E39 real world economy
Printed From: Bavarian-Board.co.uk - BMW Owners Discussion Forum
Category: Technical & Model Specific Forums
Forum Name: BMW 5 Series
Forum Discription: This forum will deal with any issues on the BMW 5 Series (E12, E28, E34, E39, E60 & E61)
URL: http://www.bavarian-board.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=5717
Printed Date: 26-June-2024 at 15:25
Topic: E39 real world economy
Posted By: Stone
Subject: E39 real world economy
Date Posted: 18-February-2004 at 20:59
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Just got meself a 1997 528i SE. The owners manual and various websites (Parkers) indicate that extra urban MPG is about 38 (optimistic?!), urban is 21 and combined is 29. Any ideas what the real world economy is for someone who knows where the accelerator is? Figures for extra urban, urban and combined would be appreciated or a weblink to somewhere that has them for UK 528i's. Stone 91 525i SE man (any takers?) 97 528i SE man |
Replies:
Posted By: Sohlman
Date Posted: 18-February-2004 at 21:46
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We have a e39 528 (99) model. We have had as much as 37MPG driving very carefully at around 50-70 on the motorway. We have had 26mpg as the worst we have ever achieved and generally get between 29-31mpg with a mixed driving of town and motorway. When we first got it we drove to Barcelona in August crusing at around the ton mark for 16 hours and achieved 33mpg 5 up with the air con on. Best info i can give you i'm afraid -------------  Sunday 10th July Brooklands Sharkfest and Big Coupe Day. http://635csi.mysite.wanadoo-members.co.uk/ - Coupe Events
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Posted By: Stone
Date Posted: 19-February-2004 at 01:48
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Thanks Sohlman, that'll do nicely. It sounds considerably better than my E34 525i which does ~28 mpg on the motorway and ~22 on 'normal' commuting in town and twisty country roads. I have to rev the 525i hard to get it to fly and the mpg gauge heads so far right it hurts! Cheers Stone 91 525i SE man 97 528i SE man |
Posted By: Ascotgrun
Date Posted: 19-February-2004 at 14:30
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The E39 is lighter and is possibly (certainly looks it!) more aerodynamic than the E34, so I would expect it to better the E34's fuel economy based on that alone. Secondly, the larger sixes seem to give higher MPGs than the smaller ones so that too will contribute to better fuel economy. I know that if the time comes that I replace my E34 with an E39, I wouldn't want anything less than a 528. ------------- 1995 520i SE |
Posted By: danio2020
Date Posted: 26-February-2004 at 21:23
| You also need to bear in mind the improvements of the later engines and also to the DME engine management system improvements which will also return better MPG over earlier cars |
Posted By: fellie528SEauto
Date Posted: 07-March-2004 at 08:31
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Only had mine for 5 days, 'sactly the same as yours Stone ( although mine has 17" alloys with 235 tyres ) and having covered all of 200 miles, the computer that I reset the day I bought the E39 it says 20.9mpg Side note: friend of mine has a 523se auto '99, he replaced all 4 contis with fulda extremo's, claims to have lost 4-5mpg average :/ (thats me out of the round at the pub, I recommended them, I had them on my Passat at the time ) Ill post more when Ive done a few more miles Stone :) My 5 has 130k on the clock to ------------- fellie 
528 SE AUTO Biarritz blue, plenty of options Interstellar mileage http://s3.invisionfree.com/5series/index.php?showtopic=719 - see it here |
Posted By: Stone
Date Posted: 16-March-2004 at 23:27
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Currently getting 23. something MPG on an urbanish work run over 150 miles or so. Thats driving restrained as well. Have yet to give it a proper open road test as I've been away. Will get a chance next month with a (ahem legal) blast down a few M Ways. I have to admit I was expecting better MPG from a newer car with a better DME. My tyres are Pirelli 225 16"s with plenty of meat left. Fellie - nice pic of your motor. Mine has a few less toys and no angel eyes (yet) but it's a manual which is the bit I like Stone |
.Posted By: fellie528SEauto
Date Posted: 17-March-2004 at 20:13
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hoping to get a few more pics soon, that is the one that tempted me to my car lol, ( the autotrader advert pic ) im getting ave. of 23 also now, but on a 50 mile run recently, it was ave. around 42 at a steady 70-90, cant argue with that, due service to soon :o/ are your tyres an aquatred type? ( v pattern as oppsed to lots of lines around tyre :))) friend of mine with a 523 99 just changed all 4 to rain pattern/ aquatread affairs, lost about 4mpg he reckons ( thought id explain the situ there a little better :))) good run does em loads of good Stone, find an excuse, take offa while ------------- fellie
