The best you will get into a garage is a full size van or Excursion and even they can be really close to fit.
There were some short campers, either fwd like the GMC Motorhome or rear engined like this rare Vixen. The Vixen is only rated to tow 2000 lbs.
http://stannerair.hypermart.net/Vixenhome.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vixen_%28RV%29
The only motor home I can think of that will meet your mpg numbers is a Sprinter, but those have somewhat limited towing capacities (open trailer - ok, closed trailer - a little tougher). Definitely won't fit into a std garage.
Even unladen, a typical class c gets well into single digit mpg. Forget anything class a.
We got 5.6MPG on the way from Ontario to FLA for the challenge. I'm the general manager of a very large RV center, we sell about 700 units a year. What you want doesn't exist AFAIK
Take a good close look at greyhound etc. bus conversions and give up on the park-in-the-garage idea. They can be had for pretty cheap sometimes, and will tow a car trailer with relative ease and still deliver those mileage numbers. They are built less like cars and trialers and more like ships. I am currently in the market, having lost my diesel class A to an engine turning itself inside out, and am getting more impressed with what you get for what you pay. You might also look at late 80's high end bus chassis RV's from say Beaver or such, you get the bus chassis advantages like riding and stopping on air, huge weight capacity, with all the creature comforts a qtrmil RV from the eighties had.
way extreme, but how bout a toter home?
Even regular semi trucks, in most states, can be registered as a motorhome, requiring no CDL, and no weigh ins or log books.
I believe it requires a place to sleep, shower, store and prepare food, the last two of which can be handled by a mini fridge and microwave. Research how most monster truck haulers are set up. The guy I worked for had the shower in the trailer, wasn't even hooked up, it was used for t-shirt storage.
mguar wrote: . I did explore the 18 wheeler possibility. That looked like a real solution.. Except for two flaws.. it wouldn't fit in the garage and requires a CDL to drive.. (Having a CDL license increase insurance costs dramatically)
No CDL needed if you reg as RV. High paid lobyest keep you safe..
I don't know anything about motorhomes, but I know a whole heck of a lot (at least in Texas) about parking. When you say you can't park it on the street, is this a city ordinance, or an hoa rule? Unless it has something to do with removing that cold white substance you guys get in the winter, I've never seen a city that can do a "you can park it here for a while, but then we can tow it" law.
It's either all or nothing. IF it's an hoa, then there is a different approach to that.
icaneat50eggs wrote: I don't know anything about motorhomes, but I know a whole heck of a lot (at least in Texas) about parking. When you say you can't park it on the street, is this a city ordinance, or an hoa rule? Unless it has something to do with removing that cold white substance you guys get in the winter, I've never seen a city that can do a "you can park it here for a while, but then we can tow it" law. It's either all or nothing. IF it's an hoa, then there is a different approach to that.
I think he is saying that they would let it slide for awhile (simply not enforce the law for awhile) but eventually it would have to go.
With your parking situation and the trouble with Wheeler RV's you've had I'd stay away too.
Sounds like you and I have same sort of luck...with things.
I'm not allowed an unreg vehicle in the yard. Towns taken my to court twice. Won both time but had to pay court fee's! so tell me did i win? I think not. 
Bumping because of a rare-old ball motorhome seen on the freeway - A Vixen. Dang these are kind of cool in person. I think the Town&Country I was driving is taller.
I got 10.5 mpg out of mt cummins 5.9 turbo diesel going to Alaska and back in 2010. 36 footer towing a loaded jeep.
Diesel pusher is the way to go.
Those Vixens may have not sold very well in the 90's, but with gas prices steadily rising I don't see any reason why that company couldnt be successful again.
There just arent any options in 20+mpg RVs.
I don't know about that. We know a couple who bought a Sprinter based Class C. Using some hypermiling techniques he reported one stint at 27 mpg.
A class B (van type) is nice for a weekend and can even be used as a DD if you want. On some, the towing capacity is good.
Last week I saw the largest slide in truck camper I have ever seen. Looked like a load for the dually it was mounted on.
iceracer wrote: Last week I saw the largest slide in truck camper I have ever seen. Looked like a load for the dually it was mounted on.
I've been researching slide-in campers over the past month or so. Some of them are quite large. I printed the lay-out for one to dream over that has 3 slide-outs and a full walk-in dry bathroom. When full of water and fuel, they weighs over 3500 lbs and a dually is required. MSRP is over $40K (new).
mguar wrote: In reply to Ian F: Slide in campers that large beg the question, why? I mean for what they do they are insanely expensive. You need a truck dedicated to that use. Plus getting them on and off the pickup truck isn't done with the flick of a button.. They are ungainly tall and affected by side winds and every semi passing you..
Why? Because I already have the truck and most of the time the camper can live on the truck. When I need the bed, I can drop the camper in my g/f's driveway... since whenever I need the bed it's for some chore she wants done anyway.
As for why do they exist at all? From what I've seen (living in eastern PA/NJ) they are really big with the beach-fishing crowd where they won't let you on the beach without 4WD. Hunters, too.
Personally, I don't really want one, but I'm stuck with having a truck instead of the van I really want with the other possible option being a home-built camp trailer I can tow behind my TDi. That would take time, so a slide-in is the faster compromise...
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