[Hooplescat]

My 530d GT can only realistically do 28-29 MPG (UK). Does anyone else think this is rubbish? I was expecting 35 or so, and at this rate might look to chop it in for a standard 520d...

I bet you 550 owning americans are real glad about your super low fuel prices!!! You must be getting about 15mpg!

[nigelh]

Originally Posted by Hooplescat

My 530d GT can only realistically do 28-29 MPG (UK).

I'm currently averaging 34.4 mpg in my 530d GT,thats using Shell V-power.This drops to 32 ish on short trips.

[jadnashuanh]

Originally Posted by Hooplescat

I bet you 550 owning americans are real glad about your super low fuel prices!!! You must be getting about 15mpg!

I'd buy the diesel here IF they sold it (which they don't). The diesel offerings from BMW are sparse in the US, only the 330d and the x5 d. Looks like the X3 may become available with a diesel here, but for now, that's it. A shame, as I'd like the diesel, regardless. I waited a year after a rep at the autoshow in NYC indicated it would be coming, but at the Detroit show this January, they said not likely until MAYBE 2013. I'm picking up a 535 in APril in Munich.

For better or worse, you're paying more for your fuel because your government is taxing it more, not because the base material costs (nearly) twice what we pay in the US. Now, IF they would use that tax money to really improve roads, I'd pay a bit more, but it tends to get siphoned off on other things. The road quality there verses here isn't really twice or 3x as good...better, maybe (but I haven't driven over there for years...used public transport the last few times, so it was hard to say for sure!).

[Hooplescat]

How many miles on yours mate? Mine is on 5000 miles. As an experiment today on a 10 mile stretch of 'A' road (a little hilly implaces, I drove in 'D', normal setting, and literally tried to just rest my foot on the gas ever so slightly and keep it breezing along at about 55 mph - no junctions, no traffic lights, no heavy traffic - I could get it to 31mpg, but this dropped as soon as I hit my village and had junctions, hills and parking, and then first time I overtook something (not at crazy pace) it started heading back down to 29mpg...

Highly frustrating! Especially as fuel hit £1.40/l today in my area...

[Hooplescat]

Originally Posted by jadnashuanh

I'd buy the diesel here IF they sold it (which they don't). The diesel offerings from BMW are sparse in the US, only the 330d and the x5 d. Looks like the X3 may become available with a diesel here, but for now, that's it. A shame, as I'd like the diesel, regardless. I waited a year after a rep at the autoshow in NYC indicated it would be coming, but at the Detroit show this January, they said not likely until MAYBE 2013. I'm picking up a 535 in APril in Munich.

535 will be a lovely engine though...

[speuk]

Originally Posted by Hooplescat

How many miles on yours mate? Mine is on 5000 miles. As an experiment today on a 10 mile stretch of 'A' road (a little hilly implaces, I drove in 'D', normal setting, and literally tried to just rest my foot on the gas ever so slightly and keep it breezing along at about 55 mph - no junctions, no traffic lights, no heavy traffic - I could get it to 31mpg, but this dropped as soon as I hit my village and had junctions, hills and parking, and then first time I overtook something (not at crazy pace) it started heading back down to 29mpg...

Highly frustrating! Especially as fuel hit £1.40/l today in my area...

5600 miles on the clock since new (December 2010) and getting 37.5mpg since delivery. Journeys are generally a mixture of short 25 mile trips each way into London 2 or 3 times a week and some 120 mile each way runs up to the Midlands.

I took it to the Highlands last week about 1150 miles round trip and averaged 40.2mpg. I believe the last s/w update added about 1mpg?

[Hooplescat]

Interesting - what software update is that? Should I have it too - mine is a september 2010 built car on a 60 plate...

[nigelh]

Nearly 12K on mine,one year old at end of month.

[johnnyutah]

Originally Posted by Hooplescat

My 530d GT can only realistically do 28-29 MPG (UK). Does anyone else think this is rubbish? I was expecting 35 or so, and at this rate might look to chop it in for a standard 520d...

I bet you 550 owning americans are real glad about your super low fuel prices!!! You must be getting about 15mpg!

SO Jealous! I wish I could get 28-29 MPG. You are about right on the money with your 550i guess, I'm averaging 14 MPG. ...still better than the 9 MPG I avg. the first week I owned the car.

