N54

noro · 03-20-2009, 12:18 PM

This would be my 4th brand new 3 series BMW and with each one I watched an interesting pattern in which the fuel consumption decreased right around 20K mark. The others 3ers had one thing in common, they had a naturally aspirated engine and 230HP. When I reached the 20K mark on this car and did not see any significant improvement I though to myself that even BMW can't pull a rabbit out of the magic hat... well they couldn't at 20K but they did at 22K.

I just watched my odo go beyond 330 miles on the same tank and I have another 50 miles left (estimated). Mind you the figure by itself isn't amaizing. What's amaizing that the exact same commute when the car was new would result in 280-290 miles per tank.

The 1st week I had the car I took it for a drive down to NYC and back and with a 99% highway drive the best I managed was 400 miles. I am getting close to this number now doing 50/50 highway/city.

Once this engine is fully broken in, I doubt you can find many others that provide this kind of economy with this kind of a power output.

methodtim · 03-20-2009, 12:33 PM

Nice! I must admit that I don't track my mileage as closely as I should since I never let it get close to empty. I hope that my mileage will see a bump at 20k-ish as well. I only have 16k more to go.

ragingclue · 03-20-2009, 12:37 PM

At about 8500 miles here, and I'm seeing 23-24 MPG with 60% city / 40% hwy driving.... I can already notice an increase from when I bought it a few months ago.

asdflkijd · 03-20-2009, 01:16 PM

mpg ftw!

yomama69 · 03-20-2009, 01:19 PM

I get 26-27 MPG on straight highway driving.

bmw-hoya · 03-20-2009, 01:35 PM

Agreed 100%. I haven't been watching my mileage too closely, but I'll be damned if I'm not getting better mileage now than I ever have (I'm about to cross 20k miles).

diablo2112 · 03-20-2009, 01:44 PM

I'm a fan of the N54 as well, having owned several 355s. However, another one of my cars is just astounding in the mileage/performance department. My C6 vette gets 30 mpg highway routinely, and averages about 26 city/highway combined. This, in a 400 HP V8. Nothing I've owned comes close to this.

On the opposite end of the curve is my Honda S2000. That tiny little 4-banger only manages about 22 mpg, and the S2000 is lighter than the Vette! Chevy is to be applauded. The new vettes are stellar cars, and world-beaters in many ways.

noro · 03-20-2009, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diablo2112

My C6 vette gets 30 mpg highway routinely, and averages about 26 city/highway combined. This, in a 400 HP V8. Nothing I've owned comes close to this.

That's impressive indeed. The light weight and the aerodynamic shape probably have a lot to do with this.

Neon01 · 03-20-2009, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by methodtim

Nice! I must admit that I don't track my mileage as closely as I should since I never let it get close to empty. I hope that my mileage will see a bump at 20k-ish as well. I only have 16k more to go.

You don't need to let it get close to zero to track economy. Displacement method works no matter how empty your fuel tank. Try it

josephr25 · 03-20-2009, 01:53 PM

I fill up my tank halfway to save some money and gas; i get around 25 average. The weight difference can be felt as well.

noro · 03-20-2009, 01:56 PM

Half a tank of gas is about 50lbs ... kudos for feeling that difference.

yomama69 · 03-20-2009, 02:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kampfer

I fill up my tank halfway to save some money and gas; i get around 25 average. The weight difference can be felt as well.

How do you save money by only filling up the tank half way? You still are driving the same distance. Now you're wasting more time to fill twice as often. If you can't afford 30 bucks for a tank of Premium, you probably shouldn't be driving an e90.

noro · 03-20-2009, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yomama69

How do you save money by only filling up the tank half way? You still are driving the same distance. Now you're wasting more time to fill twice as often. If you can't afford 30 bucks for a tank of Premium, you probably shouldn't be driving an e90.

Hypermilers believe that if you driving around with half a tank instead of a full tank you will not be wasting fuel toting around the extra half of the tank.

yomama69 · 03-20-2009, 02:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by noro

Hypermilers believe that if you driving around with half a tank instead of a full tank you will not be wasting fuel toting around the extra half of the tank.

Are these the same people that believe Hybrids create less pollution? Maybe they should check the method of disposal for those heavy batteries in the trunk.

noro · 03-20-2009, 02:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yomama69

Are these the same people that believe Hybrids create less pollution? Maybe they should check the method of disposal for those heavy batteries in the trunk.

