how far can you drive bmw without stopping?

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> it's a fair question, i think. could someone point me in the right
> direction?
>
> i'm gonna be moving home for good. it's a 12.5 hour drive (roughly 850
> miles). so, i'd like to know if there's a recommended way of handling
> the drive.
>
> i have a 1999 323i.
>
> if this has been covered somewhere else already, could you post the
> link here please? or you could directly email me:
>
> Thanks.
>

Check all the fluids and tyres thoroughly.

Get a good night's sleep beforehand (although better IMHO to split the trip
over two days).

The UK TV program managed to drive and Audi A8 diesel from London to
Edinburgh and back (~800miles) on a tankful, but this probably means
cruising at 56mph (90kmph), which makes for even more time behind the wheel.

> Check all the fluids and tyres thoroughly.
>
> Get a good night's sleep beforehand (although better IMHO to split the trip
> over two days).
>
> The UK TV program managed to drive and Audi A8 diesel from London to
> Edinburgh and back (~800miles) on a tankful, but this probably means
> cruising at 56mph (90kmph), which makes for even more time behind the wheel.


doesn't matter how fast or slow you go, if you can keep the car at a
good pace burning less petrol you'll be fine.

It shows on the economic display under the speedo

"ggslash" > wrote in message
ps.com...
>
>> Check all the fluids and tyres thoroughly.
>>
>> Get a good night's sleep beforehand (although better IMHO to split the
>> trip
>> over two days).
>>
>> The UK TV program managed to drive and Audi A8 diesel from London to
>> Edinburgh and back (~800miles) on a tankful, but this probably means
>> cruising at 56mph (90kmph), which makes for even more time behind the
>> wheel.
>
>
> doesn't matter how fast or slow you go, if you can keep the car at a
> good pace burning less petrol you'll be fine.
>
> It shows on the economic display under the speedo
>
Yes it does.

The most economic speed is normally 56mph. On big BMW's the auto boxes
change up into top at this speed in part because this is the speed that EU
consumption figures are given for.

If you go slower a lower gear will be selected, giving more revs and higher
consumption.

If you go faster then you just use more fuel.

Interestingly on the 735i that I had cruise control on, it used to do better
with cruise set than with me holding a steady speed with the accelerator.

In article >,
Richard Sexton > wrote:
> This depends more on your bladder than the car. It doesn't need to stop.

I doubt a 323 will do 850 miles without re-fuelling.

--
*Life is hard; then you nap

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

thanks everyone, for posting ;-)
turns out- i'm *terrible* at articulating a question.
gas/petrol prices, gas mileage, stops for gas, stops for breaks, etc
weren't even my concern(s).

every car has got a capacity, right? a capacity that says 'ok, it can
go only so far/long (distance-wise and time-wise) before it needs a
solid break'. that's the capacity i was talking about when i was
talking about my 99 323i ;-) it's an old car, has 78K on it, and is
generally well maintained, but y'know, i've never taken on such a long
trip before, so i thought i'd ask. i guess a 900-mile trip is nothing.

thanks again for sharing your experiences and adding your thoughts to
my concern. i definitely feel much better now ;-)

btw, go through this link when you get a chance (i'm sure it's been
posted elsewhere too, but it still gave me a kick; there was another
link on bbc that i can't find now- that's even funnier, htis one is
ok):
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main...portaltop.html

-A

ggslash wrote:
> > Check all the fluids and tyres thoroughly.
> >
> > Get a good night's sleep beforehand (although better IMHO to split the trip
> > over two days).
> >
> > The UK TV program managed to drive and Audi A8 diesel from London to
> > Edinburgh and back (~800miles) on a tankful, but this probably means
> > cruising at 56mph (90kmph), which makes for even more time behind the wheel.
>
>
> doesn't matter how fast or slow you go, if you can keep the car at a
> good pace burning less petrol you'll be fine.
>
> It shows on the economic display under the speedo

>every car has got a capacity, right? a capacity that says 'ok, it can
>go only so far/long (distance-wise and time-wise) before it needs a
>solid break'.

