WHY WOULDN'T YOU BUY A USED BMW i3 IN JUNE 2023?
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- Опубликовано: 26 июл 2024
- Given the massive drops in used EV prices recently some real bargains are starting to emerge.
Is the BMW i3 the pick of the lot in June 2023?
00:00 Intro
05:59 Do you need a range extender?
07:56 60Ah Cheapness!
10:14 Is the 94Ah the thinking person's i3?
10:42 Big Battery, big value?
14:11 Your feedback matters!
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Someone is going to get the deal of the century when my BMW I3S lease ends in December it will be three years old be sold at Auction newly serviced a 12 month MOT and around 25k miles on the clock. What a car I’ve loved every minute of driving it and still look back every time I park it. ❤
Buy it yourself ?!?
@@neiljay I have a deposit on a Smart #1 Brabus. It will have a lot to live up to.
2 months ago I found a 2019 i3 all electric, with 7k miles, it was a corporate vehicle and it was barely used. Warranty still active, 25k. Minus 4500k for tax credit…not a bad deal. I drive it more than my X3 M40i. Fun, cute and petit and I love how sneaky and quiet it is. Perfect.
Where is it being auctioned?
Why not buy it. Cause you don’t want the risk. Why you leased. Anyone buying used BMW is a fool.
I agree, pretty much the perfect BEV in terms of size, performance, range (larger battery version) and flexibility. Wish that manufacturers focused on this kind of EV instead of huge SUVs.
Couldn’t agree more
My i3 is roughly the same size as my F-Pace, just a little shorter and narrower - it's not really all that small.
@@ckm-mkc Right. F-Pace is more than 4,7m, while i3 is 4 meters long. That''s a significant difference. For a citi traffic those are completely different cars. This is bigger length difference than than between BMW 3 and 7 series.
I love my i3.....it just kills me when I hear the horror stories of people who buy these 100k plus electric trucks.....no range and cost too much to charge....yeah you are driving a tank which needs a lot of batteries and that makes everything heavier and heavier and less efficient. I hit often 5 miles per kwh.....which equals 200 mpgs.....I will sell my i3 only once I get my hands on an Aptera where I am in the line to buy one....that would be about 10 miles per kwh because the vehicle is light and most efficient...I can't wait.
@@andreasvoss4931 I'm considering buying an i3, purely because if you get such a car, the cost of electricity is just 7.5p/kWh
The alternative is the Vauxhall Ampera, but this has a much bigger battery and isn't as big
A lady I know let me drive her 2014. Not only was it the best electric car I've driven, but the nicest car altogether. Her car salesman brother told her to buy extra warranty just in case of trouble, but she was so impressed with it that when they announced they were discontinuing it, she bought one of the last cars.
I'll add my $0.02 in here. My wife and I have had THREE i3s, and we are big fans of the car. Breakthrough engineering from BMW in creating this car, the only issue was the battery size and range. Our first i3 was a new car that we acquired on a very good lease deal. The other 2 were purchased as certified pre-owned (great deals!). As long as you can live with the range limitations, the i3 is a great car. It's quick, it's light on its feet, it has loads of room, and the tech is great (I would highly recommend cars with the larger center screen!). We've had both REX and BEV models, and I prefer the BEV since it's lighter with less maintenance and the gas motor on the REX is a bit nasty. Finding a used one you will almost certainly find stained seats - BMW used some type of recyclable material that stains easily...even water will leave a mark. I think used cars are going in the mid-teens and could be a great bargain for a city/commuter car. Cheers!
I would beg to say there are little range issues with the 120ah BEV. I regularly get a strong 160 miles anytime of year and over 180 in summer. As my longest journey is approx 90 miles there's no reason I would get rid of mine. It charges fast and it goes a long way. Charging at home for around 26p a Kwh means I get 50 miles for about £3. Best car I have had so far.
What would be the most expensive fix on the BMW i3? I’m thinking of getting one but just wondering how costly it could be.
My 2017 i3 full electric will take 2 full size emtb's in the boot with the rear seat folded down, or a full set of wing-foiling gear including 3 wings, board, full foil set up, wetsuit, tools etc. And it brings all this stuff wherever in style and comfort, oh and its hilarious fun when you put your foot down. Range of about 120 miles and I've travelled all over in it, just plan your trips to suit with public fast chargers. Absolutely love it, and I too believe it will someday be recognised as a classic from the dawn of EV development.
I like this format, and I agree the i3 has a lot to commend it. Nice tip about the air-con👍
I am a fan of this type of video, and your honest views on the pros and cons of what is available.
Best car ever. Mine is 9 years old now and has 169000km. Zero problems and so much fun! Yes, the range could be better but whatever. Quality of this car is insane. This will be a crazy (carbon fibre) oldtimer in 20 years.
Hopefully we will eventually see aftermarket solid state batteries for these cars because owning them is unlike anything else and they the will persist. In the meantime I still have a good 125 to 150k miles of fun left on my i3s
Excellent. Good to know
I bought a 2014 i3 and a 2018 i3 both with a REX. A really awesome car. Perfect solution for places with limited DC fast charging. I baffles me that no other manufacturer even tried this and that BMW stopped building them.
US buyers shied away because of the styling, and the low HP of the REx. I recall many people claiming it could only go 35mph on the REx. Mine goes 70mph on the REx if I am not heating or using the AC. As for the styling It sort has a bull dogs ugly/cute look in my opinion, but its certainly not what some people are looking for.
I think BMW could have done better with a refresh of the styling, and if the REx could be engaged early (which you can do with coding). And in winter it should use heat from the REx to heat the cabin. Seems crazy not to.
