Does shifting at lower RMPs in tiptronic help me save more gas? (ie: i shift gears every 2000rpm. last night i was in 6th gear when doing 60km/h)
what other ways can one save gas?

 

You need a 520d

 

No not always. if you're lugging the engine it will use more gas than you are saving. Ideal shift points are different depending on how fast you are accelerating... normal regular acceleration to keep up with traffic I would think ideal shift point is around 2500ish... (*at least for my cars *) that will at least give the car enough of the power band to move the car without struggling... its almost like saying you want to climb a hill in 6th gear at 2000 rpms... Ya you're at 2000 rpms but your gas pedal is 3/4ths depressed... how much gas will that save?

Practice... get a fell for the car... find the point where the car accelerates "enough" yet you are pressing the gas pedal as little as possible... You know when you're lugging the engine if you depress the gas pedal a little more and yet the car is not accelerating more... the sweet spot is where the car has max response... ehhh or adequate response to your right foot.

Its hard to say... I want to say if you're not an above average manual driver then you're better off letting the autobox change gears for you... otherwise you're not saving any gas.

 

understood

 

I love this forum ! There's always someone who has the same question(s).

Honestly I've been asking myself too what the ideal shifting point is. It is true that if you shift gears at, lets say 2000 rpm you and up in 6th gear doing only 70/80 'ish... Not exactly a sporty way of driving and I ask myself if that is healthy for the engine too.

On several official sites of the government etc. shifting gears for DIESEL engines is advised at 2000 rpm, and for petrol engines at 2500 rpm, but I feel that 2000 rpm is too low.

Maybe you just have to try what rpm seems healthy for your engine in order to keep accelerating and thus saving gas. If you shift too early the engine will have to work much harder trying to keep the car in motion/acceleration --> more fuel consumption.

I wonder how those gear shift indicators on the new 1-series work. Anyone know if they are any good ?

 

Excellent! Now report back after a tank of gas and tell us how much it improved...

 

Aha, a perfect use for the mpg gauge!