I am getting approx 27 MPG according to the OBC. I do a lot of city, stop and go traffic. I tend to shift at pretty low RPMs. When I get a stretch of open road, I put the Sport Button on.

One other thing that people aren't mentioning, that I always thought affected gas milage is use of Air Conditioning? Is that just a myth and I just stupid about how cars work? I use my AC half the time, (usually in the afternoons, but not in the mornings).

 

A/C is a huge factor in gas mileage. I run mine all the time. It has to get below 60F outside, before I will consider turning off the A/C.

 

I have filled up my tank for the 3rd time (Shell 93), the first tank (dealer gas), the second Citgo (93).

First tank - showed me getting 33.8 - the computer showed 34.1
Second Tank - 33.3 - the computer showed 33.9

I am happy the computer is within a few tenths. The first/second tank driving was combination of a 4 hour trip to D.C. and 6 hour trip from D.C (traffic!!). with a lot of stop and go traffic in between when I was driving around the D.C. area. And I am not a light foot, so I suppose I could drive slower to improve that.

 

I'm mostly driving the mean streets of L.A., and live on top of a very steep hill. I do sneak in some late night freeway cruises here and there, and tend to shift at around 4000 rpm. I'm using Shell premium, and don't leave home without the Sport button. Thoughts?

If you shift at 2500, I think you will see an improvement in mpg. Not as much fun, but better mpg.

 

I do most of my stick stirring between 2,000 and 3,000 RPM. I try to keep the engine at 2,000RPM at all times. It feels right. Whether it is right or not I have no clue. I know if the engine falls below 1500RPM it lugs badly in any gear other than first, maybe second on a level road.

 

Skuzzy,

Drive the way that feels good to you but I'd suggest trying sport button always on (for the fun) and hold it to at least 3000 when accelerating briskly (isn't that always?).

I'm not sure but maybe you'd have to use more gas if you are accelerating only until 2k than 3k? The only reason this thought comes to mind is the torque curve - perhaps you have to give it more gas at 2k than 3k to get the same acceration in 2nd and above. Just a theory with no science behind it.

 

No, no. I usually shift up at 3,000 RPM. When I am in a bit if a hurry, I let it rev to 4,000RPM in the lower gears. I have yet to break 4,000RPM though as I have not felt like I needed to.

I seldom look at the tach now. I can just feel it.

My biggest problem is I have rarely gotten to 5th gear, or higher. At 40MPH, which is the fastest I can drive my commute to/from work, 4th gear is the best I can do. It does not help gas mileage, that is for sure.

While I am on vacation this week, I plan on some serious highway motoring. I will probably drive down to Austin (200 miles) and mess about in hill country for a bit. Should be some fun motoring.

On a side notel I have yet to be able to start the installation of the new speakers. The weather here has been atrocious and the forecast does not appear to show any improvement through the upcoming week.

 

My biggest problem is I have rarely gotten to 5th gear, or higher. At 40MPH, which is the fastest I can drive my commute to/from work, 4th gear is the best I can do. It does not help gas mileage, that is for sure.

My MCS does nicely at 40 MPH in sixth gear. It also nicely at 90 in sixth gear 40 in sixth gives less engine wear and better mpg.

 

In 6th gear at 40MPH, the Cooper engine would be lugging severely as that would put it around 1,000 RPM.

I tried 5th once, and the Cooper could not maintain 40MPH up the slightest incline and started lugging with any throttle. If my commute was all downhill, 5th would be an option.

50MPH is pushing it to get into 6th on anything but level roads with no headwind.

 

Here's one more post for R56MC mileage... Just got back from a long memorial day road trip and averaged 43 miles per gallon. That includes stops, some city driving, but mostly highway miles with A/C on intermittingly. For giggles sake, I kept the RPM's under 3000 (around 70 miles an hour in 6th), no A/C and was able to get it up to 46 mpg on a sixty mile stretch.

These are strictly OBC numbers. I didn't get exact total miles so I can't check these numbers precisely, but an estimation on miles (518) and a quick calculation (12.5 gal at fillup) appears to be close to the OBC (41.4 mpg for the total trip).

 

Ethanol gas will NOT give you "worse gass milage". That is a HUGE misconception among many about ethanol gas. YES, it is tru ethonol by itself, is not as efficient (carries less energy) than pure petroleum. BUT, when ethanol is added to gas, a higher octane is added to the mix, to make up for the lost energy. The end result that you put in your vehicle, carries EXACTLY the same amount of energy (aka fuel economy). The only REAL downfall to ethonol mixed gas is problems with corrosion (ethanol eats rubber hoses and fittings...), and clogging problems from water instrusion. If you have the slightest amount of water in your tank (say simply from condensation), ethanol mixes with the water and creates a gum like substance which clogs filters and lines.