@@bradleyrex2968 I agree. We’ve had good luck with both i3’s we have. The REX is pure genius IMO.
Greatest car I have ever owned. A joy to ride around town in. Thanks for this video. Well done.
Bought one a couple of months ago (a 2018 Rex) and I love it. High quality interior and good performance. Getting about 220 miles combined range in this warm weather.
The i3 is still an amazing car, way ahead of its time in many ways.
I wish they would have continued production.
Amazed they didn’t refresh it tbh. The iX1 won’t hold a candle to it.
@@ModernHeroes I suspect that they did this because it would be costing too much to produce. My guess is that the carbon fibre body is just a bit tricky for mass production. (It also does contribute to the very awkward rear seat access, especially for the old and inflexible among us.)
Just ugly
@antonymcneillis
Can you point out 3 "way ahead of it's time" for 2023?
And what were back when it was released initially?
@@roberts.wilson1848. The car is made of carbon fiber composite (MacLaren uses this, but I can’t think of another manufacturer that has done this). 2. The hybrid system is very unusual - normally the ICE drives the wheels directly. This approach means that most journeys will use no petrol, unlike other plug-in hybrids. 3. The use of two display screens, one of which is “floating” is now common, but was unique in 2013. 4. Bonus (edit) - the tyres are extremely thin to reduce drag, but they still maintain a contact patch similar to a normal car due to the large diameter (mine has 20” alloys), very clever design.
I swear I found this video at the perfect time. Thank you thank you 🙏
Ten years ago I owned an E46 3-series, and that was a disaster. All the things that break on an E46 quickly started to make their presence felt, and I got rid of that car after just 12 months. Swore I would never take a chance again on a BMW older than 5 years, and for cost and devaluation reasons I also won't buy one younger than that.
Then came the i3. It is now the cheapest option for us in South Africa, because there is basically nothing else for less than half a million. Occasionally an early Leaf comes by, but they are pretty much unobtainium.
After a test drive, we were in love. As a result, we now have an 8 year old EV in the garage. So far, it's been impressively un-BMW-like. Nothing has broken yet...
Got a steal in Jan 2021 for a 2017 BMW i3 Bev w/moonroof in showroom condition with only 24,000 miles on it. Litl' Blue is my forever car because it simply meets and/or exceeds every one of my 76 yr old transportation needs. Still worth today what I paid for it but for awhile was even worth 36% more until the market caught up. With a 3 cents per mile operating cost and with only one new DIY 12v battery changeout, and a cabin air filter, my 2.6 year total outlay has been ridiculously low.
They’re great aren’t they? Ours is quite a low spec model but my other half absolutely adores it
I own an '14 i3, bought it in '22 when the war started. The one to get has the Range Extender (REx) and you need to check the battery state (there are instructions online). A very practical (once put a xmas tree in the back) and nerdy car being the first mass production carbon fiber chassis. Also a riot to drive, much like an '80s vintage 3-series.
It's a shame that BMW did not evolve this design as it was groundbreaking packaging. There are also apps that enable a bunch of optional features - or fix the stupid REx limitations if you are in the US.
We have a 2021 120ah and it’s an incredible car. BMW missed an opportunity by not replacing it 😬
💯.
It's got no range
@@Okcdriver ours gets 180-190 miles regularly, dropping around 170 miles in the winter. That’s pretty good given the size of the battery🤔
BMW lost sales on this car when they discontinued the more popular rex version
@@whocares264 true- they decided the bigger battery gave it enough range so dropped the REX. The 120ah with a REX would have a 250 mile range before topping up the fuel/battery which would have been pretty competitive 🤔
I like the i3 so much I traded my used '17 BEV for a new '21 BEV and plan to hang on to it. I'd also point out the post-refresh 2018+ i3 models have amazing headlights.
Excellent video and review, I’m currently in the market for buying my first i3 and this has certainly helped - cheers 👍
Quick update, I’m in club now and have placed a deposit on a lovely low mileage i3 94 Rex.
Love them. I’ve got a high mileage 2014 REx with 116k miles and I don’t care about value because I’m keeping it! It still does 150 miles combined range, not been expensive on servicing because I use a HEVRA garage and it’s great fun and practical too.
114k isn't really high mileage in the modern age. All European cars are designed to last 300,00kms or around 200,000 miles. In reality they'll do much more. In a few years time there'll be plenty of TVs running around with 500k on the clock as there's little to go wrong with the drivetrain.
@@hughmarcus1 perhaps not but when you take into account how people say that EVs won’t last 3 years before needing a battery replacement (which is nonsense of course), it is exceeding expectations. I’ll keep it until it runs no more 🙂
I have been driving a BMW i3 2014 for one year now, bought it for £14500 last year with 45000 miles and I'm gutted that they only sell now for £8000! It is a fantastic car for city driving and very economical. I get 3.3 miles/KWh in winter with air con on and around 5 to 5.5 miles per KWh in the summer. It can probably blow out of the water most petrol cars of equal value in terms of acceleration. If you buy one, make sure you buy one with the range extender otherwise you only get 50 miles in the winter and up to 70 miles in the summer. The extender gives you 50 more miles on petrol. The extender is like a generator that sits in the boot and produces electricity. It does not have a petrol engine! Incredibly light car so in the motorway it feels like it willblow with the wind but I can from an M3 background so a bit unfair to compare...
I3 120 aH second hand 2022 model in 11/2021 with heat pump , rear camera, heating seats, css charger connectors, full led head lamps, and 3 years bmw warranty.
