M button MPG observations

[Papethova]

Cruising at ~80mph I was noticing 39-40 MPG with the M button off.

Without changing any inputs and pressing the M button showed an instant drop in MPG of ~15MPG.

This is using the display in the cluster after having instantaneous MPG activated in my car.

[Pete_vB]

I would expect that if you don't back off the accelerator pedal at the same time. The M button re-maps the throttle, so if you were driving at constant speed before you'll be accelerating after you press it. However if you drive at the same constant speed over the same stretch of road, say maybe with the cruse control on, I'd expect no difference in consumption.

[Sparks1M]

Originally Posted by Pete_vB

I would expect that if you don't back off the accelerator pedal at the same time. The M button re-maps the throttle, so if you were driving at constant speed before you'll be accelerating after you press it. However if you drive at the same constant speed over the same stretch of road, say maybe with the cruse control on, I'd expect no difference in consumption.

Agree. Without changing anything and pushing the M button at that type of revs, my car certainly accelerates.

[PopsnBurbles]

Not a 1M or any M-car driver here but...I'd expect that the fuel consumption would drop assuming an identical amount of throttle input. Try it on a flat road + cruise control (constant speed and most likely constant RPM). You should see similar MPGs with this test.

I do not know how the M button works 100%. but with your results, it's safe to say that it remaps the throttle sensitivity by a good amount. For example, 1/4 deep with M button activated = 1/3+ deep without button.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by PopsnBurbles

I do not know how the M button works 100%.

Here's what BMW specified about it (see section 4.1.2. at pages 14-15):

BMW_1M_Technical_Training.pdf

[Artemis]

See also the video below from 19:38 onwards for some explanation:

[smq42]

Originally Posted by Papethova

Cruising at ~80mph I was noticing 39-40 MPG with the M button off.

Without changing any inputs and pressing the M button showed an instant drop in MPG of ~15MPG.

This is using the display in the cluster after having instantaneous MPG activated in my car.

39 - 40 mpg is incredible! With or without M.

I've never done better than 25-28 mpg.

[Zuzu]

M Button ON with city driving, I average 12.5 to 13.0 ltrs/100km
M Button OFF 10.5 to 11.00 city driving.

[mlcgd21]

39 MPG is 6l/100 km, thats crazy, I never did better than 11l/100 km even on the highway. Something must be wrong!

[ozinaldo]

Originally Posted by mariodiniz21

39 MPG is 6l/100 km, thats crazy, I never did better than 11l/100 km even on the highway. Something must be wrong!

+1...similar to what I've seen. Less than 10l/100 km. you got to be going 90 km/h at sixth on cruise control for some time.

[MINInDalila]

OP is probably quoting instantaneous (or close to instantaneous) consumption figures in 6th gear around 90-100 km/h. Only then would he be able to see such an increase in consumption figures so quickly after pressing the M button, thus moving the virtual pedal position "further forward". It's perfectly normal!

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by mariodiniz21

39 MPG is 6l/100 km, thats crazy, I never did better than 11l/100 km even on the highway. Something must be wrong!

6l/100km = current fuel consumption on a downhill slope. Hard to believe that that could be an average fuel consumption for a 1M.

[3rdgear]

im getting an average of 19L/100km city drive with m button off. no more than 250km per tank. i bought my car second hand and i thought its normal before i spoke to other 1m owners who are getting 400km per tank in a similar driving condition so i took it to the dealership today and they will connect it to the computer and see if the gas ratio is correct. btw my driving style is not aggressive

[ozinaldo]

Originally Posted by 3rdgear

im getting an average of 19L/100km city drive with m button off. no more than 250km per tank. i bought my car second hand and i thought its normal before i spoke to other 1m owners who are getting 400km per tank in a similar driving condition so i took it to the dealership today and they will connect it to the computer and see if the gas ratio is correct. btw my driving style is not aggressive

I get the same for in-city and mostly short commute type of driving and I think it is normal. Keep us posted about what the dealership says regarding the gas ratio.

[Artemis]

Originally Posted by 3rdgear

im getting an average of 19L/100km city drive with m button off. no more than 250km per tank. i bought my car second hand and i thought its normal before i spoke to other 1m owners who are getting 400km per tank in a similar driving condition so i took it to the dealership today and they will connect it to the computer and see if the gas ratio is correct. btw my driving style is not aggressive

Official fuel consumption figures released by BMW for the 1M (BMW 1M Catalogue 2011 (international): http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=651059) (ideal circumstances):

• urban: 13.6 l/100 km (17.30 mpg)
• extra-urban: 7.3 l/100 km (32.22 mpg)
• combined: 9.6 l/100 km (24.50 mpg)

My normal average fuel consumption (real world circumstances) (my car has all options, so heavier than 'strippers')

• urban: ± 15 l/100 km (15.68 mpg)
• extra-urban: ± 9-10 l/100 km (26.14-23.52 mpg)
• combined: ± 13-14 l/100 km (18.09-16.80 mpg)

Needless to say that the type of roads you frequently drive (flat/slopes/urban/extra-urban), your driving style, car weight (no options 'stripper' vs. 'full option'), car load, tires, fuel quality and weather are relevant parameters. If the car has to negotiate a lot of slopes (hillside area) with counter winds, average fuel consumption can head North of 15 l/100 km, of course.

