So what mileages are you folks seeing?

[sikwan]

I'll start...
140, 2500, Passenger, Hi-top, 3.73 rear, stock tires and steel rims.
Drove a constant 70mph on freeway,
Averaged 23-24mpgI guess if I slowed it down a bit to 55mph, maybe I could've reached the claimed 26mpg. :idunno:

My city mileage is constant at 20mpg.

[Don Horner]

Fully loaded (probably overloaded) Leisure Time conversion.

Average of all types of driving: 20 mpg

Highest ever achieved, on cruise control @ 60 mph on a flat interstate with no wind -- 23.3 (achieved on 2 different trips, so it's no fluke).

Pulling a loaded 6' x 12' cargo trailer, probably 4,000 lbs -- 16 to 17 mg.

[georgetg]

140 low roof passenger wagon without rear AC

Consistently I've been getting:

82 MPH (limiter) 21-22 MPG

70 MPH 24-25 MPG

55 MPH 27-29 MPG

(best mileage filled up at 663mi without having the low fuel light on)

AC on or off or hills vs flat land doesn't seem to affect the figures significantly.

A light foot on gas and brake (conservation of energy) and as little turbo boost as possible is the best way to get good mileage.

The more you hear the turbo whine, the worse your mileage (all that extra air is going to the cylinders to be mixed with a proportinally larger amount of fuel)

Cheers
George

[ipolyi]

Airstream Interstate -

"empty" weight 7128 pounds

drag items - roof A/C - awning ( closed :) )

3 pers, 2 70# dogs, lots of gear for Houseboat Trip - canoe on top
- 70-75 mph - 16-19 mpg ( my youngsters driving! )

myself only, more lightly loaded on recent trips
- 60 - 65 mph - 21-23 mpg

see log at:

http://homepage.mac.com/ipolyi/Lola/AIfuel.html

[What Next]

05 LTV 27000 miles 20.8 average.
Last time weighed I was at 8240 lbs
Don you are probably ok.

[soflo316]

2006 118" short roof, very un-broken-in with 2,900 miles. Mixture of highway and city, some towing. The numbers have been between 22 and 25 depending on how I was driving.
Todd

[rogerbeeghly]

158" high top 14,000 miles
I stay around 67 MPH
I get 24- 26 MPG
Hope the new sprinter gets close to the same!!!

Roger

[mbcruiser]

Miles to date: 21,000 miles
(living in the West, we've done our share of mountainous/backcountry travel, with little effect on mpg)
+ Overall average 22.5 mpg since new (from copious records)
+ Some trips have acheived 25.8 (but I'm still shooting to break 26 sometime!)
+ Generally 22-24 range is nominal (maintained by keeping max. speeds below 70 mph)
+ As low as 18 mpg into a strong Wyoming headwind and trying to maintain 70+ mph
+ On one trip with 5 people on board, additional camping gear, full tanks, etc, we still managed 22 - 25 mpg.
+ Key is an easy foot and the usual TLC of tires, etc. (55 psi in front; 80 psi in rear)
+ On one trip we "squeezed" out over 600 miles on one tankful....(low fuel light didn't come on, either)

2005 158' high top (Forest River MB Cruiser conversion)

[TimT]

06 Winnebago View. Loaded down to the max for sure. 65-70 mph gets 18-19 on flat land and 16-17 in the hills.

Tim

[ObiWanJak]

118" short roof passenger, 4k miles, 24.8 MPG @ 60-65 MPH.

Loren

[gruvass]

RT RS Adventurous... Long & Tall.
16,500 on the odo. 22-24 mpg.

