So I limp into the gas station I've been using for years in my 2010 MCS HT w/ about 16 miles indicated by the computer.
My gas receipt says 13.64 gallons - is this possible w/ a spec of 13.2 tank? Before I take action, it'd help to know just what the total capacity is.

 

Sorry, that's 16 miles remaining. Got 446 miles before I tanked up.

 

Dex, thanks for posing the questions. Just this past Sunday I pulled into Shell when the OBC showed DTE 52 miles and it took 13.36 USG for fill-up. Anxious to hear what actual capacity is also. Thanks again. DBD

 

I though the Coopers were 14.2 gallon tanks

 

According to my owner's manual and on-line specs it's 13.2 gallons...unless I missed or mis-read something.

 

13.2 with something around a 1.2 "reserve tank." I have put in 14.3 once, what a hairy last couple miles that was.

 

You are correct the manual says 13.2 gallons, as does the mini website.

 

You're a stronger man than I. My butt would have been chewing up the seat cushion.

 

Yep, 13.2 gallons. Atmospheric pressure can affect what the pump says it pumped.

When pumps are tested they are corrected for standard pressure/temp, because they obviously can't be tested in a lab under controlled conditions. If the conversion is a bit off, or if it rounds the calculation you can get the errors you're seeing. At 13.64 ya might start asking, 13.36 wouldn't concern me greatly.

 

The 'reserve' is not extra capacity. It is part of the 13.2 gallons. The 1.2 gallons 'reserve' is just the point at which the low fuel warning indications begin.

It may be that the 13.2 does not include the tank filler tube?

 

I've put a bit over 14 gallons in mine. I swear it is closer to 15.

 

*shrug* I put about 13 gallons in the other day despite having 40 miles to go and the needle wasn't crossing the E yet

 

I do not believe the 13.2 includes the filler neck thus you can fill more than 13.2 by filling to the top of the neck.

 

I'm not overly concerned but would like to have a clear understanding. 13+ gallons at fill-up with the computer's distance-to-empty 50+miles does make me question the accuracy of the on-board computer. I don't make a habit of running my tank that low...but inquiring minds want to know.

 

Well, is there a 800# to call to settle this once and for all? Will my service dept know?

 

It is an estimation of your driving style at the time and how much fuel is left. If your OBC says that you 50 miles left and you are creeping along and then decide to Indy 500 that ***** of course you are not going to last 50 miles.The key word is estimation.

 

That's the logic that I would apply....

 

There are several reports here at NAM of people filling in excess of 14 gallons. I've put 14.3+ in mine (I think I was just over 500 miles on that tank). I think it is like the speedo situation - MINI says 13.2 gallons, actual is higher so there is some cushion in there. iirc, the OBC was projecting 1 or 2 miles left for me. It was literally changing the last few miles as I was going up and down hills and slowing down my speed to achieve better economy.

With the OBC calculations it can fluctuate based on driving style. I've had mine projecting 620 miles once.

DooBah, at 13.3 with 52 miles DTE, it was probably pretty close to accurate. 52 miles at 32 mpg would be a little over 1.5 gallons. Had you run it out to 0 DTE you'd probably be pumping in that 14.3 - 14.5 gallon range. Rare, but not unheard of.

 

Makes sense...good info - thanks. You weren't pushing it were you?

 

At the end of a track day I noticed the red light on the gas gauge and a DTE 0f 5 miles. The unsettling part was knowing that I had to go 17 miles to the nearest station. I drove VERY carefully watching the estimated distance go up a bit and then down again into negative numbers. With a sigh of relief I made it to the station and filled up with 14.192 gallons. Now I carry a small can of spare gas when I go to the track.

PS: A nice thing about our cars is that even with a very low gas tank, there doesn't seem to be fuel starvation with hard cornering.

 

Would be nice to know. I swear once I crammed in 15 gallons into my old '02 MCS.

 

Well, I'm still waiting to hear a call back from BMW, will keep y'all posted.
I suspect there's got to be more than 13.2 gallons

 

Total fuel capacity on first gen cars is 15.3 gallons (58 liters), I assume without going into the neck (one should never do this.) Stated fuel capacity is 13.2 gallons (50 liters) with a 2.1 gallon (8 liter) reserve.

The reserve comes into play when your range meter states [- - -] then depending on the style of driving and your average mpg for that style, you can find out how far you can go on that 2.1 gallons. I've only gone about a gallon into the reserve with a max fill up of just over 14 gallons.

For second gen cars, I assume these numbers to be about the same, I got the capacity figures from my Bentley manual, so if anyone has one for the R56s, look them up.

 

Mini USA called back and confirmed that there's a reserve of 1.3 to top of filler neck:
13.2 + 1.3 = 14.5 bone dry total. Explains that when tank is full DTE reads 500 miles (divided by 14.5 = 34.48 mpg, about right)

 

(old thread resurrection)
WOW..........I'm lucky.........rolled in to the gas station with 1 mile DTE and filled up with 14.3 gallons. I left my buddy's house (3.5 miles from the station) with 11 on the DTE........that sucker started dropping quickly to only 1 on the DTE by the time I pulled up to the pump.