Since then , now in 6/2023 after 18 months , just a set of blades whipper. Nothing has failed. Purchased with 11.000 kms and now 31500 kms.
I hope to keep it for ever.
Iconic car, carbon fiber and aluminium body, plastic door, bonnet and glass like the rear back door. This car is rustproof and made for a long
lasting life.
Charged most of the time at home with a 16ah charger from Amazon.
Greatly informative video! Thank you!
I used my Company Car i3 REX for my daily 160 mile round trip motorway / trunk road commute and clocked up over 110K miles during the lease - an amazing car without a doubt and with free charging near the office at the time it made it cheap-as-chips to run 🙂
160 mile commute 😳
Chips ain’t cheap anymore!!!! 1 and a half spuds for £3 wtf? Good message though. Lucky you.
Enjoyed the video. You touched on things I’m sure people never think of!!!
I bought an i3 new in 2019, my first EV, I still have it now and intend to keep it. Great car, not perfect, but very good. Super fun to drive, super view from that large front windscreen. Range is not great, ride comfort could be much better - these are my two main gripes. What I really like is the radical materials, aluminium frame, carbon fibre tub with plastic body panels means no rust and no parking dings in the panels. The regen is very well judged, making one-pedal-driving easy to achieve.
Yes mine too is 2019. I would like a less bumpy ride at times which could be achieved if our council filled in all the pot holes. Range is great at a steady 160 miles even in winter.
Hi Michael, I do find a big difference in range depending on the season. Winter I get about 130, summer I have had 192. The i3 still puts a smile on my face everyday. My partner has an Audi A3 1.4 petrol auto, which I used to think was a lovely car, but after the i3 it feels slow, hesitant, noisy and smelly.
I have a 2018 REx and in the recent dry spell I see ranges well over 200 miles. There is no range anxiety whatsover for my use. I bought it during the last "so called" fuel shortages
(just the media causing panic as news was slow!) and I needed a vehicle to get to my daughter's house who is vulnerable and it's a round motorway trip of about 180 miles. I do love it and only my itch to try something new would make me change.
Just bought a BMW i3s. As a petrolhead I think it’s great fun. A 2000 model with only 18000 miles. I will use it for local trips and recharge in my garage overnight on a 3 pin plug. It is my local driver and I do have a gas guzzler as my fun car for longer trips 🤓
LOVE MY 2014 I3....REX for sure lol
I’ve got a 2022 i3S and very pleased with it in my context (6k-7k miles/year, City car with very few journeys
>100 miles one way. Tyres on i3S are a bigger worry longer term as stuck with Bridgestone only (I think Michelin covers many standard i3). Dirt cheap to run, fun and comfortable to drive unless you hit potholes. Will charge at 11 kWh on a 22 kWh AC charger which is not the case with a lot of newer EVs. Balloon payment a way off - suspect will swallow that and keep as
Long term it looks likely to be reliable and well built and in later years a possible classic.
Great video thankyou. I have had an iX3 for around 18 months which I am impressed with literally every time I drive it. However I have always secretly wanted an i3 just for the amazing construction and technology especially for it's time. I think they'll be viewed as classics one day. More of this sort of content would be welcome.
I really want to try an iX3 - it’s more or less the perfect car for our “big” car (which is currently an old diesel Audi A8, but has been an X3-size SUV in the past)
@@ModernHeroes I can definitely recommend trying one if you appreciate build quality and driver appeal though not being a ground up EV seems to lose it brownie points in most reviews. I'm smitten with it and this warm weather had it hitting just shy of 300 miles with sensible driving on a London to Norfolk holiday last week. I was down to 200 in the depths of winter this year mind. No battery preheat on the Premier (pre LCI models) like mine so bear that in mind if you need fast public charging when it's cold.
Kia Ora from NZ!
Loved your vid, we have had our used i3 now for 3 years, it’s 2015 and done 130,000 kms. Range is 160 kms, no range extender, fully electric only. Not sure which traction battery it has, only problem we had was the little lead acid battery under the bonnet died suddenly, I didn’t know it had one! BMW charged an extortionate price for replacement battery, now I know where to get them from at a non BMW price. Great car! Rog
VERY INFORMATIVE, real world video 👏🏿👏🏿👏🏿.... thank you!
I have a 15 i3 Rex, a 23 Chevy Bolt EV & a 15 Fiat 500e, all different, all fun.
Purchased the BMW used, the dealer warranty has come in very handy $, dash panel and DC fast charger plug.
You talk about people sticking giant things in their i3s; one of my purchase requirements was the ability to haul my hockey goalie bag and sticks. It easily fit in the i3 with the back seats down. The seats are only about half the thickness of any other car I've ever owned, which by itself adds a bunch of leg room to the back seats. There is a crazy amount of space in there.
Always good to get a review from a real owner (and not a motoring journalist). We have a 2020 i3. Love the acceleration - it’s a fun drive. Not so keen on the rear suicide doors as the rear passenger is ‘locked-in’ like being in the window seat of an A380. We have ordered a petrol BMW 2 Active Tourer 2023 year as a petrol powered rival. Which car will we love the most? Ask me next year.
I have a 2017 94ah (not Rex) which we have owned from new. The only faults in 6 years and 33k miles has been that one of the alloys had a poor finish and was replaced under warranty, and the front dust covers for the suspension failed (they all do) and required replacement last year. The family loves it and it’s great to drive. We have no plans to sell it and will keep it until it dies, which may be some time as the battery shows no signs of degradation and the car is wearing very well. I can highly recommend the optional extras of reversing camera, front parking sensors and the sunroof.