[laser100]

2004 140" standard height cargo van loaded with tools for remodeling business. 65 MPH combination freeway and street - 21 - 22 MPG

[xtraworx]

2004 - 3500 - flat bed - 6100 miles -- 16mpg

:(

[Altered Sprinter]

2004 - 3500 - flat bed - 6100 miles -- 16mpg

:(
That's not good :thumbdown: what are you feeeeeeding it with? home made brew
Richard

[xtraworx]

I suspect its the rear end gear ratio I have and the 15" tires. Also, dispite that fact that its a 2004 model it has only 6100 miles on it -- so may not yet be broken in. I do buy my fule at truck stop to assure it is 'fresh' and it is now super low sulfer variety. Another factor may be the unloaded weight -- that flat bed is pretty heavy with lots of steel undercarage. Gross vechile weight is about 9600 lb (as I recall - had to get it weighed for registration).

Anyway, any suggestions on improving the mpg would be helpful.

Thanks

[Altered Sprinter]

I suspect its the rear end gear ratio I have and the 15" tires. Also, dispite that fact that its a 2004 model it has only 6100 miles on it -- so may not yet be broken in. I do buy my fule at truck stop to assure it is 'fresh' and it is now super low sulfer variety. Another factor may be the unloaded weight -- that flat bed is pretty heavy with lots of steel undercarage. Gross vechile weight is about 9600 lb (as I recall - had to get it weighed for registration).

Anyway, any suggestions on improving the mpg would be helpful.

Thanks
Xtrawork Man that's just low 16 for a Sprinter! Breaking in , yes up to 12 thousand miles, you will use oil but thats normal, The weight does not reflect on the MPG that much, maybe three mpg less! should not be below that, 22 MPG loaded or unloaded is what would expect from a engine capacity of a 414 CD1 or on a 316 CDI
Our Sprinters run 313 and the super large 518 CDI the older 2005 MWB flat roof model with the 313 CDI returns 26 MPG around the local areas, lots of hills etc on the Hi-way on the Midlands run of 360 miles return we get 30 to 31 MPG fully loaded with three tonne, on board
I'll run through the spec sheet to-nite and see what the Mercedes-Benz fuel return should say, it's in your manual too
I'd consider using an upper cylinder ignition in prover, the fuel may not be up to scratch ULSD is new to you guys BP Chevron Mobil Texaco are having problems meting the 15ppm limits there are exemptions at the moment for a higher sulphur content up to 22PPM.
next time you fill up put some in a small bottle, take it home shake it up, and let it settle over a 20 minute period, it should be slightly milky in appearance low odor smells like turps, no bubbles or foaming on the top of the fuel , no sediment at the bottom of the class , no water bubbles or oil droplets either at the top or through out the liquid fuel , If your running winter fuel the odor may be stronger.
Richard
Keep on Sprinting

[Altered Sprinter]

xtraworx
Ran a check on four models, the same as you have! painter, plumber, bedding shop and a Glazier all getting between 22 to 24 MPG
Richard
Just switched over to Firefox Here goes I will include this link for you, I'd suggest you take your time and read all of it the Product is called Reline you can purchase this online as it is available anywhere in the US I have used this since the first oil change late May 2005 also using the latest Mobil Davlac synthetic Oil for particulate filters
The vehicle has clocked 30 thousand K's no oil changes since no problems no fuel filters problems vibrations the oil is still holding it's lubricity it's that good
You have choices of RL-2, RL-3 anti gel additives for winter gear oils or both gearbox and diff etc.
If you use these products then a gain in both performance as well as fuel economy, will be noticeable after two to three tanks of ULSD fuels.

PS our testing returns 26 mpg around town and urban areas 30 plus on a run fully loaded to 3.5 GVT t
Have a go and enjoy your day
Richard
Red Line Oil: Fuel Additives (http://www.redlineoil.com/products_fueladditives. asp?subCategoryID=14&productID=32)
Red Line Oil: Gear Lubricants (http://www.redlineoil.com/products_gearlubricants .asp)
14.jpg (http://www.sprinter-source.com/forum/attachment.php?attachmentid=403&stc=1&d=1165748356)

[Zach Woods]

Hi Richard -

30 mpg is very impressive.

A few questions:

1. What engine and transmission is in the vehicle that is getting 30 mpg? Is it the same engine and transmission that is available in US Sprinters?

2. Are Australian gallons and US gallons equal? Does Australia use Imperial Gallons or some other different measure than US Gallons?

