BMW 5-Series Real World MPG

etobicokianetobicokian Member Posts: 3
edited September 2014 in BMW
Very interested in knowing your real world MPG. Please include year and model. Thanks.
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Comments

  • carnaughtcarnaught Member Posts: 3,585
    '08 535i : 24.5 - 25.5 city, up to 36 highway and 28+ mpg combined
  • etobicokianetobicokian Member Posts: 3
    Confirms '04 530 owners claim of 33 mpg highway @ 70 mph on a 500 mile round trip. Sure beats the EPA estimate of 28 highway. Thanks.
  • rnewton60rnewton60 Member Posts: 3
    2008 550i 25.7 on 5000 mile round trip.
  • steveo90290steveo90290 Member Posts: 3
    Wow, I'm lucky to get 16.5 MPG with my '05 545i. Then again I do have a heavy right foot. On a recent trip from LA to San Diego, The best I did was 16.6 @ 90+MPH.
  • carnaughtcarnaught Member Posts: 3,585
    With my 2008 535i I got an average of 29.5 mpg on hilly car trip (70+mph), two adults with loaded trunk.
  • cabluecablue Member Posts: 48
    Wow! How do you get such great mileage? My '08 535 gets an average of 20.8 around town (that's mostly in a rural area with low hills, not a lot of stop and go.) My '06 550 got about 18.8 with my type of driving. I do have a lead foot! I take quick starts and stops. But I would think for me to get such great mileage, I'd have to be driving like my brother (a VERY slow driver!). ;)
  • cctdicctdi Member Posts: 82
    I picked up the 335xi on Feb. 08 and 535xi on June 08; somehow the touch shift Steptronic in the 5er works like the magic by comparing the same name transmission in the 3er, by the same style of the driving around the town, the 5er gets 19.4 mpg vs the 18.6 mpg from 3er, the curb weight of 5er is 3946lb to 3825 for 3er, both cars get 25-27 mpg on high way, the 5er rides much better, it is worth the more payment for the 5er.
  • sss2sss2 Member Posts: 11
    I average 27 MPG on my 2007 525i. I drive somewhat aggressively and spend a lot of time in traffic. Most driving is city/stop & go. When I get a good highway trip, I'll get 31-32.
  • kamdogkamdog Member Posts: 28
    535i with step. Everyday suburban driving gets me 25. Long highway trips travelling at speed (generally 10 mph over limit) gets me 28-29. 15k miles on the car.
  • gardisgardis Member Posts: 185
    Folks, I sometimes wonder if the comments in this forum are written by BMW salesmen. I have a 328i, and around town I get about 19mpg (1996) and on the highway about 30mpg. How on earth can you tell me that with a twin turbos, 300HP engine, you can get 25MPG around town in traffic??? BMW specs are 17 and 24 for that car I believe.

    Can you explain how this marvel of technology happens??
  • carnaughtcarnaught Member Posts: 3,585
    Whether you believe it or not, I get 28mpg in mixed driving on my '08 535. And no, I do not work for nor am I paid by BMW to say that.
  • gardisgardis Member Posts: 185
    Carnaught, not casting aspersions, just tell me how it's possible for a turbo charged engine to get that good mileage. That beats BMW's estimate. Maybe I'm making a mistake with going with a 530i instead of that 535i I saw. Of course, the difference in price is about $4,000. As the salesman explained to me, with twin turbos, there are extra moving parts that are not present on the other engine, so naturally, there would be a chance of problems, though they have not encountered any, so he says.
  • richardga73richardga73 Member Posts: 84
    You guys are just funning us. Youre claiming that the 535 gets better mileage than the 335 which weighs 400 lbs less! Come on, you dont really believe the dash computer? Fill up, reset odometer to zero drive till its empty, refill then divide the mileage from zero by the gallons you just filled up. You, I am sure will be shocked by the difference in the ACTUAL mileage and what the computer says. I got about 19 MPG on a 330i no turbo. No way you are getting what you claimed.
  • carnaughtcarnaught Member Posts: 3,585
    No way you are getting what you claimed.

    Ya know, I really don't care if you guys believe me and the other poster(s) who claim great mileage with the twin turbo 6 engine. I've checked my "real mileage" against the computer and it comes out within 2-3mpg of the computer. I see and enjoy the great mileage with each tankful. (My '03 540's mileage was nothing to brag about.)

    Since I am not a gearhead, I cannot give an explanation for the great mileage other than I am usually the only person in the car and I do not have a heavy foot.

    Furthermore, I have no personal agenda in disclosing my mileage to this forum. I would not be fooling anyone but myself if I lie or embellish on this.

    I'm done with this: peace...out.
  • richardga73richardga73 Member Posts: 84
    ok carnaught, no offense, we believe you. Since you get great mileage tell us something else about the 535. Please dont embellish! Compare to 540. And I guess you drove the 550 before you bought. How about steering feel? I have a Merc E63 and Im still pissed about the numbness of the feedback. How about some comparisons if you have the time between 550, 540, 535, and possibly a 3 if you owned one about your fun quotients. I hear the 535 is more tossable than the 550 due to weight.
  • carnaughtcarnaught Member Posts: 3,585
    No offense taken.

    I never drove/never considered a 550 after my so so experience with the 540. Although I'm sure 550 owners could testify to the positives of it, I felt that with its lighter weight and similar 0-60mph numbers, the 535 would be comparable to the 8 cylinder with better gas mileage. It fulfilled my expectations with about $5K (?) in savings. The 535 replaced my '06 3 Series and an '09 3 Series replaced an E350 Sport MB.

    I personally find the 535 ALMOST as fun to drive as the two 3 Series which admittedly feel more nimble especially in the case of the '09. I feel that all of the BMW's despite their (gulp) slush boxes, are much more enjoyable to drive than the Mercedes. They all deliver more distinct road feel and less "numbness" than any of the Mercedes' (and especially the Lexus') I've owned, other than maybe an SL.

    Keep in mind, much of this is subjective, and therefore IMHO. Others' opinions and experience(s) may vary and the three pedaled models offer even more driving experience.
  • carnaughtcarnaught Member Posts: 3,585
    (even if you're not)

    Happy New Year to all !
  • bobbybuchebobbybuche Member Posts: 16
    i have i 97 528i and on the highway at about 65-70 i get right at 35 mpg so i like that.....alot :)
  • ishiftishift Member Posts: 1
    Just traded a 535xi wagon w/a manual trans (yes one of the few). Averaged 18-19 city and 24-26 hwy at 75 - 80 mph. My one month old 2010 535i sedan w/manual (had to order it) is getting 20-21 city so far with the same moderate driving style. That means I'm not afraid to use the power but I don't use it all the time. These numbers come from calculations at fill ups but are also backed up by the computer. Hope this helps. Bottom line is they both beat the sticker mileage. Of course if you read the fine print, the sticker gives a greater range than the big bold numbers anyway.
  • drmrmomdrmrmom Member Posts: 1
    I also have a 97 528i with 145,000 miles on it. We routinely get 35 mpg at 65 mph. Our car is a 5-speed manual. Using hypermilling techniques I am consistently getting 27 mpg in the city. It's really not that hard to do. When I drive the car normally I get 21 mpg in the city. Great car and simple to use and maintain.
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