Quote:
Originally Posted by krhodes1
K9Leader
I'm not as obsessive as you, but I do keep track on my cars.
My computers are usually as close as you are going to get filling up at random pumps, within 5% or so. But what I have found, and mentioned on the forum, is that my N52 328i wagon gets MUCH better fuel economy than my N51 128i. Pretty much 5mpg across the board difference. Both are RWD with 6spd sticks, driven in similar suburban environments. And it was consistent when I had both cars in the same state too. Normally, the 328i is in Maine (but only driven summers) and the 128i is in Florida. But the 128i has spent two summers in Maine.
If I ever find another 128i convertible, and it's an N52, I will be very curious as to how much difference just the SULEV motor makes. For sure, the N51 convertible is *especially* terrible when I am only making short trips around town. Disproportionately worse than the 328i. The gap closes on trips - and the 328i wagon has to be rather more aerodynamic than the convertible. That car actually gets astounding gas mileage on a trip - into the 30's - and it got 25mpg crossing Germany on the autobahn, as balls to the wall as a non-sport 328i will go.  The convertible won't break 28mpg with a tail wind and drafting a truck. But I have also never, ever seen less than 22mpg out of the wagon, and right now the convertible is sitting at about 17mpg. I haven't been out of town with it this tank. Going to Sarasota this weekend, which will bump it up a bit.
Then there is my Land Rover. 16mpg no matter what. City, highway, towing a boat. Doesn't seem to really matter.  Spitfire will do 35mpg plus, and my Mercedes wagon is a couple mpg shy of the BMW wagon across the board.
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Odd that your experience and mine are the opposite - my 128i (coupe, 6MT) gets higher MPG than my 328i X-Drive E91. Both have N52 with 3IM but the E91 is an automatic. Around town, the 128 is only a little better than the 328 but on longer highway trips, the 128 is capable of breaking 30 MPG while the 328 has only topped 25 one time (27.9).