[cruzer666]

Originally Posted by Will168

@footie Lovely car! Can't wait to get mine.

Can I ask if it came fitted with run flats as standard?

I have yet to see an electric car fitted with run flats in the factory, here are the ones I saw so far:
- Tesla S,3,X,Y
- BMW i4/iX
- Hyundai Ioniq 5
- Kia Niro
- Kia EV6
- Nissan Leaf

I personally love the security that comes with performance run flats, but that's not a thing with EV's I guess.

[footie]

Originally Posted by footie

I didn't do a complete top up as I had to go out again but I did top it up last night so I can say that in total I have covered 365 miles and I have charged the car a total of 150.6KW which is an average of 2.42miles per KW.

Apologises the above figure was incorrect, when I checked the charging total for some reason it hadn’t included the 1st of Aprils charging to the figure so it’s not as good as it sounds.

The 365 miles took in total 174.6KW so it was actually 2.09 miles per KW.

[M40i4me]

OP, I would love to hear your thoughts on being touch screen dependent for most functions. To me, digging through screens rather than a quick tactile button is dangerous. Tesla’s are the worst with the giant iPad with a million icons!

[footie]

Originally Posted by M40i4me

OP, I would love to hear your thoughts on being touch screen dependent for most functions. To me, digging through screens rather than a quick tactile button is dangerous. Tesla’s are the worst with the giant iPad with a million icons!

To be honest it’s been relatively painless, for the most part I only listen to the radio so the steering wheel controls that and the quick link to the climate control and seats is equally quick and easy to perform on the move. I have set up a few quick shortcut buttons which only require a push forward with the idrive wheel to bring up so I genuinely don’t think anyone should have an issue adapting to it, heck if an old fart like me can do it then you techies will have no trouble.

Only thing I can figure out is the voice commands, do you say “Hi BMW” before your request because it’s doing nothing for me, maybe my accent is confusing it. LOL

[footie]

I have yet to be a passenger in my i4M50 when it’s floored in Sport Boost from no speed but it must be very unsettling by the noises and remarks made by those I have done it with. LOL

[Technic]

Originally Posted by M40i4me

OP, I would love to hear your thoughts on being touch screen dependent for most functions. To me, digging through screens rather than a quick tactile button is dangerous. Tesla’s are the worst with the giant iPad with a million icons!

Other than no pre-set buttons, iDrive 8 is no different from iDrive7 using the iDrive knob to access the menus. I have done a few i4 test drives and I have not touched the i4 screen for anything, not even for the AC.

[M40i4me]

Originally Posted by footie

To be honest it’s been relatively painless, for the most part I only listen to the radio so the steering wheel controls that and the quick link to the climate control and seats is equally quick and easy to perform on the move. I have set up a few quick shortcut buttons which only require a push forward with the idrive wheel to bring up so I genuinely don’t think anyone should have an issue adapting to it, heck if an old fart like me can do it then you techies will have no trouble.

Only thing I can figure out is the voice commands, do you say “Hi BMW” before your request because it’s doing nothing for me, maybe my accent is confusing it. LOL

Great to hear. as far as voice commands I just press the steering wheel button and say the command without saying hey BMW, much faster and works pretty good. I can just say sport mode and it switches, or call X and it goes right through.

[footie]

Back to short town journeys and the mileage has improved again and now showing 2.14 miles per KW.

[YamaLink]

Originally Posted by M40i4me

OP, I would love to hear your thoughts on being touch screen dependent for most functions. To me, digging through screens rather than a quick tactile button is dangerous. Tesla’s are the worst with the giant iPad with a million icons!

Obviously I'm not the OP, but my Tesla 3's voice command and minimalistic steering wheel controls do a pretty good job of keeping me from going crazy and driving off the road by using the touchscreen. I'm very unhappy with my 2021 Tesla; have M4 Competition xdrive at the port waiting to be shipped to the US.

Few pages back there were comments about the M5 and 0 to 60 and launch control etc. Other than showing friends and family at the first few gatherings how quick my Tesla is, I've never driven it like a "race car". My friends have Plaid and faster EVs than mine: the 0 to 60 is a one trick pony for city driving. There will always be something quicker or faster or this or that. What most of my passengers comment on are interior quality, creaks and mystery noises, fit & finish, feel of soft touches. My Tesla has been called the cheapest feeling car my friends and family sat in. That's why I'm going with an M4.

The 20" and upgraded paint makes OP's car not only look near matte black but also smaller which appeals to me.
I work from home, have second car or fly for long distances. The Tesla's build quality and interior are what had me going back ICE, but obviously I'm on the i4 forum because I appreciate what an EV can be for city use. Options are good.

[footie]

Originally Posted by YamaLink

Obviously I'm not the OP, but my Tesla 3's voice command and minimalistic steering wheel controls do a pretty good job of keeping me from going crazy and driving off the road by using the touchscreen. I'm very unhappy with my 2021 Tesla; have M4 Competition xdrive at the port waiting to be shipped to the US.

