Gas and Mileage Question?
 

I know the MPG on an X5 4.8 isn't great to begin with, but I'm NOT driving hard (in the break-in period), in fact, I'm purposely driving easy and I'm averaging 13.1 MPG ... is that what others are getting? Seems very low for the way I'm driving. Granted, it's mostly around town, but still. Seems at the worst, I should be around 15+. My Range Rover averages higher than this!

Also, I've always used premium, but do you really need to? I have a loaded 4.8 (not sure if the sport package changes anything in the engine that may alter the need for premium gas).

Thanks -

I get 13-14mpg average, however, i pretty much drive in the city. on the highway, it is a different story--- it gets up 18-19!

That kind of fuel consumption is the reality of buying a 2,5+ ton SUV with a 4,8 litre V8. My friend with the same vehicle says they get about 12 miles to the gallon in the city. Which is why his parents stopped taking it to work.

Getting 15mpg city in the 4.8i is a pipe dream when that's what I'm getting (barely) in a 3.0si. Well, maybe after a very long break-in as I heard that helps in the fuel consumption department. I'm holding out hope that 15mpg goes up to 18mpg. Maybe with time and mileage you'll get to 15mpg.

Agree with others on the expected mileage, that is why SUV prices have dropped so quickly.

As to premium fuel, you can try to save money but you may in fact not do so. You don't actually need 91 AKI, you need fuel that doesn't pre-ignite in your driving conditions. If the octane is too low, the engine will retard the timing. You will not harm the engine. If the timing is retarded due to pre-ignition, you will likely get reduced mileage, negating any advantage to not buying premium.

Now, the trick is figuring out what your fuel is actually like locally. Fuel varies widely in quality and octane rating (AKI) across the US. Premium is spec'd because it covers all the bases for BMW. If you like, try a tank or three of lower octane fuel. Measure the mileage. If it drops, then that is a good sign that you need the premium that your local station is selling. If it doesn't drop, that is a good indication that you can keep on using it. I would go to 89, not 87. If all this is too much trouble, just use 91.

I've average 17.4 (08 4.8i) over the last 4K miles. Mileage improved after about 8 or 9K miles. About 2/3 of my driving is highway but I do drive it fairly hard quite a bit of the time.

I have 12k miles on my 4.8i.

Averaging 16.1, 12 to 14 in town 18+ (if you keep it below 70) on the highway.

Heavy vehicle, big engine, not much hope for great mileage.

Lots of pick-up though & fun to drive.....that's why we all love BMW!:thumbup:

Not to sound like an ass, but if gas mileage was/is a concern for you, maybe the 4.8 was not the wisest choice? :dunno:

I drive very hard, mostly around the city, and always in Sports mode. It's probably still too early for me to know for sure, but in the two weeks I've had my 4.8, I'm getting 12.5 mpg. I suspect that number will rise to 15 once I get some highway miles in... but I do not expect to get anything higher than that.

About 10mpg for me, and I am not heavy footed. On the highway, I get about 16/17 mpg (if speeds stay under 70 MPH). It is a what, 6000lb SUV? In general BMWs seem pretty thirsty. Our 2007 750Li gets a solid 12/13 mpg in the city, and when I had a 2006 330i, it was never over 15mpg in the city!

i get about 21L/100 km

however, that was with AC and heated seats and winter tires and winter gas.

Clearly the gas mileage wasn't my main concern when I bought the car, but I was just surprised to see it be so terrible. Again, we're getting 15 mpg in our Range Rover around town and 19/20 on the highway (we just took it up to Maine and got 21.1 average for 6 hours! Not bad for that car).

I have to admit, albeit a bit hypocritical, it’s hard to justify going to the gas station and paying $4.90 (which is what we're averaging in our area of Connecticut... Fairfield County) only to get 13 mpg. I know I'm preaching to the quire here, but I can literally run a few errands for about 30 minutes and see a drop in the gas needle.

As you can see from my signature here, cars have been quite an obsession of mine. However, I’m starting to feel a bit guilty not being more “green”… maybe I’ll just keep the obsession and focus on something easier like recycling more plastic bags and aluminum cans!

The fuel consumption will improve as the engine breaks in. Give it about 10000mi.

highway-12-13L/100km
city-15-16L/100km

Just to help add some stats to this thread, I'm getting 8.3l/100km on the highway, and around 13.5km/100km city only. But it's a 3.0sd (Diesel - E70 2008 model, with 7500km)

Can someone convert Dave's mileage on the diesel to U.S. gallons? U.S.
MPG...

Thanks,

Craig

I dont thing i EVER got better then 17mpg in our RR. City driving was always in the 10mpg range... Our 07 v6 get around 14-16mpg in the city

Highway: 8.3 l/100 km = 34.2 mpg Imperial = 28.5 mpg US
City: 13.5 l/100 km = 21 mpg Imperial = 17.5 mpg US

Dave's city mileage is half a mpg better than my 2003 E53 3.0 in the city (14 l/100 km) The highway mileage is more of a difference, it is 5 mpg better than my vehicle was (10 l/100 km). Mine wasn't a valvetronic, but it wasn't as heavy as an E70.

For reference, 100 km/xxx litres * 4.54 / 1.6 = imperial MPG; *5 / 6 for US MPG

Cheers

Jeff

Thanks Jeff!

Craig

I get 12-14 on my 4.4i ,and thats doing both city driving and highway ...I dont think thats too bad ....:popcorn:

interestingly, ive noticed the american lot seem to have the bigger engines in general, when compared to the european lots..

I suppose I shouldn't complain then. Getting that in our RR, I suppose, offset the lack of decent mileage in the X5. :D

This subject always seems to come up.:( It's as if some folks are hoping for a miracle that they will one day wake up and find that their X is getting 30MPG. :wow:

Everyone knows what kind of fuel consumption an X5 gets. ;)
Let go of the pipe dream people. Nothing's going to change...... :yawn:

I'll know tomorrow when I get the car but for me anything in double digits is an economy upgrade. :)

12k miles consistently 16-17 mpg in mixed driving. 19+ interstate only driving. 2008 4.8i.

sport mode will lower those numbers but the fun factor increases exponentially.

A lot of Americans want everything. It needs to have 500bhp, all the luxury goods, all the techno gadgets, lots of passenger and cargo space, seating for 7, accelerate from 0-60mph in 5 seconds, and get 37 miles to the gallon.

silly Americans. a vehicle such as this can not be built. it's heresy i tell you, pie in the sky dreamers. stupid americans.



:bustingup ;)


i heard a good joke yesterday AzNM.

at State if you answer the question "what is 2 plus 2?" with the answer of "5"; you would fail the test.

at Carolina if you answered the same question "what is two plus two?" with the same answer "5"; you would pass, as it would be considered a complete sentence. :D we now return you to your regularly scheduled program.

And I want it cheap, too. A diesel-electric with super-conductive technology, made of titanium and plastic might just do that, but would cost $500K.

My 4.4 seems to get much better mpg, 20+/- highway at 70 plus.

Why does the new model eat so much more gas?

:chair: (First time I've heard a State joke though)