less in tolls one way (if you take 75 and FL. Turnpike) from Cape Coral.