[Hooplescat]

Originally Posted by johnnyutah

SO Jealous! I wish I could get 28-29 MPG. You are about right on the money with your 550i guess, I'm averaging 14 MPG. ...still better than the 9 MPG I avg. the first week I owned the car.

Wow, but what do you guys pay for fuel...go on, give us a per litre price and make us brits cry. We had blockades a year ago when it hit £1 a litre, now diesel at £1.40 a litre and expected to hit £1.50 at least by the summer. It's going to cost nearly £100 to fill her up!!!

[jadnashuanh]

Just a little over a dollar (US) per liter for premium (about $4/US gallon, but depends on where you are), but it's going up (probably is everywhere) in the last couple of weeks.

[Hooplescat]

a buck a litre. my god, that is awesome. Very jealous, I would also have bought a 550 if fuel was that price here...

[speuk]

Originally Posted by Hooplescat

Interesting - what software update is that? Should I have it too - mine is a september 2010 built car on a 60 plate...

Mine is May 2010 build but only registered in October 2010. I bought it at the end of November and ask for latest software which was ISTA/P 40.1.0.1 at the time and road maps 2011 to be put on. s/w update was done on 11th December 2010. Probably a newer version by now. I read somewhere that mpg had been improved by 1.5mpg from September build. Check with your dealer you may already have the the same software as mine.

[Hooplescat]

thanks for that - you would have thought that somewhere I can check the software version, I'll have a look - although I don't hold out much hope, when I bought the car, the salesman showed me some cool video tutorial things built into the idrive system, and I haven't even been able to find them since...

[drknow]

Originally Posted by johnnyutah

SO Jealous! I wish I could get 28-29 MPG. You are about right on the money with your 550i guess, I'm averaging 14 MPG. ...still better than the 9 MPG I avg. the first week I owned the car.

On my 550GT drive, with 5000 miles since delivery in July, we get between 11 and 12mpg in city driving. Fairly disappointed with that, as our former 750 got about 15mpg, and I would have thought this would have been equivalent.

[johnnyutah]

Originally Posted by drknow

On my 550GT drive, with 5000 miles since delivery in July, we get between 11 and 12mpg in city driving. Fairly disappointed with that, as our former 750 got about 15mpg, and I would have thought this would have been equivalent.

That is rough. The worst part is watching the MPG read out that shows just how much fuel you are consuming as you step on the gas. I might have to turn that off as it makes me cringe every time it falls below 10 MPG...which is every single time to you step on the gas... My only consolation is my commute. About 2 miles each way, so a fill up lasts about two weeks. Then again, the negative is I'm barely in the car to enjoy it.

[jadnashuanh]

No car, except for maybe an electric, will meet the EPA mileage rating with only a 2-mile commute...the car will be in cold-start, warm-up, richer mode the whole trip. I've run into the same issue since I retired. My previous work commute was about 20-miles each way and I was averaging about 22mpg. Now, with mostly runs to the store or mall which are close, I'm averaging about 12-13mpg. At 2-miles, you might consider just walking! Infinite MPG then! Your heart would thank you if it could talk.

[SpokenHands]

Aside from the usual fuel-saving tips, on the 5GT I find my fuel consumption is higher if:
1. I drive in Sport or Sport+ mode
2. You make quick getaways (It is a 2.1 ton car however light it feels!)
3. You dont drive smoothly, anticipating traffic or obstacles in advance

There is very little way a 3-liter engine is going to match a 2-liter's fuel economy but you can try the following:
1. Upgrade the S/W at the dealer
2. Use Cruise Control when you can safely
3. Turn the engine off when idling at red lights/jams more than 10 seconds
4. Use your ventilation rather than air-conditioning, if feasible and comfortable
5. Dont drive with windows down
6. Dont carry un-necessary weight
7. Remove your roof rack if you are not using it
8. Make sure your tires are at the right pressure weekly
9. Make sure your engine is serviced regularly, esp if it is a low-mileage car - annually
10. Ensure the air filters are clean and clear

I get 30mpg UK in city driving, and about 38mg UK on motorways. I dont follow all the tips because I like driivng the way I do but then I am happy to trade off the efficiency at the levels I am getting.

Hope this helps.