Fuel Consumption

[ICSD]

Hi Guys

I've got an 02 330i Sport Touring Auto which is doing 23.1MPG on average. The original spec shows a combined figure (which is pretty much the kind of driving I do) of 28. I'm thinking of bringing it up on the next service as it's still under warranty but I wondered if anybody is getting similar figures to me and am I just being overly optimistic about what I should be getting?

[Rochester BMW]

my 335i is returning 20.5mpg! count yourself lucky

[Andrew D]

My E85 3.0i is quoted as returning 31mpg in the specification, but I generally get between 24mpg and 26mpg.

The only time I've ever approached list economy in a car was with my old Fiat when my commute was a twenty-mile motorway slog with no traffic. In my experience any regular congestion or stop/start stuff (such as traffic alarming/calming systems) on your normal route will slaughter your fuel economy.

[Neil_Bolton]

My E36 328i gives me an all round average of 26mpg (so says Con2 since I've had it).

On a very very careful run on the motorway, it will read 35 to 38 (with 40.5 being my record).

On track I say 10mpg and for normal hooning I'll be seeing 20/22ish.

Hope that helps a bit.

[Andrew D]

Neil_Bolton said:

My E36 328i gives me an all round average of 26mpg (so says Con2 since I've had it).

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that my trip computer tells filthy lies.

According to the computer I'm getting 30mpg, but distance on the odometer divided by fuel put into the tank suggests 25mpg-ish.

[Neil_Bolton]

Andrew D said:

Neil_Bolton said:

My E36 328i gives me an all round average of 26mpg (so says Con2 since I've had it).

Oh yeah, I forgot to mention that my trip computer tells filthy lies.

According to the computer I'm getting 30mpg, but distance on the odometer divided by fuel put into the tank suggests 25mpg-ish.

I'm not disputing your nasty computer and its wicked lies, however I have heard similar stories from E46 owners.

But, and this being a big but, the petrol range display is bang on the on the money every time for me (in so far as I've pushed it to the limit on fumes and it's always spot on), and the fact that it seems to be about right math-wise:

62 litres into it every time = 13.65 Gallons / (average driving) 350miles-ish to a tank = 25.6 mpg

The best I ever got out of a tank was just under 500 miles to the tank, which works out at 36/37mpg yet showed 40mpg overall for that trip, suggesting that as the mpg gets higher, the figures go south a little bit...

I must be lucky I guess?

Edited by Neil_Bolton on Tuesday 13th March 15:47

[philchunghk]

I drive a 330ci Clubsport its an SMG box. It depends on the conditions I drive in. If I'm doing motorway driving I get 400miles out of the tank before the lights comes on but thats driving at 70mph, while in town I get 250 before the light comes on.

Dont know if that helps.

[Speed addicted]

Ive got a 2000 330ci, and a heavy foot. It gets high 20's (on the computer) normally with a mix of town and fast A road driving, on the 600 mile trip home from buying it the (probably lying) computer said 34.5mpg.

I've never bothered working out the MPG, I quite like thinking its fairly economical!

[lmc]

Speed addicted said:

Ive got a 2000 330ci, and a heavy foot. It gets high 20's (on the computer) normally with a mix of town and fast A road driving, on the 600 mile trip home from buying it the (probably lying) computer said 34.5mpg.

I've never bothered working out the MPG, I quite like thinking its fairly economical!

Me too ! My wife thinks it does 50 miles to gallon ! It seems that the more petrol I've got in it, the heavier my right foot gets

I haven't a clue how economical it is, when my baby needs fed, she gets fed...

[bennno]

ICSD said:

Hi Guys

I've got an 02 330i Sport Touring Auto which is doing 23.1MPG on average. The original spec shows a combined figure (which is pretty much the kind of driving I do) of 28. I'm thinking of bringing it up on the next service as it's still under warranty but I wondered if anybody is getting similar figures to me and am I just being overly optimistic about what I should be getting?

I owned a 02 330i sport and did about 50k miles in it from new.

Tremendous car, main difference was mine was a manual and did circa 31mpg average.

My current 335i manual is returning an average of 29.8 in mainly motorway use at 85-90mph

Auto boxes always seem to knacker fuel economy for some reason

bennno

[Dunk76]

Seems about right, but it depends on your usage.

On a very long clear motorway run, I can get 31mpg (according to the OBC) out of the B3. Round town this plummets to and indicated 7mpg.

The average on Cons 2 is 26mpg - and I spend almost my entire life on the motorway.

Colleague has 325i Touring and he's getting no better than 25 average out of his.

[dave_s13]

528 touring auto here.

My 12mile commute is 75% stood still/stop start and I do home visits 3 days a week within a 10mile radius so lots more stop n go. OBC says 21mpg....which is why I rarely look at that function!

[A S P]

E46 328 touring and my average is about 24mpg. I do a mix of town and a little motorway driving. On long motorway trips @ 70mph (done a couple of times for research) can get 35mpg but normally average about 28/30mpg, over 90mph the fuel economy drops considerably...apparently so they say... A 330 I imagine would be more economical than my 2.8, from what I'm aware of BMW made the 3.0 more economical and powerful in each subsequent model, however the problem with a more powerful engine is the proportional increase in wanting to drive faster!

Forgot to say its a manual, an auto is bound to suffer a bit in comparison

Edited by A S P on Thursday 15th March 07:51

[dave_s13]

Actually looked at it on the way in.....19.1mpg!!! that's $hit

[muzzer]

E46 320ci manual here.

Virtually all around town.

23-26mpg...

[ICSD]

Thanks for all your help chaps. Seems like it's about right then. I don't mind too much as it's such a rewarding car to drive (I often have it in manual mode which is excellent - a bit strange at first though!) and I do ring it's neck every now and then which probably doesn't help.

It's just that it's so far adrift from the official figure that I though something might be wrong.

Cheers

[xtruss]

I would be curious to know what other people get from their 4 pot's.
I have a 52 E46 318 auto touring. And computer says 24.8 mpg. Last tank fill up took 12.9 Gallons for 321 miles. Most of my driving is 20 - 30 minute trips around town, A roads, some dual carrage way. It just passed it's MOT no probs with emissions. Just had service few weeks back new air cleaner etc. Seems high? Or is the auto just a lot thirstier, friend has 318 cab manual, similar driving gets 32..

[GTS Turbo]

i have an E36 328 coupe and with a mix of dual carrigeways and town driving with the odd bit of ragging i average about 27-28mpg a tank although my engine did suffer from the nikasil crap and that did drop my mpg to around 23-24mpg since the engine had a rebuild with a new block and pistons i never drop below 27mpg really!

it's still easier on fuel than my old MR2 turbo which averaged around 24mpg and only drank super unleaded too! so i call my 328 the economical and practical choice after having the MR2

[X1_7MMY]

Ive got a E46 330ci 2001 model. It gives me 20.9 mpg around town. Seems heavy but for the performance you get from them....its worth every penny of fuel that goes in!!!

[baz1985]

E46 330. 16-18mpg