Thanks,

Zach

[Toyman]

37,000 miles, 20.11 MPG

[Altered Sprinter]

Hi Richard -

30 mpg is very impressive.

A few questions:

1. What engine and transmission is in the vehicle that is getting 30 mpg? Is it the same engine and transmission that is available in US Sprinters?

2. Are Australian gallons and US gallons equal? Does Australia use Imperial Gallons or some other different measure than US Gallons?

Thanks,

Zach
Hi Zach
funny thought crossed my mind! You've asked this before.
Australia went Metric in 1966 so I am used to both Kilometers and Miles etc.
Basically I run in my personal Sprinter a 313 CDI with a manual transmission.
We now use liters as opposed to gallons which was imperial and still is for imported produce from the U.S always get confused, but 4.4 L = One U.S Gallon

26.6 miles to the gallon for CBD and urban running is standard for My Sprinter as both CDB =city driving is no different to urban driving due to the geographic locations of terrain as it is not much of a difference along coastal routes.
the Mid-Land run from Hobart to Launceston about four hundred miles return is a flatter road and in full Hi-way mode multi lane this returns 31.3 miles to the gallon.
It is fair to note we have strict speed limits of 65 MPH so cruising at fifth gear doing 2850-3000 RPM is no effort on the Sprinter with this configuration of engine capacity and the use of a manual transmission which one has more control of to maintain Torque curves and increase-decrease RPM at a feel that an experienced driver has.
Please note our fuel is rated at 10ppm for Tasmania and South Australia not the required 15ppm.
The use of the latest oils of Mobil 1 are Mercedes specs for the new 2007 model that seems to be evading the U.S at the moment therefore the reference to 30 thousand K's oil change about eighteen thousand miles is the norm for the new Sprinters (30 thousand K's before an oil change is required, depending on operating conditions specific to the use of the vehicle)
red-line RL-2 works there is no question about it.
As previously indicated you have only two engines to chose from and one bog standard auto a Big mistake by the DCX boys which is reflecting across the U.S as a direct result of this admission. by Daimler-Benz.:thumbdown:
But careful driving and not pushing the turbo to kick in also helps with fuel efficiency commonsense prevails, especially when I have to pay for the fuel which is about AU $1.27.00 liter, and thats cheap while I was in the Middle East, it hit just over $1.50 Liter:yell: I'll censor my comment on that stuff up :censored:
PS I may have delayed emails to your questions on the forum, as to power outages due to high gale force winds and wild bush fires.
Richard

[Atlee]

I've only driven my fully loaded LTV 210A Free Spirit (long & tall chassis) 5,094 miles. It's been largely Interstate driving on hilly to small mountainous terrain. I've averaged 22.6 miles to the gallon.

Have a long trip coming up at Christmas. Going from Richmond, VA to Orlando, FL, to Atlanta, GA, and back to Richmond. Will be interesting to see the milage then.

[Zach Woods]

Hi Richard -

I guess that likely was me. I just didn't realize I was talking to the same person in two different places - many months apart.

In both cases I wanted to make certain we were comparing apples to apples. Folks are very focused on getting the best mileage they can. If they are hearing mileages that are not going to be possible with their vehicle's specifications this is just going to confuse the issue further.

Sounds like we can assume that you are doing the math right to convert volumes and distances properly.

We do know that your Sprinter has both a different engine and a different transmission (that are not available in North America). Both of these could have a big impact on fuel mileage.

I also have seen the following repeatedly (admittedly in a very un-scientific survey):

1. Folks that drive at lower highway speeds (60 mph or even lower - goal is to keep engine rev's down at least below 3000 rpm) are consistently getting better mileage.

2. Folks that accelerate cautiously and manage to keep the turbo from kicking in as much as possible on acceleration are consistently getting better mileage.

3. Folks that try to maintain as steady a speed as possible (minimize deceleration and, therefore, re-acceleration) are consistently getting better mileage.

