E93 335i, worse MPG than E60 545i?!

[EdZorX]

Hello fellow E90-1-2-3 Owners :redspot

I have actually been a loyal 5er kinda guy (started with an e39 540i back in 2000, got my 545i in December 2011), so it had always been a V8 sedan life for me but ALWAYS 6 SPEED OF COURSE! :D This is the first time I dipped into the goodness of the 3series with my 2007 E93 335i.

Apart from the tons of questions I may have with this change, my biggest "concern" let's say, has been the gas mileage I'm getting.
I do understand the car is heavier (CRAZY RIGHT?!) than my 545i, and almost 400lbs heavier than the coupe so I'm sure that should be impacting my mpg numbers, but seriously. Where my 5er gets an avg of 19, the 3er is getting 17 :eyecrazy
EPA Advertises 19-20 city, 28-29 hwy for the 335i Conv. and the 554i at 16 city, 24 hwy... (both stats taken from autos.msn.com)

Now my question is, is my car supposed to be getting those numbers or could there be something wrong with it? I still got full warranty until 5/31 of this year so if I can bring anything up at my next dealer visit I'm def making teh stealership do something about it!

What mpg numbers are you guys with the convertible getting?

[LukasBMW]

Having the same issue with my e92 335i (2008).

The previous owner was getting 16.1mpg. He lived in Hollywood so I figured he just had a lead foot and did a lot of city driving.

I DID get 29.5 mpg on the trip from LA to my home in Phoenix (flew in, bought the car, drove it back).

Now I'm getting 16mpg. Probably a 70/30 city/highway mix.

I got 15-16mpg in my old 540i.

I do have a lead foot though. LOL.

[EdZorX]

Crazy! I drove from Charlotte to ATL with the top and windows down for a good bit (until the wind got really annoying and I sunburned my face) and with the top down I got 25mpg, top up 26. Still, the 545i will match that on the HWY...

I am hoping it's something to do with dirty filter, not having used fuel injector cleaner, and the car needing an oil change soon that's affecting that figure. And I know I've never driven a 335i before but ppl keep talking about 0 turbo lag but my car DEF has one, unless I'm just too used to the awesome and immediate pull of the torque on the V8 :stickoutt

[LukasBMW]

Yeah, the turbo lag is minimal, but it is there. I can't smoke the tires off the line in my 335i, where my 540i would destroy tires unless I kept traction control on. That said, the 335i is definitely much quicker. I actually met up with my dad yesterday (sold him my old 2003 540i and kind of regret it) and we compared cars. The 540i really is the best all around balance of luxury and sport. The steering is heavier, the car rides better, but the 335i is a bit more responsive (but has light steering and too much body roll stock) and it is definitely faster.

I JUST got the car. Not sure I am going to keep it. If I do, I'm thinking software to boost the power and some suspension upgrades are needed.

Regarding your gas mileage problem, I hear software can actually improve gas mileage.

Doing an oil change, filter change, and coolant change on Thursday. We will see if that does anything.

[EdZorX]

Seems like we were on the same boat almost, I just got my car also (on the 16th) but with the exception that I hate selling my cars to ANYONE I know, I try to sell them to someone that's just gonna take it away and never to be seen, otherwise they have the tendency to come back to you if any little thing comes up and they start the blame game...


I am kinda on the same boat, I freaking LOVE my 545i and it hasn't even been a year since I got it (I started officially driving it in May), plus I have that thing loaded (premium / cold weather / sport packages, nav, comfort seats, Orientblau Metallic, tan interior) so I haven't even put it up for sale and It already hurts me looking it at (feels as if I was being a traitor) and I could def make some money on the 335i but it's the convertible that gets me everytime. Plus it does make more sense for a single guy to have a conv. and not a family sedan as my friend put it.

Let me know how it goes, my German friend has adviced me not to tinker with the turbos at all. BMW has already had probs with them and making them work harder doesn't sound like a good idea but who knows... like I've said I've always had a V8 and turbos are a first for me, actually even the first time they've been in the fam and we are no strangers to German cars. Bro drives an e92, both parents have CLKs.

[ndog14]

Could be the driver? The 328xi 6MT is rated at 28 on the highway, I get 31, but it is rated 19 in the city and I get 17. I average 22 overall.

And the turbos aren't the problem on the 335s, besides the wastegate rattle. It was the direct injection system. 07s had the most problems and they slowly diminished over the years as BMW went through 4 designs of the HPFP. Also, 07s and early 08s got the fuel injector ticks. And a guy on a forum not to be named is pushing over 500whp in his auto 335. The N54 can easily handle 500bhp, if properly cared for. By time they get near 600bhp they are replacing the twin turbos with a larger, single turbo.

Take it to the dealer and see what is up. And when your warranty expires, tune (JB4, Cobb, Vish, etc).

[Ian1973]

say what? My tires lite up whenever I want them too. I get 20mpg combined... Lets just say I am never passed, whether on the interstate or B roads, if you want to know how I drive. But I get about 280-290 miles to 14 gallons.

[EdZorX]

I would agree with you with the driver being the problem but trust me, in this half tank I am driving like a granny... well almost, it's impossible to drive eco minded all the damn time :nono But anyway, the car shows 18.6mpg right now, and like all BMW trip computers, they are always trying to trick you, my car's history usually varies by about 1.4mpg more than the actual figure. So that means it's getting anywhere in the low 17's? And this is driving eco-minded??
It's just puzzling since I was really expecting a bump over what I was getting with a V8 sedan :confused

[Ian1973]

I just filled up yesterday and reset my computer, I'm at 21.7 mpg. Again, that's a good mix of city/stop and go and 6th gear cruising. Some trips to redline and hard acceleration. I think it's about 100 miles of this to get 21.7. Obviously I'm using 93 octane.

