'89 535i challenges high desert and Rocky Mountains, and wins!

[Warren N.CA]

Just got back to SF Bay Area from from Denver. 2500 mile round trip through mountains and deserts of CA, NV, UT, WY & CO in '89 535i manual, with 181K. The car was heavily loaded with 350 pounds of stereo gear, in the trunk. Handling was seriously degraded, but not problematic.

The car never as much as hiccupped the whole time.

Average MPG enroute was 26. Interestingly, while driving I-25 NB through Denver, at 55mph (construction zone), the OBC was reporting 31mpg! I had never seen as high a figure as that before, on a level stretch. Apparently this was due to the mile-high altitude supplying less air and the DME cutting back the fuel supply, to match. Driving around Denver, the reduced power was noticeable, but power was adequate.

I lived in Denver for 4 months in 1965, with my '63 Corvette fastback. Because I did not have the carburetor jets replaced with high altitude types, the leaded premium fuel ruined my engine. The next year, it needed a valve job at only 50K, leading me to trade it in. But with electronic fuel injection, the 535i adjusts automatically.

The Rocky Mountain Audio Fest at the Denver Tech Center Marriott was a great success, with over a thousand high end audio enthusiasts and music lovers experiencing music reproduction through our products, over a three day period. There were 90 exhibits, each in a private room, and several thousand attendees from all over the US, and abroad.