Case in point: my wife and I both drive our Sprinter and our Mini. I get roughly 1 to 5 (difference is more dramatic in the Mini) mpg more than my wife does. I'm convinced that the difference is due to #'s 3, 2, and then 1, in that order of importance for us.

It would be interesting to have some of the mileage champs trade Sprinters with some of the folks who are getting lower mileage. I am pretty convinced that, on average, the mileage figures would follow the drivers more so than the vehicles.

[Altered Sprinter]

Hi Richard -

I guess that likely was me. I just didn't realize I was talking to the same person in two different places - many months apart.

Less than three weeks:smilewink:

In both cases I wanted to make certain we were comparing apples to apples. Folks are very focused on getting the best mileage they can. If they are hearing mileages that are not going to be possible with their vehicle's specifications this is just going to confuse the issue further.

Sounds like we can assume that you are doing the math right to convert volumes and distances properly.

We do know that your Sprinter has both a different engine and a different transmission (that are not available in North America). Both of these could have a big impact on fuel mileage.

You would be right to assume there would be a difference, in engine and auto configurations, but it should be no more than say three miles to the gallon less TOPS ranging in engines from the 308 through to the 616 CDi on the current Sprinters not the new one 2006 onwards.


I also have seen the following repeatedly (admittedly in a very un-scientific survey):

1. Folks that drive at lower highway speeds (60 mph or even lower - goal is to keep engine rev's down at least below 3000 rpm) are consistently getting better mileage.

This is not rocket science it's a proven fact! If one drives within this range you will have up to a 25 to 30% saving in fuel consumption, If you think about it, whilst in this mode your engine is running under almost zero strain it's as good as idle.

2. Folks that accelerate cautiously and manage to keep the turbo from kicking in as much as possible on acceleration are consistently getting better mileage.

Agree; If you can avoid excessive acceleration fuel being pumped into the engine will not require as much fuel to feed the higher RPM output a further saving on fuel, and less wear and tear on the engine management system.

3. Folks that try to maintain as steady a speed as possible (minimize deceleration and, therefore, re-acceleration) are consistently getting better mileage.
Now your seeing the big picture starting to emerge:cheers:

Case in point: my wife and I both drive our Sprinter and our Mini. I get roughly 1 to 5 (difference is more dramatic in the Mini) mpg more than my wife does. I'm convinced that the difference is due to #'s 3, 2, and then 1, in that order of importance for us.

Proves your above point! different strokes for different Folks

It would be interesting to have some of the mileage champs trade Sprinters with some of the folks who are getting lower mileage. I am pretty convinced that, on average, the mileage figures would follow the drivers more so than the vehicles.

Yes this does make sense, but it does depend on the given circumstances as to how the vehicle is being driven and where to and at what constant speeds? any thing above 65 miles per hour and the vehicle will consume more fuel.
My personal opinion is DCX made a bad management decision on offering two engines and the standard auto, that was not meant to be used for the larger Sprinters as it is used in the Vitro and VW T5 units it should have been the clutch less Sprintshift, both have been dropped for a new single auto for 2006 onwards it's out of a 2003 Mercedes sedan that will be interesting.

I've had a good look at edmonds and the yahoo spider biters having a constant and repetitive complaints over that auto tranny, it must be obvious to every man and his dog, that there is something seriously wrong in the U.S version of the Sprinter, it's not showing up anywhere else in the volume that is consistently showing up right through the North American sector, I'm starting to think it may be at assemble point down in North Carolina, may be a quality control issue? I mean does any one know how much of the Sprinter is assembled down in the old La France factory?
In the main manual there are fuel rating as to MPG possible between CDB Urban and open highway conditions vary depending on operating conditions, but when I hear 16 MPG and !8 to 20 MPG this is very poor figures for a Mercedes_Sprinter.
I'd be curious as to the MPG on a 316 standard Sprinter to the mid wheel base Sprinter up to the long wheel base Sprinter or even the 414 or 416 forgot which is which just to see a comparison Loaded and unloaded.

