sixcard

I searched "MPG" and found no results. Can't believe that! I know we've had some recent topics about mileage.

Anyhow, this past weekend, I made a round trip, Atlanta to Charlotte and return with some local Charlotte miles.

Overall, in 588 miles, the electronics told me 22.8 MPG and the actual was 21.9 (actual ODO miles/actual pump G).

Does anyone know if there is any way to tweak the electronics to get this closer?

On one leg I did about 200 miles with ACC on at 80 and the electronic average was 25.8. Fairly light traffic.

Of interest, on the return I found a station in SC with regular, 89, at $3.019. Filled up and then saw I pumped part Ethanol? At that price I may have also pumped some water!

Nephs

Found this http://forums.e60.net/index.php?showtopic=41536

Haven't actually tried this myself but others seem to say it works.

At your own risk though....

sixcard

I remember that thread and I did play with that sequence a few weeks ago.

I will try again but I got hung up on step #3 when I never did see anything that looked like the sum of the last five on my VIN. I did verify the US/Imp gallons thing.

Thanks for your input.

sixcard

I re-read that sequence. Is tricky. Since I look at mileage, not fuel consumption, I need to adjust the default value down.

monacobmw

I wonder if the fact that the speedometer is adjusted upwards by 5% (actual 60mph shows as 62.5mph) affects the problem.

When you think that you have covered 62.5 miles in an hour, you have only covered 60 miles. Someone has to account for the extra fuel used in the additional 2.5 miles.

By the way, did the ethanol work (there is some ethanol in all fuel in my area, but probably not as high a concentration as 85/15 which you probably bought)? How did the low grade fuel work overall? BMW always tells us to use premium fuel, but with a leased car, I never do.

sixcard

Some good observations.

I did, I think, adjust the ?? using the procedure above and I think it locked in. I wonder, however, if it merely adjusted the miles traveled. I recently verified the ODO mileage with a GPS and found them to be very close. If that correction adjusts the miles traveled to correct the MPG, then the ODO has been screwed up to correct the MPG. That fixes nothing in my book. I will look at the ODO v GPS again.

The ethanol did work ... I made it home! And now I won't know if any change in mileage might be due to the adjustment or the ethanol. I have already pumped straight petrol so the ethanol is history, for now. I really know very little about the effect of ethanol or whatever concentration I pumped.

I have never yet used premium fuel and will accept any criticism for that. I have never heard any combustion knock or ping. The tranny will downshift to prevent the mill from lugging when under heavy load.

This ride cost so damn much money, I can?t afford premium. BTW, I normally pump 87 octane and the blend was 89.

I would appreciate other contributor?s comments on ethanol and lower octane fuel in my Bimmer.

monacobmw

My comment about the speedometer relate to a BMW policy of setting the speedometer a little higher as a safety issue. Most are set about 6% higher than actual speed.

It does not make a big difference, but it always helps when you get caught in a radar trap, and you realize that the speedometer setting may have saved you from going over the edge. You cannot change the speedometer setting.
Many of us have wondered whether the setting cheats us of mileage on our leases. The response that we have received so far is that the odometer is set differently.

Best,