Don't buy a BMW?

[repoman0]

I don’t know about you, but I was lucky to get 16mpg in my E46 M3...still miss that engine.

I've actually managed to hit 24 over a tank or two on a road trip. But otherwise everything about the engine makes it impossible to not constantly wind it all the way out and kill any semblance of decent fuel economy. The sound and response when it's sitting at 4k rpm ... how can anyone shift at that point like a normal person?

The M54 isn't that different, but enough so that I basically always shift before 3-3.5k rpm. Probably would burn twice the oil if I didn't. It doesn't hurt that I barely trust it to not fall apart at redline, whereas the S54 sounds and feels like it's going to fall apart and/or take off (in a good way) but I know it won't.

 

[Yuriman]

For what it's worth, my Insight's engine doesn't burn a drop of oil between 10k mile changes. It only holds 2.6 quarts. 2.6 come out when I change it, and 2.6 go back in. I average between 60 and 85mpg.

I know it's apples to oranges, but I'm skeptical that BMW needs to burn oil to get 16mpg, whereas Honda can get 5x that without using a drop.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

For what it's worth, my Insight's engine doesn't burn a drop of oil between 10k mile changes. It only holds 2.6 quarts. 2.6 come out when I change it, and 2.6 go back in. I average between 60 and 85mpg.

I know it's apples to oranges, but I'm skeptical that BMW needs to burn oil to get 16mpg, whereas Honda can get 5x that without using a drop.

Depends on the Honda motor in question. They had some recalls for that too. *shrug*

But regardless of manufacturer, if you make a million basically-identical engines and some burn oil but most don't, there's probably a QC issue somewhere. (Premature wear from enthusiastic driving notwithstanding.)