zero Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Another 20-21 foot RV often advertised as getting 20 MPG, other then Toyota. The Lesharo with the French 2.2 liter gas engine and lock-up auto trans is good for 13-14 MPG, just as the Toyota RVs are. This one looks like the sheet metal is exceptionally good. The French sheet metal is horribly prone to rust; worse even the early Japanese sheet metal from the 70s. Clean ones in my side of the USA are kind of rare. This one claims to have a Toyota frame and drive-train. Since it is front-wheel drive - can't see how that is true . . but who knows? I know of several Lesharos put on Toyota truck running gear - but they are then rear wheel drive and sit kind of high. No driveshaft tunnel in the Lesharo so to mount the body on rear-wheel drive - it has to sit up a bit. If it IS a 1988 with the OEM French drivetrain - they weren't bad by that year. Beefed up rear-axle, updates to the auto trans, etc. Downside is parts. Most come from France and very few parts dealers in the USA carry them in stock. All pretty much available though. Winnebago did a fantastic job on the build quality of these rigs. Some neat innovations too. Like the fold-away bathroom. Or the "hot all the time" hot-water tank that is preheated by the engine via a engine coolant to domestic water heat-exchanger. Also a pretty efficient Norcold 12 volt DC refrigerator. Single rear wheels with 14" tires and around the same max GVRW as any of the later Toyota RVs. I'd like to get a Lesharo (or the fancier Phasar) if I ever get a deal on the rare turbo-diesel. The early non-turbo diesels could get 20 MPG but were horrible. Way underpowered and doomed to early engine failure. http://centralmich.craigslist.org/rvs/5161337821.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 There is a Phasar boondocking full time in my neighborhood this summer. There are some Le Sharos boondocking as well but they are at the east end of the neighborhood along with another couple of them further north in Seattle. All of them are living in them full time on the city streets. None of they look to be in good condition, the Phasar is not as bad as the Le Sharos. Not too unusual to see them for sale in Seattle on craigslist they don't sell quickly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrbus Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 I have my eye out for a Lesharo/Phasar, looking for a 6 cyl conversion. Any that come up for sale in FL even the diesel generally sell as soon as the ad is up! The little I have seen were in poor condition. 13-14 MPG on a Toyota? Must be a typo every ad I see shows 18-20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff McPherson Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Don't you just love those 18-20mpg ads! Since we bought our V6 Toyhouse in 2003, every May we take off for 4-6 weeks for a 3,000-4000 mile trip. I drive conservatively 60-62mph on the open road, (or lower as conditions restrict). My overall average mpg each year on those long trips, with 20-30 fillups, has always been low-to-mid 14s mpg (never 18-20mpg). This year as an example over the 3000+ mile loop trip, my low fillup was 12.2mpg, my high fillup was 16.7mpg and my average was (just like every other year) low-to-mid 14s mpg -- 14.6 mpg. I guess the people that compose those ads must only drive downhill with a tailwind. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted August 8, 2015 Author Share Posted August 8, 2015 My first RV was A 1973 Class A Champion with a Dodge 318, 20 feet long. Owner said it got 20 MPG. Ends up it got a best of 6 MPG. In 1983, a farmer friend of mine got a new Ford F250 with the International Harvester 6.9 diesel. Said he got a consistant 30 MPG. A few years later I got one and it got a best of 12 MPG. That was 4WD, extended cab, 4.10 axles and C6 trans (no lockup or overdrive). Now I've got a 1994 with the slightly bigger 7.3 turbo diesel from IH, 4.10 axles, but with the E40D lock-up trans with OD. Gotten a best of 17 MPG with it bare, and 13.5 MPG with a high-roof, slide-on camper. My kids, back in the early 80s, went to work for a guy in town that had a Dastun-Dolphin "work truck." Not sure what it really was except it was a Datsun and with big box-like back but with rounded edges and made of fiberglass. It was just a cargo truck (not an RV). Maybe it WAS an RV at one time, I don't know. He claimed to get 30 MPG. Then another friend got a Dolphin RV on a Toyota and claimed he got 25 MPG. After that , I started paying attention. Just about every micro-mini motorhome I came across also came with a 20 MPG mileage claim. Still hear those claims today. I know my 1988 20 footer with a high-roof and 2.4 EFI engine has a total average of 13.4 MPG since I've owned it. My 1978 Toyota Chinook with the 2.2 carbed engine, man. trans., and pop-up roof has an average of 18.5 MPG. Any real road tests I've seen show the 20-21 foot four cylinder Toyotas drive no faster then 60 MPH getting 13-14 MPG. A few older ones with stick shift get 15 MPG. Last road test I read for something like a 1990 Winnebago Warrior with a 3 liter V6 got 12.7 MPG at no faster then 60 MPH on a flat highway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrbus Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 Had a class A and do not remember the MPG, but BAD really BAD. Found a bigger sucker than me to buy that and bought a MCI5C DD 6V71 with Alison auto to convert. Now I had heard many talk about 10-12 even 14 MPG with these lumbering beasts and believed them. I soon found myself inspecting mine looking for the fuel leaks! Since then I have quit paying attention to MPG, I do not want to know, if I know I will likely quit driving. Unless fuel was cheap I would not fill the 144 gallon tank and often buy 25 or 50 gallons at a time so I could not keep track. Not looking like I can do that with the Toy. Turns out the older buses with monocoque aluminum frames and small diesels in them can get an honest 10/12. The rest of the ones claiming those #'s were delusional. I say delusional as I may not be able to say full of cR@% on here. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjrbus Posted August 8, 2015 Share Posted August 8, 2015 $4,500 for that lesharo in FL if in decent condition would be a deal!! https://fortmyers.craigslist.org/col/rvd/5126732320.html https://fortmyers.craigslist.org/lee/rvs/5119793679.html Seldom see for $4000 here. Jim Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zero Posted August 8, 2015 Author Share Posted August 8, 2015 I recently cut up and scrapped a 1988 Phasar. 140K miles, fuel injected gas engine, front wheel drive, auto-trans, and ran perfect. Also had new 14" tires on it. I paid $250 and drove it home. Two problems. #1 was rust and #2 was no title. I got a lot of RV goodies out if it. Just before I scrapped what was left - I put the engine and trans on Craigslist and offered it for free. NO takers. What a shame. There is a 85 LeSharo parked down the road from me right now with a $2500 asking price. Not real rusty either. I stopped to talk to the seller and first thing he told me is how it gets "30 MPG." After that, I just walked away. I figured I would not be able to believe anything he had to say, so why waste my time asking questions. It was the gas version and the 85s did not have some of the drivetrain updates the later ones got. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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