quote:

ORIGINAL: GregDunn

That's not bad, really, because I'm sure no one who owns a Speed3 is going to drive it like a grannywagon and expect 40 MPG.

My 3i Touring is almost to 2000 miles and is averaging a shade over 31 MPG city/highway. Oddly, the harder I drive it the better my mileage seems to get. The engine must be more efficient above 3500 RPM.

quote:

ORIGINAL: virgin1  (from another thread)

quote:

ORIGINAL: UrbanmanUSA
Even now, I pretty much never rev it past 4000 rpm (to me, the 2.0 "feels" a little strained beyond 4000), I rarely gun it, 99% of the time my RPMs are between 2000 and 3000. 

Uber, You may feel it's straining because of the shorter stroke/greater piston speed and velocity. The 327ci I used to have felt the same way in the upper rpm band.  It was a weird feeling compared to other longer stroked engine I was familiar with, but it doesn't really hurt it.  You just have less torque available up there.

quote:

ORIGINAL: UrbanmanUSA

So, I am a skeptic re: MPG being better above 3500, and believing that its completely harmless to regularly rev it beyond 2/3 redline (I realize Porsche says 'sustained' but still, if sustained is bad, spikes can't be nothing).  I did a little test earlier today, travelling at a constant speed of roughly 63 mph (half way between 60 and 65), using the trip computer, and the MPG was noticeably better in 4th gear versus 3rd gear (bear in mind I have a 4 speed auto, so 4th is my top gear).

"There is no tool you can buy that will replace experience." - Josh Mills, C.K.DeLuxe

(in reply to UrbanmanUSA)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Siber Express

27.9 by my calculator on the last tank, mixed city and highway with it being 30/70 on the mix.
But if I use Jaimies calculator I am getting about 75 MPG LOL

Yeah?  Where did you get it Ken.  I NEED one of those too.       

"There is no tool you can buy that will replace experience." - Josh Mills, C.K.DeLuxe

(in reply to Siber Express)

quote:

ORIGINAL: virgin1

I will say that for some time now R&T (via the BMW engineers) has been touting the positive affects on fuel mileage using 3/4 throttle to get to the next gear ASAP.  In my 3, that seems to work well, to the tune of 1-3mpg better than being granny.

I'm sure you know this, but higher rpm means greater piston speed/velocity, therefore theoretically more wear.  On s short stroke engine this is even more pronounced since the piston travels a shorter distance and has to reach full velocity in that shorter travel faster only to have to stop and reverse itself then do it all over again.

quote:

ORIGINAL: UrbanmanUSA

quote:

ORIGINAL: virgin1

I will say that for some time now R&T (via the BMW engineers) has been touting the positive affects on fuel mileage using 3/4 throttle to get to the next gear ASAP. In my 3, that seems to work well, to the tune of 1-3mpg better than being granny.

I'm sure you know this, but higher rpm means greater piston speed/velocity, therefore theoretically more wear. On s short stroke engine this is even more pronounced since the piston travels a shorter distance and has to reach full velocity in that shorter travel faster only to have to stop and reverse itself then do it all over again.

If you could clarify, that would be appreciated. Expand on what "using 3/4 throttle to get to the next gear" means. Is that referring to pushing the gas pedal a certain distance to the floor, or specific RPM targets before upshifting, or .... ?