Here is a valid point to think about, second hand Sprinters are now starting to circulate form their original point of Origin, some have moved to snow country with out heater blocks as winter hits the U.S fuel changes from Summer to winter Diesel will also effect the economy of the sprinters right down to the point of stalling on a long distance run where intake filters are blocking up with snow which shuts down the Turbo unit , so a little extra care needs to be taken into account prior to a long winter haul with the proper additives to help prevent a possible breakdown , where one could be stuck in the middle of the wop-wop with only Jack frost to keep you company.
The new 2006 Sprinter has moved the intake filters to a different position so it's less unlikely for a filter to block with snow Brrrr':wtf:
Richard

[Zach Woods]

Hi Richard -

Passenger Sprinters arrive complete and receive little or no assembly in the US.

Cargo Sprinters arrive as "kits" (the US "Chicken Tax" has forced this on small imported commercial vehicles since the 1960's and this has kept many vehicles out of the US market) and are then assembled in the US.

My Westfalia arrives complete and was (other than Airstream's unfortunate "upfits") not assembled in the US.

Other RV's are likely brought in as either Passenger or Cargo (more likely cargo given the price difference and the effort required to strip a Passenger Sprinter).

I have not been the passenger in nor driven a Sprinter that was getting the dreaded Rumble Strip Noise (RSN). I experience something that appears at least similar on deceleration but according to everything I have read this is a different noise / circumstance.

It would be interesting to run a poll and try to determine if there appeared to be any correlation between assembly point (Germany vs. US) and RSN. We would still have the problem of determining if someone was truly aware of what RSN is and that could affect the results. But if 90% of the Cargo Sprinters (ie assembled in Germany) and only 10% of the Passenger Sprinters (ie assembled in US) are suffering from RSN this likely would show a pretty clear correlation.

I also have hoped that someone with better German language skills than I would peruse the German Sprinter forums and/or ask about RSN to see if it occurs/ what the diagnosis is on the continent. Anybody want to tackle this task?

[Altered Sprinter]

Hi Zack
Your busy today, it's 11.40 PM down under long day finishing off my report's for the U.N then a little shut eye before I go to Bruny Island for a week will send off some pics real nice place, The idea of separate section for the Rumble strip is a great idea, As For German sites had the same issue even though I can convert German to English those guys don't talk to foreigners much :tongue:
I'm dead set its some thing to do with the harmonic balancer going back into the flexiplate that setting of some type of resonance from the converter through into that tail-shaft,I know I have said this before but it's not happening with the auto's down under if they are it's far and few in-between.
PS have you found the Brabus Sprinter yet that I ran to-night.
Sleep time good-night.
Richard

[Zach Woods]

I have been carefully tracking my mileage over the last few weeks / trips.

Basically, my 2005 Airstream Sprinter Westfalia (2004 Sprinter Chassis) gets:

- 19.5 mpg highway when I drive it (typically at about a 70 mph average), and

- 17.5 mpg highway when my wife drives it (slightly slower average speed)

I'll report back if I notice any difference at slower speeds / in city driving.

[soflo316]

We are 1800 miles into a 3400 mile holiday trip from Florida to Vermont and back (with some side trips tacked on as well). I've filled up 4 times so far (not running totally empty of course).

The van is a 2006 118 Cargo with 6k on the clock, and I'm seeing 24mpg adjusted (you know, odometer is low cause of the big tires) at a very steady 72(actual GPS confirmed)mph 99% highway.
Todd

[Scott B]

06 140" SHC 3,600 miles roof rack with ladders, 1000 lbs of shelving and tools, yeilds 18-19 mpg.

[chaozz]

06 140 standard roof..600 miles on it.
first tank got 21.5

If the vin starts with WD on a sprinter i believe there made in
Germany I know with the cargo i think they just ship in 2 pieces
and get bolted back together in the states.
and takes about 6 months to get from Germany to the sales floor.
i think the last 06 models have a production date of may 2006.
Of course this is what i have heard i have no proof.

