520d consumption: how much does your car ?
07-31-2006, 12:02 PM
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Hi everyone,
my 520d has manual gear, standard rft and 17' alloy wheels, no handrails or other non-aerodynamic things: the fuel consumption figure is quite far from the BMW factory claimed.
The overall figure (measured from 3000 to 6000 Kms) were around 7.4 Km per liter (rising) and now the car is 8500 Km but consumtion remains the same.
I drive the car 70% of the time on freeway at constant speed not over 120 Km/h using trip control, 20% on city surroundings, and 10% on the downtown roads, driving very smoothly and changing gear not over 2500 rpm.
Asking to the dealer techs they told me "it's all ok" but I'm not fully convincted of all this.
I'd like to know other people's experience on this matter.
bye,
e61alex
my 520d has manual gear, standard rft and 17' alloy wheels, no handrails or other non-aerodynamic things: the fuel consumption figure is quite far from the BMW factory claimed.
The overall figure (measured from 3000 to 6000 Kms) were around 7.4 Km per liter (rising) and now the car is 8500 Km but consumtion remains the same.
I drive the car 70% of the time on freeway at constant speed not over 120 Km/h using trip control, 20% on city surroundings, and 10% on the downtown roads, driving very smoothly and changing gear not over 2500 rpm.
Asking to the dealer techs they told me "it's all ok" but I'm not fully convincted of all this.
I'd like to know other people's experience on this matter.
bye,
e61alex
07-31-2006, 10:52 PM
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Hi e61Alex,
A consumption of 7,4 km per liter is definitively to high for a 520d Touring. That would mean a consumption of 13,5l/100km! I never got such a high average consumption wether with my manual 530d nor with a 530d touring (auto) that I drive regularly.
7,4 l per 100 km would be appropriate! How did you measure the consuption? What is you board computer displaying?
Matts
A consumption of 7,4 km per liter is definitively to high for a 520d Touring. That would mean a consumption of 13,5l/100km! I never got such a high average consumption wether with my manual 530d nor with a 530d touring (auto) that I drive regularly.
7,4 l per 100 km would be appropriate! How did you measure the consuption? What is you board computer displaying?
Matts
08-01-2006, 03:33 AM
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Hi Matts, you're absolutely right.
maybe it was too late yesterday when I posted the message.
This is what I call "lapsus" :-) ... obviously correct measure unit is "liters per 100 Kms"
Consumption was measured both with onboard computer and calculation on liters put in the tank and distance displayed on the onboard odometer: both methods drives to the same result.
maybe it was too late yesterday when I posted the message.
This is what I call "lapsus" :-) ... obviously correct measure unit is "liters per 100 Kms"
Consumption was measured both with onboard computer and calculation on liters put in the tank and distance displayed on the onboard odometer: both methods drives to the same result.
Originally Posted by Matts' post='317521' date='Aug 1 2006, 08:52 AM
Hi e61Alex,
A consumption of 7,4 km per liter is definitively to high for a 520d Touring. That would mean a consumption of 13,5l/100km! I never got such a high average consumption wether with my manual 530d nor with a 530d touring (auto) that I drive regularly.
7,4 l per 100 km would be appropriate! How did you measure the consuption? What is you board computer displaying?
Matts
A consumption of 7,4 km per liter is definitively to high for a 520d Touring. That would mean a consumption of 13,5l/100km! I never got such a high average consumption wether with my manual 530d nor with a 530d touring (auto) that I drive regularly.
7,4 l per 100 km would be appropriate! How did you measure the consuption? What is you board computer displaying?
Matts
08-01-2006, 04:08 AM
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My Ride: 535dSE - Amethyst Grey, No model insc, standard wheels, Dynamic Drive, Rear side airbags, Auto-dim ext & int mirrors, Myrtle wood trim, Amethyst-Exclusive Leather, Heated front & rear seats, Active front seats, Electric comfort seats, Visibilty Pack, Pro Sat-Nav with TV, Bluetooth, Sun Protection glass.
Hi e61alex,
Seems reasonable to me. It's a relatively big and heavy car for that size engine. At 8500km the engine is still new and I would expect improvements ( maybe not continuously) all the way to 20,000km. Try switching off the aircon compressor when you don't need it.
Den
Seems reasonable to me. It's a relatively big and heavy car for that size engine. At 8500km the engine is still new and I would expect improvements ( maybe not continuously) all the way to 20,000km. Try switching off the aircon compressor when you don't need it.
