X5d -- first tank, bad mpg?

I am about 1/2 through my first tank on a new 2012 X5d and, after about 90% true city driving (Chicago), the trip computer is showing about 15.7 mpg. I am not hitting it hard or anything, just a ton of stop-and-go traffic (and yes, I reset the trip computer before I left the dealership). Is this normal or does it get better over time? I am most interested to hear from X5d owners who do mostly city driving. Thanks in advance!

lets say you were parked and let the engine run for two days. Total mileage 0. would this be worthy of a "bad mpg" post????

Fill up the car and do the math, see what the actual mpg is. Also, post your average speed during this same period, it will tell us how much 'city' your 'city' is....

Originally Posted by ard

lets say you were parked and let the engine run for two days. Total mileage 0. would this be worthy of a "bad mpg" post????

Fill up the car and do the math, see what the actual mpg is. Also, post your average speed during this same period, it will tell us how much 'city' your 'city' is....

+1, but, yes, gas mileage generally improves after break-in on a diesel.

It will take thousands of miles to break in your diesel engine, my fuel economy gets better each week, give the engine a few months to break in and keep your tyre pressures up.

In my driving, I get about 16 mpg on the second tank with city short distance driving if I reset and accumulate for a few days. After driving around freeway for a while, it inches back to respectful 19.7 mpg for the second tank. The first tank did not count. It was mostly freeway driving without aide of cruise control. I still get respectful 23.x mpg.

What I noticed is that X5 needs a light foot to switch gear at around 1750 rpm. If you can get to that point, then it get boosted quite a bit. So what I do is ease off throttle near that and my mpg shoots up. I guess it is my version of the eco mode. Also, the gear shifting point is different when you start engine at cold. Cold temperature tends to get the transmission switches at closer to 3000 rpm.

What is the message? Early morning MPG sucks. Drive lightly and things will come back up to normal.

Originally Posted by tgb1974

I am about 1/2 through my first tank on a new 2012 X5d and, after about 90% true city driving (Chicago), the trip computer is showing about 15.7 mpg. I am not hitting it hard or anything, just a ton of stop-and-go traffic (and yes, I reset the trip computer before I left the dealership). Is this normal or does it get better over time? I am most interested to hear from X5d owners who do mostly city driving. Thanks in advance!

"Hitting it hard" has nothing to do with it. It takes a lot of energy to accelerate a 6,000 pound vehicle from a dead stop to 20 or 30 mph, a process which you are repeating over, and over, and over again.

It takes exponentially less energy to keep that same 6,000 pound vehicle rolling at 75 mph down I-80. Why should this be surprising? Did someone tell you that diesel repealed Newton's Laws?

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Originally Posted by quackbury

"Hitting it hard" has nothing to do with it. It takes a lot of energy to accelerate a 6,000 pound vehicle from a dead stop to 20 or 30 mph, a process which you are repeating over, and over, and over again.

It takes exponentially less energy to keep that same 6,000 pound vehicle rolling at 75 mph down I-80. Why should this be surprising? Did someone tell you that diesel repealed Newton's Laws?

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No, prick, no one ever told me that. Perhaps if you weren't such a loser (judging from your 3,483 posts on this board) you could have provided some helpful information instead of just being a dick.

Originally Posted by tgb1974

I am about 1/2 through my first tank on a new 2012 X5d and, after about 90% true city driving (Chicago), the trip computer is showing about 15.7 mpg. I am not hitting it hard or anything, just a ton of stop-and-go traffic (and yes, I reset the trip computer before I left the dealership). Is this normal or does it get better over time? I am most interested to hear from X5d owners who do mostly city driving. Thanks in advance!

Seeing you are in Chicago, you probably are now getting "Winter" diesel fuel, which I have found drops my MPG a bit. Winter diesel has a lower energy content due to blending-in "lighter" fuel to ensure it doesn't gell or cloud-up in Winter temperatures.

I've also noticed that my diesel get really bad MPG until it warms-up to operating temperature. So if you city driving also includes short trips, you will take a big hit in MPG in cold weather.

Originally Posted by tgb1974

No, prick, no one ever told me that. Perhaps if you weren't such a loser (judging from your 3,483 posts on this board) you could have provided some helpful information instead of just being a dick.

Here's the "helpful information". Your X5 is performing exactly as expected, given what you have related about your driving. Sorry you didn't pick up on that the first time.

And the 3,xxxx posts are due to the fact that I've been driving BMW's for over a decade. A fact that is probably due (at least in part) to the fact I was smart enough to pass high school physics.