[Altered Sprinter]

Well I'm the first to admit after 18 months on the road getting 26MPG on average in urban areas fully loaded, and just over 31.3 MPG on a test highway run, real careful not to boost up the turbo:laughing: Last week I was down to 20 MPG on a coastal run 498 miles fully loaded at real snail pace MPH :thumbdown:
Going back in a weeks time, same run for a fortnight, I'll run it empty to see if I can get it back to 26.
Zack your right different MPG rating depends on how fast temp type of roads etc, so anywhere between 20 to 26 MPG should be normal for a Sprinter, anything less and A there is something wrong with either the mechanics of the vehicle or poor fuels, or B "your trying to run at speeds above 75 miles P/H" that can relate to a 30% loss in the economy of the vehicle.
Gee where would you be in a good old Chevy running at less than 10 miles to the gallon, heck that's like taking out a second mortgage:cry:
Richard
Mind you it has now covered thirty thousand K's on the same oil but it's not missing. runs like a good clock perfect.

[derstar]

i'm getting 750-800 MM a tank only... i don't know how many MPG is that...

Not too impressive for a 2.7L 100L Tanker. But superb for a truck. ALL GMs i had drink gas like a hog. Even the entrance motors.:yell:

[Altered Sprinter]

destar
Your running at just under or over 20miles to the gallon based on a 75 litre tank that's OK for flat footed highway:bow: hunters with Hyper turbo.
US Gallon 26.4 gallons give a point or two unless they have an optioned up tank for more of the jungle juice....Richard:thumbup:

[rvdriverca]

2006 153" pw m/h 55-60 mph 22mpg. in TX. flat out at 80mph 14.8 mpg none stop for 4 hrs.

[Don Horner]

2006 153" pw m/h 55-60 mph 22mpg. in TX. flat out at 80mph 14.8 mpg none stop for 4 hrs.
That completely verifies all of the information I've seen that Sprinters are totally speed-sensitive regarding mileage. I've never had a vehicle that was so sensitive to the speed driven. My last vehicle was a Ford Windstar that got almost the same mileage at 90mph as it did at 65 mph. Twice, I have gotten over 23 mpg in the Sprinter by never going over 60 mph; bouncing up to 65 moh a few times will drop it to 20 mpg.

[chaozz]

my 2nd tank dropped alittle to 20.5
but in san diego its near impossiable to
drive under 80 on the freeway.even if i
stay in the slow lane at 70 i get honked at.
i can live with 20 or 21..
just added the amsoil fuel additive that
says 5% increase ill see if i get a extra 20-25 miles
on this tank.

[Zach Woods]

Possible answer to question of Imperial vs. US Gallons.

It appears that the Imperial Gallon is 20% larger than the US Gallon. (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_the_Imp erial_and_U.S._customary_systems).

This means that it is important to clarify if you are listing MPG figures in Imperial gallons or if you are converting from liters per kilometer to MPG using Imperial gallons.

This could explain some of the highest / unusually high MPG figures that are sometimes quoted.

[Altered Sprinter]

Australian conversion to MPG,..If I try to convert by US Gallon as an example the maths of principle are From liters its about 98.9 percent accurate as to the nearest decimal point.
I'd prefer to use the actual kilometer range of a vehicle driven on a full tank of fuel, refill at the end of the trip , match up the liters used and convert to miles, which gives the MPG figure.
European vehicles as such Australian imports, do have the smaller more efficient engines from the full range up from the 308 CDi up to the 616CDi manual and auto.
Fuel is of a higher quality which is a bonus to the lesser quality fuels in the US. Speed limits in Australia are strict, so 65 MPH is the top speed in most places, lower speeds, means a higher economy of fuel use careful driving also increases the end result of fuels used at the end of the month, different locations as to per say CBD,Urban, and Hi-way use , flat ground , headwinds,tire pressures and how the vehicle is maintained or even whether it's under full load or part empty, including weight distributions all give different readings.
Richard:rant:

[chaozz]

If i tried to drive 65 in San Diego on the freeway.
a semi would crush me.as he drove over me doing 80

[pgr]

I drove a bit over 12k miles for an average of 21.11 mpg @ $2.70.

pgr

[BaywoodBill]

As of the end of 2006 our Sprinter had gone 12,429 miles in a combination of short, medium, and long drives on level roads and winding mountain roads, city traffic and Interstate traffic, sometimes with all holding tanks full and packed for a trip and sometimes as light as it could be without taking out the furniture and the "always haul" essentials. We generally drive slightly (3-5miles) over the speed limit and don't beat all the traffic away from stops. the cumulative mpg has been 20.52.