[fun2drive]

Mixed city/ highway I get 24 mpg and interstate well over 30 mpg. I changed tires from Michelin Pilot Sport A/S to Michelin Primacy MXM4 RFT and picked up close to 3 mpg so the tires make a huge difference...
I have 58K miles on my car and I am the only driver. My car has always with the exception of the Michelin Pilots got 29 mpg not over 30 mpg interstate...

[EdZorX]

Today is a new benchmark, 19.2! But I do get pretty much no hwy miles ever. I'll have to see how it would do on a highway stint. And those of you getting well over 30mpg on the highway, how fast are you going? I generally go 75ish

[MikePerkins]

My 335I gets 25 - 27 mpg on combined highway / city driving , including 40 +miles of mountain driving per work day each way. I am not usually driving with a heavy foot but I am not shy about stepping on it after the oil hits 200 C. I usually drive in the " old man " mode and put it in ds when the road is interesting. Lots of folks seem interested in racing at the stoplights, but I usually don't bite. My work commute goes from 800 feet above sea level to 3800 ft.
Around the city, my mpg is usually in the teens unless I get on the throttle.
Mike

[MikePerkins]

I also have s 2000 540 I with.manual transmission. I get maybr 21 mpg on the same route after an average week on driving.

[Karbon]

I am at a loss to explain how anyone with a 335i can get under 20mpg average. Unless you have a lead foot every time you drive it or have a crazy tune. I average 23.8mpg (over 5k miles driven now) with my 335 and it's 50/50 city - highway driving. The only thing I can think of is I use Chevron Techron every couple months and I always use 93 octane every time. Other than that I don't know what to say! Lol...

[EdZorX]

Well, the "oil service" warning message come on today, so the oil's life went from having a good 4000 miles to CHANGE IT NOW in about a week... maybe it has something to do this? I am going to call the dealer tomorrow and request an appointment ASAP. I have always done the oil changes on my car myself (the less ppl that put their hands on it, the happier I am) but since I get the full service at the dealer I am kinda curious to see how this goes. Hopefully they got something to say about my apparently uncommon bad MPG with the 335i...

[ndog14]

When was the oil changed last? Who did it? If you did it yourself not too long ago reset the light, read your manual to do so.

[jdown3]

I'm averaging 23-25 mpg on my 2010 335i doing about 50/50 city to highway driving and would consider my driving stye to be more on the aggressive side. My car can definitely get thirsty driving around SF with the hills and constant start/stop but I've been very impressed with how she does on the freeway even if I'm spending more time between fourth and fifth than I am in sixth.

[EdZorX]

WTH, so my service appointment isn't till the 23rd. After I talked to the dealer the lady told me "oh we can top it off [the oil] when you come in as we have absolutely no spots available"... Is this how it should be? I would think I'd be able to get the car in for a simple (and urgent!!) oil change in between whatever else they got going on... Have you guys had this issue before? I'm afraid of driving my car past the service change interval, ESPECIALLY regarding the oil... Ndog: the oil was changed last time by the dealer in NC (I have only owned this car since Marth 16th) but he said the oil service was coming up but it wasn't supposed to be for another 4000 miles when I got the car and I've only driven about 600 altogether....

[musashi335]

On the highway my 2009 335i gets around 27 to 29 mpg. In city driving, which is pretty much daily, I get around 17 mpg at best.

[Ian1973]

WTH, so my service appointment isn't till the 23rd. After I talked to the dealer the lady told me "oh we can top it off [the oil] when you come in as we have absolutely no spots available"... Is this how it should be? I would think I'd be able to get the car in for a simple (and urgent!!) oil change in between whatever else they got going on... Have you guys had this issue before? I'm afraid of driving my car past the service change interval, ESPECIALLY regarding the oil... Ndog: the oil was changed last time by the dealer in NC (I have only owned this car since Marth 16th) but he said the oil service was coming up but it wasn't supposed to be for another 4000 miles when I got the car and I've only driven about 600 altogether....


So change it yourself and reset the service indicator for the oil.

[ndog14]

When was the last time it was at the dealer and how many miles? They may have not reset the service indicator. Go by time/mileage, not what a the OBC tells you.

[EdZorX]

Good point! I have the car history with me so I'll check on that. OK so I refueled the car today at half-tank and in BMW history (at least for me) what the computer showed was EXACTLY what the actual MPG were! 18.9mpg. Mind you this was seriously testing my patience (and my inner child) as I was grandma-ing the car for the entire time. It SUCKED not flooring it :P But this is also only city driving and a 6 mile commute each way. Do any of you use fuel injector cleaner on a regular basis? I've always used it on both my 5ers

[Ian1973]

6 mile commute? I'd be changing my oil much more frequently then. The thing never gets warmed up.

I had mine at the dealer this week doing the battery recall, so they had to reset the car. I was 21.7 prior to that, it took me a bit but it in the past 60 miles risen to 22mpg. I do have a cobb tuner, but it's set at what they consider the zero map, which is trying to mimic the stock parameters. I'll be putting the aggressive map in again this weekend, i'll be curious how my mileage goes from there.