Real world 1/2 ton truck mileage?

[OwlHome]

Hi all! First time posting. We are trying to get into the RV world correctly by buying the tow vehicle first. We are a family of 2 adults and 2 young kids. We are looking to get an RV no longer than 25ft. We plan to tour the US with whatever truck/trailer combination we end up with. When not towing the truck will mainly be used for hauling loads of mulch, compost, fencing, or lumber rather than as a family car. We live on a dirt road in a snowy state so we'll be wanting a 4x4.

Our mechanic, a self proclaimed "Chevy Guy" who tows his RV with his Silverado, suggested that we get a Toyota Tundra. In his experience they don't need much besides regular maintenance. When comparing Toyota Tundras to other 1/2 tons I noticed that Tundras seem to have a much lower Highway mileage number. I asked our mechanic about that and he feels that some manufacturers advertise mileage based on perfect conditions as he's only seen the higher numbers in his Silverado if he's maintaining a perfect 55 or 65 on the highway. I suppose that's true of any vehicle but I've come here to ask what other's have experienced in terms of 1/2 ton truck mileage when they aren't towing.

[Grit_dog]

ppine wrote:
My cousin bought a new Toyota Tundra to pull his canned ham trailer. He sold it and bought a Ford diesel.

Lol. But my cousins brothers best friend bought a Ford diesel and said his old tundra pulled better.....and got 20mpg!

[ppine]

My cousin bought a new Toyota Tundra to pull his canned ham trailer. He sold it and bought a Ford diesel.

[mr61impala]

Empty MPG 2010 Ram 1500 4.7L quad cab 4x4 3.55 gear:

40 mile round trip daily commute...17.5-18.5 depending upon temp.

75mph cruise in hilly county...21 mpg.

75mph cruise in Florida...22 mpg

65 mph cruise in Florida....24.5 mpg

Towing 23' x 8' box shaped travel trailer 65 mph 10-11 mpg depending upon terrain.

All hand calculated.

[Grit_dog]

Bottom line, take the lower numbers you’ve heard here for “real world “ driving unless you’re the guy that sets the cruise on 62 mph and dinks around like there’s an egg on the pedal you don’t want to break.
Throw out the real high numbers, because internet folklore always dictates that someone will be getting 24 mpg with their 1 ton diesel.....lol.
All that into account, I’ve had around 30 new gasser pickups over the last 20+ years and average mileage from the old 4 speed trucks to the new 6/8/10 speed trucks has gone up a solid 2-3mpg across the board with considerable hp increase as well.
Towing is another story. Way too many variables. You’ll get somewhere between 7-11mpg depending on the day/terrain/weather and altitude.
Current work truck, 2016 Silverado 5.3 4x4 Crew cab. Never hand calculated but the lifetime average on the dash says 15mpg, for 30kmiles, 95% unloaded, mostly commuting around the puget sound area.

[OwlHome]

ssthrd wrote:


OK, so don't tease us! Curious to know what you've decided........

Well, it'll either be the typical small layout with bunks like the Coachmen Apex Nano 193BHS or at the larger (for us) end a Jayco Jay Feather X213. The Coachmen Apex Nano 208BHS is interesting too but it's so recent an offering that there's not enough information about them yet.

[ssthrd]

OwlHome wrote:
Thanks for all the responses! There's lots of information and real world experience shared here. The responses that included the non-towing mileage are just what I was hoping for.

Powerdude wrote:
Take the wife and the kiddos (if old enough), to an RV dealer or a local RV show, and walk around the units to see which one the wife likes first.

See what the sleeping arrangements are, see if the wife likes the kitchen layout. See if you like the living room layout and the bathroom layout, and her too.

Then buy the truck to tow it.

That's exactly what we've done! The kiddos were great at the first RV show, but not the second, so maybe they aren't old enough yet! Ha! We've narrowed our choices down enough that I feel comfortable we can go forward with buying the tow vehicle before the RV. The next step seems to be going on a bunch of test drives ... without the kids!

OK, so don't tease us! Curious to know what you've decided........

[OwlHome]

Thanks for all the responses! There's lots of information and real world experience shared here. The responses that included the non-towing mileage are just what I was hoping for.

Powerdude wrote:
Take the wife and the kiddos (if old enough), to an RV dealer or a local RV show, and walk around the units to see which one the wife likes first.

See what the sleeping arrangements are, see if the wife likes the kitchen layout. See if you like the living room layout and the bathroom layout, and her too.

Then buy the truck to tow it.

That's exactly what we've done! The kiddos were great at the first RV show, but not the second, so maybe they aren't old enough yet! Ha! We've narrowed our choices down enough that I feel comfortable we can go forward with buying the tow vehicle before the RV. The next step seems to be going on a bunch of test drives ... without the kids!

[Powerdude]

Take the wife and the kiddos (if old enough), to an RV dealer or a local RV show, and walk around the units to see which one the wife likes first.

See what the sleeping arrangements are, see if the wife likes the kitchen layout. See if you like the living room layout and the bathroom layout, and her too.

Then buy the truck to tow it.

[ppine]

I like VernDiesel's post. thanks for the info.

[hvac]

I'm sure as you examine results of various sources the eco diesel is tops for light duty truck fuel mileage in the full size category. It really is a wonderful combination with the zf 8 speed and full air suspension. It really shines however for towing.

[Durb]

Hey OwlHome. Welcome to the forum. I trust you received sufficient diversity of thought from your first thread. This is a good place for a wide range of opinions.

[goducks10]

CDEW wrote:
2015 F-150 3.5 Eco-Boost Heavy Duty Payload: 20 to 21mpg daily, 9-10mpg towing 27 foot loaded Toy Hauler 7500lbs(+or-) at 55-60 MPH.
Any speed above 60 drops the MPG to 8 or worse.

Figuring I tow right around 65 mph my mpg would be below 8 mph. That would be a killer on a long trip with 300-400 mile days.

[time2roll]

My old truck gets 8 mpg towing at 55-62 mph. Yes I am also looking for fuel at 200 miles max. That is about three hours of driving so it is OK for me.

[Samsonsworld]

My only deal with a small tank is sometimes it's hard to find a filling station I can fit into easily. Even a large lot can be difficult, if they're busy. I much prefer stopping at roadside parks or historical markers to stretch my legs. My $.02.