[jinjur]

Hi everyone,

Well, I am still on a downer about the economy of this car and i have committed myself to the fact there is a problem with it.

We aren't just trusting the on board computer either (which shows a 32mpg avearge)......we have filled it, driven it and refilled it again to work out the mpg that way.

I mean COME ON.....we are getting 420 miles to a brimmed tank when we make a focused effort to drive economically.

That is TERRIBLE. I can beat that on my 20 year old Civic CRX

Other identical cars to me are netting around 550+ regularly when driven HARD.

I know that there are no logs being dumped by the car, I have had it at an independant who checked the memory and advised there is nothing there.

My remap is coming off tomorrow and I dont expect my economy to change at all as it was naff before but i am hoping that engine rattles go and it is smoother.

I phoned both my main BMW franchises, Bavarian and The Country Garage to ask for their advice and all I was told was "leave it in, 2-3 hours diagnostics time.........but you have to be prepared for us not finding any problems, all we will be doing is checking the memory which your guy has done"

At £90+vat an hour.......

At this particular minute......I cannot afford to run this car @ 32mpg and I cannot afford to throw £300 at an unsure diagnostics session either.

I mentioned to the service guy that it could be the injectors as I had noted the engine being noisier......he didnt really pay much notice to that.


I mean WHAT?


What the hell do i do?

I am so close to getting rid and its so saddening, its such a lovely car to drive.....comfy and safe.

It would be a sin to have to ditch it and get an Accord Cdti or a Mondeo.


Anyone with any advice please help

Regards
Andy

[Em135eye]

Something is definitely wrong - I'm getting a similar mpg figure on country roads in an E91 335d (pre Efficient Dynamics).

You should easily be getting mid 40s to the gallon however you drive it.

Have you tried BMW UK head office?

[jinjur]

I know mate......

I originally posted about this shortly after buying it last year but eventually thought i was being unreasonable reading other posts and comments.

But then I had a bit of time out in a friends 330d (non ed) and average to average.....it DEMOLISHED mine......while he was ragging it.

Cash is tight enough at the minute and i thought this car was going to look after us......you know.....but it isnt. Now my wife is doing much more mileage and is having to shovel diesel in. Right now, a petrol would be more economical.

I havent tried BMW HO, I was so disheartened after the responses from the 2 local dealerships.....

Helen really doesnt want to get rid, she loves the car but is conscious of the money flying through it.



Regards
A

[Em135eye]

Almost sounds like the handbrake is slightly stuck or something - there must be a major issue somewhere.

The 120d I had for a courtesy car (for two days) was utterly thrashed to death on country lanes (which was rather fun) yet appeared to use almost no fuel at all. I know it's a bit lighter but no by much. I reckon I was getting not far off 50mpg in it.

The 20d engine's main plus is a near unbeatable combination of decent power with amazing mpg - you seem to be missing that vital second bit.

The dealer response is disappointing. I'd demand a full diagnostics test. One of the Sytners people that post on here might be useful?

[jinjur]

To be honest, i wasnt starstruck with the cars performance when i got it......but i always had that "but think of the economy" thought in the back of my head.

You are right......without that, its tought to stay

That was my exact experience in a 330d.......i was in it while it was roasted and it was still netting like 40mpg....


Would appreciate the other guys input as you say chap.

regards
Andy

[F104]

not much you can do on these cars yourselves. My suggestions:
- check airfilter, airfilter box, and make sure no paper/plastic is stuck in the piping before the filter
- if it's using oil check for excessive blow by. Pull the CCV hose of the front of the engine, plug it with a cork or something so engine doesn't get unfiltered air, and feel if there is an obvious flow of gasses coming from the engine

Next step would be getting the BT diagnostic cable and see for yourself what codes you have, and what the DPF is doing. My BT cable came in at $300 after duties and tax. Forget cheaper OBD readers, BMW doesn't broadcast most or all faultcodes on the standard OBD pins

[xenon]

Is the performace OK in other respects? Is it over-fuelling (black smoke) or induction leak (noise)?

[chrisbin]

Is it manual or auto?

I had an E90 manual with the 163 engine and that averaged (on the readout) 37mpg.

IN the same kind of use I now get from my 177 auto and average of 39mpg.

Those are REAL world figures, not the brochure and not from someone cruising up and down the m-ways...

[jinjur]

Hi guys,

The pain is that i am not afraid of getting stuck in where i can. I rebuilt my own wee Civic CRX engine and gearbox.......and its still thundering along with 106000 miles

The first port of call for me was the breathing and i made sure there were no blockages, changed the filter and cleaned out the EGR and pipework etc.

I have noted some funk EGR actions that were noticed by another forum member whereby i get a micro hesitation when feathering the throttle at 70 ish on teh motorway, i believe this is down to the EGR being a dick.......disconnecting/blocking it just gives me an error code.

Havent checked for blow by but i will do that tonight.....the car doesnt use any oil that i have noted but i have noticed a wee puff of blue/black smoek when coming on boost. Not alot mind.

No induction leak noise and it was over-fuelling but my mapper adjusted this and it has dropped markedly. I can see some smoke on the motorway at night but not the fog there used to be.

I was under the impression that my car did not have a DPF F104.......

I dont know the benefit of buying a cable wither mate as the guys who checked them for me is a BMW specialist and i would suspect he has the correct tools.

He was using some funky Bosch item to read the codes on my car.....would that not have sufficed?

It did tell him about parking sensors that i had changed and the time i disconnected the EGR valve etc so it seemed to know the whole story......

.....it just didnt tell us anything else that would cause the issue I am having.




