2016 Winnebago Sightseer 33C MPG?

TexasProud · 10-19-2016, 04:12 PM

Looking at a lightly used Sightseer. Salesperson said that he was sure that it had the 6 speed transmission and thought that it would get 7 MPG or "maybe just a bit better". I currently have a 2013 Aspect 30C and average 8.5 MPG driving 62 MPH (per GPS, not speedo) pulling a Kia Soul. Guess that I can live w/ 7 MPG, given the larger frontal size/weight. Have a friend w/ a 2012 Sightseer 33C w/ older transmission (4 speed?) and he said that he's lucky to see 6 MPG on a good day.
Looking for opinions regarding if this is a realistic figure or a pitch from the sales guy to get it sold. Wife likes the unit a bunch but I'm the guy that has to pay for the fuel.

TIA!

Yellowboat · 10-19-2016, 07:55 PM

Hi.

The 2012 Sightseer has a five speed transmission.

A quick check for a five or six speed transmission is to check the dash gear selector readout. The five speed will have D 3 2 1. The six speed will have D 4 2 1. Some 2016 Winnebagos are built on 2015 Ford chassis with a five speed transmission.

We made a trip around the US in our 2016 Six Speed Sightseer 33C. We departed Seattle, traveled to Southern California, then to Florida, up to West Virginia and Ohio, and back to Seattle.

I checked my gas milage log and I got between 6 mpg and 8 mpg. Most calculations are between 6.5 and 7.5 mpg. I ran my generator a good part of the trip so that I could run air-conditioners. My guess would be an average just shy of 7 mpg. We were towing a 3,000 pound Saturn Vue.

We like our 2016 Sightseer 33C but we have had more manufacturing defects than we should have. I'm hoping we have now fixed everything and we now can enjoy our coach. We picked up our coach in August 2015 and hopefully our last visit to our dealership for warranty work is next week.

When I ordered the coach I wasn't aware that there was a new chassis with a six speed transmission. I was lucky to get the 617th 2016 Ford chassis built. It took Winnebago about four months to build us a coach with the exact options that we wanted.

Safe travels. JD

TexasProud · 10-19-2016, 08:58 PM

JD,

Thanks for the reply and good information. If I recall correctly from the test drive today, the gear indicator had D 3 2 1 which would be the five speed. There is a new 2017 Sightseer 33C parked next to this unit and I'll look at the gear indicator on the newer model and on the 2016 again. Might mean waiting for another used 2016 to show up w/ the 6 speed tranny.

awol50 · 10-19-2016, 10:26 PM

I think 7-8 mpg is about average. My old Fleetwood Storm 31w Ford V10 got that range pulling a 2800# toad. That's what they get.

Jacobnino · 10-19-2016, 10:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by awol50

I think 7-8 mpg is about average. My old Fleetwood Storm 31w Ford V10 got that range pulling a 2800# toad. That's what they get.

Thats what I was about to say 8 is avarage on class a i have the 7.5 v8

Nortguy · 10-20-2016, 02:48 AM

On a cross-country trip from Virginia to Oregon and back in our 2014 33C, we averaged 8 mpg, usually running about 62 mph. No toad. Mostly interstates.

ed rzepka · 10-20-2016, 06:55 AM

We drove 8200 mile cross country trip this summer and back towing a 4100 lb Cherokee Tralhawk and averaged 7.2. I drove 65-67 when I could but did fight a lot of wind crossing west. I also did the whole mountain thing with wind. I ran the generator very little. I thought that was pretty good considering. Judging from scan gauge, if I slowed down to 62 and avoided mountains and wind (yeah right) I figured I could get 8+.

jharrell · 10-20-2016, 06:59 AM

6-speed seems to have almost no effect on mileage, same as 5-speed.

I get 6.5 consistently towing my Jeep with the generator on at 60 mph. No jeep or generator and I might get in the 7's but that is rare as I want my toad and living in the south need the roof AC most of the time.

cpoo · 10-20-2016, 08:48 AM

I have the six speed and love it on the 38Q. I have had the five speed and it was fine but this is just so much smoother. They say changes in mpg might come after 10,000 miles. Who knows.

530ktm · 10-20-2016, 12:26 PM

I get around 6.5 to 7 pulling my Jeep and have done as good as 8.7 with no Jeep back there. Running the generator for lengths of time will use fuel so that will have an impact on mileage. I do not think there is any significant difference between a 5 and 6 speed tranny when it comes to mileage.

