Towing MPG

KDubz

New member
Joined
Feb 7, 2015
Location
Los Angeles, CA
TDI
1998 VW Jetta TDI 5-Speed
Today I Key Gripped an interview for a product promo, and the producer had me tow a 165 amp generator to set. I averaged 33 mpg towing 2,000 lbs on the mountainous CA 101, around a 50 mile round trip. Is that about average? Technically my Jetta can't tow according to the manual ?. But it tows great, original clutch at 239k miles and .205 injectors.
 

john.jackson9213

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Mar 14, 2007
Location
Miramar, Ca. (Think Top Gun)
TDI
1996 B4V
Given the hills and the standard heavy L.A. freeway traffic anytime, I would say 33 mpg is great. Try it with and F-150 or pickup and you would get a third of that, towing or not. You would not get that good MPG if you were towing over the Grapevine or to the high desert.
For those who don't know Southern Calif. The Grapevine (Tejon Pass) and the Cajon Pass are both over 4100 feet. U.S. 101 (not CA 101) is part of the busiest freeway interchange in the country where it meets I-405. 101 freeway goes up and down quite a bit but I don't think it gets much more than 1000 feet above sea level before it hits the coast at Ventura.
 

curtludwig

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 8, 2013
Location
Winchendon, MA
TDI
1998 Jetta, 2005 Golf
I've got a tow hitch for my Jetta that I haven't installed it. I find with diesel cars that speed has a huge effect on mileage. If I keep my car down to 65mph or less I can get over 50mpg but faster than 65mph runs the mileage down fast.

I towed a car with my 2010 Dodge Ram last year, with that truck if I keep the speed to 65mph or less it'll do 20mpg (4x4, extended cab, 5.7l v8) with the car behind it on a heavy U-Haul trailer (probably in the range of 4000#) going 65mph or less because of the weight I managed 15mpg which I thought was decent all things considered...
 

twob4s

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 14, 2004
Location
Madison, WI
TDI
Passat, 1996, Blue
Towed a 5x8 enclosed U-Haul trailer from Columbus, OH to Madison, WI and got 27.1 MPG. Speed was usually between 70-75.
 

Rapidrob

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 20, 2004
Location
Edgewood,New Mexico
TDI
96' Passat Wagon
'96 Passat Wagon towing a 4x8' open trailer with 1,000 pounds of stuff in it, I got 35 mpg for a 2,000 mile trip 65-75 mph.
 

Vcreation

Active member
Joined
Aug 3, 2015
Location
Australia
TDI
13 Tiguan TDI
hi... I tow a 2000lb boat, done a 80 miles trips, about 10 miles city 70 miles highway @60mph. with 5 miles of steep mountain climbing and air conditioning on the whole way.. return about 26mpg. not sure if it's good or bad but im happy with that compare to my previous car(WRX). I cannot imagine the mpg of a V8 petrol truck.

but since the car can get about 50mpg on the highway... so towing 2000lbs almost uses DOUBLE the diesel hahaha.. I guess it's normal if u check out this review he said driving solo gets 60 and towing gets 31

https://youtu.be/AAH-8_x4SuE?t=53s
 
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clyde

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 8, 2000
Location
confluence, Snake/Clearwater
TDI
1998 Jetta, 1959 DeSoto with leopard-skin seat covers
Towed a 98 Jetta with a 98 Jetta TDI. Heavy load, kept max speed at 55. Averaged 42 mpg for 1450 miles from Newark, Calif to Lewiston, Idaho.
 

PB_NB

Veteran Member
Joined
Nov 20, 2007
Location
Vancouver, B.C.
TDI
1999 New Beetle
I haven't checked my actual mileage when pulling but it seems right that we are seeing a significant drop which would be near 50%.

Our trailer is not aerodynamic at all. It is a brick with a large frontal exposure that the Beetle shape doesn't cover.

When going down steep hills, I don't need to use the brakes because the trailer acts like a parachute. I find the ideal cruising speed seems to be 60 mph. If I push it up to 70 or 80, I can see the boost sitting at 15 psi.

This makes me think that a more aero shaped trailer would do better for my mileage.
 

tbones

Veteran Member
Joined
Dec 22, 2005
Location
Annapolis, Maryland
TDI
1996 Passat wagon tdi, 1991 Corrado TDI (sold)1983 Vanagon 7pass.GL 1.6td 1982 Westy;THE PHOENIX 1.6na(NOW JX/5speed) my partner's 2014 Jetta Sportwagon 6spd manual AND MY NEW TOY/PROJECT... Sunny, a bright yellow 87 syncro Westy with 1Z TDI motor
I tow A 2000 pound sailboat and trailer combination from DC to Maine in my B4V every other year or so. I have to drive it extremely gently because the clutch is starting to go. I let my sister put the boat in and pull it out of the water, so as not to tear up what’s left of my clutch. My wagon has about 250,000 miles on it original clutch, and I have since added a chip and bigger injectors so if I step into it too much it slips. All that said, I averaged over 35 mpg from DC to Maine and back. These are driving at very conservative speeds...Not going over 60 mph
 
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