Nice video, thanks👍
👍Thank you for your help - Just brought one today for 9K (2017) from Surrey XXX
Very good video. Like the format.
I do wonder about the worst case range of 120 miles you quoted. How fast do you go on your commute? Because the i3 really doesn't seem keen on going over 65mph. My worst case (with a 94Ah REX) was that it turned the REX on after 80 miles. That was motorway driving at 70 (ish) in around 0°C and steady rain. In those circumstances I'd guess a 120Ah model would struggle to go 110 miles.
In better weather and with less of a deadline to meet the range on mine is way better.
I travel to my other house 90miles away and I get there with 60% battery even in winter travelling at 60-70 when possible. Range is not an issue. In summer my 120 BEV does over 180 miles easily. I would not worry one bit.
I bought my 2014 i3 Rex with 50k miles for $$14k USD in February 2023. I have replaced -tires, 12v battery, clock spring, spark plugs, fuel pump relay, air filter for cabin, and did 2 oil changes. Most of that work was done by friends. The only thing I don't like about war is small battetin winter. I live in Chicago.
Love the i3! It's such a fun car to drive. Nippy, light and a super nice turning radius...
i just bought a used 2020 i3 120Ah to complement my 2015 tesla 85d which is used as my long range car. The I3 replaces my Nissan leaf 30kwh, the difference between the BMW and leaf is amazing my first trip was from Bordeaux, where i brought it to Geneva, with my Tesla following, The I3 was nearly as fast as my old model s over a long distance, the max charging speed of 50kw is not amazing but it makes up with the flat charging curve and the efficiency, the 30kwh leaf would have taken 2 days for the same trip, which took 10hrs in the I3. Anyway only wanted to say the I3 much better than i anticipated, seriously impressed. i might even use if for long runs in preference to my Model S if it wasn't for the free supercharging with the Tesla.
interesting to see this current situation, 2 or 3 years back i thought this would be a good choice, they were starting around 13k then and closer to 20 for decent ones. It does feel like the general buying public and the dealers still don't trust used ev's or understand them. I dont think that will last as people realise that battery degradation is not really a major concern and range is actually usable for most journeys.
The smart people will grab one as soon as they can.
@@michaeldawson6309 prices are going up on these
good tip on the air con.
Still not cheap car though but I'm so old everything sounds expensive, my first 10 year old car cost me £195 lol.
Looking at buying one with a £12k budget so very useful video. 👍
I bought a quite well specced, December 2018 120ah with 20k miles, a year ago from a BMW dealership. Paid £25k. Recently put the details into We Buy Any Car for an insurance valuation and it was below £12k 😮. Luckily I'm planning to keep it long term so I'll get the value out of it. There are certainly some bargains out there now.
Check the price of a 2018 I-Pace and you will feel much better
Small 12mm wheel spacers can really improve i3 driving stance, don't need the stiffer suspension.
Very interesting. We are considering an i3 as a second car, this is very useful. Thanks
Rex is great , makes this a proper ev with no downside, without the rex no thanks...
the downside is
rubbish ride
silly doors
poor audio
lack of equipment
the road grip is only good on smooth roads , plenty of bump steer..
road noise...
decent audio is extra, decent seats are extra, sunroof extra, tints extra
it has got a unusual feature , the rear door windows don't open....
Got a BMW i3 Rex 2013 its done more than 80k, and I love it still gets 80 miles in summer and 50 miles in the winter on the battery, of course. The rex has been hardly used.
Loved my high spec 2019 i3s 120 but decided that I wanted to tour Europe this year so started looking to part exchange for a BMW approved used 640d GranCoupe. Early December last year was receiving part ex offers of £23500. By the time I found the right car mid February the part ex dropped to £18500😳
Great video mate. Thank you for making it. Are the range extender engines reliable? I don’t think use the Rex engine often but is there an issue if it’s not been used in a while ie my primary use being electric.
I’ve got one and I love it - brilliant acceleration and very modern interior
Nice Review 👍
Here in the US, the i3 is also a pretty good value, but it has to contend with the Chevy Bolt EV. With the Bolt having a much larger battery and being easier to find, it's usually the better value. It also has somewhat less controversial styling (Though I do think the i3 looks pretty cool).
I was looking at used i3s, and couldn't justify the prices compared with cheaper used Bolts given they all have or will have their battery pack replaced and warranty renewed. The only reason for me buying an i3 would be it's unique styling.
A Volt would be more of a direct comparison with the Rex. 50 miles on battery then 400 miles of gas. And has FULL CAPABILITY on gas.
I just sold a 2014 BMW i3 BEV with 61k miles for $9000, usable range was about 60 mile, it was a fully loaded one that originally cost me $13000 4 years ago. I'm thinking of buying a 2021 i3 with 153 mile range just because they're great and a joy to drive. But I'm also looking at the i4.
The price of used I3S models is really very tempting now (would prefer the S as it’s more planted and assured at motorway speeds). The facelift original Ioniq is similarly priced for a newer car but… they’re just not as interesting are they? Only reservations are the lack of tyre choice given they seem to wear quickly and reading user reports about random bursts of acceleration at slow speeds. How do they fare with the bumps and potholes? UK road quality seems to be in decline lately so would like to move away from feeling like I need a chiropractor every time I get out of my car.
Agree, bought a 2017 REX i3 in Jan 2022 for £19k and love it. Never been massively in to cars but really love driving it. Defo recommend getting one with range extender if you live in the UK as the charging network is not great. Only use the range extender when doing a holiday trip, but so much better than queueing for the one working charger at the services and adding hours to your journey, just whack another £10 of petrol in and go another 70 miles. No apparent degradation in battery range after 53k miles and six years use.
