[thompson134]

Good Morning All,

I have been floating around this forum for a good couple of years but never registered until today. I am currently driving a BMW 118d which I have owned from new for the last 4 years but I am now starting to think about its replacement. I have been thoroughly impressed with the 118d and over its life it has averaged 62mpg which has been extremely impressive. I am considering either a X1 M Sport XDrive 20d or a 3 series (chiefly the 318d / 320d). I was fortunate enough last month to have been given an X1 as a courtesy car from my local dealer and I was very impressed overall but somewhat saddened by the 43mpg over 200+ miles.

Based on this I have started to reconsider my dream car, a 335d!

As I know and have enjoyed reading many members posts about this car I was wondering if I could ask for some assistance, I job entails a 24x7 shift pattern and as such I now never get caught up in traffic jams or drive in cities / busy towns, I have a 55 mile commute to the office of which 90% is on a dual carriageway 10% twisty lanes. When I stick to 60mph and cruise to work my 118d it will return high 60’s over a tank thus from those members who have had this car and know it’s capabilities and given this type of drive I will be doing what would be my real world MPG?

Ideally, I would like to average at least 42mpg – is this living in dreamland? When a car is spent 90% on the motorway cruising encountering no traffic? Obviously, regular use of the loud peddle will send the figures down but apart from a few roundabouts here and there, slip roads etc. the majority of the time will be spent at 60 – 70mph.

Thanks in advance

Ian

[FPO]

Hi Ian
I have had my 335d from new a year now and the worst average mpg I have seen is 32mpg from driving around town stopping and starting all the time. Whereas I have cruised back home 120 miles at 70mph and achieved 47 mpg. Currently I average 37 mpg but I do give it the beans a lot of the time. If you granny along at 50-70 mph (depending on where you are) everywhere using cruise control you could easily see 42 mpg. But when you have a 335d you won't!

[Abbot26]

32mpg here, I don't give it the beans all that much but only drive 6 miles a day. Had an E46 M3 last which did 19mpg so you could say I'm well happy with what my 335D gives me.

[dmt335d]

Mines an 56 plate 335d. Lately I've been driving down to Luton. Total of 35miles with 6 miles of stop start 30mph traffic.
Averaging 41.9 mpg.
I generally average between 35-38 mpg with mixed driving. There isn't many cars with that performance returning such figures.

[acerboo]

id say reckon on 37mph average the lci cars seem a little better but once you experience the 335d you wont worry about a few mpg

[Mustard3]

Originally Posted by Abbot26

32mpg here, I don't give it the beans all that much but only drive 6 miles a day. Had an E46 M3 last which did 19mpg so you could say I'm well happy with what my 335D gives me.

Interested to hear this. I have an E46 M3 now and considering buying a 335d.
However my average journey length will be similarly short and although an increase to 32mpg sounds great how does a car with a DPF stand up to constant short journeys. Is this gonna cause problems sooting up?

[davyk31]

Like the guys say you will see low 30s if short journeys or town work and up to 40ish if longer journeys and still enjoying it a lot. Take a drive in one and feel the effortless power but if econony is your thing as it seems to be then maybe you should look elsewhere. I say this because initially the 335d may thrill you but if you like seeing 60mpg on your dash when you are seeing just over 50% of that it may get to you. Personally I'm delighted with my low 30s given the performance this car has.

[jonl1983]

You will never average what your 118d will but that won't give you the thrill a 335d will

I spend alot of time on the motorway and ave mpg is 38.7. This goes up to 47 with cc on the motorway. Driving around town and thrashing it on weekends will give low 30's.

I did manage 51 the other week driving back from Heathrow doing 60mph, that was only cos I was jet lagged, would never normally drive at 60 on the mway but it shows what it's capable of.

[gIzzE]

Originally Posted by thompson134

I am considering either a X1 M Sport XDrive 20d or a 3 series (chiefly the 318d / 320d). I was fortunate enough last month to have been given an X1 as a courtesy car from my local dealer and I was very impressed overall but somewhat saddened by the 43mpg over 200+ miles.

The 20d sDrive auto is the one to go for if you want decent economy.
I have a 18d sDrive manual and see around 44mpg average but the loan 20d sDrive was giving me closer to 50mpg doing the same runs.
Better gear ratios.

[kaishang]

You can also forget about the 30-ish mpg if you drive in really heavy traffic.

I have no problems getting 16mpg in central London.... 335d should use even more fuel - if you are in heavy traffic.

[V330d]

Think about a 330d if a LCI, nearly as quick but easy to achieve 40+ and a more modern engine!!

[briers]

What everyone else has said which is high 30s

When I was doing longer journeys to the office in rush hour traffic I was seeing 42mpg over a tank. Even higher on longer motorway stints.

