# Observed Gas Mileage for M3



## Xiled1 (Jan 24, 2004)

Another question for you lucky people who already own an M3.

What kind of overall gas mileage have you observed? The recent hike in prices has unfortunately made this a consideration. It would be my daily driver and I have a 50 mile commute, round trip. 

Thanks alot

B


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## mtbscott (Jul 16, 2003)

Just got mine a couple of weeks ago but I've been surprised for the better. I've been getting around 19-21 per tank on my day to day driving which includes a 50 mile mostly freeway commute. On my first out of town trip last week, I averaged over 22 at mostly 80-90 mph! In fact, I filled up halfway there, drove the next 50 miles or so at an average 75 and the trip computer read 24.9 when I got there. Compared to my 330I ZHP that's only a couple of mpg less. BTW my car was preowned and already broken in when I got it. I'm sure if I drove with my foot in the gas constantly it would go down.


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## daihard (Feb 15, 2004)

mtbscott said:


> Just got mine a couple of weeks ago but I've been surprised for the better. I've been getting around 19-21 per tank on my day to day driving which includes a 50 mile mostly freeway commute. On my first out of town trip last week, I averaged over 22 at mostly 80-90 mph! In fact, I filled up halfway there, drove the next 50 miles or so at an average 75 and the trip computer read 24.9 when I got there. Compared to my 330I ZHP that's only a couple of mpg less. BTW my car was preowned and already broken in when I got it. I'm sure if I drove with my foot in the gas constantly it would go down.


Are you making sure you use different revs ranging from mid-1,000 to 5,000? Your mileage implies (to me, at least) you're spending a lot of time cruising in 5th or 6th on the freeway. I've been driving my 2004 M3 for a little over a month, and I never get anything better than 18 MPG. I always try different speeds and different revs. I hardly ever stay below 2,500 RPM either.

[EDIT] Nevermind... I missed the part where you said your car had already been broken in.


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## glaws (Feb 21, 2002)

Just bummin around town, running errands and etc - 18-19 MPG. Throw in a little freeway time - maybe 20-21 MPG. I drove to San Francisco several months ago and saw a pretty consistant 24 MPG with a moderate amount of the time spent at 110+.


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## GSIRM3 (May 24, 2003)

I have 8,500 miles on my 03 M3 coupe and the computer says I have averaged 20.1 mpg over those miles. I drive a combination of highway and city, with probably about 60% city. That is not much worse than my previous 2001 330 Ci.


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## daihard (Feb 15, 2004)

GSIRM3 said:


> I have 8,500 miles on my 03 M3 coupe and the computer says I have averaged 20.1 mpg over those miles. I drive a combination of highway and city, with probably about 60% city. That is not much worse than my previous 2001 330 Ci.


That sounds pretty good. What rev range are you typically in when you drive on the freeway?


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## glaws (Feb 21, 2002)

daihard said:


> That sounds pretty good. What rev range are you typically in when you drive on the freeway?


 If I see there is no chance to pass and am trapped in the traffic flow - above 60 I will probably be in 5th.


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## daihard (Feb 15, 2004)

glaws said:


> If I see there is no chance to pass and am trapped in the traffic flow - above 60 I will probably be in 5th.


No 6th?


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

I get around 19 - 21 on a normal mix of driving.

On the open road, at speed, I have gottem as high as 27 MPG for the entire tank.

The car LIKES to cruise above the speed limit.


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## glaws (Feb 21, 2002)

daihard said:


> No 6th?


 Not at around 60 MPH. At 70+ I might shift into 6th.


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

If I am stuck i traffic at a speed, I get othe highest gear possible for the speed, and just cruise. No need to turn the engine any more revs than necessary.


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## ucbsupafly (Jul 29, 2002)

'03 M3, 8K miles, average 20.5 miles with mix of street and highway driving.


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## flashinthepan (Jul 25, 2003)

Xiled1 said:


> Another question for you lucky people who already own an M3.
> 
> What kind of overall gas mileage have you observed? The recent hike in prices has unfortunately made this a consideration. It would be my daily driver and I have a 50 mile commute, round trip.
> 
> ...


Consider 325Ci ?, they are nice and pretty snappy acceleration also, I was impressed with a loaner I had one time. You then get the mileage and a 3 series. :thumbup:

I am not real happy paying the gas guzzler tax either, but I need the speed.


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

Prius????


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## SONET (Mar 1, 2002)

flashinthepan said:


> Consider 325Ci ?, they are nice and pretty snappy acceleration also, I was impressed with a loaner I had one time. You then get the mileage and a 3 series. :thumbup:


The 330 actually gets better mileage than the 325 IIRC (and I think the emissions are lower too).

--SONET


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

SONET said:


> The 330 actually gets better mileage than the 325 IIRC (and I think the emissions are lower too).
> 
> --SONET


Yeap, larger engine in teh same platform gets better steady state fuel economy. The eninge is not working as hard to make the car go. Where you will lose gas mileage with a larger engine is by too much right foot work.

C&D did testing on this back in the 70s with a GM platform with 350 and 454. ANd found the 454 to be better fuel economy as long as you don't boot it too often.


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## daihard (Feb 15, 2004)

Pinecone said:


> Yeap, larger engine in teh same platform gets better steady state fuel economy. The eninge is not working as hard to make the car go. Where you will lose gas mileage with a larger engine is by too much right foot work.


According to the 2004 3-Series Sedan brochure, the 325i (w/ 5-sp. manual) gets *20/28* while the 330i (w/ 6-sp. manual) gets *20/29*. Not a significant enough difference to me. Besides, the 330i has a taller final (2.93 vs 3.15) and an overdrive (6th), which probably contributes to the better highway mileage.


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## Pinecone (Apr 3, 2002)

And the reasonyou can run a taller rear is the larger engine. That ist he point, you can have a larger more powerful engine loafing along while thesmaller engine is buzzing hard to keep going.

This is not an absolute, no a 7 liter car doesn't get the gas mileages of a 1 liter car, but there are a lot of other variables.

Also the EPA mileage has little to do with real life mileage. My M3 consistantly out performs the EPA mileage figures.


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## daihard (Feb 15, 2004)

Pinecone said:


> Also the EPA mileage has little to do with real life mileage. My M3 consistantly out performs the EPA mileage figures.


I agree. However, that's about the only consistent way to compare the fuel economy figures of different cars. The EPA gas mileage of an 325i can be just as "off" as that of a 330i, and YMMV.


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## HUMMM 3 (May 10, 2003)

Just to throw another data point into the discussion, I just got 23.4 mpg @ 37.7mph (per the computer) while taking a drive to break in the new Dinan 3.91 LSD. The drive included freeway, country roads and tight twisties. All in all I don't consider the gas mileage results to be a big hit over the stock ratio. My first tank on the new rear end, however, was a disaster (something like 19 mpg), but I was testing the performance and couldn't keep my foot out of it. Great fun!


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