A recreational vehicle is one of the most cost-effective and enjoyable modes of transportation. Summer and spring are considered the official RV seasons. This brings with it boundless fun and a bundle of joy.
However, there are some additional costs that must be considered. The highest percentage of your expenses is covered by fuel prices. Saving fuel consumption is always a major concern as global fuel prices continue to rise. Some RVers plan their schedules based on fuel costs, but full-time RVer has no choice but to spend the majority of their budget on tank refills.
It is both economical and affordable to limit your fuel consumption. It will eventually reduce the operating costs of the vehicle.
But don’t let the high cost of gasoline derail your trip. Instead, learn some interesting RV fuel saving tips for a more cost-effective trip. We’ve covered some of the most useful tricks that can save you a lot of money by increasing your fuel mileage or decreasing your fuel consumption.
8 Ways To Save Fuel With Your RV
Given the rising fuel cost, it is crucial to get the most out of your RV by using it efficiently. RV’s performance can be improved by adjusting minor details. However, saving every mile allows you to save a significant amount of money in the long run. So, in this section, we will share some incredible yet cost-effective tips and tricks for saving extra fuel while traveling with your RV.
If you’re looking for the best RV fuel saving tips, we’ve got plenty. There are numerous methods that you can all try. And, depending on the usage, one can easily determine which methods work best for their respective RVs.
Here are the eight ways to save some extra bucks on fuel.
#1. Reduce Your Vehicle’s Load
Every tiny item you load on your RV adds up a momentary value to your vehicle’s load. Hence, you add up using a little more fuel. So, if you are planning for a long trip, then you must carry minimum essentials along with you. The essentials are decided based on their priorities. It is more fuel efficient to keep your carry your vehicle with the lowest possible weight. One tip that you must follow is to stock all the heavy supplies. You must shop more rather than stocking every food item. Also, avoid carrying huge plastic bottles and jars as they add up a lot of weight. So, getting rid of the things which you haven’t used within the last 6 months will save you some pump refills.
#2. Place Your RV In Storage
Do not park your RV for too long. Instead, park it in storage to use it more often. Before refueling your tank, make sure to add a fuel stabilizer along with the fuel. The fuel stabilizer prevents all the injectors and moving components from being damaged. It even protects your RV engine from undergoing the condensation process.
Regardless of where you park your RV, always make sure to use it at least once a month. This prevents the engine from being corroded and maintains a proper quantity of lubricant.
#3. Plan Your Trip Carefully
Before starting your trip, you must take a day out to plan the complete roadmap. This includes selecting the best routes to follow the RV fuel saving tips. You must plan your route considering the traffic situation nearby. This is because the RV consumes more fuel while starting and stopping the RV.
As compared to traveling at a constant speed. Keeping a mileage calculator handy to evaluate the cost is another efficient RV fuel saving tips.
#4. Keep Your Tires Properly Inflated
Properly inflated tires can also help you save some cost fuel. This is because the under-inflated tire burns a lot of fuel due to the increased friction and surface area. The inflation rate depends upon your RVs size and capacity. Checking your tire pressure every day before starting your trip can be helpful. The average psi can be found on the sidewall of your RVs tire. Make sure to check the tire’s pressure when they are cold.
#5. Make Use Of The Fuel-Saving Applications
Another interesting RV fuel-saving tip is to use fuel-saving applications. Yes, you heard it right. We have various fuel-saving applications that operate through smartphones. The most useful gas applications are- Gas Buddy and Get Upside. These applications let you save a lot of money, time, and effort, all at the same time. Through Gad Buddy, you can search for low fuel prices nearby. It is available for both iOS and Android users. It hunts for the best deals which in turn saves you some extra bucks. While selecting the cheapest rates, make sure that the fuel pump is highly equipped for RVs as well.
#6. Plan Regular Service And Maintenance
It may sound typical but small things can help you to save your RVs fuel consumption. Planning regular and standard maintenance increases the overall efficiency of your RV. Various instances prove the importance of ensuring healthy maintenance for your RV. For example, a choked air filter is capable of reducing your fuel efficiency by nearly about 10%. Moreover, an engine tune-up can also hamper your fuel efficiency by 20%. So, in short, you must schedule regular maintenance services to increase your RV fuel economy.
#7. Set Up The Wind Deflectors
RVs’ architectural design and model have a lot to do with fuel consumption, but wind deflectors make a huge difference. It helps you to experience improved fuel mileage as it restricts the wind from cutting down the same. A good wind reflector cuts down most of the wind resistance thus ensuring a smooth journey with low fuel consumption. On average, a wind reflector can increase your mileage by about 0.2-3 miles per gallon. The wind deflector is even useful for removing the rock chips in between the hoods. Besides the wind deflector, you can also use the rooftop air deflector, window deflectors, hood deflectors, etc.
#8. Maintain A Slower Pace
RVs are inefficient in terms of aerodynamics. So, the faster you drive, the more wind resistance you will encounter. Driving fast may cost you an exponential fuel usage and in turn, drains your tank quickly. This can even make things worse when you encounter high-power winds at high speed. Ideally, your speed must be under 65 miles per hour to make efficient use of your fuel. Even if you drive 5-6 mph less, you can easily save 4-5 miles per gallon. This is helpful when you travel long distances. This can be done by following the secondary route. If you succeed in maintaining a constant speed of around 60-65 miles per hour, you can increase your RV’s fuel efficiency. `
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. Which is the most efficient way to conserve fuel?
Avoiding high speed and maintaining a constant pace is the most efficient way to lower your fuel cost. Also, avoid aggressive driving which includes unnecessary speeding and braking immediately.
Q. What is the fuel-saving speed for an RV?
The most energy-saving and fuel-economic speed is around 55-60 miles per hour. Any speed slower or faster than this would decrease your fuel efficiency. Increasing more and more speed effectively reduces 40% of your fuel economy.
Q. When should we fill the tank when it is half-filled or empty?
It is ideally recommended to refuel your tank when the fuel level remains a quarter. This is one of the best RV fuel-saving tips where you can enjoy some additional mileage for your RV.
Q. How to prevent the fuel from evaporating while traveling with an RV?
Fuel consumption automatically increases while traveling during high temperatures. This is due to the gas evaporation that usually occurs during summers. To avoid this, you can refuel your tank in the morning or the evening when the temperature is quite low.
Q. Which gives better mileage, a full tank or an empty tank?
As stated above, carrying additional weights can reduce your vehicle’s fuel efficiency. Although a full tank reduces the risk of facing issues with water as it provides no space for condensation, you should still lessen your vehicle’s load for high mileage.
Final Words
In current times where you can do nothing to control the gas or fuel prices, you can think differently. Practicing some tricks and tips can help you with efficient fuel management. These tricks include smart travel planning for all your needs. We have shared various tips and some of them can also be used in your everyday life and not just for your RVs. You can always find some unique ways to save your money irrespective of the current fuel prices. So, do try them out and enjoy your RV rides without worrying about fuel consumption.
