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      02-04-2013, 11:29 AM   #1
ZaheerUK
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Calling UK 320D drivers - preferred driving mode?

Just really interested in what mode people are driving in. I have a 320D Efficient Dynamics for about 3 weeks and have been using Eco Pro religiously. Can't say I am getting anywhere near quoted 52mpg for urban driving but more like 30 mpg on short 4 mile trips. Your response is much appreciated.
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      02-04-2013, 11:46 AM   #2
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I drove in Eco Pro for the first 1000 and achieved around 50mpg (mostly runs on A roads)

Then have driven in Comfort/Sport mainly with some EcoPro and still achieving around 50mpg at 2700 miles in. Not much urban traffic here to contend with :-)
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      02-04-2013, 01:45 PM   #3
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Done 6000 miles in non ed 320. Avg 58.2 up hill down dale in and out of manchester / london and various other cities.. if stick to 70 limit on the motorway it easy sits in the mid 60's
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      02-04-2013, 01:46 PM   #4
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I've got a Sport Auto ED. Round town in stop-start traffic I tend to get 35-40 mpg even in ECO-PRO mode. However on long journeys (50 miles at least) on motorways / good A roads, if I drive at a steady 70 - 75, I get 55 to just over 60 mpg even in comfort or sport mode. Distance driving is what you need for decent mpg. Temperature also has a huge effect - the lower the temp, the worse the mpg.
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      02-04-2013, 02:11 PM   #5
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I just leave it in comfort mode most of the time, getting 48mpg combined which does include the odd trip into and around London Town. I try to remember to put it in Eco mode on a motorway run where I can get 60mpg at 65-70mph.
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      02-04-2013, 03:13 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZaheerUK View Post
Just really interested in what mode people are driving in. I have a 320D Efficient Dynamics for about 3 weeks and have been using Eco Pro religiously. Can't say I am getting anywhere near quoted 52mpg for urban driving but more like 30 mpg on short 4 mile trips. Your response is much appreciated.
Several factors, which are likely influencing your mpg.

New engine, still tight. The short trips are not even getting the engine warm. Been colder recently so that will make it even worse. Official tests don't allow for the above, so meaningless to look to official figures anyway, for 4-mile cold start trips.

Also, is it OBC readings? May be inaccurate, making it appear even worse than it is. I'd suggest you need more mileage and 'brim to brim' mpg checks, to see where you really are for mpg.

Peter
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      02-04-2013, 06:09 PM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by CoolDude196
I'd say my favourite is sport/ds but my most common is probably Eco pro. Most of the time Eco pro is all that's needed
Ditto except I tend to have it on comfort for motorway cruising. Sport / DS or Sport / Manual most fun.
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      02-05-2013, 02:06 AM   #8
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My trip computer says I'm getting around avg 41.6mpg (not accurate as I've not reset since purchase) or about 420 on a single tank driving in ECO-PRO/Comfort. Car isn't used for my daily commute, so it's just for school runs and weekend driving hence the poor return per tank.

When on motorways I tend to stay in Comfort as ECO-PRO is just so frustrating, the pick up can be a bit too slow to keep up with fast moving traffic and I end up changing to Comfort.
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      02-05-2013, 04:11 AM   #9
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Question for those who drive an auto and prefer sport mode.

Can you qualify how you set it up. Do you configure drivetrain and chassis, or just chassis only? As it is like two different options to drive.

When I use sport mode, I only configure the chassis, to still have the softer more relaxed auto gearbox and lower engine revs. If I want the sport mode gear selection I then flick the stick across to DS, then have the option to have the sport auto gearbox performance, or go manual with the paddles. Can easily flick back to Drive, for a relaxed engine, but have the sport chassis.

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      02-05-2013, 06:08 AM   #10
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I have pretty much given up on Eco Pro - for the type of driving I do (mostly dual carriageways and country roads) the savings in Eco Pro are hardly worth it when weighed up against how 'unresponsive' it makes the throttle.

Most I have managed to save using Eco Pro for a tankful was about 10 miles (I typically get somewhere between 450-480 miles to a tank). That involved driving like a nun, avoiding braking as much as possible, leaving the A/C and other accessories off, etc. Nowhere near the 20% savings that BMW claim

If I were doing short journeys and town driving then maybe it would be different.
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      02-05-2013, 08:06 AM   #11
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Seems to me from what I've read on here that our friends with the gorgeous 330d's are getting better economy than us lowly 320d's, that's if they are to be believed
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      02-05-2013, 08:21 AM   #12
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I would say that I predominantly in Eco-Pro but that's only because I'm on the motorway and so just cruising along. When I am coming onto the motorway or am going for a half gap then Comfort or Sport modes come into their own

When I get off the motorway I'll switch to Comfort for driving around towns or into Sport for when I am approaching a roundabout/junction just in case I need the extra boost.

I think the most I've achieved as 'bonus' miles from Eco-Pro has been 27 which was from a 550 mile tank of fuel so a very poor return but I'm sure they will all add up eventually. When I have driven in Eco-Pro mode after coming off the motorway the 'bonus' miles go down so there doesn't seem to be any encouragement for town use

Overall average on the brim to brim calculations is currently 51.9 mpg which is about what I was expecting based upon my mainly motorway miles. The Journey computer that I reset at each fill up always shows the mpg to be in the mid 54s.
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      02-05-2013, 11:22 AM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HighlandPete
Question for those who drive an auto and prefer sport mode.

