Discussion
Morning All.
So I recently picked up my "new" car, a 2003 BMW 330i M-Sport saloon with the automatic transmission. Other than a few niggles (it is an 11 year old car after all), it's an awesome machine. Easy to drive, comfortable, and plenty fast enough. For now.
However, the average mpg that it's returning is absolutely awful. The various guides suggest an average combined mpg of around 30, with around 40 on the extra-urban cycle and around 20 on the urban cycle. My daily commute combines roughly 9 miles (each way) of a-roads, motorway and city driving, but I'm only seeing average mpg of 19!!
I'm not driving with a particularly heavy right foot and I'm even trying to drive in such a way that the instant mpg gauge shows at 40 or higher. Is there something wrong with the car, or do most people experience such crappy fuel economy from an automatic 330i of the E46 generation?
Thanks in advance. Sam
So I recently picked up my "new" car, a 2003 BMW 330i M-Sport saloon with the automatic transmission. Other than a few niggles (it is an 11 year old car after all), it's an awesome machine. Easy to drive, comfortable, and plenty fast enough. For now.
However, the average mpg that it's returning is absolutely awful. The various guides suggest an average combined mpg of around 30, with around 40 on the extra-urban cycle and around 20 on the urban cycle. My daily commute combines roughly 9 miles (each way) of a-roads, motorway and city driving, but I'm only seeing average mpg of 19!!
I'm not driving with a particularly heavy right foot and I'm even trying to drive in such a way that the instant mpg gauge shows at 40 or higher. Is there something wrong with the car, or do most people experience such crappy fuel economy from an automatic 330i of the E46 generation?
Thanks in advance. Sam
Just had the tyres checked and balanced, so they should be bang on. The engine warms up really quickly and then stays at a constant (good) temperature.
I know an auto (at least an older one) will use more fuel than a manual, but it's nowhere near the figures that all the guides say it should be...
Well, I've given it the beans ones or twice, but only for very short parts of otherwise pretty sedate journeys.
I know an auto (at least an older one) will use more fuel than a manual, but it's nowhere near the figures that all the guides say it should be...
Well, I've given it the beans ones or twice, but only for very short parts of otherwise pretty sedate journeys.
That is about right for a 9 mile journey in an automatic 3 litre. The car won't even be warm for the first 5 miles.
Just be careful when discussing on here, where you live and when you drive has a huge effect in economy. I have got into some arguments with posters on here who were outraged that I got 20mpg in a BMW and said they easily got 34 mpg and that something must wrong with the car or me. When questioned further, they drove at 56 mph on empty dual carriageways and I drive short work journeys, in the southeast, at rush hour.
Just be careful when discussing on here, where you live and when you drive has a huge effect in economy. I have got into some arguments with posters on here who were outraged that I got 20mpg in a BMW and said they easily got 34 mpg and that something must wrong with the car or me. When questioned further, they drove at 56 mph on empty dual carriageways and I drive short work journeys, in the southeast, at rush hour.
Very true. My commute is from just outside Bristol into the city centre at rush hour (in the morning). The car's gauges all show it to be warmed up pretty soon into the journey, so I guess it's more because it's stop-start a lot of the way. The most economical speeds seem to be just over 40mph, just under 60mph, and then just over 80mph. The gauge shows it as being around 50mpg for those... I'll see how it goes.
storeys66 said:
Just had the tyres checked and balanced, so they should be bang on. The engine warms up really quickly and then stays at a constant (good) temperature.
I know an auto (at least an older one) will in viscosity for at least 10 mins and that also effects mpg. use more fuel than a manual, but it's nowhere near the figures that all the guides say it should be...
Well, I've given it the beans ones or twice, but only for very short parts of otherwise pretty sedate journeys.
Yea, I DIY installed proper gauges on a car and I can tell you the BMW gauges are complete lies, and are only one step above an idiot light. They are designed to sit perfectly in the middle over a very wide temp range. And also the oil doesn't warm up nearly as quickly as the coolant and starts to drop in viscosity for at least 10 mins and this effects economy as well. I know an auto (at least an older one) will in viscosity for at least 10 mins and that also effects mpg. use more fuel than a manual, but it's nowhere near the figures that all the guides say it should be...
Well, I've given it the beans ones or twice, but only for very short parts of otherwise pretty sedate journeys.
As a rule of thumb it's best to take the NEDC urban mpg figure as "optimitic average", the provided average and extra urban will be way off due to the unrealistic nature of the test.
I had a Z4 with the same engine/'box and averaged 25mpg, being a few hundred kgs lighter than an E46 your mpg sounds about right (as others have said).
I had a Z4 with the same engine/'box and averaged 25mpg, being a few hundred kgs lighter than an E46 your mpg sounds about right (as others have said).
ExPat2B said:
That is about right for a 9 mile journey in an automatic 3 litre. The car won't even be warm for the first 5 miles.
Just be careful when discussing on here, where you live and when you drive has a huge effect in economy. I have got into some arguments with posters on here who were outraged that I got 20mpg in a BMW and said they easily got 34 mpg and that something must wrong with the car or me. When questioned further, they drove at 56 mph on empty dual carriageways and I drive short work journeys, in the southeast, at rush hour.
above is the perfect answer. Just be careful when discussing on here, where you live and when you drive has a huge effect in economy. I have got into some arguments with posters on here who were outraged that I got 20mpg in a BMW and said they easily got 34 mpg and that something must wrong with the car or me. When questioned further, they drove at 56 mph on empty dual carriageways and I drive short work journeys, in the southeast, at rush hour.
I did a 10 mile commute in a 330i touring, then we moved out to where I worked, but for a year I had to go the opposite way as my daughter was still at school in the area where we lived previously.
Now, on the commute one way I used to get 22mpg average, but on the commute going the other way I used to see 28mpg average.
I just think that on the commute where I saw 28 average the traffic was flowing better as the car warmed up, by the time I hit the more stationary stuff my car was already up to temperature.
But same journey, same car, same time each day, just different direction saw 30% better economy.
If it makes you feel better I swapped from a 320d auto touring and that used to see 27mpg on the same run the 330i got 22mpg from. Some journeys just kill economy.
Now, on the commute one way I used to get 22mpg average, but on the commute going the other way I used to see 28mpg average.
I just think that on the commute where I saw 28 average the traffic was flowing better as the car warmed up, by the time I hit the more stationary stuff my car was already up to temperature.
But same journey, same car, same time each day, just different direction saw 30% better economy.
If it makes you feel better I swapped from a 320d auto touring and that used to see 27mpg on the same run the 330i got 22mpg from. Some journeys just kill economy.
Bristol City Centre is a nightmare, usually if I need to go in I'll leave ridiculously early to miss most of the traffic, or start late to miss it again. I go up the portway everyday at between 45-65 and I regularly get the claimed 42 mpg out of my Fiat. But on weekends when I do go into town, it plummets to around 25-28. It's the journey moreso than the car. Might get slated, but for commuting, thought of a 125 and a CBT? Peanuts to run and then you can keep the car for proper journeys where you need it. Cheaper on fuel, can park V close, alright you do get wet, but you spend less time commuting. When I worked in town, I bought a bike, now I'm in Avonmouth, it's easier to take the car (what with work aswell)
laingy said:
ExPat2B said:
That is about right for a 9 mile journey in an automatic 3 litre. The car won't even be warm for the first 5 miles.
Just be careful when discussing on here, where you live and when you drive has a huge effect in economy. I have got into some arguments with posters on here who were outraged that I got 20mpg in a BMW and said they easily got 34 mpg and that something must wrong with the car or me. When questioned further, they drove at 56 mph on empty dual carriageways and I drive short work journeys, in the southeast, at rush hour.
above is the perfect answer. Just be careful when discussing on here, where you live and when you drive has a huge effect in economy. I have got into some arguments with posters on here who were outraged that I got 20mpg in a BMW and said they easily got 34 mpg and that something must wrong with the car or me. When questioned further, they drove at 56 mph on empty dual carriageways and I drive short work journeys, in the southeast, at rush hour.
Not driven either like a hooligan or a saint, this sort of number is achievable. Use the accelerator a lot and/or sit in stationary traffic for any length of time and you'll struggle to break 20mpg.
currybum said:
This is pistonheads, your 3L 6 cylinder car should easily be getting better fuel economy than any 2L I4 turbo of the same power…you aren’t lying enough .
Nice try, but the problem in this case is the gearbox, not the engine. A manual 330i won't be too far away from, say a current 328i, 2-3 mpg in the same conditions at best. And the 330i will sound infinitely better, and probably be smoother to drive. But hey, that's progress for you.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff