Fuel Consumption BF For Two 2004 diesel Power

[Ken & Linda Smith]

HI! We are new to this forum and BF as well. We have been driving a nice little Pleasureway Ford Widebody Class B...not wide enuff finally..and just decided on a 2004 BF For Two van powered by a diesel engine. It's a bit roomier for the longer travels that we have come to enjoy. We still like a one-vehicle only/no toad approach to RVing. Sales person claims that we will see 14-15 mpg with the diesel. We have been getting about 14 with our PW and with gas price$ now, this figure was a real consideration in our up-grade, even tho diesel prices are averaging higher even than gas. Any guesstimates on how close we will come in actual mpg vs what our sales rep claims? THANKS!

[iowaride]

We have a 2002 24RB with 7.3 Powerstroke diesel. We don't tow. While this isn't your model, maybe it will help you determine an approximate mpg for the BFT. Our average: 12 mpg since 2003 when we purchased the BF.

Harrington
east coast of Iowa

[John S.]

I had a gas BFT and got about 9 and now have a 24 footer and get about the same with gas. I decided that gas was cheaper and I would make up for the difference in price. It is 70 cents more to fill up my diesel truck. That and the propane generator and the extra cost of a diesel prompted me to go with gas....Love the Bornfree though.

[Virgil and Anne Dutton]

Hi Ken and Linda,
We have a 2006 BFT with the 6.0 diesel. We did a 14,300 mile trip to Alaska and other places and averaged 14.3 MPG. Seeing that you live only a half dozen miles from us, we live in Goldfield Ranch, why don't you give us a call and come over to see ours. We would be happy to show it to you.
Virgil

[Virgil and Anne Dutton]

I have kept a record of all fuel that we have used from date of purchase of our BFT diesel to the present. We now have 30,327 miles on it and the overall fuel mileage has been 13.8. The trip I mentioned above was mostly slow driving, usually not over 55MPH. This 13.8 MPG overall included that trip. I usually don't drive over 65 MPH, however, occasionally I do. We have never towed a car but sometimes to provide sleeping quarters for guests, usually grandkids, we tow a pop up tent trailer. We also occasionally tow a cargo trailer with a frontal area of 6' x 7'. We use this when I want to take my ATV along. The 14.3 MPG we got on the Alaska trip, where we usually drove 55 MPH or slower, emphasizes the effect of speed on mileage. I think another significant factor in good mileage is using the cruise control when applicable or keeping a steady foot on the accelerator.

Virgil

[Robert D. Grant]

The 22 foot BFT is considerable lighter than a 24 foot plus the new 6 liter powerstroke appears to be more efficient than the 7.3 liter. We tow either a 4 door 4WD Chevy Tracker or a Saturn Vue AWD with our 1998 26 foot RSB and average an honest 10 mpg at 60 mph average plus or minus. When we first bought it and didn't have a "toad", we averaged about 12 mpg. All of this is on relatively level (East of the Mississippi) driving.

[Covfam]

Ours is 2001 built for two and it is gas ... we got an average of 10 mpg driving around from wisconsin to texas into the wind most of the time.

the funny thing is when driving from santa fe to durango to pagosa springs to colorado city We actually got better cas mileage driving in the rockies! (but i imagine that since half the driving was down hill made a BIG difference) now we stay at 60-65 and let everyone else in a hurry pass us and it gives us good mileage. while ours isnt diesel id imagone you could get 14 mpg if taken care of & broken in and you dont drive too fast.

i noticed that when we were folowing my brother in law for a 3 hour stretch and trying to keep up with him at 75 our MPG dropped from 10- 10.5 down to 8 pmg REAL fast. some people dont realize it but that extra 10 MPH can really Gut your gas mileage.

[Jim Hofmann]

We have a 2005 26' RB with 6.0 diesel power on a 2004 chassis. On a recent trip to Oregon (from southern Calif.) I decided to evaluate speed vs. milage. On the first leg from Camarillo Ca. to Santa Rosa Ca. and not exceeding 55 mph I got 15.52 MPG. The next leg Santa Rosa to Pendleton Or. ( taking Hiway 101) up to Lincoln City and then cutting accross to Columbia River Gorge to Pendleton and not exceeding 60 MPH we got 13.8. Heading home on 395 all the way and having very little traffic we got 15.71 as far as Reno. I filled up in Reno and have not filled up since getting home (still have just under a half tank left)

Prior to this I normally drove 60-65 and averaged anywhere from 10.8 to 13.5 with an average of 11.6 MPG

When I look at 11.6 vs 15 plus and deisel here around $4.50 I think you will be passing me on the road if you are driving 60 Plus MPH

Jim