Moron.

Originally Posted by quackbury

"Hitting it hard" has nothing to do with it. It takes a lot of energy to accelerate a 6,000 pound vehicle from a dead stop to 20 or 30 mph, a process which you are repeating over, and over, and over again.

It takes exponentially less energy to keep that same 6,000 pound vehicle rolling at 75 mph down I-80. Why should this be surprising? Did someone tell you that diesel repealed Newton's Laws?

Sent from my HTC Inspire using BimmerApp

I agree that the diesel blend and weight of the car may have to do with the mileage (e.g., diesel-engined semis usually get around 5 or less mpg). Or maybe bring your concern to the dealership to have the car checked - it wouldn't hurt.

Originally Posted by Penguin

Seeing you are in Chicago, you probably are now getting "Winter" diesel fuel, which I have found drops my MPG a bit. Winter diesel has a lower energy content due to blending-in "lighter" fuel to ensure it doesn't gell or cloud-up in Winter temperatures.

I've also noticed that my diesel get really bad MPG until it warms-up to operating temperature. So if you city driving also includes short trips, you will take a big hit in MPG in cold weather.

You COULD always warm the truck up before driving it so that the only "waste" would be at idle. That should save some fuel, no?

Originally Posted by tgb1974

I am about 1/2 through my first tank on a new 2012 X5d and, after about 90% true city driving (Chicago), the trip computer is showing about 15.7 mpg. I am not hitting it hard or anything, just a ton of stop-and-go traffic (and yes, I reset the trip computer before I left the dealership). Is this normal or does it get better over time? I am most interested to hear from X5d owners who do mostly city driving. Thanks in advance!

Hybrids are significantly better for "around town" driving than are diesels. The logic is basic. Hybrid's leverage the electric motors from ZERO "up to" as much as 45MPH. That electric assist is VERY helpful in keeping fuel consumption low on those types of vehicles. I have not yet tested this expectation between the wife's Highlander Hybrid and my X5 Diesel but I am not certain I need (or want) to bother any head-to-head testing... at this time.

If you do a lot of city driving, a hybrid may have been the better choice. Of course the hybrids also have other issues (battery wear & tare, no engine noise at times so people & animals can & WILL run out in front of the car from time to time, etc) so nothing is perfect.

For me, my first tank - gas version - got about 18mpg (mostly city with a mix of freeway)...I then reset it, hit the freeway for a decent amount of time.
60-70 mph I was getting 24+mpg....70-80mph, got a solid 23+mpg, so I was pretty happy and even surprised. If this continues, I'll be elated. But as everyone knows, the key is careful throttle control.

You should not be running winter diesel in your X5, its designed to run on Ultra diesel. Your ultra diesel in the US is 15ppm and that is the highest rating you should go.

Here in Australia our ultra is 5ppm thats partly why we get the 40d & M50d engines. Uk & European ultra is 1-2ppm.

The 40d & M50d use different injections, rail pressures & higher turbo pressures, winter diesel depending in which country you are in could be 50ppm & 500ppm, we refer to this as semitrailer truck diesel fuel.

I run this in my 1974 FJ40 2H Toyota Diesel as it has an old fashion injector pump.

I read alot about the amount of smog gear you have on your X5 diesels & owners complaining about the black on the rear of the X5, as we have only 5ppm of sulpher and harding any smog gear we have little black dust etc .

Originally Posted by watrob

You should not be running winter diesel in your X5, its designed to run on Ultra diesel.

In the U.S. "Winter" diesel is "Ultra" diesel, as far as sulfur content goes. The switch over to Winter diesel formulations is completely transparent to the diesel buyer as it is labeled exactly the same and comes out of the same pump and the same hose -- it automatically is switched by the station operators depending upon the season, the location, and the time of year. So everyone uses Winter diesel in the colder parts of the U.S., whether they know it or not.

Originally Posted by tgb1974

No, prick, no one ever told me that. Perhaps if you weren't such a loser (judging from your 3,483 posts on this board) you could have provided some helpful information instead of just being a dick.

Someone not get enough sleep?

No need to toss personal attacks just because you get a wise-ass (but perfectly accurate) answer. I am not defending the other guy, but you didn't need escalate the battle.

- Mike

Originally Posted by ndabunka

You COULD always warm the truck up before driving it so that the only "waste" would be at idle. That should save some fuel, no?

No, because you are accomplishing "0 miles" of driving yet consuming fuel.

Best to start and drive off immediately... albeit at a slower place.

- Mike