Yahoo Message Number: 56995 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/56995)
My wife and I are the proud new owners (as of October) of a 40' 2006 Inspire with a CAT 9 diesel engine. We love everything about our new coach...except the fuel mileage. We are only getting about 6 MPG and I'm thinking it should be a lot better than that. We had it weighed and we're fine there plus the tire pressure is OK.
Love this forum and appreciate any answers or suggestions that you veterans can offer.
Thanks, Jack
51672
Yahoo Message Number: 56996 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/56996)
check your turbo boost pressure if it is not in the normal range your mpg will be down as well as your power.
Tommy Townsend
2006 magna #6584
Yahoo Message Number: 56997 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/56997)
Jack,
We have an 05 Ispire and get average of 7.2-7.8. MPG if I stay between 50-58 no faster. When we go 60 plus MPH our MPG plummet to just over 6 MPG.I am not sure what else to tell you except the Allison Tech. told us to forget about using the economy selection on the panel to your left. The reason not to use the Economy Selection is it tends to keep the transmission in to high a gear, can cause over heating and stressing the engine. Tire pressure shoulkd be 120 pounds per tire.
Jack, I am just sharing what we do. We have about 65,000 miles on our Inspire and love it. My knowledge of the Transmission and the Engine is I know where they are. I just want to stick the key in turn to the right and everything ready to go.
Stan Inspire 2005
Yahoo Message Number: 56999 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/56999)
While there is an appeal to just cruising along . . . just sticking the key in, turning it to the right, and going . . . IMHO, you can improve MPG with good driving technique (Cat, Cummins, Detroit, whatever), enough to keep money in your pocket.
That is how I approach it, and to me, it actually makes the driving that much more interesting.
To each his own.
--
Lee Zaborowski
07 Intrigue 12153
Yahoo Message Number: 57000 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57000)
MPG
C-9
5.1-5.5
5.6-6.0 3 6.1-6.5 0 6.6-7.0 3 7.1-7.5 4 7.6-8.0 1
Jack, see above for what 11 Cat owners have reported for C9 MPG. If your 'about 6 MPG' was a high 6 MPG, then that would seem to be typical.
Also, I'm told you need to get above 30,000 miles before you see your best MPG. I've go 26,000 miles and the MPG is still climbing.
--
Lee Zaborowski
C-13
Yahoo Message Number: 57001 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57001)
We have our '04 Inspire for just two years. We have put 18,000 miles on her and she has 66,000 in total. Our average is now 8.7 MPG for the two years. I set the cruise at 58 and rarely go over 60 (why, I'm retired so what's the rush). I think a big part of it is the starting and stopping. I keep the tach under 2,000 rpm as I go through the hears. For those of you who remember, I did take the mudflap off and gained about 4/10 of a mpg.
George
'04 Inspire 51061
Yahoo Message Number: 57002 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57002)
Jack
We also have an 06 Inspire and have 38,000 miles. Our average supplied by the engine ECM is 6.7mpg over the total miles. We drive between 60 and 65 mph. I have checked consistently, when getting fuel, and you should get about plus or minus 1 from that number, we do.
Ned Herrmann
06 Inspire 51677
Yahoo Message Number: 57003 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57003)
George, I assume you have a C-9, and your 8.7 puts you at the top of the class! Bravo!
Lee Z
Yahoo Message Number: 57004 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57004)
Nope, Cummins 360, always been a Cummins guy.
George
Yahoo Message Number: 57005 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57005)
George: Did u make it to the keys out your driveway? Coldest winter down there in 52 years. Suffering the same in central Fl. Have a good winter. Barrie Boas 94 Concept 5111
Yahoo Message Number: 57007 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57007)
Barry,
Didn't make it to the Keys (again). Last year I broke my wrist. This year we got out of Delaware and reached South Carolina. There I ended up in the ER with a case of bleeding ulcers. Not really a big deal but I got the message that the Keys were off limits.
Sorry to hear about the cold weather but it had to be better than up here.
George
Yahoo Message Number: 57008 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57008)
Jack,
Welcome aboard. I have been tracking every drop of fuel in my coach since Jan. of 2007. I have attached an excel spread sheet showing my mileage. I know other claim all kinds of mileage numbers, however, these are real life numbers. I also drive 58 to 60 mph. Tire pressure is 115 front and rear. As you can see we have traveled at altitude and at sea level.
George who has the Cummins has the 350 Cummins in the 2004 Inspire and should get better mileage.
I hope you have as great experience with your 06 as we have with our 05. Just don't expect to get 8,9,or10 mph that some claim to be getting.
Hope these numbers help
Jock Vargo
2005 Inspire Da Vinci
51428
Yahoo Message Number: 57011 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57011)
Jock
Loved your attachment, one question?