Thanks for the advice so far guys

Regards
Andy

[Petem95]

That's very poor economy, unless you are doing purely urban driving. COuple of people in my office with e90 320d's and one gets 45mpg (pre-efficent dynamics model) and he drives it really hard all the time. The other gets 49mpg from a newer efficent dynamics model.

I'm averaging 42mpg in a 330d, and I do like to squirt it on a fairly regular basis!!

[jinjur]

Originally Posted by chrisbin

Is it manual or auto?

I had an E90 manual with the 163 engine and that averaged (on the readout) 37mpg.

IN the same kind of use I now get from my 177 auto and average of 39mpg.

Those are REAL world figures, not the brochure and not from someone cruising up and down the m-ways...

Its a manual Chris and i appreciate that there is a big difference between what BMW say and real life......

But when you compare this against 330D's, A4 TDI's etc............it fails badly.

BTW......we once did a pretty big stretch of M'way driving with the car and STRUGGLED to get near 40mpg even when driving like a greenpeace member.


Regards
Andy

[jinjur]

Originally Posted by Petem95

That's very poor economy, unless you are doing purely urban driving. COuple of people in my office with e90 320d's and one gets 45mpg (pre-efficent dynamics model) and he drives it really hard all the time. The other gets 49mpg from a newer efficent dynamics model.

I'm averaging 42mpg in a 330d, and I do like to squirt it on a fairly regular basis!!

Agreed....

Now granted, when we originally got the car......it was more or less PURELY urban.

BUT, as of late, Helen is doing 40-50 M'way miles a day.....clear runs, no traffic and then a wee mix of urban.

We have noticed NO change in economy.....

And she drives like a nun.




A

[Carrera RSR]

Post up exactly the age miles 163/177bhp etc.

You said its mapped. What map. What power. Does it feel quick. When was it last serviced. Last check engine/turbo etc.

Lots of variables involved but its not right with the mpg. Before you ring BMW UK make sure all is 100%. They may not do anything without a full check up in the dealer first.

I average 44mpg and 550 - 600 miles per tank. Thrashed up and down the UK, 3000 miles a month. Did the same in my previous 163bhp 320d. However I am getting the car fully warmed up over 200 - 400 miles per day. Doing 20 mile journeys will never get the best out of the car.

[F104]

Originally Posted by jinjur

BTW......we once did a pretty big stretch of M'way driving with the car and STRUGGLED to get near 40mpg even when driving like a greenpeace member.
Andy

I get 55+when driving motorway tree hugging 70-75. Even discounting for the remap you should get 50+

If the fuel goes into black smoke, and you have no DPF, then still it's difficult to see your own smoke. Can you ask someone to follow you and check?

Another one is the intercooler. Is it still ok or badly damaged? Leaking? If you have access to an OBD reader, i can check and let you know what i get on typical boost pressures

[jinjur]

Originally Posted by Carrera RSR

Post up exactly the age miles 163/177bhp etc.

You said its mapped. What map. What power. Does it feel quick. When was it last serviced. Last check engine/turbo etc.

Lots of variables involved but its not right with the mpg. Before you ring BMW UK make sure all is 100%. They may not do anything without a full check up in the dealer first.

I average 44mpg and 550 - 600 miles per tank. Thrashed up and down the UK, 3000 miles a month. Did the same in my previous 163bhp 320d. However I am getting the car fully warmed up over 200 - 400 miles per day. Doing 20 mile journeys will never get the best out of the car.

November 2005 BMW E91 320D 163BHP.

Car was mapped locally to 212 or so BHP. Yes it feels quick for what it is. But i dont drive it really, the missus does with the wee one and power deliver is a bit, erm....spikey. So its coming off tomorrow.

Last serviced by me, Air Filter, Oil and Oil Filter a couple of thou ago.

FSH prior to that as this was a fleet car in Manchester. I have the documentation to prove that.

Thinking about it, Helen does easily 50 miles a day......80% motorway I would say.

We look after it good with regards to warm up and cool downs, I educated wifey to this as soon as we got it as we have always been petrol drivers.


Regards
A

[David330iSE]

Hi

no way is your mpg ok. I test drove a 2005 320d 163 that was doing 51mpg. My company passat 2.0d was doing 48mpg!!! No way any modern car should do your consumption. I mean I get 29.7mpg out of my 330i!!!!

[jinjur]

forgot the miles

80k

[CraigUK]

I've got a 56 plate 320D Auto (163 bhp) and the best I've seen on the motorway when taking it easy is about 48-49mpg. On my normal commute which is about 70% dual carriageway i get about 43-44mpg in summer but only manage about 39mpg in winter.

What I will say is that I think my car is getting better with miles, just coming up to 40k now and it's great.

I take it that you have had the MAF checked out? Maybe worth going out and thrashing it to death for a few miles, may work wonders

[ElegantSpoon]

I get 34mpg out of my 320d

[F104]

mine is april 07 with 50k mls. So we do pretty much the same/year, and i would expect your engine to be in pretty good condition. Possible exception the intake manifold and intake valves when the car has been driven carefully, it will have been in nearly constant EGR mode and might have considerable soot build up in/on those parts. One of the reasons why I like to cruise at just above 85, the EGR valve is closed above that speed. I have no idea how to check for soot and or/get it out.
Even in germany doing regulary 120+ i can't get below 40 average on those trips. But my intercooler is showing damage and I have straightened back out many fins already

[jinjur]

Originally Posted by ElegantSpoon

I get 34mpg out of my 320d

You can see thats just plain wrong cant you?

It doesnt warrant an "aint it cool" smiley mate




Andy

[ElegantSpoon]

Andy you big girl calm down! I get 34mpg and I think its about right, I sleep great at night.