# Road trips on a budget



## Robert Pickel (Apr 21, 2016)

Maybe I'm a dreamer, but I have a vision of making long (and economical) road trips in my new M3, sleeping in the space when I fold down the rear seats, using "camper mode" to keep the car comfortable, stopping at large truck stops (Pilot or TA) to buy a quick shower and then, I'm on my way again. Has anyone done this? Does the M3 even have what has been called a "camper mode" yet? Do the rear seats fold flat? Thanks!


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## PNWmisty (Aug 19, 2017)

Robert Pickel said:


> Maybe I'm a dreamer, but I have a vision of making long (and economical) road trips in my new M3, sleeping in the space when I fold down the rear seats, using "camper mode" to keep the car comfortable, stopping at large truck stops (Pilot or TA) to buy a quick shower and then, I'm on my way again. Has anyone done this? Does the M3 even have what has been called a "camper mode" yet? Do the rear seats fold flat? Thanks!


No camper mode (yet).

The rear seats fold flat (although not quite as flat as the gen 1 seats). Definitely doable, just don't bring too much stuff.

And if you want to make it a real low budget trip, scour various sources for all the free chargers available before you leave. Most of the free ones are relatively low powered (but not all). So it might pay to only select the ones that are in an area where you want to spend some time. And stick to the slower backroads when possible to fully maximize the enjoyment. You can drive literally all day long, 10-12 hours non-stop without charging simply by driving around 30-35 mph on twisty, scenic backroads if you start with a full charge. My wife and I love to travel scenic county roads in hilly rural areas.


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