Other cars can be like that. German cars are designed to keep going.


--
Need Mercedes parts? http://parts.mbz.org
Richard Sexton | Mercedes stuff: http://mbz.org
1970 280SE, 72 280SE | Home pages: http://rs79.vrx.net
633CSi 250SE/C 300SD | http://aquaria.net http://killi.net

> wrote in message
ups.com...
> thanks everyone, for posting ;-)
> turns out- i'm *terrible* at articulating a question.
> gas/petrol prices, gas mileage, stops for gas, stops for breaks, etc
> weren't even my concern(s).
>
> every car has got a capacity, right? a capacity that says 'ok, it can
> go only so far/long (distance-wise and time-wise) before it needs a
> solid break'. that's the capacity i was talking about when i was
> talking about my 99 323i ;-) it's an old car, has 78K on it, and is
> generally well maintained, but y'know, i've never taken on such a long
> trip before, so i thought i'd ask. i guess a 900-mile trip is nothing.
>
> thanks again for sharing your experiences and adding your thoughts to
> my concern. i definitely feel much better now ;-)
>
> btw, go through this link when you get a chance (i'm sure it's been
> posted elsewhere too, but it still gave me a kick; there was another
> link on bbc that i can't find now- that's even funnier, htis one is
> ok):
>

BMW's almost uniquely have a little indicator that tells you when it needs a
service (and what sort). Driven gently you can go ~15,000 miles before the
orange light comes on.

> wrote
> every car has got a capacity, right? a capacity that says 'ok, it can
> go only so far/long (distance-wise and time-wise) before it needs a
> solid break'.

No, not really. It's acutally the driver who needs a "solid break," not the
car. Casual hwy driving is very easy on a car and it can pretty much go on
forever if not for the fact that you need to add gas, use a restroom, or
feed yourself. The startup of a cold engine is what generates the biggest
wear and tear.


> that's the capacity i was talking about when i was
> talking about my 99 323i ;-) it's an old car, has 78K on it, and is
> generally well maintained,

Ehh.. it's not really that old and 78K miles is nothing if it was well
maintained like you said it was. Enjoy the drive.

Cheers,

Pete

In article >,
says...

> The most economic speed is normally 56mph. On big BMW's the auto boxes
> change up into top at this speed in part because this is the speed that EU
> consumption figures are given for.
>
> If you go slower a lower gear will be selected, giving more revs and higher
> consumption.
>
> If you go faster then you just use more fuel.
>
> Interestingly on the 735i that I had cruise control on, it used to do better
> with cruise set than with me holding a steady speed with the accelerator.
>

I have a '98 Z3, 2.8 litre 5-speed. 55 - 65 mph in 5th gear, cruise
control and top down highway driving gives me 25 to 26 mpg. 75 to 85
mph, same conditions gives me 28.5 to 30 mpg.

"perry lee" > wrote in message
. ..
> In article >,
> says...
>
>> The most economic speed is normally 56mph. On big BMW's the auto boxes
>> change up into top at this speed in part because this is the speed that
>> EU
>> consumption figures are given for.
>>
>> If you go slower a lower gear will be selected, giving more revs and
>> higher
>> consumption.
>>
>> If you go faster then you just use more fuel.
>>
>> Interestingly on the 735i that I had cruise control on, it used to do
>> better
>> with cruise set than with me holding a steady speed with the accelerator.
>>
>
> I have a '98 Z3, 2.8 litre 5-speed. 55 - 65 mph in 5th gear, cruise
> control and top down highway driving gives me 25 to 26 mpg. 75 to 85
> mph, same conditions gives me 28.5 to 30 mpg.

Interesting. My '97 Z3, 2.8 5-speed averaged 30 to 32 mpg at 55~65 and
about 28 to 29 mpg at 75~85. Are you measuring actual miles driven divided
by gallons used, or are you relying on the OBC?

Tom K.