Where I live in middle of the UK the charging network is great. Tesla and Ionity / BP have some excellent charging hubs. Plus the range on the i3 is great at a min 160 miles. There's always a charger within range but lets be realistic most people don't travel more than 40 miles a day :-)
I've just bought a 2019 120ah i3 as a commuter car to keep the miles off my M2. It's brilliant! Genuinely fun to drive and so cheap to run. I'm starting to think I perhaps should've stretched my budget to an i3s but wanted the furthest possible range and the one I have has a lot of options on it. I'd be interested to hear from anyone who's owned both the i3 and i3s on whether they are much different to drive?
I have the i3 but did test the i3s, opted for the normal i3 at the end of the day because is a commuter so i want more range and also is cheaper. i3s does look more aggressive in a good way, tires are slight wider which makes it look good. It is faster but with less range. Apart from that it drives quite similar, so most people go with the non S model.
5 years in a bogo i3 (no rex, small battery) and 3 years now in i3s (again no rex, but big battery) I3s is VERY different to drive than i3 ime. It feels far far more conventional to drive, much better body control and handwheel response is far more linear, significantly more ultimate grip and noticably more performance, esp at higher speeds. However it also understeers more (it's going faster, but the balance is more front led) The later traction control (DSC moved to the traction inverter to avoid CAN Bus latency between ABS controller and inverter) is a enormous improvement in the speed and seamlessness of the interventions (which are few as both i3 and i3s have exceptionally good traction despite the skinny tyres). I wish it had about 10% more rear cross axle rate to help load the rear tyres a bit more, and a slightly less "safe" half off mode for the DSC (like it's ICE BMW cousins). WHat both cars do so incredibly well is to keep their (relatively low) mass under control thanks to the low CofG meaning you can really dive both of them into corners hard on the anchors and they both develop incredibly good yaw responses whilst doing this, again, far beyond what you would consider them to deliver given the very modest tyre footprints involved.
The i3 is more lively on bumpy and wet roads thanks to poorer body control, and can be VERY lively indeed at very high speeds, whereas the I3s feels alot more tied down. I miss the silly 4 wheel drift anywhere at sensible speeds of the std i3, but i also appreciate the pace of the i3s and in the real world it's actually one of the most agile cars you can drive ime (equal to something like a Lotus elise (yes seriously!) thanks to it's wheel-at-each-corner layout and low polar moment / even mass distribution/ stiff CF body and low CofG.
Watch the i3s ace the infamous moose test here:
ruclips.net/video/-tIqZBzFBAw/видео.html
Agility and stability, a very very nicely balanced car which backs up my experience that within the 100mph speed limiter nothing gets away from the i3s if the road has any kind of bend in it.
A had a REX model whilst mine was in for servicing and the REX noticable blunts the handling, esp in the non-s model. More mass, which is up high in the back, and as a result not nearly as nice to drive under high dynamic conditions
Ride is significantly firmer on the s model, not so nice for passengers as the one side effect of the low CofG is more head toss especially as the seating position is pretty tall, but as a driver the un-expected performance of the s model is well worth it, regularily surprising owners of supossedly much faster and more sporting cars! 🙂
What a great video good content
We have the i3S. We wanted to get into the EV market in a sensible way and as a long term Audi A2 owners the i3 absolutely appealed to us. Both cars are revolutionary in their own way. The Audi with its aluminium construction and the i3 with its Kevlar tub..... we continue to drive both cars side by side but they are different beasts. The A2 delivers long range and frugal consumption. The i3S is even cheaper to run especially as we almost charge it for free from our house solar system. My wife wasn't convinced with the i3 but a few months later it's impossible to keep her out of it. It's light, it's responsive, it's quiet, it's cheeky but best of all, she hasn't visited a petrol station in the past year. For anyone reading this do not under estimate the i3, they are brilliant bits of kit but be careful, the range extender models are not ULEZ compliant, something that could have been mentioned here.
The range extender models absolutely are ULEZ compliant - they’re not eligible for the congestion charge discount but that’s going away soon anyway.
I just bought a 2018 i3s with the range extender. I love it so much
So the range extender is the way to go?
yes i have a 2018 rex , there is nothing to replace it, no route planing ,no hunt the charger which may not work, no waiting to charge, i use a car to suit me, not me suit the car...
Great video as I'm looking to go electric in the coming months (if I can convince my wife) but I'm looking at the ionic 28kwh as they seem to be more affordable now
Likely to be the subject of a future video like this - can see why they appeal at the kind of prices they’re commanding now!
@@ModernHeroes I will look forward to seeing that soon then
Coming from a Polestar 2. Got myself a single owner 2017 94ah yesterday, with 44.000 miles for 8800 GBP (in Norway). Full service history and a new windshield and new front dampers. Everything seems to work as it should except for the charge flap making an unwanted sound when opening. I guess I can afford a new lock pin or even port, very happy with the price of the car and looking forward to enjoy the car. If anyone has advice on the charge flap please let me know.
In UK terms, that's an absolute bargain 👍
Great video
Was thinking this very same point this week so much so I’m considering one
Stupendous value. The GFV on the finance on ours isn’t far off the retail price of that 120Ah.
This is still my favourite car over the past 15 years.
I will own one as soon as I can afford one of the biggest battery i3s used. Maybe not so much longer to wait now
Hi, I had a 40 kWh Leaf 2.0 and upgraded to a 62 kWh model next time around. Enjoy the low cost motoring and take care.
