I had to tow a 2001 Kia Sportage 4x4 to an insurance salvage auction yesterday. This thing was a real mess. I loaded it up on my car trailer and headed for Vegas.

The car trailer tires have been on it since 1995. I knew they were not great, and while I'm down in Vegas, I'd get new ones installed. I kept my speeds to about 60 mph for most of the trip. I did run 65 mph for the last 10 miles.

I have no idea on what the Kia weighs ? It has to be over 3000 lbs. My trailer is 2000 lbs.

I arrived at my destination, and watched them unload the wreck with a huge forklift, right through the side doors, & roof. Loading it was alot of fun for me. I have a 10,000 lb. winch on the trailer. Both front wheels were ripped off of it. I winched it up on both front lower control arms.

After unloaded, I jumped on the freeway, headed for a refuel and new trailer tires. I averaged 14.17 MPG for 229 miles. 194 miles of loaded towing, and the rest empty. :-)

I was pretty happy with the mileage. This is on a bone stock 2001 L with 35,000 miles on her.


Flame Away!!!! :-)
https://www.f150online.com/galleries...5980&anum=3309

-----------------
Rick

 

towing wiht your lightning? thats hould be a crime. j/k ..actually I took my hitch off so I have no way of towing anything, I did it on purpose so no one would ever ask me to pull something or them. Plus my 3/4 drop wouldn't apreciate the load on the rear end much.

 

I seem to average 14 to 15 "country" driving. A little lower if I run it harder. 14 is pretty good towing, but you weren't towing much.

 

Ummm........Here's a link to Kia America that lists the weight of what I was towing.

http://www.kia.com/sportage/sportage-specs.shtml

Oh..........I was off on my guess........Curb weight is :
3352 lbs +
2000 lbs =
---------------
5352 + Whatever my '01 L weighed with tools, fuel & me ? Probably over 5000 lbs.

So..........a GCVW (Gross combined vehicle weight) of 10,352 lbs ?

Yeah,............I guess I wasn't towing much and 14+ is not all that great with that little of weight. :-)

Someone help me if my new math is wrong. heehee

 

That's great MPG!!! I get like 12 and do a lot of highway driving. My '94 Ranger 4X4 with a 3.0 and 132K on the clock gets 21 mpg.

 

It took me 4 tanks of gas to drive to Tampa Florida and 7 tanks coming back, pulling a loaded 6X10 trailer. I don't know what the weight was, but the truck didn't know it was there untill I tried to stop Going down, I did a few 100 blasts and coming back it was 80/85/90 w/trailer. One time I thought there was a flag waving on my rear bumper, but I realized it was the trailer.

Never figured the MPG, as a matter of fact, I have never figured the milage in the 01 or my old 99.

 

Dang thats not too bad. At least you didnt use 7 tanks! Ouch!

 

wow, thats great!