528 SE AUTO Biarritz blue, plenty of options Interstellar mileage http://s3.invisionfree.com/5series/index.php?showtopic=719 - see it here |
Posted By: Ian :0
Date Posted: 19-March-2004 at 13:03
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'99 520 gives me 32.4mpg a tank with no long runs. ------------- Ian |
Posted By: Stone
Date Posted: 19-March-2004 at 21:39
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Still not done a long blast yet but after adjusting pressures and another 40 miles I'm getting 22. something on the same run! That's no better than my old 525i with the same tyres. Oh well. Current tyres are all P6000's. Some marketing waffle and a picture can be found here: http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Pirelli&tireModel=P6000 - http://www.tirerack.com/tires/tires.jsp?tireMake=Pirelli&tireModel=P6000 Anyone got any other suggestions for tyres with reasonable performance and economy? Good to hear Ian's getting over 30mpg but I'm too attached to the 528's pulling power to give it up Stone |
Posted By: PhiL P
Date Posted: 22-March-2004 at 19:16
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I filled up my 2001 520i 2.2 manual last week with Shell Optimax, reset the OBC then drove the 18 miles to work in London City and back again - 21.2 MPG Didn't think tyres would make a huge amount of difference to fuel consumption - mine are pretty worn Dunlop SP Sport 01s. |
Posted By: bigpow
Date Posted: 24-March-2004 at 10:34
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Had my 528 Glacier green manual, for two years now, running on bf goodrich 225 60 15 tyres and getting 34 on a run or 24 around town. Upgrading to 17 m5 wheels this week. My rear tyres are only lasting about 8k ( heavy left foot ). Anyone interested in clear lenses upgrade German and Sweedish £175 & VAT. Hope that this helps ? ------------- Help, Get me out of here !!! |
Posted By: Eamo
Date Posted: 24-March-2004 at 14:20
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best way to calucalte is like this -
fill the car to the brim - reset the trip and drive for 100 miles. go back to same garage and refill to the brim again. note now much money the refill costs. now you know how much it costs to drive 100 miles!! way better than those mpg readout thingies!!  ------------- |
Posted By: Stone
Date Posted: 24-March-2004 at 21:54
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Eamo - reckon you're right there. But, most pumps tell you how many litres they deliver so I don't need to worry about going back to the same garage. Unless, unless you're suggesting UK fuel quality varies more than it should?! Petrol gauge seems to sink pretty quick so I suspect the mpg readout isn't far wrong. Stone |
Posted By: Eamo
Date Posted: 25-March-2004 at 10:01
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Stone
the reason I would go back to the same garage is that the price per litre will be the same. if you went to another garage the price of the petrol could be dearer/cheaper and therfore not give you a clearer picture. ------------- |
Posted By: Stone
Date Posted: 26-March-2004 at 19:01
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Agreed, but I'm interested in miles per gallon, and as I can get the number of litres from the pump readouts, the price isn't such a worry. Cheers Stone |
Posted By: spike
Date Posted: 29-March-2004 at 12:47
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As an experiment, I tried to see what I could get out of my 530i E39. With 600 miles since its first service I have averaged 30.3 and and on one 35 mile trip (a warm engine) I got 40.3 with some very carefull cruising at 60 mph. Not bad eh?
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Posted By: bigpow
Date Posted: 01-April-2004 at 12:12
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Spike You must be driving down 35 mile long hills. I couldn't get 40 mpg if I was on the back of a RAC lorry Just bought a pair of 540 sport alloys with toyo tyres so I wonder if my mpg will go down 255 on the back !!
------------- Help, Get me out of here !!! |
Posted By: spike
Date Posted: 05-April-2004 at 12:07
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Well it was very carefull driving. Cruise control on just about the whole time. Also using optimax so that may give it the edge. Also not sure how accurate the computer is. More typical consumption is around 30 with gentle driving on the motorways and low twenties around town. Really depends on how you drive it. Sure I could get high teens if I really enjoyed myself!
