[Drisser]

Well just back home after a single run back from Bordeaux.. Left at 8am UK time and blasted up the a10 and a28 to Dieppe for the 6pm ferry .. Then 3 hours home from the south coast.

Bit jaded tbh but the 330d continues to amaze me. Really such a great car for this journey, filled up north of Bordeaux and that tank got me home to norwich.. Averaged 47 mpg today. That was sat at 135 Kmh pretty much all the way.

Couple of observations.

God our roads are shit.
God our lane discipline in the UK is shit.

Went to sarlat yesterday on a French A road and it was lovely, like a snooker table smooth, no potholes, long sweeping bends, great fun.

It's such an efffortless car to drive fast the 330d and takes care of everything, space, pace, economy, understated cool. Love it. Can't see how I wouldn't replace this with another one when the time comes.

Also the sat nav was great in France, never let me down and found really obscure small places

[djcowlin]

Couldn't agree more. Am just about to start the journey home from Motovun in Croatia (Istria) via Slovenia, Austria, Germany and France. Taking the tunnel then up to Durham. The UK bit of the journey, specifically (for some reason) the Dartford Crossing, is the bit I'm looking forward to least. Don't imagine I'll manage 47mpg - mine ends up low-mid 40s when the German sections are factored in, but I know it will be effortless. Never had that level of confidence in a car before.

P.S. Filled up in Austria for 1€/litre.

[zofinger]

Originally Posted by Drisser

...

Couple of observations.

God our roads are shit.
God our lane discipline in the UK is shit.

The road straight off the chunnel on the UK side is a perfect reminder of how bad our road surfaces can be. We came back from our annual euro trip in June and I commented to my passesnger "if the french/italian roads we just left were like this, I dont think I could have driven the last 2,500 miles."

As for lane discipline...dont get me started. THE most annoying characteristic driving in the UK.

[AdmiralGant]

Sounds a great trip for your German lady, intend to take mine into the depths of France next year as we have relatives that way.

Entirely agree about the roads over there, how do they do it, or rather how have we let our roads become so bad, I even think Suffolk and Essex are some of the worse in the UK, with the A12 in Essex being the show case to Europe on how bad a road can be. What on earth do the Europeans think when they come over here?? Some must get out and see if they still have tyres on..

Your MPG is very impressive, was much of that is Eco Poo mode, or did you knock it into M8 a fair bit ?

[G82Dude]

Originally Posted by Drisser

It's such an efffortless car to drive fast the 330d and takes care of everything, space, pace, economy, understated cool. Love it. Can't see how I wouldn't replace this with another one when the time comes.

Ahhh, but what about when your M2 arrives? Are you going to keep your 330 or is the M2 its replacement?

[Drisser]

Originally Posted by AdmiralGant

Sounds a great trip for your German lady, intend to take mine into the depths of France next year as we have relatives that way.

Entirely agree about the roads over there, how do they do it, or rather how have we let our roads become so bad, I even think Suffolk and Essex are some of the worse in the UK, with the A12 in Essex being the show case to Europe on how bad a road can be. What on earth do the Europeans think when they come over here?? Some must get out and see if they still have tyres on..

Your MPG is very impressive, was much of that is Eco Poo mode, or did you knock it into M8 a fair bit ?

You know what I totally forgot about using Eco pro ! The French peage would have been ideal I guess sitting at 130. The HUD in Kmh was a real handy feature..

The basic A roads in France are just great, such good quality. The a10 from Bordeaux is mainly only 2 lanes yet I sat at 80-85 all the way, when someone comes up your arse you just pull over then back out, no silly antics, works very well.

[Drisser]

Originally Posted by F82Dude

Ahhh, but what about when your M2 arrives? Are you going to keep your 330 or is the M2 its replacement?

That's a question ! M2 would be great but the touring range on the 330d is so good in France it gives you such flexibility. I also didn't see a single EB or 330d in the whole week over there. Mine got a fair few second looks so guess they aren't that common over there..

I was sat at the ferry port thinking hmm would the M2 be as good at this ? Yes the B roads would be a blast but less space, no more pace on the autoroutes and probably half the touring range... Man maths needed to keep both !

[RobUK]

We do Horsham to Nouzilly (nr Tours) every other year although we always take the other half's RX450h as it's like driving there in your lounge! Agree, the French roads are soooo much smoother compared to the half-arsed joke of tarmac strips in the UK that we pretend are roads.

As for UK drivers' general lack of awareness of anything going on around them. Beggars belief...

[mofomat]

Yeah, the European roads (Belgium excepted) are far better than UK roads.

[Chompers]

It's a true joy to drive in France, very much looking forward to our big road trip later this week.

[Drisser]

got to love the toll kiosks, chance to boot it away !

[G82Dude]

Originally Posted by Drisser

That's a question ! M2 would be great but the touring range on the 330d is so good in France it gives you such flexibility. I also didn't see a single EB or 330d in the whole week over there. Mine got a fair few second looks so guess they aren't that common over there..

I was sat at the ferry port thinking hmm would the M2 be as good at this ? Yes the B roads would be a blast but less space, no more pace on the autoroutes and probably half the touring range... Man maths needed to keep both !

Oooo, tricky one then!

[djcowlin]

Just calculated my total mileage and mpg for the recent European road trip:

Durham - Hull - Rotterdam - Mallnitz (Austria) - Motovun (Croatia) - Channel tunnel - York

Also included a few hold-ups in Germany and a bit of pottering about in the Austrian alps and Istria. Cruising speed on the Autobahn (when allowed - somebody seemed to be punching random numbers into the electronic speed limit signs) was 100-120.

Total mileage: 2519
Average mpg: 45

I don't think that's too bad.

Of course I'm getting a 340i next and won't be seeing mpg figures starting with a 4...

P.S. Here's a Croatian car park.

[AP_75]

2 recent trips to France for summer hols in Brittany and Le Mans and have to agree on the roads in France, so smooth and generally light traffic - blast away from peages is a definite guilty pleasure, gear lever left and nail it.

[creepy coupe]

Originally Posted by zofinger

The road straight off the chunnel on the UK side is a perfect reminder of how bad our road surfaces can be. We came back from our annual euro trip in June and I commented to my passesnger "if the french/italian roads we just left were like this, I dont think I could have driven the last 2,500 miles."

As for lane discipline...dont get me started. THE most annoying characteristic driving in the UK.

Do you mean the M20? if so it's pretty good straight off the ET slip road.

[TodmordenLad]

Just back from the Atlantic coast north of Bordeaux and off to Aix en Provence in September. Driving in France is a pleasure, driving in the UK is a chore. Actually, most things in France are better (their economy excepted)...