# U-Haul mpg with car hauler **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [March 26, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/u-haul-mpg-with-car-hauler/46673 "2010-03-26T21:47:06Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Need\_A\_Horse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f6c823/32.png) [@Need\_A\_Horse](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Need_A_Horse)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/u-haul-mpg-with-car-hauler/46673/1 "2010-03-26T21:47:06Z")
Choice of truck unit size and whether to drive the car or haul it, is still up in the air. The ideal driving mpgs on the trucks and van are 10 mpg for the 14’ truck, 12 mpg on the 10’ truck and 15 mpg on the van. What is a reasonable reduction of those mpg numbers if a car hauler carrying an Audi A6 with all 4 off the ground was being towed? Speed would stay between 55 and 60. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 10:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/u-haul-mpg-with-car-hauler/46673/2 "2010-03-26T22:36:22Z")
Interesting question. You’ll surely lose some mpg, but you need to weight that against the gas and depreciation costs of driving the car seperately. The IRS figures reimbursement (depreciation) at $.50/mile for businesses. You’ll need to add that to the expected gas usage of the car should you drive it, then weigh that against the expected drop in MPG of the U-Haul. Since the trailer with the Audi will be in the “draft” area of the truck’s cargo box, I’ll guess 3 MPG to tow it. Just a wild guess. ---
**Author:** ![pleasedodgevan2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ad7895/32.png) [@pleasedodgevan2](https://community.cartalk.com/u/pleasedodgevan2)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 10:36pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/u-haul-mpg-with-car-hauler/46673/3 "2010-03-26T22:36:35Z")
You’ll probably get the same fuel economy no matter which truck you get. The biggest vehicle will lose the least performance. ---
**Author:** ![Need\_A\_Horse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f6c823/32.png) [@Need\_A\_Horse](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Need_A_Horse)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 11:02pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/u-haul-mpg-with-car-hauler/46673/4 "2010-03-26T23:02:49Z")
Thanks. I’m one to take the long view on things and the depreciation loss went right by me. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 11:18pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/u-haul-mpg-with-car-hauler/46673/5 "2010-03-26T23:18:33Z")
A gasoline rig will lose a bit (couple maybe) and a diesel won’t lose much if any. ---
**Author:** ![andrew\_j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@andrew\_j](https://community.cartalk.com/u/andrew_j)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2010, 11:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/u-haul-mpg-with-car-hauler/46673/6 "2010-03-26T23:47:33Z")
My guess 1 mpg. ---
**Author:** ![oldtimer-11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e79b87/32.png) [@oldtimer-11](https://community.cartalk.com/u/oldtimer-11)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2010, 2:48am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/u-haul-mpg-with-car-hauler/46673/7 "2010-03-27T02:48:35Z")
I would be surprised if the van was rated to pull the combined weight of the 4 wheel trailer and car and not positive that the 10’ truck is adequate either. In any case the larger truck would drive much better while towing. ---
**Author:** ![the\_same\_mountainbike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@the\_same\_mountainbike](https://community.cartalk.com/u/the_same_mountainbike)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2010, 12:22pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/u-haul-mpg-with-car-hauler/46673/8 "2010-03-27T12:22:08Z")
The wear annd tear on the Audi. Beyond solely the amount of money you’d need to spend on the gas should you drive the Audi seperately, there’s the added wear and tear. While not major, it has value and would need to be considered to fairly evaluate the added cost of towing the Audi behind the truck. I did have an error in my post, however. The IRS rate includes gas cost. The correct comparison would be to compare $.50/mile to drive the Audi seperately to the cost of towing. ---
**Author:** ![Docnick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Docnick](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Docnick)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2010, 7:01pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/u-haul-mpg-with-car-hauler/46673/9 "2010-03-27T19:01:39Z")
I would forget the trailering, buy a $300 mattress where you go to schol, and give it away or sell it at the end of the school year. You will be much further ahead. To increase the carrying capacity of your car, a rood top carrier is inexpensive and easy to install. I used to have a Sears “EX-Cargo” a play on the French word Escargot (snail). Driving with a trailer in heavy traffic is challenge if you are not used to it. Just hoooking up the wiring will cost more than buying a good car top carrier. Storing a trailer where you go to school might cost some money too. P.S. Disregard this post; it was meant for the lady who wants to rent a small trailer to carry a mattress to college.