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What? Walmart didnt make it!!!!!

2000 540i Sport in Houston, TX

Just another government funded scam on us

"Drive It Like You Stole It, A Sickness for Quickness"
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Snow's Performance Methanol/Water Injection
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///M5 3.15 LSD
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I knew that ...

Didn't make it clear in my post. Not sure what E85 costs at the pump (never seen it), but given noticeably less miles/gal ... circa 15-20% ... E85 is nobody's bargain.

Actually, the whole ethanol thing is a scam. You've got to be died-in-the-wool, can't see the forest for the trees, environmentalism uber alles to think ethanol is good for energy independence or the planet.

+1

Andreas
Queens NY
BMWCCA# 186796
86 325es (wrecked by careless driver)
87 325 (project for life)
00 540is 6spd (daily driver)

Re: One thing I found surprising is that BP doesn't...

"...with respect to its detergent additive treatment."

I suspect that there are OTHER areas in which they do NOT meet the requirements.

Wouldn't it be worth it? Pretty sure they can

Maybe they have to pay a fee.

Ed in San Jose. BMW CCA member since 1987 (Nr. 62319). Golden Gate Chapter. '97 540i 6 speed. Build Date 3/97. Aspensilber over Aubergine leather.

One thing I found surprising is that BP doesn't...

participate in the Top Tier Program...however, they do claim on their website that their premium fuel exceeds Top Tier requirements.

Here's what I found in the FAQ section of their website:

Q: Does Amoco Ultimate premium fuel meet the automakers’ “Top Tier” standard?

A: Amoco Ultimate premium fuels exceed Top Tier requirements with respect to its detergent additive treatment. BP believes that consumer interests are best served when the automotive and oil industries work cooperatively to determine the optimal mix of vehicle hardware and fuel standards.

Here's the link:Does Amoco Ultimate premium fuel meet the automakers’ “Top Tier” standard?

So my question is; if this claim is true...why wouldn't they participate in the program? I would think it would be advantageous for them to be on the list...would it not?

Vin

buy a stick next time 19mpg city winter M

20 city. Highway 30 mpg or higher

Jay Gans 2000 528 MT Non-sport.Titanium Silver, Grey Leather. Premium Package, Cold Weather, Fold down seats. Oct 99 production.ash try mod so not bone stock. CD changer. Garmin C510 Nav..Honda CH150D scooter

Euro, EVERYBODY lies about gas mileage >>

I suspect you don't use 10% ethanol as an oxygenate, like CA does. Also, gasoline (petrol?) is formulated for the climate, for the proper volatility.

A 10% mix will drop mileage by about 3%, I'm told, because ethanol has about 60% of the energy content of petrol.

Your smog laws will also drive the formulation. CA used to use MTBE, until it started showing up in ground water.

My car get 16-18 in mixed suburban driving (surface streets, freeway), and, on a trip at 70-80 MPH actual, 23-24 (calculated the old-fashioned way).

Highest octane in NorCal is 91 pump octane.
Ed in San Jose. BMW CCA member since 1987 (Nr. 62319). Golden Gate Chapter. '97 540i 6 speed. Build Date 3/97. Aspensilber over Aubergine leather.

wonder if european gas we use over here is any

different from all the North American petrols you guys use? I use Total 98 (don't let the number 98 confuse you, iirc, the 98 here is equiv to the 93 over on your side). Still, I wonder if our petrol is formulated of any significant difference that it might affect the car either short and/or long term in some way---in a positive and/or negative way?

My '96 528i seems to like the Total 98 here, as it idles, accelerates, and runs overall quite well. But concerning gas mileage, around town and city driving, my old girl loves to drink the gas. At times, I seem to get worse town/city gas mileage than many of you V8 owners----if the numbers from you light-footed, granny driving V8 bitties are to be believed (haha). And, yes, before you grannies squak & wheeze, around town/city I am mostly in sport-mode on my automatic, so that might be why I get the same mileage as you V8 owners. Still, let the dogs loose more often, for crying out loud!!

But, that said, on the autobahn, in non-sport mode with the 5-spd overdrive on my 2.86 diff (which means I have very few dogs to let loose, lol), I have gotten, while cruising between 110-140kmph, between 800-900kms on one tank of petrol. I think that is pretty awesome.