Can you qualify how you set it up. Do you configure drivetrain and chassis, or just chassis only? As it is like two different options to drive.

When I use sport mode, I only configure the chassis, to still have the softer more relaxed auto gearbox and lower engine revs. If I want the sport mode gear selection I then flick the stick across to DS, then have the option to have the sport auto gearbox performance, or go manual with the paddles. Can easily flick back to Drive, for a relaxed engine, but have the sport chassis.

HighlandPete
Not seen the option to choose in the ED. Much prefer DS to Drive in Sport mode though. Think you can only configure ECO-PRO mode.
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      02-05-2013, 12:55 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by swanseahammer
Quote:
Originally Posted by HighlandPete
Question for those who drive an auto and prefer sport mode.

Can you qualify how you set it up. Do you configure drivetrain and chassis, or just chassis only? As it is like two different options to drive.

When I use sport mode, I only configure the chassis, to still have the softer more relaxed auto gearbox and lower engine revs. If I want the sport mode gear selection I then flick the stick across to DS, then have the option to have the sport auto gearbox performance, or go manual with the paddles. Can easily flick back to Drive, for a relaxed engine, but have the sport chassis.

HighlandPete
Not seen the option to choose in the ED. Much prefer DS to Drive in Sport mode though. Think you can only configure ECO-PRO mode.
You can configure chassis and/or drivetrain if you have the Adaptive M Suspension option but only for Comfort and Sport modes.
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      02-05-2013, 01:22 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Estoril1984 View Post
Seems to me from what I've read on here that our friends with the gorgeous 330d's are getting better economy than us lowly 320d's, that's if they are to be believed
Less revs more to torque for every day driving?
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      02-05-2013, 01:38 PM   #16
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Thanks kitster - probably one of the few options not on my car!
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      02-05-2013, 04:28 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RobUK View Post
I have pretty much given up on Eco Pro...

... Nowhere near the 20% savings that BMW claim
A lot is going to depend on how you drive anyway. If you already drive moderately, then your savings won't be much. BMW's reference is like most EU studies, which show motorists who drive in an Eco manner can save up to about 20%.

Some reports show driver training can reduce consumption by more than 20%. But we are talking worst to best of drivers.

I see Eco Pro encouraging Eco driving techniques, BMW even state that in their literature.

Eco Pro is no miracle fuel saver, how can it be? A few tweaks, a slight reduction in energy demands and a throttle response which does little more than a good driver is doing anyway, if conscious of fuel consumption.

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      02-06-2013, 12:03 PM   #18
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Wow thanks for the response guys! Some really interesting comments. I take your point about car will be running cold mostly during 4 miles trips so mpg will be poor. But I wasn't really expecting the quoted 52 mpg's, but was expecting at least low 40's. Surely reald world figures can't be that far away? Secondly my car has only done about 3900 miles. Upon reading comments I have been driving in Comfort mode for the last two days. Mpg has dropped from 30 to 24. Can this be right? does the car need an oil change? Thanks again guys. Will continue to experiment with the driving modes!
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      02-06-2013, 12:31 PM   #19
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZaheerUK View Post
Wow thanks for the response guys! Some really interesting comments. I take your point about car will be running cold mostly during 4 miles trips so mpg will be poor. But I wasn't really expecting the quoted 52 mpg's, but was expecting at least low 40's. Surely reald world figures can't be that far away? Secondly my car has only done about 3900 miles. Upon reading comments I have been driving in Comfort mode for the last two days. Mpg has dropped from 30 to 24. Can this be right? does the car need an oil change? Thanks again guys. Will continue to experiment with the driving modes!
Why do you think the engine needs an oil change? There should be no link at your mileage to mpg.

Real world mpg is all over the place, compared to official figures. Typically the more we see in EU test cycles, the greater the mpg shortfall. ECO models are usually the worst, as most folks still drive normally and therefore eat away at the eco credentials of light and easy driving, which the cars are really tuned for.

I still see your short trips as being one of the worst for diesel mpg. As the ambient temperature drops it gets even worse.

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      02-06-2013, 02:38 PM   #20
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You should have done a poll.
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      02-07-2013, 03:08 AM   #21
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Eco Pro for daily 72 mile round trip commute (62 mpg) and Comfort for short hops around town. Wish Eco Pro was selectable default setting.
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      02-07-2013, 06:41 PM   #22
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ZaheerUK View Post
Wow thanks for the response guys! Some really interesting comments. I take your point about car will be running cold mostly during 4 miles trips so mpg will be poor. But I wasn't really expecting the quoted 52 mpg's, but was expecting at least low 40's. Surely reald world figures can't be that far away? Secondly my car has only done about 3900 miles. Upon reading comments I have been driving in Comfort mode for the last two days. Mpg has dropped from 30 to 24. Can this be right? does the car need an oil change? Thanks again guys. Will continue to experiment with the driving modes!
That can't be right, I was getting near 40mpg driving from east London to Westminster everyday. The home journey involved me queuing down the embankment for 40min to do 3miles.
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