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        Just done Scole in Norfolk to Villefrance de Rouergue in SW France, just over 11 hours with one fuel /coffee break, averaged 36 mpg ,125klm/ 75 mph, got home felt as fresh as a daisy. The car was loaded to the hilt with everything from wood working machinery to decent English food (some of that French food is a bit suspect) so more weight than  four adults .

       Cannot think of a better all round car than this, the thing is brilliant.

An 11 hour journey with only 1 stop? My first reaction was 'That's bloody irresponsible - and how did he average 75 with a large part of his journey in England?' - but, on the right day, and in the right car, I can go on all day staying alert. But what time did you travel to be able to maintain that speed?

We are given advice like 'Stop every 2-3 hours to take a break' but the truth is as biological organisms driving all sorts of different vehicles these guidelines are well intentioned but pretty meaningless.

I wouldn't recommend anyone drive for more than about 6 hours a day when you're on a roadtrip but that's not say 9 or 11 hours isn't completly safe if you need to on occassins and take regular breaks or breathers to relax.

Certainly Govt figures are based on studies but you can safely ignore recommendations that err on the side of caution and don't take into account a determined need to get somewhere ata certain time which hightens concentration. The most dangerous drivers are those that lull and amble along without much time pressure. If you're 'driven' and drive faster to cross country to get somewhere you'll drive faster and safer than the 'averaged' statistics reveal.

The BMW 335d in any bodyshell is indeed the business for fast, safe, efficient pan-European roadtrips. Nothing else on the market comes close. Uber-Cruiser.

 I'm all for JJB doing his driving somewhere else other than the UK. I support this.

Hehe you just don't get it do you? Try as I might it's just very hard to teach a moron anything!

99% of accidents on motorways and 96% on urban roads are nowt to do with speed (ie. exceeding the speed limit).

The fastest 10-20% of drivers are the best (and safest) drivers. Have a double-take of the figures above, you've got the brian and memory capacity of a Goldfish and have probably forgotten them already! Fast drivers don't show up in the safety statistics - unless a sloppy slow driver hits them.

I realise I'm waisting my breath with you but we all need the odd charity (or basket) case to make us feel like we're doing our bit.

I can think of a car that would do this journey just as well and do a hell of a lot more than 36mpg... a 320d.  Yes I know ultimately it's not as fast, but 99% of the time you really don't need the extra power particularly if you're driving responsibly.  Spec it with some big wheels and badge delete and nobody (apart from a real bore) will know the difference.

And before you ask, I ride a 1000cc sportsbike, so yes I do know just how fast (or slow - depending on how you look at it) a 335d is.  I also drive a 320d which is why I know you really don't need anything else.

Oaffie - obviously you DO need something else as you've a 320d AND a superbike!

Yes I wouldn't disagree a 320d does just as good a job as a 335d in most circumstances but I bought a 335d to do 99% of my needs (inc the need for speed). I'd like to know what MPG you get at 120 and 130mph?

I get 30mpg and 20mpg respectively at steady cruising at those speeds. Reason being smaller engines simply can't return high MPG's at higher speeds when they start pushing the air wall that builds up over 75mph. A Clio 1.2ltr engine sucks petrol like a 911 Turbo (despite what Nialls' schoolboy charts thinks it shows him - I knows him is wrong!!). Big engines rule at higher cruizing speeds. 

Respect for your choices though. Nice 'balance'  ;)

This trip I made was approx 2 hours to the tunnel 1 hour on the train relaxing ,approx 4 hours driving then fuel, coffee break then another 4 hours. So you people out there that think that this is dangerous need to lighten up, the political correctness of the UK has totally gone mad. If they could, I think they would stop Left hand drive cars from entering the UK, much too dangerous, they would like us to drive about in rubber cars that went no faster than 30 mph..

For the saving on purchase price, Ins & fuel economy the 330D Sport Touring would be perfectly fine too.

The again why not just buy a 3-4 year old 535d Sport for Sub £20k. Low depreciation from that point and that would have been specced up more highly than the equivalent 335d touring (when it reaches that level)

It is very easy to make quick progress driving in France, even by staying within the speed limits.  I have driven from Menton to the Eurotunnel terminal (basically bottom to top) in a little over 13 hours, with a number of stops for a leg stretch (and petrol) and one 40 minute stop for lunch.

The lane discipline is second to none, roadworks are sensibly managed so that huge queues don't form due to the exclusion of one lane.  In that one trip, with mixed weather, I experienced one hold up, at Lyon, really due to three or four large roads merging, and was expected (in fact I think Michelin build in a delay at Lyon in their on-line route planner).

Having left Folkstone terminal, I got about five miles up the M20 and joined a three mile stop-start queue as the three lane carriageway was reduced to one for...overnight verge works.

That said, usually when I make the trip, I'll stop over en-route, and spend the extra time allowed meandering down through different routes to my destination.  Makes for a far more enjoyable time.

JJBoxster:

Reason being smaller engines simply can't return high MPG's at higher speeds when they start pushing the air wall that builds up over 75mph. A Clio 1.2ltr engine sucks petrol like a 911 Turbo (despite what Nialls' schoolboy charts thinks it shows him - I knows him is wrong!!). Big engines rule at higher cruizing speeds.

Oh look, yet more technically illiterate, hand-waving, anecdotal nonsense from JJB. What a surprise.

Out of interest, what does your car do between 120 and 130mph to so massively increase its fuel consumption? Energy demand per unit distance at high speed increases with the square of velocity, so you should be looking at 25mpg at 130 if you're getting 30mpg and 120.

Alternatively, given that AutoBild recorded 16 US mpg (19 imp mpg) for a 535d at 120mph could it be that in fact you are talking out of somewhere other than your mouth?
 

Niall - I'm not sure quite where you think your maths are getting you! My mpg-o-meter in my 335d shows 30mpg at 120mph and 20mpg at 130mph "steady state" cruising. The 19mpg shown in your real test from a German AutoBild shows what happens as a result of hills, accelerating and braking on motorways with other traffic in your way etc.

Their figures are pretty much identical to mine. Germanys autobahns are considerably more congested with traffic (lots of foreign lorries) than French autoroutes (the Paege deters alot of truckers) so fully expect their figures to be lower.

Once again it's your maths that don't reflect the actual experience and is "talking out of somewhere other than your mouth" and "technically illiterate, hand-waving, anecdotal nonsense". Your apology is in the post no doubt!