I'm curious to hear what kind of gas mileage you 6MT drivers get, and what rpm you typically choose to shift at.

328 hp and ~270 lb feet of peak torque is pretty respectable, but it seems you have to rev the engine pretty high to even begin to feel the power.

I'm getting rid of my leased 335 6MT this spring for something I plan to buy and keep awhile that gives me a warmer fuzzy for reliability as opposed to my oil and coolant burning 335 with 35000 miles. Unfortunately, that car has me spoiled with the 300 ft lb of torque starting at 1500 rpm. I break the rear tires (or should I say "tire" with that open rear diff) loose when shifting as low as 5000 rpm; but I still consistently get between 25 and 26 mpg.

Test driving the G 6MT - the car doesn't seem to come alive until 5000 rpm.
Test driving the TL SHAWD 6MT - car seems to be geared a little taller and have better acceleration across the rev range - but the G seems quieter and a little more refined for significantly less MSRP.

I suspect I could get mileage in the mid 20s with the G if I continue shifting at 5000, but then I'd rarely experience the car's full potential.

Anyway, I'd appreciate any and all comments - especially from any G Sport 6MT owner who switched from a 335. Prior to the 335, I've had a Maxima with the VQ30 and Prelude VTEC - so I think I'd probably find myself back in the habit of wringing the car out to enjoy it...just wondering how much worse my mileage might potentially get when/if I get the G37 next spring.

 

I consistently get 19ish, and I shift around 2.5-3k.

 

I generally shift at 3000 rpm and average 22 mpg after 26,000 miles with 40/60 city/highway driving. I click over 3 years in April '10.

 

I drive 90% city and the rest highway, and usually shift 3-4 rpm and get 16-17mpg, not the greatest of mpgs.. Drove my friend's 330ci 01 with the same commute for a week and same driving habits and got 22 mpg..

 

So, you shift your BMW at 5000 most of the time and still get 25mpg? I find that hard to believe. I rarely shift higher than 3.5-4K and I get 22-24. My driving is exactly opposite of the guy above me, mine is 90% highway.

 

335i gets unbelievably better gas mileage than our cars....i suggest you stick with your 335....i hate to say it and may get flamed for it but im not going to beat around the bush...if you get this car its a downgrade.... stick with what you got.

 

Texasscout is correct. My "normal" driving shift point is around 3-4k rpm; but I take it up over 5K at least 2-4 times a day on my commute, depending on whether I'm the first one on the on ramp...

My commute is 26 miles one way, with about 4-5 of that city. I run in the low 25's mpg in the winter, and high 25's in the summer, with the occasional 26.x in the spring or fall (when the a/c isn't running).

Firozu brings out the crux of my quandary: For driving enjoyment, I agree the G37 and similar ilk (Acura, Lexus) bought for reliability over BMW won't bring what the BMW brings, especially in terms of usable horsepower at low rpms and great gas mileage for the power with DI and turbocharging. I'm still wrestling in my mind whether buying a Japanese sports sedan for long term reliable ownership (7-10 years) is worth the cost and the tradeoff vs. keeping the bimmer. My buyout option is about $28K. Even if the burning oil and coolant means out of warranty major engine repair before 100K miles, it might still not cost as much as the difference between 28K and the price of a new G37... Since my wife is due for a car ~2012, our financial planning would require keeping the BMW for at least another 6 years, which is a little worrisome for ownership costs. I also don't like BMW's CBM system that allows resets only at the "stealership". Hence, why I'm leaning toward Infiniti or Acura....

I suppose I could take the 10K I save over buying new now, invest it; and if my engine blows up, let the dealer have the BMW for trade-in value minus repair costs, add my 10K to that, and buy a new replacement at that point...but it wouldn't likely be a new G37 -we'd probably be talking Civic SI...depending on the returns on the 10K investment, of course...

 

you guys don't drive it very hard then, i get ~16 shifting at 3-4000k. i bring it right up to 7 a lot tho.

