anyone else laugh and cry when...

[MKE_M3]

Anyone else out there think it's funny, but also sad, that your low fuel light comes on at just under a quarter tank of gas? Most cars the needles getting close to the red area, but not the M3.

Quarter tank? Better fill up soon, only 40 miles to empty!


(For reference, I do almost entirely city driving and have a heavy foot, so my MPG's are terrible, maybe worse than most)

[Deeps]

Yup mine comes on at 60 miles.

I've read before about a reserve tank? (I.e where when the I drive reports 0 miles left, there's actually a reserve supply of fuel available?)

Or is that a myth :-/

[Singletrack]

You can change it with coding. Various vendors offer it or you can DIY.

[ching]

Originally Posted by jdemetry

Anyone else out there think it's funny, but also sad, that your low fuel light comes on at just under a quarter tank of gas? Most cars the needles getting close to the red area, but not the M3.

Quarter tank? Better fill up soon, only 40 miles to empty!


(For reference, I do almost entirely city driving and have a heavy foot, so my MPG's are terrible, maybe worse than most)

I agree, the warning is completely useless.

[mamadub]

I always tell everyone how the warning goes on at 1/4 of a tank. It's a good conversation starter!

[MKE_M3]

Glad I'm not the only one that thinks it's rediculous.

[lorinzo]

I would be curious to learn what factors were considered by BMW. And, why BMW chose to not make changing the setting something that could be done easily.

[ss134]

Originally Posted by jdemetry

Glad I'm not the only one that thinks it's rediculous.

Not ridiculous if youre on the autobahn trust me - it means slow down to 70 mph or you might not make the next petrol station -fact!!

[MKE_M3]

In case anyone's curious, per the owner's manual...

Lights up briefly:
Approx. 3.3 US gal/12.5 liters of fuel
remain in the tank

[MKE_M3]

Originally Posted by ss134

Not ridiculous if youre on the autobahn trust me - it means slow down to 70 mph or you might not make the next petrol station -fact!!

I guess what is really rediculous to me is that they put such a small gas tank in a car with such poor gas milage. It would be nice to get 300miles to a tank, but I usually get 180ish

[Edjay]

Originally Posted by jdemetry

I guess what is really rediculous to me is that they put such a small gas tank in a car with such poor gas milage. It would be nice to get 300miles to a tank, but I usually get 180ish

where will they hide a bigger tank? along with that bigger tank comes with less room, and heavier car. Have to remember M3 is still a modified 3 serries. A regular 3 serries tank gets you over 300 miles on a tank.
fyi my suburban warning light comes on at around 40ish miles too, so I think its industry standard. 40 miles left, lights comes on. I have been on roads where I did not see a station for the next 30miles.

[ss134]

Originally Posted by jdemetry

I guess what is really rediculous to me is that they put such a small gas tank in a car with such poor gas milage. It would be nice to get 300miles to a tank, but I usually get 180ish

I agree with you 100% - they could have given it a bigger tank - the 458 Italia has an 83 litre tank compared to 63 litres for the M3

Originally Posted by Edjay

where will they hide a bigger tank? along with that bigger tank comes with less room, and heavier car. Have to remember M3 is still a modified 3 serries. A regular 3 serries tank gets you over 300 miles on a tank.
fyi my suburban warning light comes on at around 40ish miles too, so I think its industry standard. 40 miles left, lights comes on. I have been on roads where I did not see a station for the next 30miles.

If Ferrari can fit a bigger tank into a 458 then BMW could have done the same in the M3 - easily. In fact they have fitted the new M5 with a bigger tank than a regular 5 series so they've learnt their lesson - having the same size fuel tank as a 320d in the E9X M3 is a design flaw/mistake on the part of the engineers pure and simple.

[Space Ghost]

To me that little light says "hey you, I'm really at my lightest weight now. time to go WOT and maybe a few red light races! Come on flog me!"

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by Deeps

Yup mine comes on at 60 miles.

I've read before about a reserve tank? (I.e where when the I drive reports 0 miles left, there's actually a reserve supply of fuel available?)

Or is that a myth :-/

The reserve tank is what you're running on when that light comes on, not extra fuel beneath empty. Remember, this car was designed by Germans: "When the needle says 0, you're at 0!" they would say.

The tank is 16.6 gallons, counting that 3.3 gallon reserve. It's not good to drive on the reserve; the warning is that high not just because of the remaining range but because the fuel pump is inside the tank and cooled by being submerged in liquid, and when it's no longer completely submerged it risks overheating.

As for tank size, yes of course they could have fitted a larger -- but then people would be complaining about a small trunk. The 458 is hardly a reasonable comparison though given that it's only got 2 seats and practically no storage in the cabin or anywhere else. Everything is a tradeoff.

Originally Posted by jdemetry

(For reference, I do almost entirely city driving and have a heavy foot, so my MPG's are terrible, maybe worse than most)

Hopefully you get some rural back road driving and/or track time mixed in there somewhere and don't confine your car purely to the city....

[ss134]

Just bugging me......is the American spelling of ridiculous actually spelt with an e instead of an i ?

[Edjay]

Originally Posted by ss134

I agree with you 100% - they could have given it a bigger tank - the 458 Italia has an 83 litre tank compared to 63 litres for the M3



If Ferrari can fit a bigger tank into a 458 then BMW could have done the same in the M3 - easily. In fact they have fitted the new M5 with a bigger tank than a regular 5 series so they've learnt their lesson - having the same size fuel tank as a 320d in the E9X M3 is a design flaw/mistake on the part of the engineers pure and simple.

Take a look where the gas tank sits in the M3 there is no room. Bigger tank means either hang lower to the ground or modifed floor boards, meaning less room in the pass compartment.

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by ss134

Just bugging me......is the American spelling of ridiculous actually spelt with an e instead of an i ?

No, we spell it ridiculous as well. Many Americans have just given up on spelling properly, instead counting on spell check. Incidentally, total dependence on spell check is also why many Americans can't figure out to/two/too, they're/their/there, your/you're, never mind something like who/whom, lie/lay, that/which (no, they're not interchangeable!), etc.

Although ironically from your post, the word "spelt" is used solely to describe a type of wheat, not as a form of the verb "to spell".

[pittsy]

Originally Posted by jdemetry

I guess what is really rediculous to me is that they put such a small gas tank in a car with such poor gas milage. It would be nice to get 300miles to a tank, but I usually get 180ish

180ish...geez thats not very good at all. I get at least 240

[ss134]

Originally Posted by jphughan

No, we spell it ridiculous as well. Many Americans have just given up on spelling properly, instead counting on spell check. Incidentally, total dependence on spell check is also why many Americans can't figure out to/too/too, they're/their/there, your/you're, never mind something like who/whom, lie/lay, that/which (no, they're not interchangeable!), etc.

Although ironically from your post, the word "spelt" is used solely to describe a type of wheat, not as a form of the verb "to spell".

Unfortunately you are wrong my friend, 'spelt' is used as a form of the verb 'to spell' in many English speaking countries
including obviously the UK. I Guess you learn something new every day

http://grammarist.com/spelling/spelled-spelt/

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/spelt

http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/spelt?q=spelt

[jpan08]

my thoughts exactly

[8_is_enough]

it amused me at first, now it's just annoying

[jphughan]

Originally Posted by H8onM3

too/too? wat?

HA! Meant to/two/too. Fixed in my original post, thx!