X5 35D MPG, how do you guys do it?

[virjose]

Hey everyone,
Just wondering if you could share some tips for getting the best MPG out of the 35D. I ask because we have had one for 2 weeks now (around 800 miles on it now) and to be honest the MPG figures are less than what we expected. Given that most is city/short (20miles) freeway commute, we are getting around 21.5mpg. The best I have seen was this Saturday as we drove for about 1.5hrs on the freeway with 24MPG for the trip (all while driving very conservatively)

So I wonder how are some people reporting around 30 (or overish) MPGs on the highway and around 24-25 mixed while not driving like a gramma? My wife is getting on my case as I sold her on the X5 as providing better MPG than our outgoing lexus (we are right now getting about 2MPG better but Diesel is more expensive than gas). Is it a thing where the engine will get more efficient as we put more miles? I also discovered that by turning the rear climate off, it helped a lot with getting better MPGs (on that Saturday trip on the way there with the rear climate ON the avg was about 22, driving back with the rear climate OFF the avg went up to almost 25)

Thanks for any tips/settings I can play with to maximize fuel and hopefully get as close to that advertised 26MPG hwy.

[spacegreyx]

Thats not that bad, I have a Dode Ram 2007 5.7 hemi. Some days I get 10 mpg and others 14, so to me the X5 is great on gas.

[smallseafishie]

It'll get better with time after the engine is broken in. Like you, when we first got the car, we were getting only 23-24mpg hwy.

With 12k miles now, we're getting about 28-29mpg on the hwy. Mind you that this is with the AC running at 80mph.

[tjank123]

My X35d get around 21.5 for city and 25.5 highway --all in sport mode with very aggressive driving. I am sure it would much better if I stayed in the right lane.

[Raptor001]

I get exact rated mpg....19 city 26 mpg. You can't be let down by the mpg on a 5K pound vehicle with all wheel drive and 425lbs of torque. I don't think you could find any other vehicle with similar specs except Mercedes, Audi diesels. Yeah diesel is more expensive, but you get more power for your money.

[Relapse]

for some reason diesel is cheaper in canada. it costs 1.24 per litre for shell v power diesel and regular diesel is 1.19. premium gas costs 1.45 per litre. i save 20 bucks per fill up!!

[virjose]

^^ just as in Europe, diesel is cheaper than gas (per ltr). It is here in the States that we neglected diesel for so long

[listerone]

With both the diesels I've owned I've found that the best mileage,by far,(and the best overall preformance) is seen at a cruise-controlled 70mph over a 60+ mile trip.This is fine for me because 90% of the miles I drive are done exactly that way.Of course that's not true of everybody.I can't say that I've been particularly impressed with the performance I've gotten in the relatively few suburban or city miles I've done.

[positiveions]

someone told me he got 27mpg going to vegas, with 5 people and luggages, going 80mph and A/C on.

[ZAZZAZ]

Hi peeps - ill start with a hello to u all as im a newbie

I have recently bought a 2008 BMW X6 35D with 12k on the clock

I cant seem to get more than 19/20 mpg around town in it ?

Should i be getting more - Im not driving it in Sport or extremely fast but still not very impressed with the figures

Took it to dealers yeaterday and they said its fine but I think they were fobbing me off as my warranty runs out this week

Any advice or tips please

Thanks

[zx12rfl]

I am not sure how you guys are getting such high mileage I drive 55 miles one way on the highway and between 70-80 and only average 23-25 mpg with the AC on. I drive mostly flat highway and have never averaged more than the above on a tank of gas. So any tips you guys have please we are all ears. My vehicle has 33XXX miles on it also. I try to keep my tires around 40PSI like I use to on my hybrid.

[wsybert]

Try 11-12 stop and go only on a V8 or @ 15-16 on the I6. 19+ is great for city only.
Stop and go kills mpg. My SA has a 2013 35d and got over 30 (brand new) on a long trip.
The numbers I see here all look good, IMO.

[micosilver]

My advice - used cruise control as much as possible, and when not possible - watch the MPG indicator, and adjust your acceleration accordingly.

I have about 2K miles on mine, and I average 22-23 MPG in mixed driving in SF Bay Area.