Eurodavid

Methanol feedstock is petroleum-based. >>

In CA, we have no choice; all gasoline has "up to" 10% ethanol, as an oxygenate. I don't notice any performance problems, but, hey, the car has always run on it. How would I notice?

Not sure about ethanol causing fuel pump failures. My guess is that "value engineering", and the accompanying cheapening of parts is causing it.
Ed in San Jose. BMW CCA member since 1987 (Nr. 62319). Golden Gate Chapter. '97 540i 6 speed. Build Date 3/97. Aspensilber over Aubergine leather.

Our cars may not digest E10, either

The tech advice author for "Roundel," Mike Miller, wrote a few months ago that an increasing number of recent BMWs have in-tank fuel pump failures. This may be due to ethanol. I always look for 100 percent gasoline, but it is impossible to find in some towns.

The owner's manual for my 1981 320i specifically warns to not use gasohol. Some of you, ahem, mature drivers may recall that we tried this alcohol BS 30 years ago. Back then it was methanol. I can't recall what the feed stock was, but it was not corn.

Re: Top Tier Gasoline...

The best gas is the freshest and cheapest. Buy from a high volume station. 91 at least, 94 when I can get it. Local no-name has 94 for same as 91. I've been working on engines for my entire adult life. I've never seen evidence of a problem directly related to fuel deposits. Most of the engines I've seen that had any crud on the valves had bad valve seals or were driven very gently. Driving your BMW like it was intended to be driven will keep everything nice and clean. RT

Our cars are not designed to digest E85 >>

only "flex-fuel" vehicles can. E85 will eat up the fuel system.
Ed in San Jose. BMW CCA member since 1987 (Nr. 62319). Golden Gate Chapter. '97 540i 6 speed. Build Date 3/97. Aspensilber over Aubergine leather.

All true ...

Takes longer to warm up and the incoming air charge is always going to be cold resulting in richer mixture. The cats take a bit longer to fire up and do their magic, as determined by the O2 sensors. All leading to lower mileage.

So maybe the combination of E10 and winter conditions is giving me the reduced mileage. It used to run from 29.5 summer to 27.5 winter. Now more like 28.7 and 27, probably just due to the reduced thermal efficiency of E10. Thank God I don't have to endure E85.

Same 10% ethanol here in MA too, When I was in PA(

I saw a local station advertising No Ethanol. I had just filled up before I passed that station. Next time I'll have to give it a try.

I have used Costco premium fuel, no issues.......

I will put a bottle of Techron fuel treatment in on occasion, but not sure if that helps.
2002 540 6 speed, Steel Blue/Black interior, totally loaded with every option, and now with built in Stealth One/Valentine 1. 18" Staggared Privat wheels. I am loving the power again!

2003 525iT, Silver/Black, non-sport, 18" Staggered BBS RC wheels. T boned and traded away.

2000 540 6 speed, Biarritz Blue/Sand, M5 shifter, XM Radio Valentine One/Stealth One hardwired in, 17" style 5 wheels
Sold but never fogotten.

2001 525i, stock, sold

[IMG]][IMG]

You'll tend to get poorer mileage in colder>>

weather because the engine heats up more slowly.

If you believe what the site says, these fuel suppliers are "blessed" by many automotive manufacturers.

My neighbor's family ran a fuel distribution service. All the gasoline came out of the same tanks. The difference was that each brand of gas was specified to have a particular additive package added to the fuel as it was pumped into the tanker truck. My neighbor said that, for instance, ARCO used a minimum package; Union 76 used a full package.

I've used Union 76 in all my fuel-injected cars, and have never had a clogged injector. I never use any cleaning additives (Techron, etc). Go figure.

CA uses 10% ethanol as an oxygenator, to control emissions. That concentration is safe for every car currently on the road. E85 requires fuel system materials that is designed for that concentration. Think flex fuel vehicle.
Ed in San Jose. BMW CCA member since 1987 (Nr. 62319). Golden Gate Chapter. '97 540i 6 speed. Build Date 3/97. Aspensilber over Aubergine leather.

on Shell 93, my car idles better in cold weather m

& get about 1mpg higher in city in all year round and I no longer use
techron as car runs great w/o it

Jay Gans 2000 528 MT Non-sport.Titanium Silver, Grey Leather. Premium Package, Cold Weather, Fold down seats. Oct 99 production.ash try mod so not bone stock. CD changer. Garmin C510 Nav..Honda CH150D scooter