Now it is more like mid to high 30s with a lot more shorter local stuff.

[HighlandPete]

Originally Posted by V330d

Think about a 330d if a LCI, nearly as quick but easy to achieve 40+ and a more modern engine!!

I was thinking in a similar way. For an econony driver which the OP obviously is, seems one exteme to the other, 118d to 335d. It is clear most of the time it will be simply cruising on a light load, the 330d would make much more sense, and there is the manual option as well to allow a slightly better economy driving style. Still plenty of power after the 118d.

I've owned a Passat TDI which was a 55+ mpg vehicle, you always feel short changed when you cruise at 70mph with a bigger engine, knowing the other car has a similar ride, (in those conditions) and is returning 55 - 60mpg.

HighlandPete

[TikoV]

My results are as follows....

@70mph m-way driving gets me 43-44mpg

@80mph gets me same would you believe..


Urban driving gets me 34mpg....


Heavy spirited driving which is just about all the time...overall m-way/town driving gives an average of 37mpg.

Very happy to say the least as how many cars have this sort of power and still return great consumption.

Car is Evolve Remapped.

[mistryn]

i do a daily 12 mile commute town driving and mine is 31mpg. did a long mway driving avg 75mph and the most i got was 38.7mpg

i cant grumble because there are not many other cars out there with power performace like the 335d that can return figures like this

i cam from a passat that did 44mpg around town and 55mpg mway journeys. at first it was a shock but the pure driving experience from the 35d compensates the lower mpg imo

however if fuel economy is vital important then perhaps look at the 330d or the 325d

[Tunbridge]

40+mpg is achievable but if the car is going to spend most of its time between 60-70mph and economy is your thing then it might not be for you. The power is awsome and I average high 30's mpg and am very pleased with that after having a 530i before this.
118d to 335d might be a bit to much of one extreme to the other but if you can handle the extra fuel costs you won't be disapointed.

[Bungle009]

I think a 330d might be better if fuel economy is a concern, and fuel is only going to get more expensive. A 335d is a stunning machine, and typical MPG is 35-45 depending on journey types, etc. A 330d offers nearly as much performance up to 80 mph speeds, and mpg is approx 5mpg more. Also available as a manual, where 335 is auto only.

[SO8]

Originally Posted by Bungle009

I think a 330d might be better if fuel economy is a concern, and fuel is only going to get more expensive. A 335d is a stunning machine, and typical MPG is 35-45 depending on journey types, etc. A 330d offers nearly as much performance up to 80 mph speeds, and mpg is approx 5mpg more. Also available as a manual, where 335 is auto only.

I had a 320d (177) and moved to e 330d (LCI 245).

I also tried a 335d and tbh below 70 didn't notice any difference - if anything the single turbo layout of the 330d LCI made it feel quicker than the 335d though obviously it isn't above 70.

Economy wise the 330d LCI is about 5mpg urban better than a 335d it seems + on a run I have had 54mpg around the M25 ... which is more than I ever saw from my 320d !!

For me auto suits these cars and FWIW personally I would never buy a manual diesel ... I have driven them and hated the amount of gear changing.

[dxb335d]

Get the 335d, you will always wish you had when one pulls up next to the 330d you have just bought.

Its capable of Great MPG and FANTASTIC performance!

[BanziBarn]

From the OP's description of the type of journey he is doing and bearing in mind there is no traffic, in the 330d I'm pretty sure I could get 50mpg +.

So, a 335d would probably be 45 mpg?

But, obviously I'm biased, however I think the 330d would be the better buy because its cheaper to run but still very rapid, especially when compared to the 318d.

If you look in my gallery you will see proof of the sort of economy that's possible with the 330d

[Abbot26]

Originally Posted by Mustard3

Interested to hear this. I have an E46 M3 now and considering buying a 335d.
However my average journey length will be similarly short and although an increase to 32mpg sounds great how does a car with a DPF stand up to constant short journeys. Is this gonna cause problems sooting up?

Fair question Mustard, my journey to work is only 3 miles each way but I also do a regular trip back to rainy Wales which "clears out the cob webs" so to speak, I nail it down there and cruise at 80mph coming back, normally see a combined trip of around 40mpg, never got that in my M3. On the other hand, a blistering hot day, roof down, nail it from the toll booths, straight six signing, now that's motoring !

[confused.com]

There must be something wrong with my 335d because around town, short journeys i dont get over 19mpg - ever, its same however i drive, just drops further if i boot it around everywhere. I have wondered for a while if this was right, on the motorway at around 70mph i can easily achieve 35+ mpg though.

Sorry to hijack here, but can anyone advise if thats normal? I have checked the hidden menu in the past and the temp stays in the 90's peaking at 96 degress if i remember correctly - assumed this was ok and the problems were on low temps.