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      07-05-2017, 05:22 AM   #1
OneTwenty8i
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Terrible Gas Mileage

I bought a 2013 128i n51 back in March and since then I've gotten an average of 15 mpg ... Is this normal at all? The car has 22k miles on it now. What could the problem be?
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      07-05-2017, 06:42 AM   #2
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How and where do you drive it? I wouldn't expect decent mileage in traffic in a hilly area. 15 sounds pretty bad, though. Here in flatland, I can see well over 30mpg on the highway if I cruise slowly. Don't go by the mileage readout, either. Measure fuel usage with the tripmeter. Does the engine seem smooth? Does the car coast down slowly from speed or does it seem like there's drag from the brakes or driveline?
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      07-05-2017, 03:46 PM   #3
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Quote:
Originally Posted by minirips2 View Post
How and where do you drive it? I wouldn't expect decent mileage in traffic in a hilly area. 15 sounds pretty bad, though. Here in flatland, I can see well over 30mpg on the highway if I cruise slowly. Don't go by the mileage readout, either. Measure fuel usage with the tripmeter. Does the engine seem smooth? Does the car coast down slowly from speed or does it seem like there's drag from the brakes or driveline?
Like what mini said.. That is bad. How do you drive? Stock i was about 22-24 mpg and I have a heavy foot. Something isn't adding up.
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      07-05-2017, 04:41 PM   #4
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Yep, that's pretty low. I get 19 mpg on island and its all city driving for the most part. But like mentioned above, don't go off of your readout. Calculate it the old fashioned way and see if its the same. BTW, you should have the N52 in your car.
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      07-05-2017, 04:52 PM   #5
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Maybe it's a combo of how you are driving and the type of fuel(type/octane & brand) you are using? How are the tires(inflation & condition)? Are your brakes dragging at all? First thing I would do is check your DME for any codes stored.
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      07-05-2017, 06:24 PM   #6
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2013 128i  [9.58]
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1smokehouse View Post
BTW, you should have the N52 in your car.
Naw, I'm sure BMW sold a large percentage of the 2013 128is with the N51 engine. The smoggy markets that would get the N51 are also quite populous markets.

"States that received vehicles with the N51 engine include; Arizona, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Don’t be surprised to find N52 models registered in these states … or …. N51 models in the other states."

https://blog.bavauto.com/17787/how-d...linder-engine/
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      07-05-2017, 06:40 PM   #7
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2013 128i  [9.58]
Quote:
Originally Posted by OneTwenty8i View Post
I bought a 2013 128i n51 back in March and since then I've gotten an average of 15 mpg ... Is this normal at all? The car has 22k miles on it now. What could the problem be?
FWIW, I've gotten my car down to around 10.5 MPG and managed to stay a free citizen (When I had my 510, my sister told me I should be a taxi driver in San Francisco. You can get air there like a rally stage), ~18 MPG is "normal" for me in mixed driving, and before I changed my gearing from stock I could count on slightly >30 MPG on a 750 mile each way road trip to see my folk in Washington State.

The only time I got better than 15 MPG in the first few months of ownership was during break-in. I got break-in over with quickly by driving up and visiting my folk in Washington State.
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      07-05-2017, 06:49 PM   #8
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I push mine pretty good and average around 24 MPG.
Any rough running? You using premium fuel? What brand? You smell any fuel from the exhaust if you stand behind it? The exhaust tip really black? What do you set your tire pressures to?
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      07-05-2017, 06:57 PM   #9
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I've noticed if I don't put 93 in, it runs fine but my MPGs aren't good.
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      07-05-2017, 07:07 PM   #10
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Suprgnat View Post
Naw, I'm sure BMW sold a large percentage of the 2013 128is with the N51 engine. The smoggy markets that would get the N51 are also quite populous markets.

"States that received vehicles with the N51 engine include; Arizona, California, Connecticut, District of Columbia, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont and Washington. Don’t be surprised to find N52 models registered in these states … or …. N51 models in the other states."

https://blog.bavauto.com/17787/how-d...linder-engine/
Wow, guess so! I thought they were the "older" version replaced by the N52. Interestingly enough, the N51 doesn't appear on many BMW engine lists, only the N52.
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      07-05-2017, 07:27 PM   #11
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Hey guys I drink alcohol. I'm not going to tell you what my body weight is, or how much I drink, or how often I do it, just know that I drink alcohol. Do I have a problem?

