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Thread: 735i friends, what is your MPG?

  1. #1
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    735i friends, what is your MPG?

    Just wondering if my car is performing normally, or if I'm getting too low of a MPG....I don't have a lead foot, I coast to stops in neutral, shift before 3000, do about 50/50 highway/city commute, and I can only muster 16 mpg. Highway travel tops up around 20mpg according to OBC instantaneous reading. What are you guys getting? Fuel filter replaced 1000 miles ago, sparks done 5000 miles ago, valves were within clearance as of 1000 miles ago, I use top tier 87 gasoline.
    Last edited by youngbimmer; 01-26-2018 at 12:30 PM.

  2. #2
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    I think there is a thread on this already, but I’ll answer. I’ve been getting 19.5mpg 70% highway mix and around 24 pure highway, which is good but i also have a 2 owner car with only 100k miles, and previous owner spent quite a lot at the dealer in maintenance, so basically best case scenario for these cars.

    16 sounds low but not unreasonable for 50/50 driving.

  3. #3
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    1978 635Csi, 1988 735iM
    I'm averaging 20-21 as well. My car is a manual so that may play a part because on one tank I made a 60 mile round trip at 90mph and still got that 20 out of it. I'm clocking my own mileage though, I don't trust the computers to get exact enough numbers. You also have to consider this is a 12 valve engine pushing a lot of belt driven accessories AND a big ass fan attached to the front. I think the aero in these cars could squeak out more mpg if the power train was built to accommodate.





  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by youngbimmer View Post
    I use top tier 87 gasoline.
    For starters, try running at least 91 gasoline. In the manual it states 91 is the minimum - I try to run only 93
    1983 4-spd Mercedes 240d w/403k - Sold!

    11/87 E32 735iA w/45k - Daily Driver (finally!)

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  5. #5
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    90' 735iL, 90' 535i, 93'
    I've been averaging 17mpg during my daily commute. But that includes SoCal city driving and freeway traffic. Trips to Las Vegas easily get 24mpg on the way there and almost 30mpg coming back with most of the return trip being down hill.

  6. #6
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    When I check mpg the old fashion way, just from fill up to fill up, I get about 17 mpg and that's all city driving. When I check it with my on board computer it's always just a touch over 16. The most mpg I've ever gotten was on a trip from Florida to New York. At the 600 mile marker my OBC was showing 22 mpg. That's the highest it's ever read in 28 years. That's all on 93 octane. I do a little better with 90 octane ethanol free gas. I've been doing that for the past 8000 miles or so, and when I check the OBC, it's about 17, but never any more than that.
    1990 735I (Auto) E32 Feb 1990 to Present
    1996 Z3 Roadster (5 Speed) E36/7 Jan 1999 to Dec 1999
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  7. #7
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    that is a good value, better than average, checked over 18kmiles 15.3 mpg http://www.fuelly.com/car/bmw/735i/1992/high5/404047
    compared to that a 750: Based on data from 1 vehicles, 22 fuel-ups and 1,080 miles of driving, the 1988 BMW 750iL gets a combined Avg MPG of 8.63 with a 0.62 MPG margin of error. http://www.fuelly.com/car/bmw/750il/1988
    Maybe you add your mpg there to get more data for comparison
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  8. #8
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    Quote Originally Posted by CamE32 View Post
    For starters, try running at least 91 gasoline. In the manual it states 91 is the minimum - I try to run only 93
    That's the first I hear of that. Every M30 guy I know puts in 87 unless they've done a chip mod or are running boost.

    My OBC has been accurate within 0.3 of my hand calculations. Interestingly enough, it matches almost exactly what the EPA estimate is: https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/5663.shtml

    Quote Originally Posted by shogun View Post
    that is a good value, better than average, checked over 18kmiles 15.3 mpg http://www.fuelly.com/car/bmw/735i/1992/high5/404047
    compared to that a 750: Based on data from 1 vehicles, 22 fuel-ups and 1,080 miles of driving, the 1988 BMW 750iL gets a combined Avg MPG of 8.63 with a 0.62 MPG margin of error. http://www.fuelly.com/car/bmw/750il/1988
    Maybe you add your mpg there to get more data for comparison
    I would cry if my mpg were that bad. I could not imagine a non-exotic car being that thirsty.
    Last edited by youngbimmer; 02-02-2018 at 12:53 AM.

  9. #9
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    V12 is exotic mate Anyways, I get about 11-12 L per 100km highway according to the gauge below my speedo. OBC says average 16. Not sure if either of those are accurate. Always using premium fuel.

  10. #10
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    I average around 17mpg in the city on 93 octane. Highway isn't accurate since I haven't done any substantial trips yet. Running an EAT chip too.
    Last edited by NE32; 02-02-2018 at 05:24 PM.