Why did you only put in 20 gal. at Tims?
I did the same thing to get out of Canada.
Frank Allure 31425 wet
Yahoo Message Number: 57012 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57012)
Jack I read your spread sheet. I am amazed we have not crossed paths, we hang out at the same fuel stops!
Jim Spivey 31432 Allure Cuming get same milage as Jack.
Yahoo Message Number: 57013 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57013)
Jock:
Now thata's the way to do it, reaal world defensible data. Good job!
You are getting an average of about 0.3mpg better than us. We must use the generator a lot; both the genset and engine are wthin a few hours of operation versus each other.
Bob (rthandren@...)
'05 Inspire 51178
Yahoo Message Number: 57016 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57016)
George - are you using any correction factors? Is this an actual value from miles driven versus fuel purchased or from the ECM or Silverleaf?
We drive at similar speeds to thode you indicated and have never gotten as high you have. Last week we drove to Miami with a 30+mph tail wind! As near I can estimate (one tank is not really an average but I was able to refill at the same pump I filled with before the round trip) we still didn't break into even the 7's (6.7mpg). High 8's is amazing.
Bob (rthandren@...)
'05 Inspire 51178
Yahoo Message Number: 57017 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57017)
With right at 40,000 miles on our coach, all things considered between 6 and 7 is about right. Never had 8, been in the 5's with things like headwinds.
My mileage assumes no "correction factors" which some folks use. 6 is the real world for most. I doubt there is anything wrong with your numbers or engine. Pollution controls, turbos making lots of power and a heavy coach take fuel to work.
Beware claims of high values like 10. One tank is not an average and even a slight lean while filling can have a large effect on how much fuel gets in before cutting off. Applying factors for geneator use or values displayed by something like a Silveleaf ae nice but the only true value is miles driver divided by fuel consumed as taken from a number of fillups.
Bob (rthandren@...)
'05 Inspire 51178
Yahoo Message Number: 57020 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57020)
My 2005 Inspire C9 engined 36 footer has 4 slides and 35,000 miles on it and has averaged 7.3 mpg since new. This includes some generator use while almost always towing a Grand Cherokee and on occasion a three horse trailer weighing about 8,000# loaded. Water and propane tanks are usually full. The worst it has gotten is about 6.5 mpg in the mountains and it has gotten 8 once towing the car. It got 9 once running without any tow vehicle going to Oregon and back to Sacramento but that was only one single tank not the average for the trip. Most driving is at about 62 mph or 65 if my wife is driving. Running at 65 the mileage drops about 0.25 mpg. Running at 55 to 58 or so did not make any difference when measuring single tank economy. That was a disappointment so I stepped it up after that trial.
My first coach was a Gulfstream class C 24 footer with a Ford 460 and it got 7.2 average with the horse trailer in tow. The coach weighed about 10,000# so you can see that the Diesel is much more efficient.
There were two vendors at Quartzsite this year who had hydrogen generators and claimed mileage improvements of up to 80% for their $2,500 gadgets. Does anyone have any experience with these? I understand that you can mount vortex breakers vertically along the sides at the rear of the coach and improve mileage and stability if you don't mind the dorky look.
Bob
2005 Inspire 51394
Yahoo Message Number: 57026 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57026)
I have a 2006 Inspire with a C-9. My coach has ~37,000 miles, and I have kept detailed fuel records for the past 27,000 miles. In that time I have averaged 7 mpg (okay - 6.965). That is based on miles driven divided by the number of gallons on the pump when fueling. If adjusted for generator usage at .4 gph, my mileage is 7.3 mpg. Unadjusted numbers range from 5.1 to 8.8 mpg - note the 8.8 was an all day drive with a 45 mph tailwind. Before I get corrected, I know that calculating to 3 decimal positions is not statistically valid - I'm just not a statistically valid kind of guy. I do think that calculations over that number of miles gives an accurate picture.
I drive at 60 mph using cruise control, and I always use economy mode on the transmission.
Phil Webb, '06 Inspire #51836
Yahoo Message Number: 57027 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57027)
I have one of those gallons vs miles charts also. I get about the same result with a 31,000 lb rig and a toad. Generator use is only 500 hrs for this time period.
Miles Gall MPG
2003 6,062 858 7.06
2004 6,387 914 6.99
2005 10,482 1,368 7.66
2006 5,273 756 6.97
2007 8,517 1,173 7.26
2008 2,962 431 6.88
2009 5,001 703 7.12
Cumm 38,632 5,345 7.23
Dean
95 Magna 5280
300 HP Cummins
Yahoo Message Number: 57028 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57028)
Ooops. Chart formatting does not work well on this message board.
Sorry.
