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Ultimate AWD Sports Sedans

855 messages,  Last post on Feb 08, 2012 at 8:57 AM

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What is this discussion about? BMW 3 Series, Audi A4, Volvo S60 R, Subaru Legacy, Audi S4, Mazda MAZDASPEED MAZDA6, Sedan

Messages Page 82 of 86

#808 of 855 Re: BMW AWD rocks. End of story. Period. [xeye] by shipo

Jan 12, 2009 (5:03 pm)

Replying to: xeye (Jan 12, 2009 4:50 pm)
Also, check out the right oil. I use Castrol Synthetic 5W-30.
 
Please be advised that Castrol Syntec 5W-30 DOES NOT meet the necessary oil specifications required for any BMW built since at least the late 1990s. Running that oil is a recipe for a sludged engine and a refusal from your dealership/BMW for warranty repairs if/when the engine fails. The only Castrol Syntec that meets the BMW LongLife-98 and LongLife-01 oil specifications (equired for every gasoline powered BMW sold this decade is Syntec 0W-30. That said, you can buy a Castrol produced oil under the BMW label from your dealership that is in fact a 5W-30, but make no mistake, that is NOT the same oil as is in the Castrol Syntec 5W-30 bottle.
 
For all who buy their own oil, the only two generally available LL-01 oils sold here in the U.S. are Mobil 1 0W-40 and Castrol Syntec 0W-30.
 
Best regards,
Shipo

#809 of 855 Re: BMW AWD rocks. End of story. Period. [xeye] by shipo

Jan 12, 2009 (5:21 pm)

Replying to: xeye (Jan 12, 2009 4:59 pm)
Ummm, well it doesn't actually work that way. While it is true that he engine control systems weigh the intake charge and inject the appropriate amount of fuel into it, it is not true that your engine gets worse winter time mileage for that reason. In theory, your engine will ingest the exact same amount of air by weight (and then inject the exact same amount of fuel as a result) per produced horsepower-hour, winter or summer. Said another way, denser air does not automatically equate to lower fuel economy.
 
The most common reason why engines deliver lower fuel economy in the winter is that fuel doesn't as easily vaporize in a very cold intake charge as it does in a warm or hot intake charge, and as such, the engine needs to run a tad richer to make sure the burn inside the cylinders is properly controlled. That said, depending upon how the intake is setup, turbocharged engines have the ability to negate the cold air/poor vaporization thing by relying on the warming effect the turbocharger(s) create by compressing the intake charge. Back in the 1980s I had a non-intercooled turbocharged car that actually got better fuel economy on the highway in the winter months, in fact, the best mileage it ever got was driving across Nebraska at something like ten degrees below zero.
 
The question here is, "Does the 335i bypass the intercooler when the intake charge is cold and the engine is being operated at partial throttle?" Answer: I don't know for sure, but I kind of doubt it, that would be a lot of plumbing.
 
Taken from a different perspective, Audi, with its FSI style engines that inject the fuel directly into the hot combustion chamber, is now producing cars that vary little winter vs. summer with regards to fuel economy.
 
Best regards,
Shipo

#810 of 855 Re: BMW AWD rocks. End of story. Period. [investor27] by ateixeira

Jan 13, 2009 (12:13 pm)

Replying to: investor27 (Jan 12, 2009 12:47 pm)
Diesels are totally different. We shouldn't even group turbo-diesels with gas turbos when we discuss forced induction.

#811 of 855 Re: BMW AWD rocks. End of story. Period. [shipo] by krzyss

Jan 13, 2009 (1:34 pm)

Replying to: shipo (Jan 12, 2009 5:21 pm)
One thing that was not mentioned is that winter gas and summer gas have different formulations and simply winter gas has less energy per volume than summer flavour.
AFAIK
 
Krzys

#812 of 855 Re: BMW AWD rocks. End of story. Period. [krzyss] by shipo

Jan 13, 2009 (1:48 pm)

Replying to: krzyss (Jan 13, 2009 1:34 pm)
My understanding is that the seasonal formulations vary by region. I did a little studying on this a couple of years back when E10 first made its appearance here in New England, and IIRC, the formulation here in the Boston area is the same year round.
 
Anybody with more recent information?
 
Best regards,
Shipo

#813 of 855 Re: BMW AWD rocks. End of story. Period. [shipo] by ateixeira

Jan 14, 2009 (10:24 am)

Replying to: shipo (Jan 13, 2009 1:48 pm)
Same here in MD.
 
At first it varied by the time of year, but now we use E10 year-round. No change in the formula seasonally any more.

#814 of 855 by richt5

Jan 20, 2009 (2:00 pm)

I have 2 2006 mazda 6's ,a 2.3 i4 gt and a gt speed6.The fuel mileage difference between the 2 --- summer vs winter is about the same. Its 2 miles per gallon better in the summer. I watch mileage very carefully . This is real would driving . The biggest difference I have found is between gas brands ----- I know you wouldnt think so. I have found Shell to be the most inconsistent , sometimes 3 miles to the gallon less --- remember 2 cars , same conditions , same drivers and accurate calculations. Political concerns aside , Citgo is the most consistent. So turbo vs non turbo , 2 very similar cars (for this test) , the turbo still uses a little more gas in cold weather as does the non turbo. Buy the way both cars are great. thanks . I hope this offers some clarity to the subject.

#815 of 855 Re: [richt5] by ateixeira

Feb 03, 2009 (12:24 pm)

Replying to: richt5 (Jan 20, 2009 2:00 pm)
Both sedans?
 
Interesting to own the same car twice, despite major differences in the powertrains.

#816 of 855 Re: [ateixeira] by waygrabow

Apr 18, 2009 (7:31 pm)

Replying to: ateixeira (Feb 03, 2009 12:24 pm)
I sold my MazdaSpeed6 last Fall; then drove our 03 Audi A4; now drive our 09 A4. That MazdaSpeed6 was a lot of car for the money. I still miss it, but it encouraged me to get speeding tickets. I got between 24-29 mpg with it. The regular Mazda6 is a nice car, but I doubt if it drives the same.
 
The A4 is a nice car but more bland. An automatic transmission just doesn't get me involved in the driving process; so I treat it like an appliance, with little urge to "push" it.
 

Messages Page 82 of 86

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