[watrob]

Originally Posted by virjose

Hey everyone,
Just wondering if you could share some tips for getting the best MPG out of the 35D. I ask because we have had one for 2 weeks now (around 800 miles on it now) and to be honest the MPG figures are less than what we expected. Given that most is city/short (20miles) freeway commute, we are getting around 21.5mpg. The best I have seen was this Saturday as we drove for about 1.5hrs on the freeway with 24MPG for the trip (all while driving very conservatively)

So I wonder how are some people reporting around 30 (or overish) MPGs on the highway and around 24-25 mixed while not driving like a gramma? My wife is getting on my case as I sold her on the X5 as providing better MPG than our outgoing lexus (we are right now getting about 2MPG better but Diesel is more expensive than gas). Is it a thing where the engine will get more efficient as we put more miles? I also discovered that by turning the rear climate off, it helped a lot with getting better MPGs (on that Saturday trip on the way there with the rear climate ON the avg was about 22, driving back with the rear climate OFF the avg went up to almost 25)

Thanks for any tips/settings I can play with to maximize fuel and hopefully get as close to that advertised 26MPG hwy.

For a start 800 miles the diesel motor would not even be run in yet, they take a couple thousand miles to break in, I have had 5 diesels now and its been the same for each one.

Ps. Also keep you tyre pressures up, at least 40lbs in the front and 39lbs in the rears. I got 68,000klm out of my 20" Dunlops. Runflats are a hard tyre by default and people tend to lower the pressure thinking they will get a softer ride? all you do is use more fuel.

[SoCalE70]

I've tested it many ways. I know you don' want to drive this slow, but at about 68 miles per hour I get about 31-32 MPG. The car is just so darn comfy that I want to go 80 all the time (which gets me closer to 20). Remember, it's a 6000 pound car, so any local driving at all will make a huge difference.

[smyles]

Originally Posted by virjose

So I wonder how are some people reporting around 30 (or overish) MPGs on the highway and around 24-25 mixed while not driving like a gramma?..

People report such high numbers because they drive a stretch with favorable circumstances and get all excited and need to brag. Ask them to keep the average untouched for 5..10k miles, and the real life numbers will be much lower. My 100 miles/day commute is almost all highway, so I could easily report 26 and higher, but 5 or so miles of city traffic brings down the average to 24.5MPG, and even lower in summer due to a/c. Even on highways drive 75 and above and you'll never get to the rated 26 due to aerodynamics.

[NRG]

I get between 21-23 hwy/city combined during summer months with JBD. Winter can get down to 16. Only hwy I'm getting around 27-29 at 75mph.

[serge1]

A tip for those who go over mountain passes often.
When going on long inclines to the summit on cruise control, the transmission is often in 5th, and the instant MPG dial showing 15mpg. Normal, right?
But, if you switch to manual and force into 6th gear, you will notice the mpg dial showing 17-19, without vehicle slowing down.
I have done it countless times. It might give you 1-2 overall MPG increase on a tank of fuel.

[jddssc121]

it'll get better with break-in

i averaged 29 from Seattle to Portland

I averaged 26 from LA to Vegas

[watrob]

For every 6psi decrease in tyre pressure results in a 20% increase in fuel consumption and a 30% increase in tyre wear.

So you are better off running a 41psi in the front and a 39psi in the rears with runflats.

[isis]

Originally Posted by watrob

For every 6psi decrease in tyre pressure results in a 20% increase in fuel consumption and a 30% increase in tyre wear.

So you are better off running a 41psi in the front and a 39psi in the rears with runflats.

Does this apply to all tyre sizes?

[watrob]

Originally Posted by isis

Does this apply to all tyre sizes?

I have run high pressures in non runflats as well, this works for family sedans also, but remmeber we are talking about average driving speed here not vehicles on race tracks where tyre pressure starts to build up.

The info on 6psi etc is from tyre industry sources, the average tyre pressure is around 34 -36psi for fronts & 32-34psi rears. I ran on average 43psi on last 35d for 2 years and then dropped them down to 40psi for the last 12 months , I got 68,000klm, the rears were worn on the inner edge bad but that's the nature of the rearend of a X5.

Remember you can run higher psi in runflats because of the thick sidewall. I will run my M50d at 45psi fronts & 41psi rears for the first 12 months and then check wear patterns. The diesel is a heavy motor in the front of these X5's.

PS. I picked my X5 M50d up last Friday, I check the tyres this afternoon and they had 52psi in them, thats because they are pumped up high while the X5 sat on a ship for 4 weeks so the tyres don't get flat spots and the dealer never checked them at pre-delivery................! rears had 47psi in them.