Fuel Consumption Question: Motorway vs 2 Laned Road (1 Viewer)

[FrCrilly]

Hi All,

I have a 1989 Ford Transit Camper weighing approximately 3 tonnes. I’m planning a journey and have 2 possible options:

Go 269km/167miles by Motorway
Or
Go 188km/117miles by two laned road with little overtaking opportunities in which I’ll have to slow down to go through a number of towns and villages.

From a fuel efficiency point of view, can I ask forum users for opinions on a general rule of thumb ratio of how much extra distance is justified by favouring motorway over two laned roads.

Possibly a tricky one, but any help will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks In Advance for All Responses

 

[vwalan]

hi, personaly i would take the scenic route .if you are in a hurry take the motorway .the difference would be so close its not like you are going 1,000 mls.
its nice i find to take the old roads you are in an oldish camper enjoy the drive slow down . life is always an adventure. for work it may be we take the motorway ,but enjoy the ride look at the houses see the people. smile be happy.
cheers alan.
the cost difference is only money.

 

[Aspenshaw]

Can't comment on your van or style of driving. For me it would be much more fuel efficient to take the lesser miles. On the motorway I can get 6.6 miles for every litre (about 30mph) averaging just over 50mph [actual speed can vary up to 65mph]. On other roads, I can get 6.2 miles for every litre, possibly 6.4.

I use these figures as a rule of thumb. I often do the same calculation that you are contemplating. If there is little to choose, I tend to prefer motorways as they are safer and less chance of speeding. However, rural travels can be pretty seductive ....

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[atakd]

I get similar economy to Aspenshaw, making the two-laner the choice. Not necessarily quicker though, but more interesting and a lot less chance of nodding off if your tired.

 

[dazzer]

Is this just a matter of interest question or are you really that concerned about the amount of fuel you might save??

 

[bevo]

fuel cosumption

another thing to consider is that you get cheaper jungle juice on the 2 lane roads, and you can stop when you like.

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[hilldweller]

Go 188km/117miles by two laned road with little overtaking
Thanks In Advance for All Responses

You'll soon learn overtaking is not much of an option.

Relax, go slow, enjoy.

 

[pappajohn]

theres little chance of saving 50 miles worth of fuel over such a short distance on a motorway as opposed to A roads.:thumb:

 

[buyer]

personaly if i was driving something as small as a transit and i wanted to save fuel i would definately stick to a roads(which are kinder to vans of this age and also possibly better for fuel consumption due to the slower speeds).also its more interesting on a roads and far less boring.unfortunately this is not a viable option when you drive an rv as the size and weight of these things makes it difficult to get into double figures in mpg on anything less than motorways/dual cariageways.even saying this on such a short journey i think even an rv could use more fuel on the longer motorway trip:thumb:

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[Snowbird]

There was a saying several years ago in the American vehicle community when fuel prices started becoming an issue"We got em so we gota run em" which I think applies to the motorhome fraternaty.
Dont take fuel economy so seriously and its far better to take the route that suits you.

 

[DESCO]

Personally would always choose the A roads far more interesting, only use motorways on longer trips, to save time, motor-homing is my hobby I consider enjoyment first.


Dave :thumb::thumb:

 

[ourcampersbeentrashed]

Dependent on the motorway the A roads are far quicker.

M25 is a prime example

and the motorway scenery is pretty boring too

Best wishes and good luck

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[Marrwyck]

For what it's worth, here's my view :

As an HGV Class 1 driver, for work I meander around taking the most appropriate route to my destination and drive the vehicle in a sensible manner.

Now if I'm in my car or driving our Knaus motorhome I still meander around and I take the more scenic and appropriate route to our destination.

The beauty of a motorhome is a thing called Polly.
You can pull over anytime you like, fill Polly up, put her on and when she's boiled you can then sit down with a nice cuppa and watch the world go by

Now if you are really concerned about MPG and cost of fuel, get yourself a moped.

If your interested in leisure then a motorhome is fantastic

If you are looking at fuel consuption there are many factors to saving fuel.

I roughly average between 30 to 35mpg.
I keep the weight of the van at a sensible rate, I drive steady and with a 6 speed box I can anticipate and drive accordingly to the hills etc just as if I was driving an artic.

No way am I saying I'm a bettter driver, I just think different.
I've never been a speeder, I always go at the pace of a snail

Scenic routes are fantastic, just think what you may see.
Motorways, dual carriageways have their place, but not much to look at and think how mnay times you sit in long jams.

The other week while on a very quiet road in Wales we had a Red Kite flying about
10 - 15 feet above our van. Would that happen on the motorway?

While parked near a river, we saw a baby deer feeding nearby?
Would that happen on the motorway?

In our opinion scenic routes are simply the best :thumb:

Whatever route you decide to take, enjoy.
Remember you can never get lost, because you don't know where you are heading oh: