E36 328i SE Touring queries
Discussion
I am contemplating changing my MX5 for an E36 328i Touring. Since there are virtually no Sport ones out there, and if they appear they're twice the price of the SE, I shall stick to the cheap one. My second car is supposed to be economy motoring... the MX5 has cost me pennies to run over a year and a few thousand miles.
Hence the question - what sort of fuel economy does the E36 328i manage, with a manual gearbox? I suspect the Sport versions have a lower final drive ratio so SE experiences are most useful, cheers
Hence the question - what sort of fuel economy does the E36 328i manage, with a manual gearbox? I suspect the Sport versions have a lower final drive ratio so SE experiences are most useful, cheers

Jobbo said:
Hence the question - what sort of fuel economy does the E36 328i manage, with a manual gearbox? I suspect the Sport versions have a lower final drive ratio so SE experiences are most useful, cheers 
I think you're getting confused between the E30 and E36 Simon.
If it's a manual 328i it will have a 2.93:1 as standard. The auto has a 3.07:1 as standard.
It is possible to fit in other ratios ( 3.15:1 out the E36 325i/M3 3.0litre for example )
Mpg? Depends on the journey/type of driving
IIRC the E36 328i Sport coupe had a lower final drive? No idea about the Touring, but the point is I don't think experiences of economy on the (much more prevalent on these forums) Sport is indicative of what I'd get with an SE.
I should have e-mailed you anyway (assuming your username is a contraction of ShropshireMike
) but really, I'm just hoping I'd get at least 30mpg on a 12 mile commute which is mainly country roads with a mile in town each end.
I should have e-mailed you anyway (assuming your username is a contraction of ShropshireMike
) but really, I'm just hoping I'd get at least 30mpg on a 12 mile commute which is mainly country roads with a mile in town each end.Edited by Jobbo on Tuesday 26th October 11:38
Jobbo said:
IIRC the E36 328i Sport coupe had a lower final drive? No idea about the Touring, but the point is I don't think experiences of economy on the (much more prevalent on these forums) Sport is indicative of what I'd get with an SE.
I should have e-mailed you anyway (assuming your username is a contraction of ShropshireMike
) but really, I'm just hoping I'd get at least 30mpg on a 12 mile commute which is mainly country roads with a mile in town each end.
The Sport Coupe was mostly a cosmetics thing with some different shocks, lollipop bushes and bigger wheels/tyres.I should have e-mailed you anyway (assuming your username is a contraction of ShropshireMike
) but really, I'm just hoping I'd get at least 30mpg on a 12 mile commute which is mainly country roads with a mile in town each end.Edited by Jobbo on Tuesday 26th October 11:38
That mpg would be achievable ime - town driving will drag it down depnding on how much stop/starting there is
My 328i SE Saloon has avergae 29.4MPG in my care, mixture of motorways and towns, with a fiarly heavy right foot. When you hear the noise it make as the rev counter sweeps past 3000rpm and the VANOS kicks in, I suspect yours will get heavy too
Especially as the lack of rear bulkhead in the Touring means you can hear the glorious noise coming out of the exhaust all the better.
I'd say I get 28MPG in town, 32-34 on the motorway, and have seen up to 38 on an extended trip (Staffs to Swindon). I also have a pic of the OBD reading 44 MPG in roadworks outside Wolverhampton.
Especially as the lack of rear bulkhead in the Touring means you can hear the glorious noise coming out of the exhaust all the better.I'd say I get 28MPG in town, 32-34 on the motorway, and have seen up to 38 on an extended trip (Staffs to Swindon). I also have a pic of the OBD reading 44 MPG in roadworks outside Wolverhampton.
bodhi said:
My 328i SE Saloon has avergae 29.4MPG in my care, mixture of motorways and towns, with a fiarly heavy right foot. When you hear the noise it make as the rev counter sweeps past 3000rpm and the VANOS kicks in, I suspect yours will get heavy too
Especially as the lack of rear bulkhead in the Touring means you can hear the glorious noise coming out of the exhaust all the better.
I'd say I get 28MPG in town, 32-34 on the motorway, and have seen up to 38 on an extended trip (Staffs to Swindon). I also have a pic of the OBD reading 44 MPG in roadworks outside Wolverhampton.
I had an E36 328i SE Auto Touring for 5 years and my average mpg was around 27-28
Especially as the lack of rear bulkhead in the Touring means you can hear the glorious noise coming out of the exhaust all the better.I'd say I get 28MPG in town, 32-34 on the motorway, and have seen up to 38 on an extended trip (Staffs to Swindon). I also have a pic of the OBD reading 44 MPG in roadworks outside Wolverhampton.
Expecting 30mpg+ on a 12 mile A road commute is a tad optimistic
sparkythecat said:
bodhi said:
My 328i SE Saloon has avergae 29.4MPG in my care, mixture of motorways and towns, with a fiarly heavy right foot. When you hear the noise it make as the rev counter sweeps past 3000rpm and the VANOS kicks in, I suspect yours will get heavy too
Especially as the lack of rear bulkhead in the Touring means you can hear the glorious noise coming out of the exhaust all the better.
I'd say I get 28MPG in town, 32-34 on the motorway, and have seen up to 38 on an extended trip (Staffs to Swindon). I also have a pic of the OBD reading 44 MPG in roadworks outside Wolverhampton.
I had an E36 328i SE Auto Touring for 5 years and my average mpg was around 27-28
Especially as the lack of rear bulkhead in the Touring means you can hear the glorious noise coming out of the exhaust all the better.I'd say I get 28MPG in town, 32-34 on the motorway, and have seen up to 38 on an extended trip (Staffs to Swindon). I also have a pic of the OBD reading 44 MPG in roadworks outside Wolverhampton.
Expecting 30mpg+ on a 12 mile A road commute is a tad optimistic
Jobbo said:
IIRC the E36 328i Sport coupe had a lower final drive?
Nope, all manual 328i's have a 2.93 diff and all autos are a 3.07 from the factory.If you're doing a fair bit of motorway mileage then it makes sense, but if the car is going to be more of a fun car then go for a 3.15 out of a 325 or 3litre M3.
andy665 said:
I would never trust the fuel consumption figures from the trip computer - my 328i is showing 31.4mpg but its actually doing 3.2 mpg less than that.
Seems like every car I have ever owned shows a fuel consumption 3mpg better on the trip computer than the actual
The nice thing about the E36 one is that you can re-calibrate it after working out what you are really getting.Seems like every car I have ever owned shows a fuel consumption 3mpg better on the trip computer than the actual
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