[astrodex]

Our new car search started by looking for an SUV, preferably a 7 seater. A luxury car was not on the radar. A 3 series, especially the 330i, was aspiration and was relegated to something in the distant future. Interestingly, things worked out and within a short span I was a proud owner of one. It took some convincing to get my better half on board. For her, it was all about practicality and 3 series didn't make sense for cost, space or features.

A long drive is the perfect way to enjoy such a car. But a family trip, with 2 hyperactive tweens, a trunk overflowing with luggage and pandemic caused restrictions made logistics a challenge. We had been planning a trip to Kerala for a while now, but kept postponing it due to COVID. Normally we visit a couple of times a year, but mostly by rail or flight. Onam was round the corner and we had pending work in Kerala and thus the plan for a road trip to Kochi was hatched.

The Plan

I've been only doing short day trips until now and would normally remove the spare wheel section from the trunk whenever more storage space was needed. Since the car runs on RFTs and there is also a pump and repair kit, I was OK doing it. But for a long trip like this, I couldn't ditch the spare wheel. The problem is not the space but how it is setup. You cannot get 2 full sizes suitcases inside. So it came to improvising and everything was packed up in duffel bags/backpacks and hand bags. Now, we are not light packers and hence the 10 bags that we ended up with probably contained enough stuff that 2 families would pack normally. Bags were squeezed into each nook and cranny. That got my wife's coveted approval for both my packing skills and the boot space of 3 series.



Our plan was to start out early around 4 am and drive all the way to Kozhikode, stay overnight and then leave for Kochi next day morning. Previous experience to Kerala had taught us two things - the frustrating traffic during normal hours and the many speed cameras on the highway. Decided to do the trip over the August 15th weekend hoping for light traffic in Kerala because of Independence day and hit Kozhikode-Kochi drive early morning to avoid the office rush.

A mistake I did was to clean the car before the trip. Took a good part of Friday cleaning, waxing and polishing the vehicle to gleam. Travelogues here on TeamBHP always had amazing pictures and I wanted to take some of my own. Lot of elbow grease was expended and the car looked a million bucks the previous day!

The Drive

Even though we had planned to leave at 4 am, our family follows Indian Stretchable Time and hence started out only by 5 am. As soon as we got out, the road was blocked by a herd of stray cattle. I tried blinking my lights, racing the engine etc, but to no avail. Didn't want to wake up the neighbors by honking so after a while, gave up, took a U turn and proceeded the long way out. Probably confirmation bias, but I couldn't help notice how many stray cattle were on the road in the morning. The rains might have made the roads the only dry place and so many of them were on the highways. It became easier once the sun came up and since we were travelling on August 15th, the roads had quite a lot of people going for various Independence day events. Goa - Karwar stretch was full of bicyclists and Navy vehicles. It felt nice and proud seeing fellow citizens celebrating.

Made good time and reached the Karwar checkpost in less than an hour and half. All the while there was intermittent rains, but nothing too bad. The new Canacona bypass had made the trip to Karwar easier. At the border they were checking everyone for COVID certificates, including even the cyclists. We had 2 fully vaccinated adults and 2 kids who had taken RT/PCR tests. A quick check and we were waved though. Goan roads were small, single carriageway for most part, but without heavy traffic. Once into Karnataka you are greeted with nice straight 4 lane separated highway which begs you to get to triple digits. The only thing preventing me was the incessant warning ding the car does once you cross 120 km/hr. I normally hate the 80 - 120 dings, especially the 120 km/hr one. After a while though I started getting used to it, and adjusted my driving style to just drive below the limits and it kept me from overspeeding, which is very much possible on such open roads. I still don't know why BMW has a ding! when I am slowing down and crossing below 80 km/hr speed limit!

Crossing the ghats and into the open road felt like a hollywood movie introduction scene!




Next came the series of toll roads. Earlier, huge lines were typical on Fastag lanes, with people getting into the lanes without the tag and blocking it. I was skeptical about the recent mandatory changes, but was pleasantly surprised. At every toll booth we could brisk through, everyone had tags and it was really fast compared to before. Still remember waiting for over half an hour in some of these tolls earlier.

The weather had turned ominous by then and dark menacing clouds were gathering giving the green landscape a mesmerizing morning hue.




Another nice thing about the toll plazas were the clean restrooms provided. It was here we took our first break and I was really disappointed to see my car. The downpour and wet roads had ruined the look. The white color was replaced with brown highlights on both sides, so much for some good photos!



Had packed coffee and breakfast, took a quick break for it and hit the road with the expectation to reach Mangalore for a late lunch. The climate was playing up with alternating thunderstorms and bursts of sunshine. One minute it would be pouring down hard and a couple of minutes later there would be a rays of sunshine on seemingly dry roads. Thankfully the roads were good and there was no waterlogging. A charming thing noticed in Karnataka was the number of people out celebrating Independence day. At each of the small cities and towns, there was lots of flag hoisting gatherings. Almost all checkposts, taxi stands and city centers had some event going on. And on the highway, there were quite a lot of processions of bikes, auto rickshaws, good carriers, all with flags hoisted. I had the kids hold plastic flags out the window each time we passed to show our support. Also put a flag on the dashboard in solidarity. Did not notice much of this in Goa or Kerala, but then it must be the time of the day we were passing through.




