Any 30 mpg vans you can recommend for camping?

[RustyLugNut]

It is the smallest one they made at 118 inch wheel base and a short roof. At 62 mph, it can reach 30 mpg with it's 2.7 L diesel and 5 speed automatic transmission. Fuel efficiency plummets as you go faster. Vans are shaped like boxes.

My in laws have a Honda Odyssey with an engine that shuts off cylinders at low load. It can exceed 30 mpg, but not at 65. It seems to turn on all cylinders at about 60 on flat terrain.

[Hersbird]

The diesel vans would be the Sprinter either Mercedes or Dodge, the Transit has a diesel option, and the Promasters have a diesel option. There is also a full size GM van with the new 2.7 Duramax they put in the Colorado. All those Van's will be pricey.

As far as the 30 mpg Caravan, we have a 2011 Town and country we took on a vacation a few years back, I kept it to 55 mpg and ran a 250 mile each way up and back loop and got just a tad under 30 mpg hand calculated. That was in the mountains of Western Montana. We have LRR tires at 50 psi and about 85k miles on it, used the "eco" mode and just took it easy.

[Fat Charlie]

I think picking a target mpg is working backawards.

Start with "I want to do x,y and z". Then see how efficiently you can do that.

[Hersbird]

Originally Posted by Fat Charlie

I think picking a target mpg is working backawards.

Start with "I want to do x,y and z". Then see how efficiently you can do that.

And as the original post seemed to talk of eco as in economy not ecology, spending thousands more to save what will amount to hundreds of dollars wouldn't be economical.
Van A driven 10,000 miles a year getting 30 mpg saves $360 a year at today's prices vs van B getting 20 mpg. You will save way more by getting a van with a kitchen and actually using it out on the road vs stopping at restaurants.

[Hersbird]

I do totally get wanting to get better mpg. We do this game all the time with our almost annual pilgrimage to Yellowstone park. Luckily we live pretty close, 300 miles or so each way. When we make a quick 3 night trip the math on bringing the camper starts to be tight. We used to be lucky to get 8 mpg and gas a over $3/gal so it cost $260 in gas and $90 for 3 nights at the campground. That is pushing the cost of 3 nights hotel in West Yellowstone and no stress towing. Now I can get 13 mpg, diesel is less, and we may downsize to a popup where we could get over 20 mpg. So camping is a no brainer, especially considering the better location than where the hotels are.

Someday when it's just my wife and I and I'm retired we will get a class B diesel van and go all over the US and Canada and Alaska.

[freebeard]

Boat Tail Cargo Box.


....with wheelie bars.

[Fat Charlie]

I'm a big fan of mpg. But a camper of any sort is a lot of weight and space no matter which way you cut it, and space is what you're looking for. The 2011 and newer Dodge platform is a good one even without mods- get a curtain, block the side and rear windows, throw in a cot, cassette toilet and a chuck box, and you're in business.

[User1]

Another option I'm leaving myself is to get a city van like the Ford Transit Connect or Ram ProMaster City, or Nissan NV200. Basically it's the smallest cargo vans on the road (US). These also are rated at 28-29 mpg on the highway.

Seems like a mini van or city van that is rated at ~28 mpg can do 30 mpg by pumping the tires up to rated max on the tires. If not 30, pretty dang close!

Oh yeah, I ran across this van that I just had to share;
69 Dodge Panel Van

[freebeard]

Did you buy that yet?

The slant six has the intake and exhaust on the uphill side, on the downhill side IIRC an oil filter. That would be a good location for a GM E-Assist retrofit.

[Fat Charlie]

[QUOTE=User1;636044
Seems like a mini van or city van that is rated at ~28 mpg can do 30 mpg by pumping the tires up to rated max on the tires. If not 30, pretty dang close!
[/QUOTE]

Actually, every vehicle ever can outperform its EPA rating by adjusting the nut behind the wheel. Modding the vehicle helps, but the driver is where the real numbers happen.