Better Mileage Shifting Manually

[Texas5]

Originally Posted by M3Armand

...if I drive my 4.8i X5 in "D", I get a little over 18 mpg in complete highway driving. If I shift myself, I get 20-21 mpg. Admittedly, I shift BEFORE it gets to 2000 rpms. Yes, it somewhat defeats the purpose of getting the V8, but I am liking the fact that I am actually "beating" the advertized mpg. I usually drive 75-80mph on the highway.

Maybe I'm missing something, but how does manually shifting affect your highway mileage? Speed would be the bigger factor, as you should be in top gear all the time (assuming it's not a very hilly area).

FWIW, I get 15-16 in mixed/mostly city driving and 18 (80+mph) - 21 (~65mph) on the highway. Pretty much EPA numbers.

Vehicle now has 8,500 miles on odometer.