Yes Im already looking for a used one in June 2024
Where I live unless you have a Tesla you won’t find a reliable charger in public the gas generator is great I keep a can of gas in the boot too can go for 300 miles without a charge
Good content 🎉
I’d love one, nice looking, powerful, unfortunately as I’m the only one in my extended family with a car, I’m the local taxi. Even the 5 seats in the leaf gets tight. 7 seats would be nice but I wouldn’t use it all that much.
I currently (no pun intended) own a 2019 BMW I3, and I love it. It's acceleration is astonishing--maximum torque at 0 rpm--means it's quicker than most of the '60's muscle cars. I've had several times when someone with a '60's muscle car, a Chevy Camero and a Plymouth Roadrunner--tried to cut in front of me on the street, and I'm across the intersection before he's half-way through.
Really quick. The i3s is faster to 50mph than an M3 BMW
Hey there just going through EV content and came across your channel some good stuff to get through, a quick question if I may, is there any data on EV battery replacement on the second hand market yet or are we going to have to wait a few more years we usually by Jags or mercs that are 5yrs old and run for 3yrs and Cary on the cycle. In answer to your video title in the nicest way it’s not for me. Many thanks again I shall enjoy looking through your content.
Next up - i8? 😂
I had a drive in one at a track day. Absolutely astonishing car in every way.
Seen some other videos on the support bushings and motor issues. Thinking of buying such an i3 that needs TLC. As cheap as the UK they aren't on this side of the pond.
Do need a next project 😊
Yeah it seems some of the earliest ones do have some issues now and again. Maybe that cheap one isn’t the best idea unless you’re willing to tinker 😆
But, you bought a used BMW i3 in July 2023. This is exiting.
In my opinion the i3Rex is one of few good hybrids.
It has the same battery, and usable for daily driving, and you have the Rex for long trips, and as backup in case of charging issues.
Most PHEVs are in my opinion a joke as EV. Most of them are glorified ICE, with a very small battery, and youare lucky if you can do anything but very short communte in EV mode.
BMW i3Rex, on the other hand is an EV with a range extender, "just as it says on the box".
There is no compromising on the EV functions.
Because of incentives for EVs the Rex never cought on in Norway, I don't think I ever seen one IRL.
I think more hybrids should have a similar approach, not make electrified ICE, but propper EVs with range extender.
I do find it curious that other manufacturers never ran with the REx as a way of getting people into EVs - loads of i3 owners now drive MG4s and similar having used the REx to ease themselves in. Mazda is the only one that kinda did with the MX30 (which I’m not sure is actually available in range extender form yet? But it was announced) but they’ve built a crap EV and then put a bigger engine and fuel tank in it than is required.
You nailed it.
Until having a Range Extender, it's hard to realize the sense it makes.
- Battery can be a fraction the cost & weight as a BEV
- No need for a transmission if all the motive power is from an electric motor.
- A simple, light, compact combustion engine will be perfect, especially since its powerband won't affect the driving experience.
- No need for a costly enormous public charging network to cover every eventuality.
Amazing video
I bought my 2019 i3 in 2022 for £24K with 18K miles. Its now 23K miles and worth £15-17K so bargains out there. These machines are little supercars. Apart from a slightly hard bumpy ride on pot holed streets they are fun to drive in the extreme.
I would not buy any other EV at the moment.
Agreed. Bought the i3s as a stopgap EV until the market sorts itself out. Now I wouldn’t sell it as fa as I can see. Only 17k miles so loads of fun left! Regarding ride, it’s a trade off for handling as you know.
This style and information has been great. I am thinking about the new Volvo EX30 or second hand tesla but do I really need it or the expense. I would go for one of the most recent models I think Thank you for providing a different point of view.
I was going to get an i3 instead of a 330e. However the 330e won. I'm glad I choose it because price of electricity where i stay almost doubled. Running a 2.0l petrol hybrid car was far cheaper than electric only. 7kw chargers ended up being charged despite the council saying they will always be free. Now I'm running a 1.5 mini cooper and it's far cheaper to run than electric/hybrid cars. Unless you get cheap electricity, any electric car will be expensive to run.
I owned an Audi A2 for over 20 years. I loved that car, perhaps more than a person should. It was, of course, strictly petrol. The i3 intrigues me. I have another Audi (Q3 hybrid) but would not mind another get-around-town vehicle. The i3 would fit my mould.....
An electrified new A2 would be amazing, it’s a shame Audi don’t see the potential! i3 is definitely a close match though.
@@ModernHeroesthey do see potential but... I just read an article that states that they make much larger margin by selling SUVs, so they actually don't want you to buy efficient small cars. It's much better for them if you buy an expensive big car, with big future maintainance bills
I picked up a 120Ah car new in 2019 secondhand this year. It's been amazing and as most of my driving is city based it's the PERFECT city cary. Very nippy, small and easy to dart around town. It's less happy on the motorway, not in terms of comfort, but in terms of range. Motorway speeds do sap the battery quite harshly, not using the regenerative braking much really shows on long high speed trips.
I avoided the range extender for the reasons you mentioned, it's just another thing to go wrong and doesn't really add anything for my driving needs.
The one complaint I do have is the cruise control is VERY basic. Even my old Vectra has a speed limiter and speed set function, the i3 I have only has the speed set. Seems a bit of an easy thing to have included as it's just a limiter. But with the blindling acceleration of the i3 I'd have thought it a good idea to have it in.