OP, that's kind of what your post is like. 15 mpg could be perfectly reasonable if you do stop and go and have a lead foot. If you do all highway driving it would be real bad unless you cruise at the speed limiter. We would need more information, like your driving habits, exactly what happens during an average tank, etc to tell you whether 15 mpg is bad or not.
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      07-05-2017, 07:41 PM   #12
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2013 128i  [9.58]
Quote:
Originally Posted by 1smokehouse View Post
Wow, guess so! I thought they were the "older" version replaced by the N52. Interestingly enough, the N51 doesn't appear on many BMW engine lists, only the N52.
BMW didn't make their brand selling SULEV II/PZEV vehicles, but I'll take the VERY comprehensive, 15 year, 150,000 mile warranty (specific to the 2013 model year). That's some Hyundai sh*t right there, I tell you!

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      07-06-2017, 02:08 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by minirips2 View Post
How and where do you drive it? I wouldn't expect decent mileage in traffic in a hilly area. 15 sounds pretty bad, though. Here in flatland, I can see well over 30mpg on the highway if I cruise slowly. Don't go by the mileage readout, either. Measure fuel usage with the tripmeter. Does the engine seem smooth? Does the car coast down slowly from speed or does it seem like there's drag from the brakes or driveline?
I do live in a hilly area but I mostly drive normal, sometimes ill gas it. I'd say my commute is 50% city 50% highway. When I fill my gas tank it says something around 220 mile range on a full tank. As far as the car goes it drives normal, very stiff but I assume thats normal. And I drove a f30 328i before this car and that car coasted and maintained speed with my foot off the gas but with the 128i there seems to be more drag, not sure if thats normal? I also use 91 octane bc thats whats available here in Cali
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      07-06-2017, 07:20 AM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Dackelone View Post
Maybe it's a combo of how you are driving and the type of fuel(type/octane & brand) you are using? How are the tires(inflation & condition)? Are your brakes dragging at all? First thing I would do is check your DME for any codes stored.
Good call
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      07-06-2017, 07:26 AM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by OneTwenty8i View Post
I do live in a hilly area but I mostly drive normal, sometimes ill gas it. I'd say my commute is 50% city 50% highway. When I fill my gas tank it says something around 220 mile range on a full tank. As far as the car goes it drives normal, very stiff but I assume thats normal. And I drove a f30 328i before this car and that car coasted and maintained speed with my foot off the gas but with the 128i there seems to be more drag, not sure if thats normal? I also use 91 octane bc thats whats available here in Cali
220 mile range is low... Usually around 280-310 for me. Sounds like the car isn't running smooth if you feel like there is a drag. I would take a look under the hood. Remember... It's not how you stand by your car, its how you race your car.. You better learn that.
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      07-06-2017, 07:39 AM   #16
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It all depends all your driving. When I take the car to work, which is only 6 km, I will see FE around 16L/100km (18 MPG) When the wife takes the car to work, it is nearly all city freeway and the FE is around 9L/100km (26 MPG) On long highway drives, we can get 7L/100km. (34 MPG). This is for a 135i, but just wanted to show it has more to do with exactly the route and distance you drive than the car.

A good indicator for what kind of mileage to expect is reset the avg speed every time you fill up. When we get 16L/100, avg speed is only between 20 and 30 km/hr. The higher the avg speed, the better the FE.
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      07-06-2017, 12:13 PM   #17
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Drag issue could be something like a sticking caliper. Any brake noises? All the outer pads look about same with side to side?
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      07-06-2017, 04:47 PM   #18
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brytom View Post
Drag issue could be something like a sticking caliper. Any brake noises? All the outer pads look about same with side to side?
After a short drive... place your hand on each alloy wheel... see IF one is scolding hot... then you have found your sticking brake caliper.
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      07-06-2017, 08:03 PM   #19
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After a short drive... place your hand on each alloy wheel... see IF one is scolding hot... then you have found your sticking brake caliper.
I like the suggestion in theory. It's normally pretty noticable from noise or something as simple as one wheel being dirtier with brake dust than the other three. Or the rotor being blue or the rust on the rotor being more orange/red.
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