Surprised in a good way with MPG

[JEllis]

Gents,

I just completed my first fill up at the gas station with my new M and my calculator is telling me that I achieved 16.9 MPG over the first 240ish miles of my cars existence. I was fully ready to see more like 12 MPG as many have reported given that the car is still not even close to being broken in. I must say that 17 MPG is pretty good for a V8 powered sports car (in my opinion) and much better than I expected. I achieve about 5 MPG more in my E36 M3 so overall I am pleased.

On a side note I have had no issues with the car DCT related or otherwise. I have found that you cannot treat the DCT tranny like an Auto tranny nor can you fully treat it like a 6MT either. Coming to a full stop before changing from reverse to S3 or D3 is a must (as the car wont let you shift in drive otherwise) unlike a manual. Conversly, the tranny doesnt always "guess/estimate" the gear you want correctly (much like an aircrafts fly by wire system when it chooses what flight controls to manipulate). The bottom line is that this sort of tranny is a whole new animal that can neither be treated like and automatic or manual and many of us need to stop treating it as such or expecting it to behave as such.

Also, the throttle response issue is something I have paid close attention to. Modes have a serious impact on throttle response. By manipulating both the throttle response modes AND the DCT modes you can achieve various degrees of "off the line" performance. In my opinion the higher DCT modes will offer what the driver might believe is better throttle response but really the car is just releasing the clutch faster something that is natural and forgotten about when driving a manual tranny. Next, the throttle itself appears to have a several levels of logic built into its "throttle by wire system". Again, much like an aircrafts "fly by wire flight controls" the throttle appears to be sensative to both the speed of the car and acceleration in which you impact on the pedal, as well as many other factors. What I am saying is that it is fairly evident that the throttle is not linear. At lower speeds when the driver is easy on the pedal more pedal travel is required. I believe BMW designed this into the system to account for maneuvering in small spaces. Once you realize this and treat the machine accordingly I think some of the near accidents talked about in parking lots can be avoided better. I.E. understand that at some point in a parking lot the throttle logic has picked a setting in which it is expecting slow smooth transitions in pedal movement. If you get frustrated and slam the throttle down the logic will revert to a much more sensative state and give you immediate power that you probably do not want. Anyway, just my opinion but this car is amazing. Overall, after 240miles I couldnt be happier.

Jason

[Big Windy]

Good news on MPG, thanks.

The whole throttle response issue is an interesting one, I'll have to wait to get my car to chime in. But I guess that a 6MT experience is going to be entirely different when it comes to the throttle curve due to the driver controlled clutch as opposed to the DCT.

[GT3 Tim]

Not bad.

1st tank = 10.5mpg
2nd tank = 15.5 mpg
3rd tank (so far) = 18.5 mpg EDIT: OK, 1/2 through the tank and I am back at 15.5 mpg....I have been getting on it again. lol

Nothing much different in routes between tanks...just a bit lighter on the throttle!

[ase2dais]

glad to hear that you re fine with you mpg ...

I still have to master mine, 16mpg hwy in cruise at 70+/- 5 mph

Ive heard folks get as much at 21 mpg on 6MT, I wonder if they can share there secrets


on the brighter note, I was at 18mpg from PCD during my first 500 miles of breakin, Im pass breakin now.. so what gives

[GT3 Tim]

Originally Posted by ase2dais

glad to hear that you re fine with you mpg ...

I still have to master mine, 16mpg hwy in cruise at 70+/- 5 mph

Ive heard folks get as much at 21 mpg on 6MT, I wonder if they can share there secrets


on the brighter note, I was at 18mpg from PCD during my first 500 miles of breakin, Im pass breakin now.. so what gives

I am getting 21ish on the freeway....cruising at about 70-75 in D2.

[e46e92love]

I think those of us coming from an e92 335i find the adjustment easier and have less issues in relation to throttle response because our throttles are not linear either, and adjust for different conditions, regardless of what mode you are in (D, DS or M). Many "corks" I hear people complain about is something us 335i owners have gotten used to and I think the shock going from an e9x 335i to a e9x M3 is a whole lot easier and less "traumatic" then lets say going from an e36, e46, etc. Just my .02

[!Xoible]

happened to snap this yesterday:

[BimmerRob08]

How in the hell are you getting 25.8mpg?? Are you mostly highway driving?

[batchelorc]

Mantis drives like an old woman

[Keto]

Mantis says RPM over 2000 is overrated.

[swamp2]

Originally Posted by Keto

Mantis says RPM over 2000 is overrated.

Ouch.

[TheBry]

Just filled up for the first time today. Averaged an exact 14MPG on the first tank. I was a little surprised since some of my first few days of having the car have been spent sitting in traffic. Once I start the daily back-and-forth to work (45 miles each way) my MPG should climb. I don't really care either way though -- the car is a BLAST to drive!

[!Xoible]

Originally Posted by BimmerRob08

How in the hell are you getting 25.8mpg?? Are you mostly highway driving?

this one was 70% freeway 30% city i would say. cruise control at 60 mph, if there are cars approaching from behind i tap it to make it jump to 65 mph, if they are faster i go to 70 until they're gone, then go back to 60. cruise control does save gas, but then ur driving a fucking prius. and on the 405 in socal driving this car slow only means more thumbs up from people. win-win

Originally Posted by batchelorc

Mantis drives like an old woman

i usually get gas every other day. there are days i dont feel im going anywhere. i just refuse to get gas. just didnt want to buy gas yesterday. so yes i did drive like a grandma. i never drive slower than other people and annoy them. but i was doing 65-70 mph in the slow lane of the 405 yesterday

Originally Posted by Keto

Mantis says RPM over 2000 is overrated.

it hurts the engine too
jk

i average 15 mph most of the time the way i drive. over the weekend i was doing 11, so i thought i should do some balance. right now i have 16.5.

oh and btw, when i was taking the pic it was like 26+, but the time i got the iphone out and snapped the pic that thing already decreased. distance of that trip was about 15-20 miles.

edit: forgot to add i was skipping gears in city, or doing quick shifts

[eeeboy]

6th tank still 11.4...lame

[Davinhci]

Originally Posted by eeeboy

6th tank still 11.4...lame

yeah that's pretty bad, i'm avg about 17

[!Xoible]

for some reason i noticed those who have DCT during break in were getting around 10-13 mpg's. those with MT were getting 15+. which changes later lol

i have no idea how u guys get 11's. i drive my car hard. i floor, i red line, i go fast, i do 3rd gear runs on freeway going between 70-100+ mph. i blip a lot... idk, what are you guys doing??

[kyoshozx]

Originally Posted by eeeboy

6th tank still 11.4...lame

Damn you must drive with a lead foot :P. Or you drive strictly in the city.

[!Xoible]

btw eeeboy, how come this is only ur 6th tank??? u only had the car for 4 days??

[milloy8]

12.5 mpg on my 3rd tank

[ase2dais]

Originally Posted by GT3 Tim

I am getting 21ish on the freeway....cruising at about 70-75 in D2.

you must be rev'ing high that puppy

[man02195]

Originally Posted by Davinhci

yeah that's pretty bad, i'm avg about 17

7 speed m-dct
5th tank, 16.7mpg overall.
these are the individual numbers, 15.2, 16.5, 18.2, 17.6, 15.9, but each one was different miles/gallons to fill, so those won't average to 16.7mpg.
hit 1,200 miles yesterday, time to get the mpg back down to a respectable 11

[Dascamel]

Single digits after break in. No other goal is acceptable.