05-08-2012, 10:10 AM | #23 | |
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Before I comment further I do appreciate your posts on this subject. I go along with most of what you are saying, and being an mpg 'anorak' for more years than I like to remember, know a bit about driving for economy. Yea, I know there is more to Eco-Pro than throttle sensitivity. But think about it, even gearbox strategy and use of climate control, it is all the stuff many of us have been adapting for years, to get the extra mpg out of a motor. I've had 49.5 mpg out of my "pre ED" 330d auto touring, over 60 miles of mixed driving, without driving slow, just applying what a lot of this Eco-Pro programming is doing. What I'm saying, it is a reminder to many drivers what can be achieved with a little restraint. The 328i I tested, I drove as I drive my 330d in normal driving, was well over 40mpg, but did try Eco-Pro on A roads and dual carriageway. Yes it does add to the mpg, but I could have got virtually the same driving in a eco friendly manner anyway. But without that awful throttle feel. Yes it did indicate I'd gained a few miles, but the driving mode was more subdued, simply on how I was going along with the Eco-Pro system. Personally I will use it when I get a 328i auto touring, every little helps. This is what I recorded after an 80 mile test drive, over M-way, dual and mixed A road driving, and through congested villages. Plenty of acceleration, driving with the flow and typical of my normal style. (MPH average wasn't my trip only, forgot to set it before I started the drive). BTW... that's from an F30 328i, so hope your smaller 1-series petrol cars bring in much better mpg results. HighlandPete |
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05-08-2012, 11:14 AM | #24 |
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average 61.5mpg on eco pro over 177 miles but it does feel like you're towing a caravan.
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05-08-2012, 11:35 AM | #25 | ||
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I think the vast majority of people (such as me) never change anything to do with the gear box, and if they do, they can't apply changes at the touch of a button in the cabin as you can when you switch down from sport. Even for mpg aficionados that's a useful thing? Now ive been using it a while, I really don't feel like ECO PRO gives me an 'awful throttle feel'. I understand why you say that because at first i thought the same, but once i got used to it and began to understand it more, it feels more normal. It also makes you really appreciate what you can get out of driving in sport when you do get the chance to use it. ECO PRO is never going to be a silver bullet for fuel economy, especially as a lot of variables are outside of the car or driver's control, but to most people who are trying to get some economy out, its a good feature to have, i'm a fan of it.
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05-08-2012, 12:24 PM | #26 | |
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You'll have to do better than low 60's. HighlandPete |
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05-08-2012, 01:04 PM | #27 | |
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05-08-2012, 01:39 PM | #28 | |
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As we know, many drivers will be reporting mid 40's for the 118d and 120d, but what you are returning shows just what is possible, and Eco-Pro is part of the package for getting top mpg. HighlandPete |
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05-08-2012, 02:08 PM | #29 | ||
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Personally I don't like the 'elastic' dull feel of the throttle in Eco-Pro. I like a constant and pretty tight throttle response in any vehicle. Plus being used to a 330d and previously a 540i (V8 4.4-litre), instant response is normal, but highly controllable. Even for cruising, where I've never found cruise control more economical than feathering the throttle. I do believe BMW have made massive strides in getting driver awareness in their ED featured cars, now they are in a very clever way educating drivers on how economy can be achieved, by giving options. The industry knows that driver education and training is the best way to improve mpg efficiency, well documented in studies. Clearly BMW are on the education path. They speak in some data of giving driver feedback and recommendations on driving style. All very subtle really, but key to getting more mpg. Quote:
I'm sure it will also help drivers to really understand that speed costs heavy on fuel economy. Gets away from the often quoted opinion. "My car does the same mpg, however I drive it" nonsense. HighlandPete |
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05-09-2012, 01:42 AM | #30 |
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05-09-2012, 02:54 AM | #31 | |
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The 66 figure came from a run down the M1 motorway from Bradford to Silverstone and back. I've no idea what MPGs i got out of the single seater open wheel racing car i was driving at silverstone though. lol. On average 30 to 35 blue bones miles is to be expected from my 116i.
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06-22-2015, 05:30 AM | #32 |
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Why even buy a BMW if you your going to drive it like a nanny.
I hate sloppy steering which Eco Pro has so I never use Eco Pro.
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06-22-2015, 10:16 AM | #33 |
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ECO PRO is fine most of the time in daily routines. However, i've had bad experiences like in overtakes and getting in on the highway because I expected more power delivery.