Den
08-01-2006, 05:03 AM
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My Ride: E61 535d Apr 05. UK spec + Media Pack, Luxury Pack & Visibility Pack
Hi Alex,
For what it's worth, I'm getting 8.9 l/100km on my 535d (25% urban / 75% motorway at moderate speed ~130/140 km/h). 7.4 sounds a bit high to me for a 520 given your relaxed driving style.
Cheers
D
For what it's worth, I'm getting 8.9 l/100km on my 535d (25% urban / 75% motorway at moderate speed ~130/140 km/h). 7.4 sounds a bit high to me for a 520 given your relaxed driving style.
Cheers
D
08-01-2006, 06:18 AM
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I just had a look at the BMW fact sheet. BMW states 6.1 l/100km for the 520d touring, you need 7,4.
If I drive in a way may wife calls "reasonable"
, I have a consumption of something about 7,3 l/100km, the official number is 6,7 for the 530d Sedan.
For the 535d they state 8,2 l/100km which is a little bit less than the 8,9l dlevy67 needs.
This would indicate that indeed the consumption of your car is a bit too high.
On the other hand, driving the Touring I always had the feeling (without any exact measurement) that it has a clearly higher consumption than the Sedan. At least more than the 0,2 - 0,3 l/100km that BMW officially says it should be.
Hard facts anyone?
If I drive in a way may wife calls "reasonable"
, I have a consumption of something about 7,3 l/100km, the official number is 6,7 for the 530d Sedan. For the 535d they state 8,2 l/100km which is a little bit less than the 8,9l dlevy67 needs.
This would indicate that indeed the consumption of your car is a bit too high.
On the other hand, driving the Touring I always had the feeling (without any exact measurement) that it has a clearly higher consumption than the Sedan. At least more than the 0,2 - 0,3 l/100km that BMW officially says it should be.
Hard facts anyone?
08-01-2006, 02:03 PM
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My Ride: e39 525i Touring, will order e61 as soon as I can decide on engine and options...
Just broke 2000 km on mine today. On town-to-town trips, mostly highway with cruise set on 130 or 140 km/h, some overtaking etc + a bit red light town driving, the car consumes between 6,4 and 6,8 l/100 km.
Average since I bought it is actually 7,1 l/100 which is exactly the factory claimed.
Car is M-sport with steptronic (which, by the way, is a lot of fun on twisty roads...twitch of the hand and the car shifts!)
I'm more than pleased with the consumption, this car has so many qualities overall.
/M
Average since I bought it is actually 7,1 l/100 which is exactly the factory claimed.
Car is M-sport with steptronic (which, by the way, is a lot of fun on twisty roads...twitch of the hand and the car shifts!)
I'm more than pleased with the consumption, this car has so many qualities overall.
/M
Originally Posted by e61alex' post='317359' date='Jul 31 2006, 10:02 PM
Hi everyone,
my 520d has manual gear, standard rft and 17' alloy wheels, no handrails or other non-aerodynamic things: the fuel consumption figure is quite far from the BMW factory claimed.
The overall figure (measured from 3000 to 6000 Kms) were around 7.4 Km per liter (rising) and now the car is 8500 Km but consumtion remains the same.
I drive the car 70% of the time on freeway at constant speed not over 120 Km/h using trip control, 20% on city surroundings, and 10% on the downtown roads, driving very smoothly and changing gear not over 2500 rpm.
Asking to the dealer techs they told me "it's all ok" but I'm not fully convincted of all this.
I'd like to know other people's experience on this matter.
bye,
e61alex
my 520d has manual gear, standard rft and 17' alloy wheels, no handrails or other non-aerodynamic things: the fuel consumption figure is quite far from the BMW factory claimed.
The overall figure (measured from 3000 to 6000 Kms) were around 7.4 Km per liter (rising) and now the car is 8500 Km but consumtion remains the same.
I drive the car 70% of the time on freeway at constant speed not over 120 Km/h using trip control, 20% on city surroundings, and 10% on the downtown roads, driving very smoothly and changing gear not over 2500 rpm.
Asking to the dealer techs they told me "it's all ok" but I'm not fully convincted of all this.
I'd like to know other people's experience on this matter.
bye,
e61alex
08-01-2006, 02:34 PM
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My Ride: 530d Touring
Model Year: 2007
After 36k miles I am showing 10.3L/100km on my 535d, and I would expect around 7L/100 at the very best for a 520d.
I only found my 320d to be around 1.5L more efficiant than the 330d, so don't think the mpg figures in real world driving are going to be that different between 520d, 525d, 530d and 535d drivers, maybe 1L between each at the most.
