Discussion
Ok I’ve driven this bad boy for 2500+ miles now. It’s very quick in the sense that rather than overtaking one car on one of my favourite twisties, I over take the whole row, ending each gear change with a very pleasing growl from the diesel engine @ 5500+ rpm.
This is definitely not like any diesel I’ve driven. Most are slow, all others are like driving a tractor and definitely sound like a bag of broken chisels.
I’m pleased with the 44-45mpg l’m getting from the straight 6 (46-47 indicated) especially considering I’m on the naughty side of 70 most of the time, switch to Sport+ on the twisties and my bad to/from work journey (lots of big hills, accelerating and braking).
However both the loaner F34 (2.0l diesel) and this car are terrible on my works run – with all other cars, except a Ford Fiesta diesel (consistently 3 mpg off the mark), I have managed to get the combined mpg rating. Regardless of how hard I try, the F30 335D only returns 42-44mpg.
I can only put the mediocre consumption down to the kerb weight (1705kg), the hills and the fact that the engine is only fully warm at the end of the works journey. Eco Pro trys its level best to keep the revs well below 1500 and the aircon virtually off, but its nowhere near the acclaimed 52.3mpg. My previous VAG 4motion Golf would have been close to 60mpg, if I’d driven this way and normally averages 54-56mpg on the same run.
Generally though, the handling, performance, looks and even the sound sells it IMHO. Getting 44-45mpg most of the time is a bonus on a straight 6 with this much power. The inside may only be classed as good (sans merino leather) rather than best in class, but the gadgets more than make up for this. I could play for hours with the electric tow hook (
), and the remote/scheduled heating is a massive bonus on a cold winters morn.
Final thing I need to do is fully test the handling on track once the winters are off – course I’ll do this with my *cough* friends car.
playing with my gadget
This is definitely not like any diesel I’ve driven. Most are slow, all others are like driving a tractor and definitely sound like a bag of broken chisels.
I’m pleased with the 44-45mpg l’m getting from the straight 6 (46-47 indicated) especially considering I’m on the naughty side of 70 most of the time, switch to Sport+ on the twisties and my bad to/from work journey (lots of big hills, accelerating and braking).
However both the loaner F34 (2.0l diesel) and this car are terrible on my works run – with all other cars, except a Ford Fiesta diesel (consistently 3 mpg off the mark), I have managed to get the combined mpg rating. Regardless of how hard I try, the F30 335D only returns 42-44mpg.
I can only put the mediocre consumption down to the kerb weight (1705kg), the hills and the fact that the engine is only fully warm at the end of the works journey. Eco Pro trys its level best to keep the revs well below 1500 and the aircon virtually off, but its nowhere near the acclaimed 52.3mpg. My previous VAG 4motion Golf would have been close to 60mpg, if I’d driven this way and normally averages 54-56mpg on the same run.
Generally though, the handling, performance, looks and even the sound sells it IMHO. Getting 44-45mpg most of the time is a bonus on a straight 6 with this much power. The inside may only be classed as good (sans merino leather) rather than best in class, but the gadgets more than make up for this. I could play for hours with the electric tow hook (
), and the remote/scheduled heating is a massive bonus on a cold winters morn.Final thing I need to do is fully test the handling on track once the winters are off – course I’ll do this with my *cough* friends car.
playing with my gadget
Edited by tjlees on Wednesday 24th December 16:18
Worlds first V6 BMW!
Did you buy the car new? As you've only done 2500 miles the car will be barely run in. How far is your commute? You also can't expect a 3.0 twin turbo straight 6 to be as economical as a relatively simple 4 cylinder VAG engine with a smaller car to drag around. The fact that it achieves 42mpg+ knocking about is astonishing in my mind for a 313bhp car!
Did you buy the car new? As you've only done 2500 miles the car will be barely run in. How far is your commute? You also can't expect a 3.0 twin turbo straight 6 to be as economical as a relatively simple 4 cylinder VAG engine with a smaller car to drag around. The fact that it achieves 42mpg+ knocking about is astonishing in my mind for a 313bhp car!
yep corrected to a straight 6 - but still sounds good even if it enhanced by the stereo.
The commute is about 25 miles each way and while accepting its not quite run in yet, I can't see it achieving 52mpg+ on the motorway, however Autocar did get 53.6 mpg on their test run with a heavy F31 330D (1735kg) - it even beat a Boxster S round its handling circuit.