I dunno, I don't hang out with these people

fijigabe0 · 03-20-2009, 02:34 PM

I drove my wife's old 330xi from Miami to Biloxi, MS, across N. Florida. We used 56.887 gallons of fuel, and drove a total of 1628.1 miles (about 99% highway). total economy was 28.620mpg. that's on an E90 AWD car, making 255hp!

i was incredibly impressed with the mileage. i just hope the 328i can do better.

TwinTurboXI · 03-20-2009, 02:40 PM

I have close to 20k on my car. The mileage is nothing but impressive. Last trip i made, about 500 miles through the mountains of PA, WV and VA i peaked at 28.5 and averaged 27.9. I was extremley happy with my 335xi.

blue2fire · 03-20-2009, 02:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by diablo2112

I'm a fan of the N54 as well, having owned several 355s. However, another one of my cars is just astounding in the mileage/performance department. My C6 vette gets 30 mpg highway routinely, and averages about 26 city/highway combined. This, in a 400 HP V8. Nothing I've owned comes close to this.

What transmission do you have in your Corvette?

Cab5er · 03-20-2009, 02:44 PM

The 335s get nice MPG.

wakeboarder109 · 03-20-2009, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TwinTurboXI

I have close to 20k on my car. The mileage is nothing but impressive. Last trip i made, about 500 miles through the mountains of PA, WV and VA i peaked at 28.5 and averaged 27.9. I was extremley happy with my 335xi.

I'm in pretty much the same range you are. It crushes what I was getting in my WRX.

methodtim · 03-20-2009, 03:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neon01

You don't need to let it get close to zero to track economy. Displacement method works no matter how empty your fuel tank. Try it

Ok, well, I'm too lazy to do math either.

dtm@heart · 03-20-2009, 03:14 PM

On my recent trips from SJ to LA, i noticed the incredible gas mileage as well. Cruising at about 90mph i got ~500 miles out of the tank (to almost empty) in my 330i. My daily commute on the 280 in norcal (80% highway 20%city) ends up netting an average of 480 miles on the tank. These cars are amazingly fuel efficient and powerful at the same time. Not only did I save on insurance over my old car, I'm saving gas as well. I love BMW.

