::.. Chip back to stock for winter?

[Qube]

Snow is falling... gas prices rising... MPG going down the toilet with stop and go traffic...

Should one swap back to stock chip for winter driving where both fuel economy and power is wasted?

77 litre tank isn't cheap to fill, especially when all the torque in the world is lost crawling off the line because of the snow.

[632 Regal]

I dont know where you live but 93 is 8¢ a gal more than crap fuel, I'd rather burn cleaner fuel anyways.

PS Mark hasnt made a working chip for the 530iA yet but I voted anyways.

[Incantation]

well the power difference is marginal really.. it's there but not enough to warrant swapping back for the winter

i get better mileage with the EAT too i think

[pundit]

Theorectically you should get better mileage with the EAT chip provided you don't drive it like you've got one fitted (if you get my point!)
I think I'd leave it in and just go easy on the gas pedal.

[632 Regal]

Marks trial chip made a bunch more mileage than the stock chip, the JC or whatever didnt make much over stock until pounding it hard on the freeway.

[Qube]

Well I notice in winter, I'm pulling about 14-16L/100KM versus only about 10-11L/100KM in warmer weather. That's a pretty ugly difference when the commute to work is/sometimes 90km round trip.

So with conservative and simple math, assume 100km round trip (include some weekend driving). Makes 500km a week. Assume 14L/100KM chipped or not. That's 70L a week (tank!). The difference is about 9c for 'standard' to 'premium' making $6.30 a week more or $75.60 for three months of winter. I'm getting married so every penny counts :)

[TWISM]

don't forget, allthough in winter a car should be more efficience then in summer, BUT because you don't want to sit in the cold, you turn on your heater.
You drive more with lights on.
All these things make a car to use more fuel.

[DanH]

There are many factors that effect winter gas mileage both positive and negative, but more so negative.

To name a few:
The car burns more fuel in the winter due to it taking longer to warm up the engine, so it stays in open loop operation longer(warm up mode) and burns rich until the engine is up to temperature.

If you have a bad thermostat that opens at a low temp, then your engine with never warm up properly and you'll get even worse gas mileage and carbon deposits.

The car idles longer after starting before driving.

A/C in the summer takes more out of your gas mileage than running the heater in the winter.

In winter the fuel is also a different blend which will effect the mileage.

But the cold air has a lot more oxygen in the winter so that improves combustion.

Headlights dont add much load difference. A lot of people drive with them on year round.



don't forget, allthough in winter a car should be more efficience then in summer, BUT because you don't want to sit in the cold, you turn on your heater.
You drive more with lights on.
All these things make a car to use more fuel.

[Jay 535i]

especially when all the torque in the world is lost crawling off the line because of the snow.

You have all the torque in the world? Can I have some?

The streets aren't congested and slipperly ALL the time, even in Toronto in winter. For those other times, I'm glad to have the chip.

"Hmmm, this is gonna take a whole lot of floorin'"
- Homer Simpson

[Alexlind123]

don't forget, allthough in winter a car should be more efficience then in summer, BUT because you don't want to sit in the cold, you turn on your heater.
You drive more with lights on.
All these things make a car to use more fuel.

Not only that, but in the US (in my state at least) ethanol is used in gas in the winter to improve emissions - this lowers fuel economy (kind of ironic, isnt it?) and causes car to perform worse.

Some companys will use even more than 10%.

"10% of your winter fuel may be grown right here in the USA!

E10 Fuel is created from a 90% mix of gasoline and 10% ethanol.

Regular Gasoline will be discountinued and E10 Fuel will be required in these areas November 1 through February 29:

Oregon State: Clackamas, Multnomah, Washington, Josephine (Grants Pass), Klamath (Klamath Falls), and Jackson (Medford) counties.

Washington State: Clark County, King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Spokane counties.

You will also find ethanol blends at most other retail outlets in surrounding counties simply because it is easier to blend all fuels in one market area instead of blending different fuels to distribute to other sections of the same market."

[JonE]

Well I notice in winter, I'm pulling about 14-16L/100KM versus only about 10-11L/100KM in warmer weather. That's a pretty ugly difference when the commute to work is/sometimes 90km round trip.

So with conservative and simple math, assume 100km round trip (include some weekend driving). Makes 500km a week. Assume 14L/100KM chipped or not. That's 70L a week (tank!). The difference is about 9c for 'standard' to 'premium' making $6.30 a week more or $75.60 for three months of winter. I'm getting married so every penny counts :)

I recommend factoring in the additional "chipped" MPG into the calculation. For example, my 535 can get about 18mpg in "chipped" city driving vs. about 16mpg "unchipped". At a 10cent difference/gal in premium vs regular gas running $2.20 and say, $2.10 respectively, I am actually doing slightly better economically "chipped" and running premium gas. I like that situation. Even if the cost/gal difference is a bit higher than 10cents, I do not fret. I have a station that sells premium 90 octane at the same rate as regular, and, as I rarely let the tank get less than half empty, I'll run 90 octane and then blend with the more expensive 92 octane every other fill-up. Either way, I win and get to keep my chip! The 535i seems to run better chipped and have noticed absolutely no pinging with the 90 octane/92 octane gas blend.

[Sweet535i]

I'm getting 18.5 mpg around town...unchipped.