It's good for mpgs, because most of the time it's a challegnge to get as much of bonus miles as possible! |
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06-22-2015, 05:14 PM | #34 |
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+1 on the whale breaching. Eco Pro is not possible to use with the traffic I navigate - if I/the car hesitate I loose.
Eco Pro will save you nothing at constant speed over Comfort - except by turning down the AC for you a bit.
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06-23-2015, 02:48 AM | #35 |
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Eco Pro is Fab
In my opinion, Eco Pro is marvellous, brilliant in fact....it takes all the economy oriented, dynamics inhibiting, freude am fahren (joy of driving) limiting, reasons-for-buying-the-car destroying set points and collects them all together into a single button push that you can assiduously avoid using for the lifetime of the car.
At best Eco Pro will save you a couple of miles per gallon, while frustrating the hell out you by providing all the dynamics of a 1996 518 with worn piston rings and leaking valves. In Eco Pro you essentially waste the £25 - £38,000 you spent on your car in order to save 1/10,000th of that at each visit to the fuel pump. Driving 10,000 miles per year, a 5mpg improvement will net you about £150 p.a savings or 0.5% of the average purchase price. Eco Pro literally ruins the responsiveness of a BMW and is there to fulfil government rules and regulations. Eco Pro completely negates the reason for buying a BMW. As I said at the beginning, what makes it brilliant is that all those performance destroying set points are collected together in 1 button that you don't need push....leaving the rest of the car's performance pristine and a joy to use |
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06-23-2015, 03:24 AM | #36 | |
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I cannot believe how paranoid are some people over saving a miserable dollar with a miserable preforming car in Eco Pro.
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06-23-2015, 04:30 PM | #37 |
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The thing is that Eco Pro makes the car cheaper to buy in the first place, since the car scores better in the official test for CO2 emissions. During daily driving I see no point in using it. I hardly use Sport or Sport+ either. It is mostly Comfort or DSC Off for me.
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06-23-2015, 10:23 PM | #38 |
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These short distance/perfect condition results are worthless. Next time you fill up, reset and see what your REAL mpg will amount to. People doing long highway trips will obviously get better mpg.
My M135i also did 42mpg over 37miles - once...
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06-24-2015, 02:48 AM | #39 |
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REALLY GUYS
If you want economy, you should have bought a Hyundai i10 or something like it. Why do we buy BMW. To drive a BMW. It should only come in Sport and Sport+ modes. The only reason BMW had to put the Eco mode in was to get the Co2 emissions under the threshold and get the lowest MPG/L per 100k for the green tick. The past few models from BMW were fairly ordinary (M excluded)when it can to driver enjoyment. Finally BMW saw the light and gave us these new engines and drive trains. So lets enjoy them. Don't get me wrong, the choice is up to you, but given the heritage, I think the Mode switch should be left in Sport. |
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06-25-2015, 02:01 AM | #40 |
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In our F20, the only thing that changes in Sport, is the throttle mapping, and I find it better in Comfort. You only have half the pedal in Sport, and it makes it less precise. The performance is just as good in Comfort, and you have more control over the car. And for fun driving, you want DSC Off, which leaves the throttle mapping in Comfort anyway.
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06-25-2015, 10:23 AM | #41 |
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New member here. This is an interesting discussion. I experimented, on my daily commute, between eco pro and comfort driving at the speed limit, and noted a difference of around 5mpg average over the journey.
I don't mind the throttle response on eco pro so much as it tends to provide enough power for most situations. Comfort puts the car on par to most other cars on the road. Although, I have a 120d so the throttle mapping and response would be different. |
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06-25-2015, 11:04 AM | #42 | |
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My favourite for backroads was responsive throttle and gearbox combined with Comfort chassis to absorb the bumps and give a degree of roll to let the tyres weight up nicely. |
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06-26-2015, 12:44 AM | #43 | ||
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Great thread you've started Kiwi! For me I am enjoying putting our current car through the 4 driving modes we have - for me Eco Pro has its place when in traffic and tootling round the back roads with no time constraints - it's great that BMW have dedicated such effort to make it easier to save some money and the planet in the process! Although I have to admit HighlandPete is right - you can get almost the same effect by simply modulating the right slipper more effectively!! Also - I'm talking about an X5 M50d in Eco Pro - I'd imagine a 116i in Eco pro would be a different proposition and not the best model for the feature... |
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06-26-2015, 03:01 AM | #44 | |
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I'll be driving our 220i over the weekend.
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