As the day progressed, the rain reduced and my wife and I started taking turns driving. The open roads really brings the best out of the car. Even when fully loaded, there is no dearth of power, the road noise is filtered out and the low comfortable seats cocoon you in without any swaying. My son has motion sickness and he routinely has trouble on long drives (something I had used as a convincing argument for a low strung sedan). Thankfully, for the whole trip he didn't have any issues, even when in rear seat. Normally my wife is more than happy with me driving, but this time she kept at it for the better part of Karnataka route. I think I even noticed her grinning when she punched through around the corners. Reached Mangalore around 11 am, much better time than thought. Decided to go for a simple dosa/vada lunch instead of a heavy one, at Sree Rathnam, a nice restaurant right on the highway.



Driving into Kerala was uneventful. There was no checking or stopping, didn't even realize we were in Kerala until a while later. Kerala had a more sobering look with lesser people on the road and almost everyone with masks, but that all soon changed once we reached Kannur. The weather had brightened up, but the dreaded traffic was back. The NH that in some areas are not even two car wide, drivers who seem to be hell bent on driving on the right into oncoming traffic, people swerving in front of you expecting you to do evasive maneuvers to prevent a crash! It was mentally taxing and I could feel the road rage building up on me. A younger me might have chased after them and served back in kind, or tailgated to ensure there is no place for them to squeeze in. The only solace was the beautiful coconut groves and paddy fields that you get to drive though, you don't get to see such deep greens anywhere else on the coast, not even Goa!



The drive from Kannur to Kozhikode was slow bumper to bumper and we rolled in at around 5.30 pm. Quickly settled in and ordered food from Paragon. One thing I look forward to when in Kozhikode is the food, the place has the best restaurants in Kerala.

Next day, woke up early in the morning and left for Kochi in the morning around 4.30 am. As suggested by fellow bhpian voldemort , took the Gurvayoor route and was able to munch miles pretty fast. Last time on this route, I had received some speeding tickets in mail so was careful not to get another such love letter in the mail. Encountered the morning commuters, but still managed to roll into Kochi by 8.30 am.

Spent the next week in Kochi, but did not venture out much. Got to spend Onam with family and had our hearts fill of sadya.



Washed the car and had a chance to take a few snaps of it in urban settings.



The only other visits were to some of the local temples and I tried to capture a picture whenever possible.

The Return

Our initial plan was to travel back also during the weekend, but preponed it to mid week. This time around did the Kochi-Kozhikode trip in the afternoon and left at around 12 pm. It was taxing and took us full 6 hours to reach Kozhikode. A quick sleepover at Kozhikode and was able to get out of by 5 am the next day. Encountered some really bad rains along the way, sudden downpours with howling winds. A disturbing thing noticed were the amount of vehicles that had run onto the dividing median. Guess there are many such medians that are constructed for separating traffic on the road and they are not clearly visible in rain. Saw at least 7 vehicles on that stretch including Innovas, a brand new S-Presso, trucks and an Altroz all that had run onto the median. It made me extra cautious and I was careful not to overtake without very clear visibility.

Thankfully, traffic was sparse and we made good time crossing over to Karnataka by 9 am. There were multiple check posts on Karnataka side verifying Covid certificates. This time had taken RT/PCR for everyone and was checked both at border and then again at Udupi. The drive back was more enjoying and this time we got some good weather. Even though I cleaned the car before travel, as expected, it was covered in muck by daylight. The only positive was the the surroundings were pristine.




Stopped at one of the many open beaches to stretch our legs. The route is so scenic that the pictures don't do justice. You are driving along the seashore and there are vast expanses of sandy beaches. Compared to the crowded beaches of Goa and Kerala, these were clean and more importantly absolutely empty.




Normally we stop at a few places like Udupi, Murudeshwar and sometimes Mookambika temple, but skipped everything this time. Did take a detour to the Murudeshwar temple to catch a glimpse of the towering Shiva statue and the impressive gopura, but didn't step out of the car.



Lunch was at Pandurang International, near Kumta. Took a leisurely lunch and was there for almost an hour before heading out again. At the Karnataka-Goa border had to show the COVID test results again multiple times but didn't face any delays. There was traffic in Goa, but compared to Kerala it was a breeze and were back at home by 5.30 pm.

The Experience

Overall, including some drives my brother did around town in Kochi we clocked 1850 kms round trip. The Goa - Mangalore stretch has an average speed of 73 km/hr which dropped down dramatically on entering Kerala. The mileage on the open highway read 13.2 kmpl but city driving brought it down to 48 km/hour avg and 11.9 km/l overall. Also, I had made it a point to fill petrol at Mahi both up and down, and had to refill only once in Kerala.