  11. #11
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    Jeez, how is my V8 getting better mileage. With 307k miles and newer Lucas injectors as the only mod I average 18 in a super hilly area at 6000 feet and the occasional full throttle to destroy kids that think their cars are fast. The last highway trip I did I averaged 28-30. I imagine once I move to sea level later this year those numbers will be pushed up. I only use 91 octane because I do not want to rely on 20+ year old knock sensors.
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  12. #12
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    '91 M5, '13 E92, '89 E32
    750il in Los Angeles traffic and an enthusiastic right foot, and I'm averaging 15.8 MPG.
    1989 750iL schwarz/schwarz
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  13. #13
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    My 750 gets better than 14 MPG and is running rough(thanks to the mechanics idling it with the pcv off the head) and got upwards of 15.5 before that.

  14. #14
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    Quote Originally Posted by YogiYogi View Post
    V12 is exotic mate Anyways, I get about 11-12 L per 100km highway according to the gauge below my speedo. OBC says average 16. Not sure if either of those are accurate. Always using premium fuel.
    That is cheating, you only talk about super good Highway consumption
    Talk about city stop and go. In greater Tokyo Bay area with stop and go and an average speed of 25kmh my worst consumption was 3.2 - 4 km per liter = per 100 km abt. 25 liters - 30 liters, "normal" 6 km per liter.
    The "official data for the 750iL http://www.7-forum.com/modelle/e32/technische_daten.php
    city 20.8 ltr/100 km
    at 120 kmh 10.9 ltr/100km
    at 90 kmh 8.8 ltr/100 km

    So, here where I drive in hot climate, traffic jam, stop and go, aircon always full on and all the fans: realistic is 20-30 liters / 100 km, the M70 is enjoying every single drop of fuel.
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  15. #15
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    Just stumbled on this thread again, thought I would update. Somehow I got 27.6 MPG on the way to the Vintage, pure highway miles, a/c was off.

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by mjimport View Post
    Just stumbled on this thread again, thought I would update. Somehow I got 27.6 MPG on the way to the Vintage, pure highway miles, a/c was off.
    On my drive to the vintage averaging right around 80 MPH I got just over 27 MPG running on 93 oct. gas. My car is a Euro 730i 6 cyl not a 735i not sure how much of a difference that makes. It is also manual with no cruise, mechanical seats, no air bags and no catalytic converter so it is significantly lighter than an automatic 735i.

    At the Vintage Cory installed a chip I purchased from Shogun. I could almost immediately feel the difference. Hills I had to down shift into 3rd gear to maintain speed I was now able to maintain my speed in 4th gear. I have not done a MPH check as yet but most of my driving in this car is hwy. driving at speed.

    Thank you Shogun for the chip . . . thank you Cory for installing the chip. BTW like my mysterious blower motor my ECU was, according to Cory, also an ECU from an E 23 not an E 32.

  17. #17
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    All of your replies make me feel good about mine, I've been averaging 12.8 MPG, 50/50 city-hwy.

  18. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Zieg View Post
    At the Vintage Cory installed a chip I purchased from Shogun. I could almost immediately feel the difference. Hills I had to down shift into 3rd gear to maintain speed I was now able to maintain my speed in 4th gear. I have not done a MPH check as yet but most of my driving in this car is hwy. driving at speed.Thank you Shogun for the chip . . . thank you Cory for installing the chip. BTW like my mysterious blower motor my ECU was, according to Cory, also an ECU from an E 23 not an E 32.
    you got from me a chip for the M1.1 0261 200 151 BMW 1708581, M1.1 is not common in the US on the E32, but in Europe the first model years E32 were delivered with the M1.1, usually found in the US in E23, E28, E24...
    Actually in Europe some people have replaced the M1.1 with the newer version M1.3, that is possible by just replacing the DME unit. Main difference between 1.1 and 1.3 is that the 1.3 can store more fault codes.
    Shogun tricks and tips for the E32 series are HERE!

  19. #19
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    I am smelling something like fuel or maybe my car is running rich...maybe that's why my MPG is bad. I don't have any tools to diagnose lean/rich or fuel problems, I think this may be why my mpg is so bad (despite me driving relatively conservatively). Maybe leaky injectors? Or a leak in a fuel line?

  20. #20
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    Quote Originally Posted by youngbimmer View Post
    I am smelling something like fuel or maybe my car is running rich...maybe that's why my MPG is bad. I don't have any tools to diagnose lean/rich or fuel problems, I think this may be why my mpg is so bad (despite me driving relatively conservatively). Maybe leaky injectors? Or a leak in a fuel line?
    Check the fuel pressure regulator for any fuel in the vacuum line. If that's good, check the short piece of fuel hose on the passenger side near the manifold and AC ports.

    I had a fuel smell and bad mileage, and those problems I mentioned were the cause
    1983 4-spd Mercedes 240d w/403k - Sold!

    11/87 E32 735iA w/45k - Daily Driver (finally!)

    04/88 E32 735iL - Parts Car

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