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Cost - ROI
A motorhome by its nature is a poor investment as it depreciates in value every year you own it. Generally a motorhome is high maintenence and low usage, which makes deprecation even worst. So why would you put more money in it by adding things like UltraPower, UltraTrac, Cold air kits, new shocks and so on? I like many of my fellow RVer's want the very best that my motorhome has to offer and the OEM did not install it from the factory.
So, is there any item that will pay for itself over time? Yes, UltraPower can under the right conditions. Most, but not all, installations will get some increase in gas mileage. The increase can be anywhere from 0 to 2+ mpg, with the average being .5 to 1 mpg. There are a number of factors to consider that will affect what your ROI will be from UltraPower:
- What was your MPG before UltraPower?
- How many miles do you drive per year?
- What is the price of fuel?
- What is your increase in MPG after UltraPower?
- Driving conditions, RV GVW and speed will affect your mileage increase.
So if I got 7 mpg before UltraPower, I drive 7500 miles a year, gas is $2.89 a gallon and I get a .5-mpg increase (about 7% to 8%) I will save $202 to $229 the first year.
Now, if you change any of the 3 input parameters up or down the amount saved will vary. You can check this out by downloading the Fuel Economy Calculator in the Downloads section.
So, if the cost of UltraPower is $795 and you save $202 a year, UltraPower will pay for itself in 4 years. Now, lets compare that to a Banks system for $2800 that gives less horse power/torque and we will ASSUME that you get the same .5-MPG increase in fuel mileage. It will take 14 years before you will get your money back.