BMW Fuel Consumption
Discussion
Can someone tell me if BMW's fuel consumption claims are a little over optimistic?
When we had an M3, the car religously returned 27 MPG when it was supposed to average around 20 MPG.
We always seam to have been able to get close or in some cases better Manufacturer's claimed MPG's with practically every car we have had.
The 318i at the moment is way off the 38 MPG combined figure that BMW claim. On the first tank it returned 31 MPG with some thrashing. I then backed off thinking I was being a bit hard on the car and the 2nd tank full is returning 31.3 and that includes 50% motorway use.
Is it a car that is not going to achieve anywhere near what the manufacturer says or is it a case that it needs a lot more miles on it (Yes I know fuel consumption improves with age but am I going to make up the 20% that I am currently off the mark by.)
When we had an M3, the car religously returned 27 MPG when it was supposed to average around 20 MPG.
We always seam to have been able to get close or in some cases better Manufacturer's claimed MPG's with practically every car we have had.
The 318i at the moment is way off the 38 MPG combined figure that BMW claim. On the first tank it returned 31 MPG with some thrashing. I then backed off thinking I was being a bit hard on the car and the 2nd tank full is returning 31.3 and that includes 50% motorway use.
Is it a car that is not going to achieve anywhere near what the manufacturer says or is it a case that it needs a lot more miles on it (Yes I know fuel consumption improves with age but am I going to make up the 20% that I am currently off the mark by.)
Edited by CatherineJ on Saturday 7th October 14:17
Generally speaking, i think bigger engines tend to better 'official' figures, whereas small ones struggle
When I worked for Lexus the IS200 auto, GS300 and LS400 would all turn in 25mpg.... work that one out! lol
Conditions of useage also pay a big part
525i E39 Auto which does about 10miles a day country roads, bit of town work and 50miles steady motorway cruise once a week turns in 24mpg (according to OBC)
520i E34 Manual which does 30 miles a day doing a mix of country roads and steady motorway speeds turns in 30mpg (based on factual calculations)
320Ci 2.2 E46 manual driven 50miles a day, mostly fast motorway
, occasional town turn in 27mpg (according to OBC)
When I worked for Lexus the IS200 auto, GS300 and LS400 would all turn in 25mpg.... work that one out! lol
Conditions of useage also pay a big part
525i E39 Auto which does about 10miles a day country roads, bit of town work and 50miles steady motorway cruise once a week turns in 24mpg (according to OBC)
520i E34 Manual which does 30 miles a day doing a mix of country roads and steady motorway speeds turns in 30mpg (based on factual calculations)
320Ci 2.2 E46 manual driven 50miles a day, mostly fast motorway
, occasional town turn in 27mpg (according to OBC) CatherineJ said:
So Mustard what do you think, should I get it looked at?
I dont think so, I cant see a 318i 2.0 doing 38mpg unless you drive it like a saint, used an E46 318CI 2.0 manual for a while
and i think that was low 30's.
I think any petrol engine above 1600cc driven with any vigour will struggle to better 35mpg......I only get low 40's out of a Tdi Golf
I get a pretty much fixed 27-28MPG out of my 535i.... cant seem to get it lower and cant seem to get it higher.... and I dont hang around either. Actually pretty pleased with that and seems better than many other cars. The wifes pensionable E30 325i struggles to better 22MPG though... 
Ok daft question and Phil you maybe the only one to answer this I don't know. When they PDI it, would they do anything that could affect the fuel consumption?
The reason I ask is that I have just spent a fortune at Halfords on valeting bits for both cars and bought the pre-mix washer fluid as it was on a bogoff. Anyway I topped the Porsche up (it took about 1/2 a litre) and I believe MOH has put a similar amount in it over the last 6 weeks.
Anyway I thought I would top the 3 up and was horrified to see it drink about another 4 litres. Now as it has chucked it down frequently this week the one thing that hasn't been used has been the washer jets.
So I either have a leak or the car wasn't fully PDI'd.
The reason I ask is that I have just spent a fortune at Halfords on valeting bits for both cars and bought the pre-mix washer fluid as it was on a bogoff. Anyway I topped the Porsche up (it took about 1/2 a litre) and I believe MOH has put a similar amount in it over the last 6 weeks.
Anyway I thought I would top the 3 up and was horrified to see it drink about another 4 litres. Now as it has chucked it down frequently this week the one thing that hasn't been used has been the washer jets.
So I either have a leak or the car wasn't fully PDI'd.
31 mpg from a 318...oh dear.
I have average 25mpg on my e46 330i and I relly do drive the nuts off it. On motorway runs at the speed limit I easily get over 30mpg. Many on here have posted that they get much better figures than that from their 330i's.
I have always suspected cars like 318's are false economy. a small engine in biggish bogy means using the right foot more to get it moving....BMW's should only ever be bought in min 6cyl form in my book!!!
Edited to say that EVO Magazine are getting 30mpg out of their VXR Astra turbo(!) which is certainly being driven hard!! I would never expect anyone to get the same figures that the manufacturers quote but your 318 does seem too thirsty. Maybe it just needs to run in?
Or maybe you just need to get the 330i! That should solve you poor consumption and lack of power complaints!
