BMW E53 X5 3.0i Fuel Economy Capabilities

[srmmmm]

Originally Posted by tecboy99

What do you other manual guys get for MPG on the highway? Doing 75 in 6th gear, I can't seem to get the MPG gauge to go above 20. It has been awhile. But, I seem to recall the auto doing better. Makes me want that 3.64 diff swap even more.

75 MPH is at 2750 RPM for me with the automatic. The aero factor really seems to come into play at that speed though and my mileage averages 19-20 MPG. As long as I keep my speed around 70 MPH and RPMs at about 2500, I have no trouble getting 22+ MPG.

2002 X5 3.0 293,400 miles
2014 428i 14,200 miles

2004 325i sold at 123,600 miles
2001 325i sold at 66,000 miles

[tecboy99]

Damn, maybe I should start copying Green Dragon. A 10mpg bump would be nice.

[Ricky Bobby]

All highway I'm at 20-21 mpg, I don't have the 6th cog though.

[motordavid]

Originally Posted by Ricky Bobby

All highway I'm at 20-21 mpg, I don't have the 6th cog though.

+1, on several all highway road trips per year, using the tank fill ups and arithmetic method.

My OBC mpg readout has only been reset three or four times in 106,000 miles and it currently reads 20.4 for a long hunk of miles.

Around town, short shifting and driving Miss Daisy, it is less.

Getting more than 21 in a 5 spd, even on highway trips, ain't gonna happen over a tank or two or more, in my experience. At $2 and change a gallon, even for the Premium fans, who cares.

GL, mD

[bcredliner]

Great mileage! My gauge moves so fast sometimes I look in the mirror expecting to see if there is a trail of fuel. If I tried to drive with an egg under my foot I would need several dozen before I burned a tank of gas.

Might want to include peace of mind and time in the consideration. Putting aside a constant speed over 500 miles is not realistic, If I drive 60 verses 70 over 500 miles it will take me over an hour longer to reach my destination.

While the cost is greater, if I am traveling 500 miles one way, I rent something. Not for greater mileage but because the risk of something going wrong on an E53 is greater than the risk of something going wrong with the rental, and if it does they give me another. I won't have tools to fix most things that could go wrong on my X, likely be in a place I can't do the work, I won't know the capability of anyone that does the repair and there is a good chance I will be waiting for parts or leaving it behind and renting something anyway. On longer trips greater peace of mind seems quite meaningful.

[Ojai5]

I haven't cleared my MPG readout in two years and it always reads 20.
It's funny my 330i manual reads 23mpg. It has the same engine and is probably 1000lbs less and RWD. I am very impressed with the X5.

[crystalworks]

Originally Posted by Ojai5

I haven't cleared my MPG readout in two years and it always reads 20.
It's funny my 330i manual reads 23mpg. It has the same engine and is probably 1000lbs less and RWD. I am very impressed with the X5.

Our 330i manual always read in the 27mpg range. Probably 50/50 mixed driving. Perhaps you are driving the 330i in a spirited manner? Can't say I blame you, they are fun to drive. Used to take ours out to the windy country roads every so often.

[Ojai5]

Originally Posted by crystalworks

Our 330i manual always read in the 27mpg range. Probably 50/50 mixed driving. Perhaps you are driving the 330i in a spirited manner? Can't say I blame you, they are fun to drive. Used to take ours out to the windy country roads every so often.

Yup, busted! I drive the 330i pretty hard. it is just so much fun. I bet If I did a mellow road trip it would get 30.

[deepblonde]

Been trying to overcome the 999km maximum range displayed;
even changing to miles it wont display over 620 miles maximum, so I re-coded the whole cluster including odometer and trip meter to miles, but it still wont display over 620 miles....

[gatojurko]

3 numbers for range!