Ragging an E500

[KevinF]

The new-to-me '07 E500 saloon had its first *proper* drive today from Hungerford to Bristol and back, mostly on the M4.

Picked it up last weekend but with work intervening and the nice surprise of the electrical collapse of the battery a day after collection requiring the intervention of the household wallet, today was the first opportunity for a decent run.

Maybe I'm not the kind of driver to own a 5.4 V8, but with my cloth cap on and patented ear pusher-outers installed, at a cruise-control moderated and indicated 61 mph the trip computer bragged of 37.1 mpg out and 36.4 coming back (the return is uphill).

Grunt is most emphatically there if I want it, but in pipe and slippers mode the E is really quite remarkable. I was expecting mid 20s tops, but there you go.

The 7 seater '95 W124 300D 24V diesel on which I have lavished a probably very unwise amount of money to bring up to spec will be advertised during the week.

 

[gIzzE]

And this is why I don't get big V6 diesels.

If you want a big car with plenty of grunt there is so little in it between diesel and petrol.

 

[c_200k]

I can fully agree here

I've just traded in my 2011 740d for an E63

MPG on the 740d was a shocking 19 and currently on the E63 its 12.

Big petrol V8's all the way

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

...at a cruise-control moderated and indicated 61 mph the trip computer bragged of 37.1 mpg out and 36.4 coming back...

Wow, that's incredible. I get excited when I see 37mpg on my A6 diesel!

 

[E55BOF]

"Big petrol V8's all the way"

Oh yesssssssss.

 

[KillerHERTZ]

Was that the average for the whole trip? Or did you reset it on the move and see that number?

 

[boxbrownie]

MPG on the 740d was a shocking 19

Really? That's strange, my mate who runs a private hire service was given a 740D for a few weeks while his 730LD was repaired (timing chain snapped at 280K miles) and he was getting much the same as his 730 on runs in and out of London......about 37mpg......I am stunned at your returns

 

[renault12ts]

And this is why I don't get big V6 diesels.

If you want a big car with plenty of grunt there is so little in it between diesel and petrol.

If I set the CC on my big diesel to 61mph on a long journey I will see mid 50s...which is on the order of 50% more MPG.

Having said that, a change in direction means I am now looking for the big V8.:bannana:

 

[KevinF]

Was that the average for the whole trip? Or did you reset it on the move and see that number?

Good question. Photo below taken by my passenger while we sat at the lights at the end of the M32 in Bristol city centre.

I did reset, but about 20 yds from my house, so no, it wasn't quite the whole trip including start and reverse from driveway. Near as dammit it though. 37.1 had been showing seconds before and I'd got so excited that my pal couldn't get the shot fast enough for laughing.

36.4 on the return included start from cold, finding way out of Cabot Circus car park, and negotiating thick traffic back to M4 where cloth cap and sticky-out ears 61 mph cruise was resumed.

 

[sharps]

Who buys a 5.4 v8 to cruise at indicated 61mph (more like 55) :lol:

 

[c_200k]

Really? That's strange, my mate who runs a private hire service was given a 740D for a few weeks while his 730LD was repaired (timing chain snapped at 280K miles) and he was getting much the same as his 730 on runs in and out of London......about 37mpg......I am stunned at your returns

Well I suppose all situations are different

Thats was my weekly average over 6 months

When I drove it back down to London and I reset before I set off I was getting 36-37.

I don't do motorway driving and thats most likely why it was so low and also why I traded it in.

It's a bloody good all round and perfect for motorway cruising plenty of torque etc.

 

[developer]

Having said that, a change in direction means I am now looking for the big V8.:bannana:

Whoa - you're not opening the wallet are you C?

Do tell us more...

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

KevinF, 37mpg from a big petrol V8 sounds quite impressive! It's what my I6 3.2 litre diesel gets at about 80mph with cruise control on.

If I drive an indicated 56mph with cruise on, the car will often reach about 50mpg, but how often does one feel like doing that speed?

What mpg would the big petrol v8 get at 70 or 80 mph with cruise on? And what's the worst mpg you get when not driving like miss daisy?

 

[KevinF]

He he. Miss Daisy. My wife is now going to refer to me thus hereafter.

I have no idea what it will do at *less temperate* speeds. Too early in my life with it to know. ISTR the prevous owner claimed 30+ cruising at the legal limit.

 

[cp3377]

He he. Miss Daisy. My wife is now going to refer to me thus hereafter. I have no idea what it will do at *less temperate* speeds. Too early in my life with it to know. ISTR the prevous owner claimed 30+ cruising at the legal limit.

Congrats on a great choice of car! Equally at home pottering about or annoying people who think that an ordinary-looking E-Class shouldn't be keeping up or overtaking them... I used to get 26-28 at 75-80. The gearing means you're still only doing about 1800rpm at 80 so the engine is barely breathing at that speed.