Dean
95 Magna 5280
Yahoo Message Number: 57034 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57034)
2000 to mid-2003 - 23,309 miles - 2,948 gallons = 7.908 MPG
Mid-2003 to 2009 - 34,681 miles - 3,899 gallons = 8.893 MPG
Reason for the separation in date ranges is switched to synthetic oil in the engine. (But not the transmission.)
Overall total is:
2000 thru 2009 - 57,990 miles - 6,847 gallons = 8.469 MPG
Have decided a long time ago that 62 mph was ideal running point. Try never to exceed 65. Currently have 74,249 on the Magna and I rarely run the generator - 50 hrs or so over the years and that was mostly just for maintenance sake or a quick meal or pot of coffee at a rest stop.
Mike Cebula
'95 Magna 5266
Yahoo Message Number: 57040 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57040)
On the "synthetic oil" subject, I have a 1993 Toyota Land Cruiser with 225,000 miles on it, great toad. It has always had bad mileage, old tractor engine in it, but I improved mileage by changing the (involved and extensive) drive train to synthetic. Hauling all that rotating machinery around really kills the mileage. With synthetic oil in the transfer case and both overbuilt axles I picked up about two MPG.
Jack Nichols, 2003 Intrigue 11527
Yahoo Message Number: 57061 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57061)
My wife and I took posession of our 98 Intrigue and we our currently out on our maiden voyage in it. We are currently getting about 12 mpg. We are not towing anything but still very pleased with the mileage.
Steve
98 Intrigue #10557
Yahoo Message Number: 57065 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57065)
Steve:
Very envious of those numbers; the older diesel coaches can't be beat for economy, one of the reasons we decided to go diesel in 2002. Too bad we missed good years, turbos (it takes fuel to make that hp) and pollution controls have really cut into the basic economy of diesel engines plus folks want multiple slides and more, more, more weight.
From the numbers people have been posting, for our first generation Cat ACERT engine it appears the pollution controls cost 1-2 mpg. I have heard that the gen 2 ACERTs gain a bit of that back but nothing like the double digits of days gone by. Man, that is nearly double our average.
Bob (rthandren@...)
'05 Inspire 51178
Yahoo Message Number: 57071 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57071)
Mike:
Your switch from regular engine oil to synthetic improved your mileage by 12.5% which is really great but at what cost? How often did you change the regular oil and how often do you change the synthetic oil and what is the cost for the synthetic? Country Coach and Cat advised to change regular oil annually.
I have asked two Amzoil dealers what their advice is and they say change it annually too. It would seem to me that the synthetic should last longer since it is more stable and heat resistant.
Bob
2005 Inspire 51394
Auburn, CA
Yahoo Message Number: 57072 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57072)
Jack,
In all the discussion that followed your question about poor gas mileage, I may have missed seeing someone suggest that poor mileage can be caused by a bad fan controller which keeps the hydralic cooling fan running at full speed. Are your engine temps always below an approximate 190-205 range, i.e., fan overcools the engine. When parked with the A/C off, and the engine running, will the fan hold a 8.5x11 sheet of paper against the grill -- i.e., running at full speed? Both are signs that a portion of the engine power is going to the hydralic pump, and reducing your MPG -- approx one MPG.
Herb
2007 Allure 430 #31466
Forum Moderator
Yahoo Message Number: 57073 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57073)
Jack,
The C9 Cat went thru a number of different ECM programs in an effort to improve economy and drivability. We previously had an '06 Inspire with C9 and within the first 12 months Cat changed the program 4 times. A re-flash to the latest (at the time) certainly helped.
coriwelsh
08 Allure 31611 with ISL power
Yahoo Message Number: 57105 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57105)
Bob,
Every 6 - 12K or so (depends on how much I use it in a year) I pull a sample and send it in for analysis. If OK, I then replace the Gulf Coast Bypass Filter I have and replace only the 6 quarts lost doing that. It's enough to replenish additives and get a fresh filter in. So far, the lab analysis has always been very good and didn't even require the 6 quart update - but I do that anyway. The oil is about $6-7 per quart depending on where I get it. The lab analysis is around $20. Has varied over the years.
I documented my entire procedure in a previous writeup.
Mike Cebula
'95 Magna 5266
Yahoo Message Number: 57009 (http://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Country-Coach-Owners/conversations/messages/57009)
I had to comment on the mileage results of everybody. I think there are two major factors:
1.------- Relax enjoy your coach and set the cruise at about 55 MPH, DO NOT GO OVER 60 ---- MILEAGE PLUMMETS
2. ------- Hurry up and get to 50,000 plus miles. We have 65,000 miles and I can see the improvement in the performance of the Engine/Trans.
Stan Canaris Inspire 2005 --- 51406
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