Reasonable MPG expectation?

I'm considering buying a used 2008 3500 extended mega roof. One of the big motivating factors is fuel mileage over my current truck. I've done a ton of searching on MPG and have not really found anything specific. Best guess is comparing to what some of the RV conversions are posting. Is 17-18 mpg a reasonable expectation for the 3500 ext. mega roof with a moderate load at freeway speeds?

Thanks

I have a 2008 Navion, 2007 Dodge, and we consistently average 16+ on camping trips including all kinds of driving with a weight of 11,000 lbs with freeway speeds generally kept to 60-65mph.

Most of this is a minimum of 200-300 miles per day, or 0 miles, in other words very few short trips. As with any diesel, short trips on cold starts will kill your mileage.

A van would have a lot less wind resistance, so 17 should be achievable, if there isn't too much stop & start city driving in the mix. 18 might be optimistic.

However, it depends on so many factors including load, tires, maintenance, road conditions, winds, driving style, trip length, hills, etc

We have a 2012 tall and long MB Sprinter 3500 with a PleasureWay RV conversion and a loaded weight of 10,020 including full tanks, fully stocked for travel and 2 adults plus a large dog. When running on a level freeway holding at 57mph we achieve 20 to 22 mpg. Last summer we toured the canyons of Utah which was mostly mountain driving and for the whole month of the trip we averaged 18 mpg. A friend of ours borrowed the van and was amazed when he was able to get 20 mpg traveling on the highway at 70 to 75 mph. Good luck with your new van; we really enjoy ours.

I have a std length, hi roof 2011 2500. Mostly stop and go traffic, some freeway speed up in the "mountains". I get 19.5 pretty much all the time. 18 if I have a lead foot. Hard to do better than about 20.5, even on long range freeway cruising.

2014 144" 3500, lightly loaded, estimate 65%/35% freeway/city driving. Over the past 4000 miles, I'm at 20.5 mpg. On freeway, I note that best mileage is attained lower than 65. No one in SoCal drives 65, so I'm usually at 70-ish. I try to keep a light foot and make an effort to drive conservative.

2014 144 2500 high top. Lightly loaded crew van.

Just finished doing a short run from Livermore to Lost Hills, California. At 60 mph, no a/c, I was able to get 29.61 mpg.
On the return trip, I did 70 mph with a/c on full blast the whole way up from Lost Hills to Livermore, California. 19.52 mpg.

I probably could've gotten better mileage since the wind was blowing pretty fierce on the way back. This was 194 mile trip each way.

I did do a trip from San Diego to Lost Hills at 70 - 75 mph with a/c on full blast and it gave me 21.12 mpg. This was a 304 mile trip.


Now I have a reason to drive 60 mph.

Direction change, I found a good deal on a 2008 2500 170" Passenger van. Long drive home from Florida. First full tank, all freeway with cruise set at 75 mph except about 30 minutes of stop and go through Atlanta it averaged 17.95 mpg.

BC61 said:

Direction change, I found a good deal on a 2008 2500 170" Passenger van. Long drive home from Florida. First full tank, all freeway with cruise set at 75 mph except about 30 minutes of stop and go through Atlanta it averaged 17.95 mpg.

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High roof I'm assuming? 17.9 seems good if you ask me

yes, high roof and ac on top!

I've tracked every drop of fuel since I took delivery 7900 miles ago on a 2015 RT CS (2014 MB chassis) with 6 cyl/5 spd. Incremental (virtually meaningless) fuel mileage ranged from a low of 15 (very short mileage duration, dealer for maintenance) to a high of 20. Cumulative MPG is 17.44. Mileage includes Xcountry trip at speeds of 65-75, mostly with A/C on. Thereafter most miles have been in Cascades Mountains...not flat land.

I count on 23-24mpg. Have 12kmi on the 2014 144hi. Wind plays a huge role in mpg. Big head winds will drop me to 18mpg. Normal hwy at 65 I get 26.