Few pages back there were comments about the M5 and 0 to 60 and launch control etc. Other than showing friends and family at the first few gatherings how quick my Tesla is, I've never driven it like a "race car". My friends have Plaid and faster EVs than mine: the 0 to 60 is a one trick pony for city driving. There will always be something quicker or faster or this or that. What most of my passengers comment on are interior quality, creaks and mystery noises, fit & finish, feel of soft touches. My Tesla has been called the cheapest feeling car my friends and family sat in. That's why I'm going with an M4.

The 20" and upgraded paint makes OP's car not only look near matte black but also smaller which appeals to me.
I work from home, have second car or fly for long distances. The Tesla's build quality and interior are what had me going back ICE, but obviously I'm on the i4 forum because I appreciate what an EV can be for city use. Options are good.

I did consider a Tesla briefly but it was brief. It’s actually a shame the quality isn’t there because there’s so much of it’s tech to like.

As for the i4 I genuinely love this more than the M5 Competition, I know what a crazy thing to say but I never got the opportunity to enjoy its performance so a 530 would probably have been a better choice, better ride, quieter and better economy whilst offering all the real world performance anyone really needs… which brings me on to why I love the i4 more than the M5, it’s actual performance is more accessible even in ECO it’s easier to use and more importantly it’s silent doing it’s thing so you fly under the radar by not shouting about going quickly, then there’s the ride, I’m actually surprised it rides so well considering it’s weight but it’s closer to my 740d than the M5 and then the running costs, I know people laugh at the thought of owning a £100K car and talking about it’s upkeep but whilst it never really bothered me it’s nice to have the same real world performance and it costing a third of the price achieving it.

The gimmick that is Sport Boost is very much a thing to surprise unwitting passengers but it’s instant acceleration is probably the most useful feature of this car and all EVs, what they do between 20mph and 70mph is why owners love them, being able to dispatch a couple of cars with so little effort and even less fuss is probably the most lasting impression of my short time owning this car.

A lot has been said about its handling and its weight, I’ve driven this more than probably any reviewer has done and at real world speeds this handles like any other M lite I have driven, I actually drove an M340i very recently and this felt the same, I think to start noticing the weight you really need to be stepping up the speed to a level that isn’t safe, at least not on public roads.

If I have one criticism to level at the car it’s the steering, it is extremely accurate but devoid of feel which would probably be more of a problem when you really start to test the limits of its chassis. Other than that I think BMW have knock it out of the park.

[YamaLink]

Originally Posted by footie

If I have one criticism to level at the car it’s the steering, it is extremely accurate but devoid of feel which would probably be more of a problem when you really start to test the limits of its chassis. Other than that I think BMW have knock it out of the park.

Owned 3 Audis since 2012 so I'm very familiar with devoid of feel steering. And my Tesla on its cheapy a/s tires isn't too far behind in the "craptastic feel" category.

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by YamaLink

Owned 3 Audis since 2012 so I'm very familiar with devoid of feel steering. And my Tesla on its cheapy a/s tires isn't too far behind in the "craptastic feel" category.

Have u test driven i4? And if so, how do u compare to your Tesla(Model 3?)?

[YamaLink]

Originally Posted by bavarianride

Have u test driven i4? And if so, how do u compare to your Tesla(Model 3?)?

I have not driven i4. My local stealership won't get the demo anytime soon, but they told me today one is coming.
I'll be in San Francisco in 11 days, maybe they'll have one.

[techwhiz1]

Originally Posted by YamaLink

I have not driven i4. My local stealership won't get the demo anytime soon, but they told me today one is coming.
I'll be in San Francisco in 11 days, maybe they'll have one.

Not sure about SF, but East Bay BMW has one. I drove it.

[cruzer666]

Originally Posted by YamaLink

My local stealership won't get the demo anytime soon, but they told me today one is coming.

What's a "stealership" ?

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by YamaLink

I have not driven i4. My local stealership won't get the demo anytime soon, but they told me today one is coming.
I'll be in San Francisco in 11 days, maybe they'll have one.

I test drove an i4 M50@Stevens Creek BMW in Santa Clara. They also have an iX.

[techwhiz1]

Originally Posted by cruzer666

What's a "stealership" ?

Nicknamed that because dealers steal your money.

[Cosmo_Kramer]

Originally Posted by bavarianride

I test drove an i4 M50@Stevens Creek BMW in Santa Clara. They also have an iX.

They let anyone test drive or do I need a reservation with them? I already drove one at Fremont but I want to spend some time with iDrive 8.

[LewG988]

Originally Posted by footie

Ok after having the i4M50 for 10 days now I think I can give a reasonably good opinion on how I now feel about the switch from the M5 Competition and whether it was the right move or not. I will touch on how the car drives, some of the tech which might be different depending of what’s allowed in your country and finally range and cost of ownership.