I have average 25mpg on my e46 330i and I relly do drive the nuts off it. On motorway runs at the speed limit I easily get over 30mpg. Many on here have posted that they get much better figures than that from their 330i's.
I have always suspected cars like 318's are false economy. a small engine in biggish bogy means using the right foot more to get it moving....BMW's should only ever be bought in min 6cyl form in my book!!!
Edited to say that EVO Magazine are getting 30mpg out of their VXR Astra turbo(!) which is certainly being driven hard!! I would never expect anyone to get the same figures that the manufacturers quote but your 318 does seem too thirsty. Maybe it just needs to run in?
Or maybe you just need to get the 330i! That should solve you poor consumption and lack of power complaints!
Edited by Dino D on Saturday 7th October 21:06
Dino D said:
31 mpg from a 318...oh dear.
I have average 25mpg on my e46 330i and I relly do drive the nuts off it. On motorway runs at the speed limit I easily get over 30mpg. Many on here have posted that they get much better figures than that from their 330i's.
I have always suspected cars like 318's are false economy. a small engine in biggish bogy means using the right foot more to get it moving....BMW's should only ever be bought in min 6cyl form in my book!!!
Edited to say that EVO Magazine are getting 30mpg out of their VXR Astra turbo(!) which is certainly being driven hard!! I would never expect anyone to get the same figures that the manufacturers quote but your 318 does seem too thirsty. Maybe it just needs to run in?
Or maybe you just need to get the 330i! That should solve you poor consumption and lack of power complaints!
I have average 25mpg on my e46 330i and I relly do drive the nuts off it. On motorway runs at the speed limit I easily get over 30mpg. Many on here have posted that they get much better figures than that from their 330i's.
I have always suspected cars like 318's are false economy. a small engine in biggish bogy means using the right foot more to get it moving....BMW's should only ever be bought in min 6cyl form in my book!!!
Edited to say that EVO Magazine are getting 30mpg out of their VXR Astra turbo(!) which is certainly being driven hard!! I would never expect anyone to get the same figures that the manufacturers quote but your 318 does seem too thirsty. Maybe it just needs to run in?
Or maybe you just need to get the 330i! That should solve you poor consumption and lack of power complaints!
Edited by Dino D on Saturday 7th October 21:06
Well one of the reason the Astra went was that I was looking for more than 30 MPG. It was delivering 30/31 when MOH took it to work but going cross country hard I was getting 25/27 (Vauxhall Combined is 30.7) So the 31 I am getting is an improvement, just not the improvement I was hoping for.
I would like to think it is not something I am doing. I have driven our Boxster hard today and that was returning 29/30.
I personally think it is a bit thirsty.
pattyg said:
My 118i likes a drink also
Averages around 34 mpg
Averages around 34 mpg
What's interesting is that BMW's website quotes the same MPG for a 318i M Sport as a 118i M Sport. This is despite their being about 100kg weight difference between them. So on the basis of the claimed figures your 118i is achieving a lot closer and realistically what I was expecting to have from our car.
Oh well we shall have to see how it develops in the long term.
Wifes old E39 528 Auto did average 23 mpg
E36 M3 Coupe 3.0 25 mpg
E39 525 TDS(manual) 35 mpg
Audi A6 Allroad 2.5 TDi Tiptonic 25 MPG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ( Crazy rather have an RS4/6 2.7 Bi Turbo which will do 24 mpg)
Got to say I have rarely got any where near the manufacturers MPG figures, only car that did was a 52 reg Alfa 156 2.4 JTD which did close to 50 MPG mixed.
POORCARDEALER said:
Wifes old E39 528 Auto did average 23 mpg
Interesting.
It does entirely depend on the mix of driving.
BMW quote two numbers, one for city driving and one
for out on the open road.
You should get a number between the two, depending on
your mix of driving.
How close you are to one of the numbers gives you a clue
as to how much city or open road driving you do.
23 mpg out of a E39 528 auto suggests a lot of driving
in town or an exceptionally keen right foot.
Over the last three years, I have averaged 27 mpg out of my
E39 530 Auto.
I can get to 29 mpg if I drive like a pensioner, low twenties
in town and 25 mpg on de-restricted roads.
E39 528 touring auto, this what I've found; 23mpg around town; 27mpg on A roads; 31mpg fast motorway cruising. All of the above is using normal D not Sport mode on the slush box.
Its the traffic around town that kills it, I reset the average speed gizmo and found that I average 10mph during the week
(hence why I love auto 
)
Its the traffic around town that kills it, I reset the average speed gizmo and found that I average 10mph during the week
(hence why I love auto )dcb said:
POORCARDEALER said:
Wifes old E39 528 Auto did average 23 mpg
Interesting.
It does entirely depend on the mix of driving.
BMW quote two numbers, one for city driving and one
for out on the open road.
You should get a number between the two, depending on
your mix of driving.
How close you are to one of the numbers gives you a clue
as to how much city or open road driving you do.
23 mpg out of a E39 528 auto suggests a lot of driving
in town or an exceptionally keen right foot.
Over the last three years, I have averaged 27 mpg out of my
E39 530 Auto.
I can get to 29 mpg if I drive like a pensioner, low twenties
in town and 25 mpg on de-restricted roads.
The wife is a bit lead footed !
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