Towing my Amerilite 21 with GMC Envoy

[Karalyn]

I am having a problem towing this camper. I get 18 MPG without towing and only 7 MPG towing with my 02 Envoy, Vortec 4.2 V6
What are others getting?
I was told by salesman that towing would not be a problem, but I am forgoing my snowbird experiance until I know WHY the trailer is causing such low gas mileage for my SUV. My retirement may be sitting home in the cold this winter :(
IS THIS NORMAL????
Thanks for any answers.

[TUPFAM]

Towing a full height TT will cause horrible gas mileage on any TV. The only thing that will help is to reduce your speed. I tow with a F150 5.4L and get 9-10 MPG while towing.

[Roy Buzzard]

Yes, that is normal when towing, I get 8-9MPG

[Karalyn]

thanks for the replies. I am rethinking owning one of these gulfstreams. I was told that gas mileage would not drop much so I bought one. WOW. I can't afford to go south this winter. :cry:

[keithinspace]

Hate to say it, but your issues with towing mileage is NOT the fault of Gulf Stream or some defficiency in their camper. They are particularly light-weight campers and don't have any extra height.

I'd politely offer that your tow vehicle is borderline inadequate. I have the 300 hp 5.4L and optional 3.73 gears in my Expedition. I get ~18 on interstate, ~14 around town, and ~9 while towing my 255BH.

I had a 4Runner with towing capabilities just a little lower than your truck. At the time, I had a 5,000# boat I towed around. Got over 20 MPG without a trailer and, literally, 4 MPG while pulling that boat at 60 MPH.

Trailers weigh a lot and catch a lot of wind. A V6 is not the way to go, that's for sure. Only a lighter/lower trailer will improve mileage. Unless you go diesel, there really is no way to get much over 10 MPG with any tow vehicle while pulling a full-size travel trailer of any length.

Whoever told you that your mileage wouldn't drop that much was obviously trying to sell you a trailer! And don't think that buying another brand of equal trailer will help...this is a simple matter of physics.

[Karalyn]

thanks so much for that reply. I guess I never realized that all these bigger trailers going down the road being hauled by whatever, were getting that bad of mileage. My next car/truck will be a v-8 for sure.
It kinda boiles down to do I want to tow or motel it. I would rather tow my buggless(bed bug scare these days) behind me and sleep in my own bed.
I recently found out that motels do not wash those bedspreads after each use. I can only begin to emagine what might be lurking there! YUK
I definately will take towing with lower gas mileage over sleeping somewhere where I have no idea what or who slept there last night, or the night before.

[Midniteoyl]

You should find a shop that can help reprogram your engine and transmission for towing. You can eek out few more mpg and get longer transmission life.