Oh I forgot about that - the lack of a speed limiter is REALLY weird given any other BMW in the range had it.
I have a speed warning activated, set to 32mph, and rarely turn it off, as 30mph is most often the speed that I might creep over and need reminding about.
What would be the most expensive fix on the BMW i3? I’m thinking of getting one but just wondering how costly it could be.
Thanks. I had an i3 and it was great but the really narrow wheels made it a very uncomfortable ride.
Yeah I should probably have mentioned that - the ride quality isn’t for everyone 😆
Loved my i3s, changed it about a year ago for a 45e X5 - but I will be going back - I miss the little pocket rocket !
That’s quite a change there! Did you downsize into the i3 in the first place?
@@ModernHeroes I moved from a 330D M Sport to the i3s. The X5 is my first SUV type car.
They tyres look really thin compared to other cars IMO
How does it handle under extreme emergency braking in wet conditions? Or taking corners on country lanes when you need every bit of grip possible?
An MPV with 4 seats. ❓
I reproduced too much for this type of car.
I'm annoyed they didn't squeeze a fifth seat in the back
i3 tyres too skinny for Uk potholes. Apart from that it is the only ev with real world appeal - especially with range-extender. If they still made it I would p/x it for my old BMW X1 - but since they stopped making it - I will be keeping my X1 for many, many years.
[the i3 has F1 technology- awesome]
Hi did you have any issues with the i3? Thanks
wouldn't hesitate to buy my own company car i3 at the end of its lease. 100% reliable.
Interesting, thanks for this. When stocks and shares are all over the place, focus on the fundamentals, it’s said. Dunno if that’s always followed, but it’s good advice. So if I state the reasons why I’ve had to scrap my cars over the years, ordinary, conventional ICE vehicles, we can conclude that with EV’s NOT having those liabilities in the main, they have still longevity? In other words, their fundamentals remain strong because they avoid having these ‘fragile’ components or systems at all, or have simplified versions…
…so here’s my ‘fragile’ things conventional cars have, that caused me to scrap them, that will probably not afflict EVs that are a similar age/mileage. 1 - Automatic transmission. This is the absolute number one reason my cars eventually run out of road. I should explain, I only bought cars with over 100,000 miles on the clock. For this reason, I slowly gravitated towards reliable brands with turbodiesel engines, and decent specs. My VW Passat 1999 era, had the transmission fail totally at around 195,000 miles, so I got about 70,000 miles from its four-speed auto box. Hint: the fewer the gears, the stronger the auto transmission is. 3 speed is ugly yo drive but bulletproof. 4-speed was a damn good transmission, but this was pre-millennia and so not too much gagging of the emissions etc, and so I call this exceptional. My Citroen ZX lost first gear by 100,000 miles. My Volvo of the Ford era, lost it’s transmission due to the next failure issue…so we’ll say, that the torque convertor and the auto transmission are non-existent in almost all EVs - therefore you probably won’t lose the EV before 200,000 miles for transmission or clutch or ‘slush box’ reasons. Change the oil in it though…
…2 - Radiators. The Volvo of Ford era had 5 radiators in it, and all Ford seals shrank badly. So aircon went, and all the rads were cheap and this car was lied about, it did not have FSH as the dealer sold it to me. A Volvo garage Harratts in Sheffield, kindly checked and we surmised the stamp was stolen by a mechanic who left them, and they noticed the loss of the stamp but had no proof, until I called them and sent a pic of my book with their stamp, yet they had stopped servicing it months prior. Rogue mechanic with stolen stamp, ran amok then, ‘FSH’-ing many cars that were not in the process - thanks, mate. The main issue here, is changing the coolant regularly, and before time, which means every 2 or 3 years and maybe 30,000 miles say, roughly. It goes acidic and instead of protecting thin alloy rads it flows through actively rots them. So well done chemical companies. So, FSH really, will help, but if you get the car before 70,000 miles change that coolant regularly and you will avoid the dashboard ripout for internal heater matrix, a radiator really…
…3 - leading us to the blown head gasket, because knackered coolant causes this or contributes to it. Yes, EVs don’t have one, but my Prius hybrid does. For your EV, this won’t be the cause of it not managing say 200k miles. I have had 3 cars I think, do this. It’s not dramatic, nor actually terribly damaging, it just needs fixed and if the automatic transmission (see #1) has also been playing up, it’s possible that along with the penalties being upped against large turbodiesels upping their issues and lowering their usefulness (eg cannot drive in rush hour in Bristol), and big road tax bills, the head gasket tips the car over the edge. Again, your EV does not have this, so your EV will not fail due to it…
…4 - So general then, now. Full Service History or as I now know it ‘the biggest lie in car sales’. Sure, I got a bad one. But even so-called FSH has been a shrinking value over the years, as manufacturers began suggesting auto transmissions don’t need fluid replaced (tell that to the guy using my Volvo to tow a caravan for the first 100k of its life, burnt and brown and useless fluid), and engine oils last for 10k miles, and other lies too. Transmission fluid I won’t even talk,about, I changed mine but it’s a minefield if your car owner before you, believed the nonsense and his garage reinforced the nonsense, and it had the same auto fluid for 100k miles. Or the engine oil, it should really be changed every 7,000 miles as an outside number, and enthusiasts do it every 3,000 miles. 10,000 miles, it ain’t. As an expert said ‘I don’t care what lab results say, that oil is done’. And, at 100k miles plus, that’s when it comes home to roost…again, your EV will NOT die from this…
…So my conclusion, is that as people here probably know already, EVs do away with an awful lot of fragile sections or components that normally fail. They also cannot tow for toffee, in the main so bear that in mind. My hybrid can’t either, although people have fitted a Prius with towbar and hitch and taken mini-camper trailers, so it’s a vague rule. But, not for most EVs. So if all these big issues are gone or mitigated, what’s left that ‘kills’ EVs of a higher mileage?