Straight gas did no mix with water, it stayed separated from it, ussually causing it to get burnt off when reaching the combustion chamber.

Anywhoozle.

 

34.5 on my MCS with roughly 2/3 on the expressway. OBC had me at 34.9. I'd expect that to go up a bit as I slow down a bit on the expressway (it's interesting but dangerous to watch the instantaneous MPG readout as you vary speed a bit). I think BMW has it right with the little MPG gauge within the speedo that's outside of the regular OBC.

 

OBC = 2240 total miles at 40.8mpg with avg speed of 46.3mph

I haven't been able to keep perfect manual records accounting for all distance traveled. But for those tanks I have records I show:
1412 miles with an overall average of 38.6mpg

Mostly moderate highway speeds (55-65) on rural roads. Mostly conservative driving.

 

I don't think so. I also own a MC automatic and I only get about 28mpg. I think the MCS just gets better milage

 

IIRC, the EPA numbers show that the automatic does have an impact on mpg. I'm in California with an MCS. With quite a bit of highway driving I'm averaging 30 mpg. However, local semi-rural and town driving is giving about 27 mpg; that does include some lead-footed twisty road stuff.

 

I got 24.7, which includes mostly stop and go, heavy traffic, short trips. uggg.

 

Right now I just checked and I am getting 34.1mpg on my MC auto with careful run in driving.

 

On ysterday's motoring adventure, with a fresh tank of gas,Romi was regularly at 39.1MPG. Driving 65MPH. I noticed if I dropped to 63MPH she did a little better. I also noticed when at 70MPH, she managed to keep it above 38MPG, but just barely.

She now has over 300 miles on her. I figure she will be good to hit 40MPG once she gets all broken in.

 

Gee, Skuzzy--two weeks out of the nest and you have 300 miles on her??? You need to do some serious motoring! When's your vacation?

On a sobering thought, I'm more than 1/10 through the warranty...at 3 1/2 months...

 

I have been on vacation since last Friday. But, the damnable weather we have been having has kept Romi in the garage for the most part. It hailed this morning for about 45 minutes mixed with high winds and torrential flooding.

It is not expected to impriove until I am dead. Feels like that anyway. It has grounded mine and Romi's road trip we had planned and wasted a week of vacation time.

 

MCS. 90% highway driving over the holiday. OBC said 36.1, I calculated 34.1 for the tank.

I average 32.something in my daily commute, calculated off the tank. OBC varies from being spot-on to a wee bit high. I believe that's a moving average, so it won't reflect total-tank mileage.

Filled up on two bars on the gauge, it took 12.1 gallons, telling me about 70 miles left.

/us gallons, btw.

 

Still on my first tank of gas with 250miles (4 days) in and according to the OBC another 200 to go. It says I'm avg 30.2 with a mix of freeway and city (50/50) and mix in the occasional spirited launch and freeway ramp merge.

 

ive had my MCS/manual for a 7 weeks now
filled it up several times (not sure how many)
driven to san diego and irvine a few times (i live near LA)
i use the sport button all the time and tend to start fast and get my RPMs around 4,000-4,5000
i fill up at costco with premium
but im only getting 25.6mpg even though its up from 24.9 a week ago
i have just under 1200 miles on it
i want at least 29
shoud i drive more conservatively or what?

 

With mostly highway driving, at 2000 odometer, I am getting just under 35 mpg with my R56MCS, manual. That includes some spirited acceleration and occasional spurts of 90+, but mostly conservative driving, at or a little above the highway speed limit. Sport button is usually off, for no reason except that the car is so good without it.

I normally shift up at 2500 - 3000, by sound rather than tach, get into sixth gear ASAP, and never accelerate up to stop lights. 4500+ rpm is fine for racing and/or hearing the engine scream, but unnecessary most of the time, causing extra wear and tear and using extra fuel.

My MCS cruises fine in 6th gear at 45 - 75 mph, so unless I am playing or showing off, that's the kind of driving I do. My shortest drive is 7 miles, so the engine always has time to warm up and burn off contaminants. The computer reflects these driving conditions, saying that my first service is due at 17,000 miles or March of 2009.

We'll go in a little sooner than that

 

Having had other turbos before, they seem to be much more sensitive to lots of throttle input with the mileage department. Vary a lot, mileage goes way down.

We're averaging high 20's right now, on a MCS auto, with MOSTLY city driving. Set speed at 75 on a flat highway and OBC will show 35 or so.

I expect with my wife's driving patterns and once the car is broken in to be in the low 30's.

I can't stay off the gas when I drive it, it's too much fun!