For example: below are statistics of my recent journey to the Italian Dolomites (Alps mountain range) and back. This included 'spirited driving' on the Autobahn on long stretches where no speed limit applies, slow driving in road work queues and cities, gas-guzzling power driving on steep hill climbs, etc.

[mlcgd21]

Originally Posted by Artemis

Official fuel consumption figures released by BMW for the 1M (BMW 1M Catalogue 2011 (international): http://www.1addicts.com/forums/showthread.php?t=651059) (ideal circumstances):

• urban: 13.6 l/100 km (17.30 mpg)
• extra-urban: 7.3 l/100 km (32.22 mpg)
• combined: 9.6 l/100 km (24.50 mpg)

My normal average fuel consumption (real world circumstances) (my car has all options, so heavier than 'strippers')

• urban: ± 15 l/100 km (15.68 mpg)
• extra-urban: ± 9-10 l/100 km (26.14-23.52 mpg)
• combined: ± 13-14 l/100 km (18.09-16.80 mpg)

Needless to say that the type of roads you frequently drive (flat/slopes/urban/extra-urban), your driving style, car weight (no options 'stripper' vs. 'full option'), car load, tires, fuel quality and weather are relevant parameters. If the car has to negotiate a lot of slopes (hillside area) with counter winds, average fuel consumption can head North of 15 l/100 km, of course.

For example: below are statistics of my recent journey to the Italian Dolomites (Alps mountain range) and back. This included 'spirited driving' on the Autobahn on long stretches where no speed limit applies, slow driving in road work queues and cities, gas-guzzling power driving on steep hill climbs, etc.

I get exactly the same consumption as you so I guess this is normal. My mixed average since I bought the car is 14 l/100 kms. I honestly think it wastes too much fuel in city driving, for a not too heavy, not too powerful car.

[mrphil]

i'm about 14 l/100km city driving, mostly short trips as my city is pretty small

[Narek]

Originally Posted by Pete_vB

I would expect that if you don't back off the accelerator pedal at the same time. The M button re-maps the throttle, so if you were driving at constant speed before you'll be accelerating after you press it. However if you drive at the same constant speed over the same stretch of road, say maybe with the cruse control on, I'd expect no difference in consumption.

Pretty sure thats the right answer.

As for the drifting off topic - Im quite new to manual, so I often forget to change gears in 100-150m stretches between speed bumps, etc., so Im at times on high RPMs. Add my A/C being on 70-100% all day due to the now 45(C) degree weather in Dubai and my AWRON gauge's bad positioning. Plus I drive pretty aggressively. All in all around 20L/100km 15l/100kms sounds pretty good right now

[3rdgear]

ok gents, just came back from the dealership and apparently the gas ratio is pretty much fixed and every 1m has the same setting.
so the guys used the i drive to go into vehicle setting and from there you can see your average speed and gas consumption. i never played with this before and was quite surprised at my average speed which only came to 20.9 km per hr, so this explains why my milage per tank was so little.

[Quo]

Personally, M button on, forget about mpg and enjoy the driving experience. Long time dead why worry about petrol.

[3rdgear]

quite hard to forget while you are at the gas station twice a week handing out 60 bucks for yr car to be stuck at traffic jams hahaa, btw i saw yr thread about intake, i have afe dual open intake n i disagree with others quoting that it makes little to no differences to the performance as i really feel the rpm goes up a lot quicker with in installed n it makes a pretty cool sound too

[Papethova]

Originally Posted by Pete_vB

I would expect that if you don't back off the accelerator pedal at the same time. The M button re-maps the throttle, so if you were driving at constant speed before you'll be accelerating after you press it. However if you drive at the same constant speed over the same stretch of road, say maybe with the cruse control on, I'd expect no difference in consumption.

Originally Posted by Sparks1M

Agree. Without changing anything and pushing the M button at that type of revs, my car certainly accelerates.

No thats what I was surprised about. The car did not accelerate. The velocity remained constant, no change in speed. I was hardly on the throttle though. I simply pressed the button and saw the instantaneous MPG drop ~15MPG. All other inputs stayed unchanged and the car did not accelerate.

I played with it a little bit today and I had similar results. Yes if I am down on the throttle more then the car surges forward when the M button is activated but in the observation of my original post the car did not accelerate.