Max gas mileage

[808@702]

So I had to drive to Palm Springs from Vegas again for work. I love it because the company pays all expenses including mileage, so free gas plus additional for wear and tear! I purposely decided to drive economically because I wanted to see what the maiximum gas mileage I could show on the indicator. I averaged 75 to 85 mph at 2750 to 3000 rpm most of the way. I got a maximum of 18.8 mpg. I probably couldve gone a little slower and lower rpm to maybe get a little more. Does this sound about right?

[CallMeWonder]

Yes that seems right for the rpm. I drove 500miles round trip the Canada. and Averaged 20.4 mpg. @ about 2400rpm

[Ateam]

Sounds right. I can get 22-24 mpg at a speed of 70 in top gear without any passing or overtaking. Makes for a dull drive so I dont do it. I prefer to average 17-18 and be able to gun it here and there. I think you should be able to see 20-23 even at the 75 range. Unless your a/c was on or windows down or it was really warm.

[PhillyNate]

I can't stress this enough though it is unusual. I'm not buying more gas than I did in my 2008 328i. Even though this M3 obviously gets less MPG's.

[piloto]

Originally Posted by 808@702

I purposely decided to drive economically because I wanted to see what the maiximum gas mileage I could show on the indicator. I averaged 75 to 85 mph at 2750 to 3000 rpm most of the way.

These two statements contradict each other. Anything about 65mph is going to seriously hamper your mpgs. Remember, drag increases exponentially with speed.

The mileage you got was pretty good for the speed you were driving, and the size of the car (frontal area). The other thing to consider is that while other cars may get bette mileage at that speed (e.g. Corvette), they're either smaller, and/or are in an extremely tall gear and have no "punch" if you get into the throttle in that same gear. Whereas in the M3, at 80mph in 6th (or 7th in DCT), if you punch it and accelerate in gear, you'll be accelerating pretty quickly.

I had great fun with this on the autobahn during ED. 6th gear, 80mph, and just kept accelerating hard in 6th.

[shendrick]

I get about 21 mpg if I keep it aound 75-80 and traffic is light. Achieving 24 would take a miracle.

[persian54]

I was able to drive 110 miles on about a 1/4 tank

I was averaging about 40-45 mph for a good 80 of those miles.

then went up to 80+ for the remainder.

[abehwang]

I believe 45-55mph gives us the best mileage on our M3s
averaging 24-25mpg
anything higher gives us around low 20s

[Ateam]

wouldnt you guys prefer a much taller 7th gear? With DCT its a breeze to drop a couple gears if you need to pass or accelerate on the freeway, yet it would give you a substantially better MPG. No need to have accelerating power in the 7th gear (not that there is much anyway). I think bmw could have helped out mpg rating wtih a nice long 7th and keepting the 1-6 as they are

[DJB64]

I did a 320 mile round trip and my E90 averaged 28mpg. I did drive like Miss Daisy...

[chungdae]

My average is 17 MPG with highway and city.

[sarddenso]

On a recent road trip here in Australia, I managed to do about 124 miles on a quarter tank!
That's what happens when you drive on roads where the speed limit is only 55mph or so and you don't have to stop pretty much the whole trip!

My estimate would have been 500miles for the tank, but the computer only calculated 25.6mpg though.
still pretty incredible for this car!

[1098WI]

I can max out around 21 MPG... 6 speed...

[FLOSS M]

around 21 mpg- mostly highway

[amglol]

i had a business trip last month that was 3 hours highway driving each direction and i averaged 23.8 on the trip, which did include a bit of city driving. same speed range on the highway.

[VictorH]

Originally Posted by shendrick

I get about 21 mpg if I keep it aound 75-80 and traffic is light. Achieving 24 would take a miracle.

That's about what I'm getting. Just got back from 280 mile trip today average mpg was 21 at average speed of 75 with no AC running. My best ever is 22.3 mpg. Also keep in mind your trip computer is 1 to 1.5 mpg optimistic, only way to know for sure is measure consumption at the pump.

[saeyedoc]

Originally Posted by Ateam

wouldnt you guys prefer a much taller 7th gear? With DCT its a breeze to drop a couple gears if you need to pass or accelerate on the freeway, yet it would give you a substantially better MPG. No need to have accelerating power in the 7th gear (not that there is much anyway). I think bmw could have helped out mpg rating wtih a nice long 7th and keepting the 1-6 as they are

I agree, no need to be above 3k just cruising at a steady speed.

[Tomislav]

When I first got it, it was low 20L/100km's and I've got it down to high 13L/100km's

Initial range was 350-odd km's and now its about almost 600, and that was a 2 day drive around half the state.

[ObviousMan]

I took mine on a roughly 600 mile trip in October. Average for the whole trip was 22.8 with cruise between 70 - 75 with occasional faster bits. For one stretch early in the drive, I was seeing 24.5 in the mileage readout.

[goldminer]

I did a 750 km trip last week doing 10 to 15 km/hr over the posted speed limits of mostly 90 and 100 km/hr which is roughly 55 and 62 mph. So I was doing about 62 to just over 70 mph. I put it in 6th and left the cruise control on. According to the car's computer I got 9.1 l/100 km or 31 mpg (imperial gallon), or 26.7 mpg (US gallon). I did have the BMW-supplied 235 mm wide winter tire package on.

[Peahi]

I did 22 driving back from Steve Thomas in Camarillo to the SF Bay Area. Cruising at 75-80 in 6th. I was surprised how good it was...back here in urban driving I'm like 14...right back to earth.

[Mr. ///M3 RD]

Yes sounds good ... at that speed and RPM on the highway I get 10.8 L/100 KM