The only glimmer of hope is when I drove in the Lincolnshire Wolds, where you spend most of your time on straight-ish roads doing around 60 mph. The mpg jumped to an indicated 50+mpg.
The commute is about 25 miles each way and while accepting its not quite run in yet, I can't see it achieving 52mpg+ on the motorway, however Autocar did get 53.6 mpg on their test run with a heavy F31 330D (1735kg) - it even beat a Boxster S round its handling circuit.
The only glimmer of hope is when I drove in the Lincolnshire Wolds, where you spend most of your time on straight-ish roads doing around 60 mph. The mpg jumped to an indicated 50+mpg.
I've got an F31 328i. In just about every previous car I've always managed the extra urban MPG.
However, I can't better an indicated 42.5 on a 70 mph commute to work. I thought I'd see 50. It's worse with winters on at the moment as well.
It's comparable mpg wise to my previous MK5 GTI.
However, I can't better an indicated 42.5 on a 70 mph commute to work. I thought I'd see 50. It's worse with winters on at the moment as well.
It's comparable mpg wise to my previous MK5 GTI.
Forget the claimed, unless you are in a wind tunnel and the fan is behind you!!!
My old 335d remapped to 350bhp by evolve would only get 32 ish
By contrast last week in my remapped abarth500 I got 46 in traffic up the m3 for 2 hrs. 5 hrs total travel I got 38 m3 m25 London traffic and back
Quite surprised, puts the 19 from the AMG in the shade and whilst in stop start traffic and jams why not, apart from heated and massage seats v go cart !
My old 335d remapped to 350bhp by evolve would only get 32 ish
By contrast last week in my remapped abarth500 I got 46 in traffic up the m3 for 2 hrs. 5 hrs total travel I got 38 m3 m25 London traffic and back
Quite surprised, puts the 19 from the AMG in the shade and whilst in stop start traffic and jams why not, apart from heated and massage seats v go cart !
Yep. Most pocket rockets will do better mpg. The Misses Roadster JCW regularly sees 37+mpg and 46 on a long run - main advantage being the weight.
However you need a car like a 3 series to tow 1.8t and carry four in comfort with lots of luggage - a typical event that occurs at least 15 times a year with me. Additionally one/twice a year its the bikes and roof box - here's the ex-VAG ....
Additionally, the car needs to be either rear wheel or 4 wheel drive to start/stop with trailer on the steep hills nearby.
However you need a car like a 3 series to tow 1.8t and carry four in comfort with lots of luggage - a typical event that occurs at least 15 times a year with me. Additionally one/twice a year its the bikes and roof box - here's the ex-VAG ....
Additionally, the car needs to be either rear wheel or 4 wheel drive to start/stop with trailer on the steep hills nearby.
Wills2 said:
Is that code for "sorry I was wrong" 
No, it's not. I wasn't sure what the legal requirement was (hence the question) but it still doesn't sound ideal. Isn't the recommendation that the trailer not exceed 85% of the towing vehicle curb weight? That figure keeps popping up when reading up.Either way if you routinely tow 1.8 tonne trailers then a 3 Series doesn't sound like the ideal towcar it's being portrayed to be. I thought it was vehicle weight rather than outright power that was most important with towing?
Fox- said:
No, it's not. I wasn't sure what the legal requirement was (hence the question) but it still doesn't sound ideal. Isn't the recommendation that the trailer not exceed 85% of the towing vehicle curb weight? That figure keeps popping up when reading up.
The 85% recommendation is mainly for newbie towers and/or tows that are liable to snake such as single axled caravans.Modern cars stability controls now allow for trailers/caravans when attached, however there is no substitute for experience and appropriate level of speed.
Personally I'd only ever tow a twin axled trailer because its much more stable, very unlikely to snake and can take a blowout. The golf was very stable when towing 1.6t, providing I've loaded and checked the pressures properly. When I have screwed up the loading and trailer has started to snake/pitch its been relatively easy to bring a twin axled trailer under control.
Well I have the F10 535d pre LCI and on a commute which is driven without regard to economy I'm getting c 40-42mpg.
Long runs this keeps going up and up - best so far as per a pic I posted up here earlier this year was nearly 48mpg if I'd carried on to double the miles no doubt I'd be well into the 50's. The current LCI model will/has a combined 50mpg mine has low 40's so its looking like in getting pretty much what it says on the tin.
At times on the M way Eco pro would be lovely just to eke more economy out for no difference in driving - however when buying the price difference was c£10k more which while affordable if simply refused to justify the additional cost for a marginal increase in economy which I'd never recoup in efficiency.
