Quote:
Originally Posted by Hersbird
I also disagree the average employee driving the bosses 7.3 van gets anywhere near 18 mpg. No doubt you could, but an average nut behind the wheel Wilmington be lucky to see 12-13, probably less then 10 on an airport shuttle van.
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I am not sure on the 18MPG but the gas vans get 12-13. gas powered box vans get 8-10. The 7.3 diesel is a real monster and is used in quite large shuttle buses with plenty of power to even tow a trailer behind. Even some drivers of the smaller shuttle buses claim to get 17MPG on the highway, 11+ in town. Unmodified, the diesel van gets 17-22. Even people who have added a power chip say they get 18, so I think 18 is a reasonable claim...and of course as an RV most driving will be highway.
I think that you are right about the greater frontal area. Squaring off the corners and raising it up a bit will, no doubt, reduce aerodynamics. A pop-top on a standard van is just not reasonable. My family needs more space, and I will not be taking my family around the country in a tacky pop-top van. Sprinter vans are a bit less tacky and a bit better on fuel. They might tempt me, but most are unibody so they limit the modifications possible.