Calling all 330e Hybrid drivers

singhini

I've had my 330e about 7 months and done 11,000 miles and yesterday a coolant warning message came on.


Having checked the coolant tank (the bigger one of the two) it was empty.


I thought it odd the coolant would have run out this quick (I'm old and drive to the speed limit).


I'm thinking its one of two things
1 - air lock in the tank
2 - faulty part / leak in the system


anyone else with a 330e Hybrid experienced this?

[Deleted User]

Is this really the first time you have checked the fluids in 7 months?

neilmcl

Why not just take it to the dealer and they'll tell you, no point speculating.

paddyandstumpy

Out of interest what true mpg do you get out of it?

I looked at them at their stand at GOODWOOD last year, their sales chap was claiming something ridiculous like over 100mpg??

bob_a_builder

Even the non hybrid, was pretty good mpg
This was my 320D
176 miles, 70 mpg - was mainly motorway though

https://1drv.ms/i/s!AqV317iW3bv9g-9o_QFGGjPHgc6hnw

Iceweasel

paddyandstumpy wrote: »

Out of interest what true mpg do you get out of it?

I looked at them at their stand at GOODWOOD last year, their sales chap was claiming something ridiculous like over 100mpg??

I also would like to hear real world figures - BMW claim 134mpg I think.

singhini

Thanks for responses, I will tackle them from top down.


1 - Not sure why I should have checked the fluids before? (its a new car and I've had no problems or warning lights).


2 - it is booked in with the dealership but I don't trust them, they were very dismissive (They said there's been no recalls or issues with the 330e and its nothing to worry about). I said that's not what some of the BMW forums have said, and since its under warranty I would expect you to look at it and atleast do a compression test, plus look over for any leaks (hence why I wanted to find out if anyone else on this forum has had the issue). "Forewarned is forearmed" (the bmw forums were USA sites).


3 - what MPG do I get (not sure to be honest), but I have tried to calculate it. just petrol returns roughly 40-45mpg. I charge it at home with the 3 pin plug and it take approx. 5 hours and the car says it will do 15 miles (occasionally 18-20 miles). on a separate note, the car arrived new and said 29 miles of electricity but I have never got it to charge more than 20 at home (I don't charge it at the motorways as it pointless because it take 5 hours to charge.


with a full charge of approx 15 miles and a full tank of 40 litres of petrol I get 350-400 miles (very sensible driving).


Electric mode is very smooth and I try to use electric mode for town driving (more people around so I try to pollute them less). if I'm up the motorway then its petrol usage since it kicks into petrol mode when going over 50mph (unless you specifically set it to full electric mode).


The sat nav is typical BMW (cant find estates that were built 2-3 years ago, yet my portable Garmin I use in my classic car can).


I cant get my head around what it costs to charge and thus if charging is cost effective. I was told it costs about £1 a day to charge and so 20 days of charging would be £20 which would give me 300 miles (i.e. 15 miles a day x 20 days). so on the face of it £20 for 300 miles of zero polluting miles sounds good, but ive no idea what the actual cost to charge it is?


yet another part of me thinks who cares what it costs to charge it, focus on the fact its cleaner miles on electric than petrol.


ive seen those crazy figures of 134mpg and I don't understand how they calculate them (I suppose if your doing a 10,000 miles a year that's 27 miles a day and the car gives you 15-20 electric miles thus the amount of petrol being burnt equals 134mpg?).


if your a company car driver its a lot less BIK than the equivalent 3 series fuel car


I wish it had a larger electric range than just 15-20 miles because it is so smooth (perhaps the next generation will be more like 100 miles). tbh I like the look of the Tesla model 3


Anyway, I will push the car to my limits tomorrow and drive along the motorway at 75mph and see what happens to the coolant (perhaps it was just an air pocket that's worked its way around the system).

[Deleted User]

My point is you should be doing fluid checks regularly as part of your maintenance routine.

Do you check tyres/lights regularly?

Are you one of the drivers that thinks a service/mot is the only maintenance your car needs?

singhini

treboeth wrote: »

My point is you should be doing fluid checks regularly as part of your maintenance routine.

Do you check tyres/lights regularly?

Are you one of the drivers that thinks a service/mot is the only maintenance your car needs?

No I don't, not on the 330e (its modern and it tells me when fluids need doing).


In terms of tyre wear, yes I do periodically check but when it comes to pressure, again the car tells me if the pressures low (likewise with the lights, it tells me if a bulb has malfunctioned).


Am I one of those drivers who thinks that a service/mot is the only maintenance a car needs (yes and no), yes for the 330e but no for my 1985 MB 500SL (R107).

System

Quite why you seem to think that new cars shouldn't have their fluids and tyre pressures checked periodically is beyond me. Personally I would be checking the fluid levels MORE on a new car than an older one due to the possibility of there being fluid leaks due to a hose clip or similar not being tightened quite enough during manufacture or a pipe union working slightly loose during the first 6 months.

singhini

Tarambor wrote: »

Quite why you seem to think that new cars shouldn't have their fluids and tyre pressures checked periodically is beyond me. Personally I would be checking the fluid levels MORE on a new car than an older one due to the possibility of there being fluid leaks due to a hose clip or similar not being tightened quite enough during manufacture or a pipe union working slightly loose during the first 6 months.

What?

The tyres and fluids do get checked periodically (either by me when the warning light comes on or by BMW when being serviced)

I don't think you understand this thread.
The light came on and I booked it in (as its under warranty), ive topped it up and I will keep an eye on it until Monday when BMW will be looking at it.


I'm doing exactly what should be done; getting it looked at!


The purpose of the tread is to find out if any other 330e owners have experienced this problem (I'm hedging my bets its just an air pocket but why take the risk, hence why its booked in).


Ive already told you the car checks the tyre pressure and the fluids (that's how I knew it was low on coolant).


The point of buying a car like this is that it has the necessary computers built in to do these checks. if I had bought a car that dosent have these gadgets, then yes I would be checking the car on a regular basis.


I think your just being unhelpful (you don't seem to have one nor have you helped address my question).


since 2002 ive owned approx 6 brand new BMW's and ive never checked them, ive never had a problem (they go to the dealership as per the service schedule). Oh the car tells me that too!