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Posted By: Peter Fenwick
Date Posted: 05-April-2004 at 12:14
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In my experience the computer can be a little bit optomistic when it comes to fuel consumpsion. It is on my car anyway, generally between 2 and 3 mpg better than actual. ------------- Entering an age of Austerity and now driving a Focus Diesel. |
Posted By: Stone
Date Posted: 17-April-2004 at 19:39
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Well, I eventually took it on a long run from Aberdeen to Wiltshire and back mainly on motorways (I love cruise control). With 2 adults, 3 small kids and a boot full of **** it averaged 31 mpg on the computer, so similar to spikes typical consumption. Not quite the 38 for country driving in the manual but I thought that was optimistic anyway. If I sat at 60 all the way it would probably do 35. Still, I would rather pay for the extra fuel than lose the years off my life that would occur with driving 3 kids for any longer than is necessary Cheers Stone 91 525i SE man (Sold - broke my heart) 97 528i SE man ------------- |
Posted By: eakley
Date Posted: 08-August-2004 at 14:13
| My 528i SE Touring (1997) gives me an indicated 29 with AC on, or 31 with A/C off - mostly motorway cruising. I've got a fairly heavy right foot. |
Posted By: Stone
Date Posted: 09-August-2004 at 10:51
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Country road driving (counts as my urban commute) with a lot of gear changes and right foot action yields 23.7 on the computer - A/C is on most of the time too. I don't think that's too bad in the grand scheme of things. Other thing is the kids insist on the windows being open on most short (<15mile) journeys so that will probably knock a fair bit off the fuel economy as well. Stone E39 97' 528i SE Man |
Posted By: Nick_Baldev
Date Posted: 09-August-2004 at 15:39
| my e39 520i drinks petrol. i get about 18-21mpg, that is all town driving though.how do you lot manage good economy, any tips you can pass on?? |
Posted By: Peter Fenwick
Date Posted: 09-August-2004 at 16:14
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With town driving their isn't a great deal you can do to improve the economy. My 328 gets similar MPG driving around town. ------------- Entering an age of Austerity and now driving a Focus Diesel. |
Nick_Baldev wrote:Posted By: Stone
Date Posted: 09-August-2004 at 17:25
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Nick, I thinks Peter's right - not much you can do about it around town, especially if most of your driving is in 1st to 3rd gear. Are the journeys long enough for the engine to heat up fully? If not than that will hurt the mpg and if the journey is less than 4 or 5 miles you could consider using a bicycle! Stone E39 97' 528i SE Man |
Posted By: Dergside
Date Posted: 09-August-2004 at 18:12
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Over the past 15k miles the 523i has averaged a nice round 34mpg on the obc. I have a 40 mile round trip commute, half and half main road and town and then a lot of longer open road runs at weekends, not too many cold start/short runs. Use the Cruise a lot and it seems to make a difference and don't use the climate that much. I've cross checked the obc with brimming the tank and its reasonably accurate in my case, within 1mpg. With the decent sized tank I usually get 550-570 miles from a tank of regular unleaded. ------------- Now: BMW 523i SE '00, 318i SE - e91 '07, 325i Coupe '93. Prev: e46 328i SE Touring, 330Ci, 318Ci. e39 523i SE. e36 325i Coupe *2, 323i SE, 316iSE. e30 325iSE 2dr, 320i Conv, 320i 2dr, 316i. |
Posted By: claymore_72
Date Posted: 09-August-2004 at 22:40
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2000 E39 535iA V8 Average commuting around 24-26 mpg (on a 30 mile round trip) Motorway over 50 and under 70 between 24 and 36 mpg Anywhere over 70 and you need a petrol tanker following 235/45/17 on front and 255/40/17 rears with Conti Sport Contact 2's
------------- Currently E38 - 740 |
Posted By: Jimbo540i
Date Posted: 10-August-2004 at 12:05
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1998 540i Auto I looked and myt current average is 23.7 That's my daily commute (60miles) with mainly motorway plus a few miles of country roads to blat - I drive reasonalbe fast. Best - 34.6 run to Scotland Worst - 13.7 - lighning run down to southampton via the A32!
------------- Jimbo 540i Auto |
Posted By: Nick_Baldev
Date Posted: 10-August-2004 at 15:09
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thanks for the advice lads. i actually only do 4miles,stone- maybe i'll consider a bmw mountain bike?!?!?problem is im too fat to ride one how much does the a/c affect fuel economy?? |
Posted By: Dergside
Date Posted: 10-August-2004 at 18:23
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I'd guess 2-3 MPG. ------------- Now: BMW 523i SE '00, 318i SE - e91 '07, 325i Coupe '93. Prev: e46 328i SE Touring, 330Ci, 318Ci. e39 523i SE. e36 325i Coupe *2, 323i SE, 316iSE. e30 325iSE 2dr, 320i Conv, 320i 2dr, 316i. |
Posted By: Stone
Date Posted: 12-August-2004 at 23:44
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BMW mountain bikes eh?! http://www.bmwworld.com/bmw/kids/bike_stuff.htm - http://www.bmwworld.com/bmw/kids/bike_stuff.htm If you get a bike, you'll lose some pounds and save even more fuel cause the car is carrying less of you! On that basis, I think I need to do a bit of pedalling myself. Stone |
