FUEL CONSUMPTION 530d
Thread Starter
Members
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
I have just purchased a used E61 auto with 88k showing. Love the car but am only getting 26mpg!!!
Been into my local dealers (Knights North Staffs) who had the car for 48hrs, test drove the car on the first day, said it was ok (but could not tell me over what distance) asked if they could fill it up, and take for a longer test, refill and report back. Collected the next day and told that they had forgot had done nothing to the car.
It has since been into Knights South Staffs for 3 days, who tell me that they achieved 32mpg after resetting everything, only took the car for 14 miles, refused to have the car for a week at my expense and use the car on a daily basis to get an accurate mpg.
Has anyone had the same problems with mpg and poor service?
Been into my local dealers (Knights North Staffs) who had the car for 48hrs, test drove the car on the first day, said it was ok (but could not tell me over what distance) asked if they could fill it up, and take for a longer test, refill and report back. Collected the next day and told that they had forgot had done nothing to the car.
It has since been into Knights South Staffs for 3 days, who tell me that they achieved 32mpg after resetting everything, only took the car for 14 miles, refused to have the car for a week at my expense and use the car on a daily basis to get an accurate mpg.
Has anyone had the same problems with mpg and poor service?
Contributors
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,180
Likes: 0
From: Oxfordshire, UK
My Ride: E61 535d Apr 05. UK spec + Media Pack, Luxury Pack & Visibility Pack
Consumption: usual suspects UK vs. US miles and OBC vs. real life (brim-to-brim).
26 mpg (UK) sounds a bit low, but if you use the car in stop-and-go traffic it's not altogether unexpected, I'd say.
How do you know that you are getting 26? Over what distances? What type of road and traffic conditions?
To be honest, while I find the "we forgot about it" excuse a bit lame, I can't blame them for not wanting to drive the 400 miles or so for a full tank. At average of 35 mph (realistic extraurban), it's 11 hours. Are you prepared to spend the best part of ?1000 just to have a BMW person test it?
26 mpg (UK) sounds a bit low, but if you use the car in stop-and-go traffic it's not altogether unexpected, I'd say.
How do you know that you are getting 26? Over what distances? What type of road and traffic conditions?
To be honest, while I find the "we forgot about it" excuse a bit lame, I can't blame them for not wanting to drive the 400 miles or so for a full tank. At average of 35 mph (realistic extraurban), it's 11 hours. Are you prepared to spend the best part of ?1000 just to have a BMW person test it?
Thread Starter
Members
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
Originally Posted by dlevi67' post='374668' date='Jan 7 2007, 05:47 PM
Consumption: usual suspects UK vs. US miles and OBC vs. real life (brim-to-brim).
26 mpg (UK) sounds a bit low, but if you use the car in stop-and-go traffic it's not altogether unexpected, I'd say.
How do you know that you are getting 26? Over what distances? What type of road and traffic conditions?
To be honest, while I find the "we forgot about it" excuse a bit lame, I can't blame them for not wanting to drive the 400 miles or so for a full tank. At average of 35 mph (realistic extraurban), it's 11 hours. Are you prepared to spend the best part of ?1000 just to have a BMW person test it?
26 mpg (UK) sounds a bit low, but if you use the car in stop-and-go traffic it's not altogether unexpected, I'd say.
How do you know that you are getting 26? Over what distances? What type of road and traffic conditions?
To be honest, while I find the "we forgot about it" excuse a bit lame, I can't blame them for not wanting to drive the 400 miles or so for a full tank. At average of 35 mph (realistic extraurban), it's 11 hours. Are you prepared to spend the best part of ?1000 just to have a BMW person test it?
All I wanted the Dealership to do, was for someone to take the car home and return, to give an average mpg.
WHY DO BMW CLAIM THAT THE COMBINED CYCLE MPG IS 35?
Thread Starter
Members
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 8
Likes: 0
[quote name='aybeesea' date='Jan 7 2007, 06:19 PM' post='374680']
Check out what a "combined cycle" entails"!!
BMW CLAIM Urban (mpg): 25.4Extra Urban (mpg): 44.1Combined (mpg) 35.3
so pity all those thinking of buying one and find themselfs only doing the urban mpg, no matter where or how they drive it!
DO THEY NEED REPORTING TO TRADING STANDARDS FOR FALSE INFORMATION?
Check out what a "combined cycle" entails"!!
BMW CLAIM Urban (mpg): 25.4Extra Urban (mpg): 44.1Combined (mpg) 35.3
so pity all those thinking of buying one and find themselfs only doing the urban mpg, no matter where or how they drive it!
DO THEY NEED REPORTING TO TRADING STANDARDS FOR FALSE INFORMATION?