Also if I really drive mine hard I get about 350 miles from a tank, if I take it really easy I get around 385 miles out of a tank, and to be honest I am going to enjoy the car rather than worry about trying to squeeze an extra 35 miles out of my car each week. We are talking about a saving of what? ?15 a week? With the repayments, insurance, tax, tolls and depeciation the car is costing me ?1100 a month, so I really can't see the point of worrying about cosumption, it spoils the fun!
I only found my 320d to be around 1.5L more efficiant than the 330d, so don't think the mpg figures in real world driving are going to be that different between 520d, 525d, 530d and 535d drivers, maybe 1L between each at the most.
Also if I really drive mine hard I get about 350 miles from a tank, if I take it really easy I get around 385 miles out of a tank, and to be honest I am going to enjoy the car rather than worry about trying to squeeze an extra 35 miles out of my car each week. We are talking about a saving of what? ?15 a week? With the repayments, insurance, tax, tolls and depeciation the car is costing me ?1100 a month, so I really can't see the point of worrying about cosumption, it spoils the fun!
08-02-2006, 08:56 AM
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Now I am sure there is something going wrong with my car: isn't still true that automatic gearbox has more friction and that car drinks more fuel than a similar with manual gearbox ?
I am quite unhappy with this... when I bought my car I chose a 520d because of its low consumption, and now I realize it drinks like my previous merc E320 CDI t-model year 2004 that had automatic gearbox, a 3.2L diesel engine 6 cylinders w/204 HP...
I am unhappy also with some BMW low quality parts:
before the first 900 Km I had the car stopped for one week because the rear planetary was faulty;
near the first 7000 Km I had the car stopped for more than three weeks because of a steering corner sensor that knock out DTS: such sensor was available nowhere, neither in Germany...
Now I think I'll try to contact directly customer service in BMW, jumping directly after the dealer - that says "it's all ok, we seen no alarms on your car's onboard diagnosys system". -
Thank you everyone who write on this topic.
I am quite unhappy with this... when I bought my car I chose a 520d because of its low consumption, and now I realize it drinks like my previous merc E320 CDI t-model year 2004 that had automatic gearbox, a 3.2L diesel engine 6 cylinders w/204 HP...
I am unhappy also with some BMW low quality parts:
before the first 900 Km I had the car stopped for one week because the rear planetary was faulty;
near the first 7000 Km I had the car stopped for more than three weeks because of a steering corner sensor that knock out DTS: such sensor was available nowhere, neither in Germany...
Now I think I'll try to contact directly customer service in BMW, jumping directly after the dealer - that says "it's all ok, we seen no alarms on your car's onboard diagnosys system". -
Thank you everyone who write on this topic.
08-02-2006, 09:06 AM
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My Ride: 530d Touring
Model Year: 2007
Originally Posted by e61alex' post='318162' date='Aug 2 2006, 05:56 PM
Now I am sure there is something going wrong with my car: isn't still true that automatic gearbox has more friction and that car drinks more fuel than a similar with manual gearbox ?
I am quite unhappy with this... when I bought my car I chose a 520d because of its low consumption, and now I realize it drinks like my previous merc E320 CDI t-model year 2004 that had automatic gearbox, a 3.2L diesel engine 6 cylinders w/204 HP...
I am unhappy also with some BMW low quality parts:
before the first 900 Km I had the car stopped for one week because the rear planetary was faulty;
near the first 7000 Km I had the car stopped for more than three weeks because of a steering corner sensor that knock out DTS: such sensor was available nowhere, neither in Germany...
Now I think I'll try to contact directly customer service in BMW, jumping directly after the dealer - that says "it's all ok, we seen no alarms on your car's onboard diagnosys system". -
Thank you everyone who write on this topic.
I am quite unhappy with this... when I bought my car I chose a 520d because of its low consumption, and now I realize it drinks like my previous merc E320 CDI t-model year 2004 that had automatic gearbox, a 3.2L diesel engine 6 cylinders w/204 HP...
I am unhappy also with some BMW low quality parts:
before the first 900 Km I had the car stopped for one week because the rear planetary was faulty;
near the first 7000 Km I had the car stopped for more than three weeks because of a steering corner sensor that knock out DTS: such sensor was available nowhere, neither in Germany...
Now I think I'll try to contact directly customer service in BMW, jumping directly after the dealer - that says "it's all ok, we seen no alarms on your car's onboard diagnosys system". -
Thank you everyone who write on this topic.
I can get 4mpg more from my Dad's 2005 S320cdi than I could from my 320d touring, and it returns 8mpg more than my 535d.