[GOLFFRR]

very jealous. stuff like this makes me want to just go for a drive right now !

[Dackelone]

Very cool trip!

$120 only gets you one full tank over here. lol

[MKE_M3]

It is great to see how much fun can be had in a car that probably has the lowest power to weight in BMW's lineup.

People need to stop obsessing over stats and figures and go drive!! Props to you and your wife OP.

[ptan55]

Thanks for sharing. Made all the more interesting with photos.
This highway and the tow crew that works this highway is showcased on the Weather Channel.

[Bahn360Photo]

i love the gas station pic " need to get out more"

[Sean@PSI]

Great write up!!!

[bobcatwong]

Thanks for sharing. We're likely doing a similar route to Kelowna in the summer in our F10 535d x. Can't wait.

[kdbryce]

very cool

thanks for sharing!

[billiebob]

Great write up! Spent lots of time climbing in the Canadian Rockies and miss it very much. Such a lifestyle kind of place! Nearly wrecked into a herd of elk in 1998 and got a terribly fast speeding ticket near banFf in 2000. Good times.

[windStruQ]

i just did the same trip last month... but to Calgary. Which is -- by unanimous decision -- a far better city =]=]=]

i loved driving on that highway, got such a thrill to speeding up and down -- going 50km over speed limit at times -- in the pissing rain. I'm so glad you also enjoyed your trip. It was my first time driving my 335, and I'm just dying to do it again soon.

[bimmette]

Very nice! As a Vancouverite, I found this inspiring!

[RPM90]

Cool write up.

It's very refreshing to read a post that's about enjoying the 3 series rather than the usual banter and bickering about what model is better or what failed on the F30 this time.

I could feel your genuine excitement at taking your new F30 on the kind of drive/trip that most of us should be doing and posting about.
Thank you for your post and excitement over driving.

I got my first chance to drive a 320xi yesterday and today as my 335i Msport was in the shop for scheduled maintenance and some other items to be looked at.
I am very impressed with the "detuned" N20 in the 320i/xi.
Compared to the full power N20 328i, the 320 does really well for daily driving, and even does a commendable job with big throttle acceleration.
The engine acquits itself really well given that it makes nice torque at low rpm and continues for a good amount of RPM.
Sure, compared to my N55 it's not going to win a drag race, but that's not what a great drive on a great drive is about.

I used the sport mode as I use that mode about 90% of the time in my 335i.
In that mode engine response and 8AT trans performance is very nice.
The base seats don't fit my larger frame as I wasn't getting supported as I wanted to be, but I think power seats would go a long way to help mitigate that issue.
My dealer had X1's and 320xi's for loaners. Most of the 320xi's have the Msport sport pkg interestingly enough. But, they didn't have one of those ready to loan me. Something about there wasn't one "cleaned" and ready to go, even though I saw 2 of them on the dealer lot that looked just fine to me.
Regardless, the 320i engine is surprisingly nice especially coupled with the 8AT that was working flawlessly, unlike my sport 8AT.
But that's a different story.

Thanks for the post. I'd love to do that drive some day.

[SpenceRx]

This post got headlined then my image hosting crashed. It's fixed now.

Thanks for all the replies!

[Gift2self]

Originally Posted by sam0329

Nice car. Thanks for sharing! Welcome to Edmonton

+1. Have driven that route a few times. Surprisingly my '96 civic handled it fairly well back in the day. I will need to give it a go in my 335i one day.

[SlidetoUnlock]

Awesome post thanks for sharing. The 320i sounds like a great daily driver. Looking forward to getting one after our 323i 2011 lease expires next year. We don't drive a lot but when we do I think the 320i will do is just right. Hopefully we can get a decent year end clear out deal!

[SpenceRx]

I'm bumping this because I just cleaned up my F30 and it got me reminiscing about this road trip.

I hope to get another road trip in soon but it will have to wait until later in the summer.

[adhrp]

Nice pics! And I enjoyed reading your original post. You should post pics of your shining car here: http://www.bimmerfest.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=853779

[Madriver]

Very nice write up! My wife and I also took a 320ix to Kelowna just last month. The car definitely felt adequate for the constant 110km speed limit. Only thing I felt a bit underwhelm was the passing speed from 80-130km uphill... the power delivery was quite slow compare to my friend's tsx v6. That's the fate of the 4 banger but hey, the fuel economy is awesome!

[SpenceRx]

Originally Posted by Madriver

Very nice write up! My wife and I also took a 320ix to Kelowna just last month. The car definitely felt adequate for the constant 110km speed limit. Only thing I felt a bit underwhelm was the passing speed from 80-130km uphill... the power delivery was quite slow compare to my friend's tsx v6. That's the fate of the 4 banger but hey, the fuel economy is awesome!

I think Kelowna is where we will be heading later in August. It's so nice there in the summer.

I found that in sport mode with the transmission in sport it pulled pretty hard up the long hills. Not quite as smooth as my e46 325i but it did surprise me.

Thanks for the comments everyone.

[wagondrvr]

Originally Posted by SpenceRx

*not my pic

I think I know where that is. If I'm not mistaken, it is on I-70 westbound coming down from the Eisenhower tunnel, 6% grade. (Just checked with Google street view--yup!) I may well be taking my new 328d wagon right by there next week for its first real road trip. Hope not to have to use the ramp.

[QuikSilver_]

Wow, awesome post! The highway sounds exhausting, but the views are magnificent! Also, beautiful car! Thanks for sharing!

[Heel328]

Cool post. Looks like a blast.

Hope radar detectors are legal, cause I'd be enjoying that drive more than you're allowed.