If not for the pandemic, I don't think we would have made this trip. I thoroughly enjoyed it but I can't say the same for my kids. My son kept complaining about getting bored. A few great things I learned about 330i is how stiff the suspension is, not a single time did it scrape the bottom, how fun to drive it is, and how nimble it is on the road. Also, it reminded me that a large vehicle does not equate to large spaces, just more comfortable journey.

The route was beautiful and Konkan after rains comes alive with lots of roadside waterfalls, lush greenery and beautiful beaches that you can't see from a flight or stop in a train. Maybe, once the kids are bigger, we permanently move to road trips to Kerala.

[Aditya]

Thread moved out from the Assembly Line. Thanks for sharing!

[JoshMachine]

Firstly, a great road trip. Thanks for sharing .
Its very seldom on Team-BHP (documented) that I have seen a 3-series trip covering such large distances with family along.

Originally Posted by astrodex

If not for the pandemic, I don't think we would have made this trip. I thoroughly enjoyed it but I can't say the same for my kids. My son kept complaining about getting bored.

I can understand this situation very well. We have been also doing ~850 km road trips in a single day, and my daughter got sometimes bored like anything. We tried to mitigate by stuffing all kinds of goodies (to eat, to watch, music etc.). Another possible solution is to stop at good places along the way and have proper family breaks. This increases the overall journey time but atleast makes it comfortable.

A few great things I learned about 330i is how stiff the suspension is, not a single time did it scrape the bottom, how fun to drive it is, and how nimble it is on the road. Also, it reminded me that a large vehicle does not equate to large spaces, just more comfortable journey.

Good to know that the 330i stayed true to its name even on such long trips.
Provides confidence to shortlist this car for the next family car upgrade

[WhiteKnight]

Great travelogue and great route. Always been on my wishlist. But, like many other things, never materialised. Happy to see you executing it.

Curious to know how you landed with 330i while your original plan was for SUV.

[electro-monk]

Nice travelogue and the car looks elegant

Originally Posted by astrodex

Stopped at one of the many open beaches to stretch our legs. The route is so scenic that the pictures don't do justice. You are driving along the seashore and there are vast expanses of sandy beaches. Compared to the crowded beaches of Goa and Kerala, these were clean and more importantly absolutely empty.

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Can you share the locations of these beach stretches if you remember? The wide open road next to blue waters look enticing.

[giri1.8]

Not sure about others, but I love the way my car looks after a long trip, dirtier the better it just shows us that we are using our machines to their full capabilities and not babying them.

[astrodex]

Originally Posted by electro-monk

Can you share the locations of these beach stretches if you remember?

You do keep hitting the beach at various places along the route. Karwar is one place where u drive next to the beach and walk in. Another is Honnavar - Murudeshwar stretch. But the best is Maravanthe between Baindur and Kundapura. It is beach on one side and a lagoon on the other. Located at https://goo.gl/maps/8Dgkqb72HEWTxcTh7 There is miles of white sands right next to the highway.

Originally Posted by WhiteKnight

Curious to know how you landed with 330i while your original plan was for SUV.

It all came off an unexpected test drive. I was upgrading from a sedan and considered a large 7 seater SUV to travel with extended family together. I even had booked on, but things didn't work our and we walked away. Also the fact that it was either people or luggage, but not both that started questioning whether it would suit our needs.

Already had an X1 in our family so wasn't looking for another BMW. A friend had asked to try the 2 series and the dealer brought both the 2 and 3 for test drive. Wasn't much impressed with 2, but the 3 hit the spot. And everything else fell into place from there.

[ToyotaFan]

Originally Posted by astrodex

The only thing preventing me was the incessant warning ding the car does once you cross 120 km/hr. I normally hate the 80 - 120 dings, especially the 120 km/hr one. After a while though I started getting used to it, and adjusted my driving style to just drive below the limits and it kept me from overspeeding, which is very much possible on such open roads. I still don't know why BMW has a ding! when I am slowing down and crossing below 80 km/hr speed limit!

Hey Astrodex! Excellent travelogue. The 330i is a great car for such trips fast, fun and reasonably comfortable at the same time. Regarding the irritating speed chime and warning a friend codes BMW's and VW and gets rid of these irritating chime and also activates a bunch of other cool stuff. Kindly reach out to him on https://instagram.com/drcodemyvw?utm_medium=copy_link He provides remote coding services as well.

[sandeepmohan]

The Calicut Kochi run is so slow due to a single lane highway. You never get the feeling that you're on a highway as there is so much traffic. Kerala is saturated and towns are spaced so close to each other. There needs to be a elevated expressway constructed right from Kasargod to Trivadrum, with only a few exits along the way. That's the only way road travel can be made faster between the 5 (Kannur, Calicut, Trichur, Kochi, Trivandrum) cities of Kerala. I don't see any hope trying to attempt this on the ground. There isn't enough space.

Like yourself and many folks here, I like my ride to look clean during the start of the trip and somehow keep things nice and clean as much as possible. That rarely works though. One downpour is all thats needed for all muck to ruin things.

Thanks for sharing. That is one sweet ride you have.