Regardless they are great cars for what they are designed to do. Just wish they would offer a remap to it to turn it into an absolute BEAST.
Long runs this keeps going up and up - best so far as per a pic I posted up here earlier this year was nearly 48mpg if I'd carried on to double the miles no doubt I'd be well into the 50's. The current LCI model will/has a combined 50mpg mine has low 40's so its looking like in getting pretty much what it says on the tin.
At times on the M way Eco pro would be lovely just to eke more economy out for no difference in driving - however when buying the price difference was c£10k more which while affordable if simply refused to justify the additional cost for a marginal increase in economy which I'd never recoup in efficiency.
Regardless they are great cars for what they are designed to do. Just wish they would offer a remap to it to turn it into an absolute BEAST.
tjlees said:
yep corrected to a straight 6 - but still sounds good even if it enhanced by the stereo.
The commute is about 25 miles each way and while accepting its not quite run in yet, I can't see it achieving 52mpg+ on the motorway, however Autocar did get 53.6 mpg on their test run with a heavy F31 330D (1735kg) - it even beat a Boxster S round its handling circuit.
The only glimmer of hope is when I drove in the Lincolnshire Wolds, where you spend most of your time on straight-ish roads doing around 60 mph. The mpg jumped to an indicated 50+mpg.
I actually think you're doing pretty well on the fuel consumption front; my F31 335d is rated a couple of mpg worse than the saloon but over 5k miles my running average is only around 39. I don't drive for economy and almost never use Eco-Pro but equally I don't thrash it either and hence I'm a touch disappointed that I'm so far off the combined figure; realistically I never expected to achieve that but didn't expect to be over 20% off it either!The commute is about 25 miles each way and while accepting its not quite run in yet, I can't see it achieving 52mpg+ on the motorway, however Autocar did get 53.6 mpg on their test run with a heavy F31 330D (1735kg) - it even beat a Boxster S round its handling circuit.
The only glimmer of hope is when I drove in the Lincolnshire Wolds, where you spend most of your time on straight-ish roads doing around 60 mph. The mpg jumped to an indicated 50+mpg.
Edited by JNW1 on Friday 2nd January 00:21
JNW1 said:
tjlees said:
yep corrected to a straight 6 - but still sounds good even if it enhanced by the stereo.
The commute is about 25 miles each way and while accepting its not quite run in yet, I can't see it achieving 52mpg+ on the motorway, however Autocar did get 53.6 mpg on their test run with a heavy F31 330D (1735kg) - it even beat a Boxster S round its handling circuit.
The only glimmer of hope is when I drove in the Lincolnshire Wolds, where you spend most of your time on straight-ish roads doing around 60 mph. The mpg jumped to an indicated 50+mpg.[/quote
I actually think you're doing pretty well on the fuel consumption front; my F31 335d is rated a couple of mpg worse than the saloon but over 5k miles my running average is only around 39. I don't drive for economy and almost never use Eco-Pro but equally I don't thrash it either and hence I'm a touch disappointed that I'm so far off the combined figure; realistically I never expected to achieve that but didn't expect to be over 20% off it either!
I don't get how you achieve less that a 535d all the additional weight and less beneficial aerodynamics. The commute is about 25 miles each way and while accepting its not quite run in yet, I can't see it achieving 52mpg+ on the motorway, however Autocar did get 53.6 mpg on their test run with a heavy F31 330D (1735kg) - it even beat a Boxster S round its handling circuit.
The only glimmer of hope is when I drove in the Lincolnshire Wolds, where you spend most of your time on straight-ish roads doing around 60 mph. The mpg jumped to an indicated 50+mpg.[/quote
I actually think you're doing pretty well on the fuel consumption front; my F31 335d is rated a couple of mpg worse than the saloon but over 5k miles my running average is only around 39. I don't drive for economy and almost never use Eco-Pro but equally I don't thrash it either and hence I'm a touch disappointed that I'm so far off the combined figure; realistically I never expected to achieve that but didn't expect to be over 20% off it either!
As it turns out today I went for a super Eco drive in my F10 535d pre LCI so no Eco pro option nor stop start. Starting it from cold and doing 16 miles in 30's/40/50's with a top speed of a little over 60mph. It was flat very flat I nudged 51mpg.
Also to note I did the trip twice - once the day before where I did nudge 100 leptons - mpg hit 36-37mpg.
Its now 57k miles so maybe the cars you have are not get fully run in.
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