 

terrible/redline. =P



But in all seriousness.... the G's are definitely not gas savers. You sound like a person who drives like me. I push my car and its been taken care of but i average 15 mpg city. Do not do much Highway anymore so i couldnt tell you there.

 

I drove over 200 miles round trip last week and I am only averaging 24mpg. average speed was around 75-80mph and 90% highway. shift around 3k-4k rpm with some occasional redline. Don't expect to get anything over 25mpg with this car. I tried but still have not reached it yet.

 

I wring about 24 mpg on winter gas and 25-26 mpg on summer gas, and frequently shift between 6 and 7k because that is where the engine likes to be (and it is obviously more fun). This observation applies to speeds of 65 to 70 mph, mpgs start to drop at faster speeds. I drive probably 20% city/80% highway on my 35 mi. commute to work. Maybe could get better if I slowed down?

My experience is that mileage depends more on how you brake and coast than jackrabbit starts/shift RPMs. With the mt you can coast down hills to get rid of engine drag and coast to lights (put in neutral, dont keep clutch constantly depressed because this wears the throw out bearing). Speed up before coasting downhill (since the engine is idling, the faster you go the less the idle time is). At long lights I shut the engine off (like a hybrid). Apply brakes as little as possible because they dissipate your gas money as heat. I roll through stop signs at 5 - 10 mph if there is clearly no oncoming traffic. Check the "hypermiling" threads in this forum for more info.

 

Power on the G37 comes "alive" around 3500 rpms and pulls hard to redline. Torque is nothing like what your used to in the 335. Fuel economy is better in the 335i too. I would never give up a 335i for a G. I loved the 335i, but could not justify the extra $10K for more torque slightly better fuel economy. I also like having a mechanical LSD vs. the electronic one in the 335i.

 

...now imagine if you chose to splurge once on a 335i lease deal. Now you're at the end of your lease and have to decide whether you want a 3 year old 335i for 10K less than a new G, but that burns oil and coolant. ...and note whatever the decision, you will likely have to live with it for the next 6-7 years.

In the 2007 335i, the "electronic LSD" is essentially braking the spinning wheel and cutting power. It is actually quite frustrating, because you can't put all the power down in 1st or 2nd in most conditions. Turn off the DTC, and you get one wheel smoking... You have to go M in the BMW if you want a true locking differential that doesn't involve cutting power.

Since I've chosen to buy new in 2010, I'm in the same boat as the above poster, just after having rented a 335i for a few years first. Since 2007, the MSRP of a 335i equipped exactly like mine has increased almost $5000 (they decontented the base 335 which hides the actual increase in price). The G has gone up too, but not as much. So, in 2010, it appears the price difference is closer to 12K. I can't justify that difference. The truth is, I couldn't justify the lease decision in 2007, either; but I could afford it, and chose to splurge (every auto enthusiast needs to have a BMW at least once in their lives, right?). This time around, I'd rather not splurge, and put the savings where they can do my family more good over the long run.

 

I can get 23.4 in summer with AC off, short shifting 2-4-6, coasting where possible, anticipating traffic and lights ahead. i don't turn car off at lights tho. Driving like this is not fun. my G does not like to be short shifted. It shifts more smoothly around 3000-3500rpm.

If I relax and don't focus on mpg, and shift 3-3500rpm and basically enjoy the drive, i get 21.5mpg.

In winter mileage is less, probably due to burning more fuel while engine takes longer to reach operating temp.

 

My 2003 G35 (MT6) got me 26-27 on the highway if i kept it under 75. 75+ and it was closer to 23-24.

As for your choice - sorry to hear of your coolant/oil issues with the 335. My 2007 was rock solid, and got 29-30mpg on the highway at 75.

I was in your shoes last fall - 335 lease up soon, the new 335 price is way up from '07 levels. There are some great G37 deals out there (esp if you want the 7 spd auto). However, I stumbled across a program 335, loaded, and surprisingly, in MT for a great discount, so I signed up for another 3 years with the Roundel.

Enjoy your G - will likely be my next car if the prices from Munich continue their climb.