03-20-2009, 12:18 PM	#1
noro Colonel 90 Rep 2,707 Posts Drives: '91 M3, '04 E46 ZHP, '72 2002 Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	N54 - Yet another hit from BMW This would be my 4th brand new 3 series BMW and with each one I watched an interesting pattern in which the fuel consumption decreased right around 20K mark. The others 3ers had one thing in common, they had a naturally aspirated engine and 230HP. When I reached the 20K mark on this car and did not see any significant improvement I though to myself that even BMW can't pull a rabbit out of the magic hat... well they couldn't at 20K but they did at 22K. I just watched my odo go beyond 330 miles on the same tank and I have another 50 miles left (estimated). Mind you the figure by itself isn't amaizing. What's amaizing that the exact same commute when the car was new would result in 280-290 miles per tank. The 1st week I had the car I took it for a drive down to NYC and back and with a 99% highway drive the best I managed was 400 miles. I am getting close to this number now doing 50/50 highway/city. Once this engine is fully broken in, I doubt you can find many others that provide this kind of economy with this kind of a power output. __________________ zhpregistry.net - ZHP stats and free classifieds.
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03-20-2009, 12:33 PM	#2
methodtim Brigadier General 374 Rep 3,883 Posts Drives: Audi RS Q8 Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Darkness there, and nothing more iTrader: (0) Garage List 2021 Audi RS Q8 [0.00] 2021 BMW X3 M40i [0.00] 2017 Toyota Tacoma [0.00]	Nice! I must admit that I don't track my mileage as closely as I should since I never let it get close to empty. I hope that my mileage will see a bump at 20k-ish as well. I only have 16k more to go. __________________
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03-20-2009, 12:37 PM	#3
ragingclue One cam is enough 130 Rep 6,801 Posts Drives: VF Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: mulletville iTrader: (1)	At about 8500 miles here, and I'm seeing 23-24 MPG with 60% city / 40% hwy driving.... I can already notice an increase from when I bought it a few months ago.
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03-20-2009, 01:16 PM	#4
asdflkijd Aberry is a scammer 558 Rep 5,507 Posts Drives: SGM E92 335i, AM E90 335i Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Seattle, WA iTrader: (14) Garage List 2008 E92 335i [10.00] 2007 E90 335i (Reti ... [9.00]	mpg ftw!
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03-20-2009, 01:19 PM	#5
yomama69 Banned 60 Rep 688 Posts Drives: 2007 E90 335i Join Date: Jan 2009 Location: Austin, Texas iTrader: (0)	I get 26-27 MPG on straight highway driving.
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03-20-2009, 01:35 PM	#6
bmw-hoya Captain 25 Rep 634 Posts Drives: Montego Blue 335i Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: San Francisco iTrader: (0)	Agreed 100%. I haven't been watching my mileage too closely, but I'll be damned if I'm not getting better mileage now than I ever have (I'm about to cross 20k miles). __________________ "Of course I do. I'm Leonard Shelby. I'm from San Francisco." (Memento) "Look, we are all reasonable men here. We don't have to give assurances as if we were lawyers." (Godfather: Part II)
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03-20-2009, 01:44 PM	#7
diablo2112 2024 M440i GC (G26) 278 Rep 511 Posts Drives: 2024 M440i Gran Coupe Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: USA iTrader: (3)	I'm a fan of the N54 as well, having owned several 355s. However, another one of my cars is just astounding in the mileage/performance department. My C6 vette gets 30 mpg highway routinely, and averages about 26 city/highway combined. This, in a 400 HP V8. Nothing I've owned comes close to this. On the opposite end of the curve is my Honda S2000. That tiny little 4-banger only manages about 22 mpg, and the S2000 is lighter than the Vette! Chevy is to be applauded. The new vettes are stellar cars, and world-beaters in many ways.
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03-20-2009, 01:53 PM	#10
josephr25 Major 68 Rep 1,456 Posts Drives: 2008 E92 335i Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Irvine, CA iTrader: (2) Garage List 2008 BMW 335i Coupe [0.00]	I fill up my tank halfway to save some money and gas; i get around 25 average. The weight difference can be felt as well.
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03-20-2009, 01:56 PM	#11
noro Colonel 90 Rep 2,707 Posts Drives: '91 M3, '04 E46 ZHP, '72 2002 Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Boston iTrader: (0)	Half a tank of gas is about 50lbs ... kudos for feeling that difference. __________________ zhpregistry.net - ZHP stats and free classifieds.
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03-20-2009, 02:34 PM	#16
fijigabe0 Second Lieutenant 20 Rep 220 Posts Drives: 2013 F30 335i M Sport Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Texas iTrader: (0)	I drove my wife's old 330xi from Miami to Biloxi, MS, across N. Florida. We used 56.887 gallons of fuel, and drove a total of 1628.1 miles (about 99% highway). total economy was 28.620mpg. that's on an E90 AWD car, making 255hp! i was incredibly impressed with the mileage. i just hope the 328i can do better. __________________ Gabe '13 335i M-Sport Past - '06 330xi, '07 X3 3.0si, '09 328i, '12 X3 XDrive 35i
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03-20-2009, 02:40 PM	#17
TwinTurboXI Lieutenant Colonel 160 Rep 1,523 Posts Drives: 2011 135i Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: . iTrader: (12)	I have close to 20k on my car. The mileage is nothing but impressive. Last trip i made, about 500 miles through the mountains of PA, WV and VA i peaked at 28.5 and averaged 27.9. I was extremley happy with my 335xi.
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03-20-2009, 02:44 PM	#19
Cab5er Colonel 80 Rep 2,339 Posts Drives: 09 E90 M3 (Sold) 13 A1 Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Fremont, Hainan iTrader: (22)	The 335s get nice MPG. __________________ E90 ///M3/ AW/ Fox Red
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03-20-2009, 03:14 PM	#22
dtm@heart Captain 59 Rep 629 Posts Drives: TiAg E90 Msport Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Honolulu, HI iTrader: (8)	On my recent trips from SJ to LA, i noticed the incredible gas mileage as well. Cruising at about 90mph i got ~500 miles out of the tank (to almost empty) in my 330i. My daily commute on the 280 in norcal (80% highway 20%city) ends up netting an average of 480 miles on the tank. These cars are amazingly fuel efficient and powerful at the same time. Not only did I save on insurance over my old car, I'm saving gas as well. I love BMW.
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