TexasProud · 10-20-2016, 02:47 PM

I appreciate all the replies w/ the good information. I kind of thought that the 6 speed might nudge the MPG up just a bit and drop the RPM's some which would (hopefully) lower the noise from the doghouse.
I am sure that this one is a early 2016 model since it has the 5 speed tranny, doesn't have the doggie window by the passenger's feet and the mirrors are black plastic finish - later 2016 models have the curb window and chrome finish on the mirrors.
If the dealer & I can (ever) agree on the price, will probably trade the Aspect for the Sightseer. Made calls to 4 different companies and my insurance will go up about $500/year.

janniemac · 10-20-2016, 03:01 PM

Over about 2300 miles, we got 7.5 to 8 with our 16 Thor Challenger 6 speed and a toad. Very smooth ride compared to our 5 speed 14 Four Winds. This was through Utah and Colorado mountains.

Yellowboat · 10-20-2016, 04:20 PM

If gas milage is different between the five speed and six speed transmission it isn't a great difference.

But there is a great difference in driving a six speed versus a five speed. The extra gear changes the shift points. My 2006 five speed would rev to 5,300 rpm's and the noise in the cockpit was considerable. The six speed top rpm is 4,300 rpm's which is much quieter. The six speed will hit 5,300 rpm's when using gears to slow downhill speed.

If I was buying a new coach I would chose a six speed if I could.

Safe travels. JD

partskenn · 10-30-2016, 08:05 AM

We just put 5000 miles on our 2016 35f (six speed) with a toad. We have averaged 6.9 mpg for the whole trip. In the mountains it would drop as low as third gear, revving up to about 4400 rpm going both up and down. It seems to handle those revs OK, or at least better than I do listening to it.

georgelesley · 10-30-2016, 08:35 AM

We have a 2014 Itasca Sunova 33C on a 2013 chassis. We get 8 mpg at about 60 mph. I should note the two trips i have measured have been relatively flat, but since we live in NE TN just getting to flat areas involves some significant hills. We have yet to pull our toad. Since it weighs less than 3k I doubt it will change the mpg much and we may drop the speed a few mph anyway when we tow.

BTW, our gps and speedo read the same, but because the dash speedo is hard to read in some lighting conditions we also use the gps. I am going to add some led lighting to the dash per the suggestions found here on another thread.

OLYLEN · 10-30-2016, 09:59 AM

I have a fuel flow gauge and like to compare, can you say scary. Watch going up a mountain pass hit 18 gallons per hour then down the other side at 0. Wind! No wind at 62 towing, flat 7.8-8.4 then the wind comes and we see 9+ turn 180° and see 6.5 to 7 GPH. I'm convinced wind has more to do with MPG than most hills as we only climb a few minutes even though it seem like hours. I'm thinking about any 6.8 is going to be in the 6-8 MPG with a few outliers for more or less speed.

LEN

georgelesley · 10-30-2016, 10:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by OLYLEN

I have a fuel flow gauge and like to compare, can you say scary. Watch going up a mountain pass hit 18 gallons per hour then down the other side at 0. Wind! No wind at 62 towing, flat 7.8-8.4 then the wind comes and we see 9+ turn 180° and see 6.5 to 7 GPH. I'm convinced wind has more to do with MPG than most hills as we only climb a few minutes even though it seem like hours. I'm thinking about any 6.8 is going to be in the 6-8 MPG with a few outliers for more or less speed.

LEN

I think you are right about the wind. We usually get a bit better mpg going East rather than West, I suspect due to prevailing winds probably. Since these things are basically big square boxes, speed matters as does a light foot. Coasting to a stop rather than using brakes hard also helps mpg to say nothing of being safer.

weluvss33c · 06-21-2018, 11:56 AM

Similar situation to yours. We had a 2009 Outlook 31C and loved it.
Moved up to a 2012 Sightseer 33C. I haven't paid alot of attention to the mileage since many of our trips are local, but we have taken longer interstate trips. I'd say you can plan on 7 mpg. The 33C has the Ford F-53 engine and I believe it is at least 5, if not 6 speed transmission.

Anyways, the 33C has a terrific floorplan and we have enjoyed ours for over 6 years and don't see anything else we would rather have.

GBFANKEN · 07-18-2018, 06:43 AM

Just completed 4k trip on a brand new 2019 Sightseer 33C. We pulled a 4k Ford C-max (heavy because of batteries). We averaged 7.3 mpg. Used the generator, 1-1/2 hours a day for lunch because of my dog. No Tuner, yet. Used "Tow-Haul" Mode ALL THE TIME. Our highest mpg was 8.1?