[Zach Woods]

Hi Richard -

I am sure that we are in agreement - let's make sure we are comparing apples to apples . . .

If we are discussing the comparative mileage of US Sprinters to non-US Sprinters, we should make certain that we are:

1. Talking about the same engine and transmission

2. Making the comparison based on US Gallon figures

Otherwise it would be good to clearly state any differences from the above.

I agree that US figures seem lower than non-US - I just want to make certain we are being concise and scientific so we can get to the bottom of it all.

I wish that DC had let me purchase a standard Sprinter! My Airstream Sprinter Westfalia is the first automatic I've EVER owned - I would have been happier never having owned an automatic!

Zach

Australian conversion to MPG,..If I try to convert by US Gallon as an example the maths of principle are From liters its about 98.9 percent accurate as to the nearest decimal point.
I'd prefer to use the actual kilometer range of a vehicle driven on a full tank of fuel, refill at the end of the trip , match up the liters used and convert to miles, which gives the MPG figure.
European vehicles as such Australian imports, do have the smaller more efficient engines from the full range up from the 308 CDi up to the 616CDi manual and auto.
Fuel is of a higher quality which is a bonus to the lesser quality fuels in the US. Speed limits in Australia are strict, so 65 MPH is the top speed in most places, lower speeds, means a higher economy of fuel use careful driving also increases the end result of fuels used at the end of the month, different locations as to per say CBD,Urban, and Hi-way use , flat ground , headwinds,tire pressures and how the vehicle is maintained or even whether it's under full load or part empty, including weight distributions all give different readings.
Richard:rant:

[Altered Sprinter]

Hi zack
The figures I have quoted are based on a 313CDi manual transmission
On average I get the magic 26 miles to the gallon mark for urban traveling,
The lowest has been at twenty miles to the gallon ,but on a coastal route, lots of twisty narrow roads with as many fluctuating speed limits, the best Has been 31.? to the gallon on Midlands hi-ways super flat perfect roads and conditions, again staying at the speed limit of 65 miles per hour.
As the U.S has two engines ! Both of these will give a slightly different reading as to maximum fuel efficiency.
For example if you run a Standard Cargo van empty for X=unknown miles it will show a higher MPG ratio compared to a Westfalia fully loaded , and maybe towing a trailer, again a different type,camper will show another set of figures as I would assume both have a different load rating?
Even the cab chassis unit short and long , again another set of figures depending on which power option you use, the smaller the engine the less fuel used.
Mixes of different fuels! Use of upper cylinder Lubricants, quality engine oils, Engine management of maintenance? again will show another set of figures! based on the quality of fuels used?
If you noticed the UK Sprinters are clocking the higher figures of economic return , which engine? along with trans and loadings etc.
Just for example where my unit is involved , the manual gives a figure of returns in three category's... "Lets be honest they are to the extreme" as to how Mercedes arrived at those figures,? slow driving and being carefully, I have pushed My Sprinters passed those marks all three times and time a again, under supervision of the University of Tasmania through the CSRIO Commonwealth Division and the DOT Department of transport for emission checks, as My company's Sprinters are modified to Euro 4 and Euro 5 Emission standards.
Best suggestion would be to arrange a series of tests , using different Sprinters to arrive at a figure of Fuel returns that show the true capability's of A Sprinters fuel return U.S Style under controlled conditions Via a specific standard as the bench mark standard, that's 100% accurate.

So the figures we have showing at the moment! "Are really all over the place"
Richard