We still have radiators and coolant. Use at least the mix recommended, and change every 2 or 3 years/30k miles is the expert recommendation. My hybrid has two coolant circuits, and I still need to do it but I bought the expensive Toyota proper stuff and it’s better than ripping the dashboard out in 5 years’ time!!! Transmission on an EV seems to be down to a fixed gear, so the oil in there is probably a 50,000 mile replacement is my guess, do it though, don’t trust ‘for life’ claims. It’s bearings and debris and stuff, not just the fixed gears meshing.
We still have what the video producer said those battery packs that are temperature-maintained to limit heat and even cold damage. So, this brings up the aircon, My VW aircon was untouched and worked in 38 deg C French heat at 135,000 miles. My Volvo aircon with it’s rotten Ford seals, died in France by comparison in two weeks at less mileage and less age.
Now we’re into wheel bearings and all that stuff, which is ordinary-level cost. Yes, there’s the battery pack issues, but I know this will be foremost on your mind and is peculiar to each vehicle and make/model, I can’t cover or research that as much as you will be doing! So, in short, there’s very little to kill your possible new, used EV choice, before 200,000 miles rolls by, compared to conventional ICE or even hybrid cars. I’d avoid sunroofs unless they are permanently stuck, ie glued like a glass panorama roof to the bodywork. I have never had a sunroof that did not leak eventually, and you are buying a vehicle that is in ‘eventual’ territory. So, good luck, it’s a careful owner you are after, and watch for the common ‘combo’ ownership car…first, it has a careful owner…then they pass it on or sell it or the dealer rents it illegally out to his mates…thus creating a Jekyll & Hyde car maintenance-wise, so you will see conflicting evidence…the wipers may be rotted, the underside of the car filthy, the interior…
…oh hang on, the interior…a word about lazy ‘ozone bombing’. Instead of proper cleaning, garages and even normal folk are buying £100 ozone machines and leaving them overnight, the car looks ok and smells ok for a couple of weeks, so they can flog it. But take a wet-vac to that upholstery and get a shock. Ozone machines oxidise everything, they age materials in other words. It’s a lazy mistake, but not if you are an uncaring car-flogger. So if you see or hear of ozone being used, know that the car is likely manky inside, it just ain;t obvious. Me, I’d consider it has to be reduced in price, or factor in they bought the ozone device to save paying their guys to clean properly, or a valet/detailer to do so. That’s it, take care, 80% of the market is rubbish, and another 10% is sold to friends of dealers before you ever get near them, and that leaves a small sliver of cars of any type worth buying. Good luck.
The early years of the i3 have what's turning into a plague of problems that cause you to sell it as scrap.
Aircon compressor failures (MANY), and because it also cools the HV battery pack, it makes for a $25k to $35k usd repair estimate.
Drive motor bearings fail, non-repairable, and it often causes the transmission input shaft bearing to fail... $7.5k usd for a motor, $12k for both. Mine is sitting with this since January 2023 waiting for me to fix it... because BMW won't admit it is a design flaw... though in 2018 they introduced a revised motor with tapered roller bearings that became the specified replacement part for all i3 years and models...
Thank you for taking the time to chronicle all of this information. I’ve captured the text and added it to my personal auto data book. Very helpful!
I've always wanted an BMW i3, i'm buying tool to swap out the battery and doing research how to change things out.
For me it was a no brainer, in California the battery, motor and the power control electronics have a 150k warranty. Then I got a $4k tax rebate 😊
So, the 150K warranty and tax rebate are still in effect? I’m in California and considering buying one of these. I’m just not sure how expensive they would be to fix if something goes wrong!?
@@tony_lopez the $4000 tax rebate I think expired last year when the requirement changed to American made cars.
@@DiscoR53 - Of course it did! 🙄
If you bought one in 2020 an i3 would have cost you £37k and now on autotrader that car is around £16k. That’s a depreciation of 57% or £21k. The same costs for a BMW 1 Series is £24k and now it’s around £18.5k. Pro rata that’s a depreciation of 17.6% or £6.5k. Hmmmm… big loss on an EV 😮
So you’re saying buy used and get a bargain then - that’s kinda the point of this video….
The cheapest in Australia is currently a non-REX 60AH at around £15,000, a 90AH is £31,000 and 120AH £33,500.. there's only 2 on the market that aren't 60AH, there's 9 total :/
If I get the cheap one I'd have to carry a generator with me for the 2 hour trip home as they didn't come with compatible roadside chargers til 2018, mad.
EV market in Australia has a long way to go I gather. That is pretty nuts though - you don’t see that many 60Ah BEVs come up for sale here but they don’t have a massively lower value than the equivalent REx (as I said, they tend to be cleaner lower mileage cars so they still command a decent value as a result!)
There's a few reasons maybe you wouldn't. Corsa e/e208 are newer, have bigger battery capacity, and cheaper repairs. Leaf e+ or Zoe 50kwh have bigger capacity too and are much cheaper (although the Zoe might kill you and Leaf uses Chademo). All of those seat 5 instead of 4.
In the end I guess it comes down to what you're looking for.
I've said this for a while too... used i3 seems like a great buy to me - I'd have one, but don't need any more cars.
Lol, I have a TARDIS plate on the front 😂