Senior Members
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 551
Likes: 0
From: Cork, Ireland
My Ride: 320d SE (E90) manual - Sapphire Black, Beige Leather Sports Seats, Burled Walnut, Heated Seats, Sunroof, Comfort Access, Hi-Fi sound, Bluetooth, Side-Window blinds, Through-Load, Luggage Net, PDC Front & Rear, Adaptive Xenons, Style 158 17", Chrome Grill & Window Trim, Blackline Tailights, Power folding/dimming side mirrors, Split Armrest, Dual Zone Climate, Cruise, LEDs on door handles, iPod nano, SE K750i
Originally Posted by tony4449' post='374684' date='Jan 7 2007, 06:33 PM
Check out what a "combined cycle" entails"!!
BMW CLAIM Urban (mpg): 25.4Extra Urban (mpg): 44.1Combined (mpg) 35.3
so pity all those thinking of buying one and find themselfs only doing the urban mpg, no matter where or how they drive it!
DO THEY NEED REPORTING TO TRADING STANDARDS FOR FALSE INFORMATION?
BMW CLAIM Urban (mpg): 25.4Extra Urban (mpg): 44.1Combined (mpg) 35.3
so pity all those thinking of buying one and find themselfs only doing the urban mpg, no matter where or how they drive it!
DO THEY NEED REPORTING TO TRADING STANDARDS FOR FALSE INFORMATION?
I usually expect to get a bit better than urban and a bit less than combined for the driving I do (half city and a lot of hills in Cork).
Every car I have had has been more or less the same so I'm never too disappointed.
While diesels are more economical than petrol generally all cars are still fairly crap in stop-go driving.
Members
Joined: Mar 2006
Posts: 139
Likes: 0
From: FK4 UK
My Ride: 05 530D Sport E61
Originally Posted by tony4449' post='374662' date='Jan 7 2007, 05:17 PM
I have just purchased a used E61 auto with 88k showing. Love the car but am only getting 26mpg!!!
I average about 29-32MPG with an everage speed of 35-40mph.
On the upsite once on the motorway you will find your concumption decreases and it is not uncommon to see figures of 40MPG on a decent run, this is on a 05 530D E61
Contributors
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,180
Likes: 0
From: Oxfordshire, UK
My Ride: E61 535d Apr 05. UK spec + Media Pack, Luxury Pack & Visibility Pack
Originally Posted by tony4449' post='374675' date='Jan 7 2007, 06:03 PM
The figure of 26 mpg is from fill ups,confirming the obc figures. The car it replaced was a Volvo XC90, which on the same journeys did 30mpg!!
All I wanted the Dealership to do, was for someone to take the car home and return, to give an average mpg.
WHY DO BMW CLAIM THAT THE COMBINED CYCLE MPG IS 35?
All I wanted the Dealership to do, was for someone to take the car home and return, to give an average mpg.
WHY DO BMW CLAIM THAT THE COMBINED CYCLE MPG IS 35?
1. The XC90 (which I assume was a Diesel) pulls out between 33 and 68 bhp less, although it weighs more and has a permanent AWD transmission. It also does 0-60 in 11.1 seconds against 7.0 for the 530d (figures for the latest engines). Who knows, you may even be enjoying the extra performance?
2. My "commute" round trip is 12 miles. They did 14, and they said it averaged 32 mpg, presumably using the OBC, which you say is accurate. Excellent service? No. Poor service? Neither.
3. There are huge stickers on every car, saying that ECE combined cycle figures are not representative of real life consumption. Does your typical drive look like this?
Finally, this may be interesting reading. Depending on where you drive and your style, 26 mpg may well be - I repeat - perfectly normal.
Senior Members
Joined: Apr 2006
Posts: 3,097
Likes: 0
From: UK
Originally Posted by dlevi67' post='374695' date='Jan 7 2007, 06:55 PM
Does your typical drive look like this?
!! )) responded to my challenge to dig out the defintion of the Combined Cycle.ABC
Contributors
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 1,180
Likes: 0
From: Oxfordshire, UK
My Ride: E61 535d Apr 05. UK spec + Media Pack, Luxury Pack & Visibility Pack
Originally Posted by tony4449' post='374684' date='Jan 7 2007, 06:33 PM
DO THEY NEED REPORTING TO TRADING STANDARDS FOR FALSE INFORMATION?
No they don't. Do you realise that for example the combined figures are obtained on a rolling road, and therefore without any aerodynamic resistance to overcome? Or that the acceleration ramp-ups are pre-defined so that a FIAT Panda or a Perodua Kelisa can attain those speeds in the time given?
I am reasonably convinced that if you put your car on a rolling road and ran through the standard cycle, you'd get pretty close to the claimed numbers. If you drive the car with significant, repeated accelerations and start-stop traffic (the car comes to a stop 14 times in the 20 minute cycle; that is not start-stop traffic), you should expect consumption to suffer.