1: How it drives

The switch from the M5 was made on a financial basis because currently there’s tax benefits for business customers and due to shortages of second hand cars my M5 was holding a premium but it still had to drive like a proper BMW for me to be happy with my decision. The most noticeable difference is the instant performance on tap, my M5 was no slouch but compared to this it feels slow, in sport boost the push in the back is brutal there’s no other word to describe it, even in ECO Pro it’s got enough performance for day to day driving to not need either Comfort or Sport and can overtake at the kind of pace one would associate with a top level hot hatch.

Handling, a sticky point for most because at 2.2 ton it’s a real porker and yet it can tackle corners with surprising composure, I am sure if you really started to push at speeds that would lose you your license it’s composure would fall apart but you will not experience this on the road at real world speeds, the only real negative I can point at is the steering feel which simply isn’t there and I can’t quite understand why this should be, it’s perfectly accurate but you feel nothing. Plus points, the brakes seem to be good and the ride quality to a definitely step up from the M5, its rides more like my 740d did which is amazing considering it’s size and how it tackles corners.

2: The technology

The contains some pretty cool tech, if you aren’t on the throttle and approaching a car in front of you that’s traveling slower it automatic brakes for you, likewise entering a slower speed zone without throttle it slows the car to within 5 mph of the speed limit before freewheeling again. Then there’s the cruise control which allows you to SET the speed to the new speed limit you are approaching and it auto adjusts itself, I am finding myself using this function all the time, it’s probably been available before but it’s new to me. Also new to me but probably no to other electric car owners is the departure conditioning function, basically set the time you intend to leave the house on the app and the car pre warms itself cabin etc which is brilliant in cold mornings. Also like how you can set the charging time with the app which is good if you have an EV electricity tariff which is cheaper at night.

3: Running costs and range

Of course we are in difficult times with regards to fuel prices and energy prices so this could vary but I am basing this on present day prices and compared to me M5 which in my opinion is a good comparison because the real world performance of i4M50 is very similar to that of the M5.

I reckon I was probably getting very good mpg out of my M5, I was getting 20mpg (imperial gallons) from mine and based on this figure and the cost I am paying for my electricity (currently don’t have an EV tariff) the i4M50 is working out to be costing my a third of what the M5 cost per mile, so based on my yearly mileage that works out at £2K per year saving. When I switch to an EV tariff this figure will increase by quite a bit so for anyone debating the switch I say it’s a no brainer.

Range on 20” wheels, these are the wider 20s which are offered in the UK but I am 100% getting between 236-244 miles in less than ideal operating temperatures for an electric car, most of my journeys are less than 8 miles which would mean the range might drop with longer journeys but one thing I have found is the state of charge it shows is very accurate to the figure of range it shows so the range left before empty you can believe you’ll achieve.


Conclusion I am over the moon with the car and I can’t recall the last time I felt this happy with a car purchase.

Originally Posted by footie

Ok after having the i4M50 for 10 days now I think I can give a reasonably good opinion on how I now feel about the switch from the M5 Competition and whether it was the right move or not. I will touch on how the car drives, some of the tech which might be different depending of what's allowed in your country and finally range and cost of ownership.

1: How it drives

The switch from the M5 was made on a financial basis because currently there's tax benefits for business customers and due to shortages of second hand cars my M5 was holding a premium but it still had to drive like a proper BMW for me to be happy with my decision. The most noticeable difference is the instant performance on tap, my M5 was no slouch but compared to this it feels slow, in sport boost the push in the back is brutal there's no other word to describe it, even in ECO Pro it's got enough performance for day to day driving to not need either Comfort or Sport and can overtake at the kind of pace one would associate with a top level hot hatch.

Handling, a sticky point for most because at 2.2 ton it's a real porker and yet it can tackle corners with surprising composure, I am sure if you really started to push at speeds that would lose you your license it's composure would fall apart but you will not experience this on the road at real world speeds, the only real negative I can point at is the steering feel which simply isn't there and I can't quite understand why this should be, it's perfectly accurate but you feel nothing. Plus points, the brakes seem to be good and the ride quality to a definitely step up from the M5, its rides more like my 740d did which is amazing considering it's size and how it tackles corners.

2: The technology

The contains some pretty cool tech, if you aren't on the throttle and approaching a car in front of you that's traveling slower it automatic brakes for you, likewise entering a slower speed zone without throttle it slows the car to within 5 mph of the speed limit before freewheeling again. Then there's the cruise control which allows you to SET the speed to the new speed limit you are approaching and it auto adjusts itself, I am finding myself using this function all the time, it's probably been available before but it's new to me. Also new to me but probably no to other electric car owners is the departure conditioning function, basically set the time you intend to leave the house on the app and the car pre warms itself cabin etc which is brilliant in cold mornings. Also like how you can set the charging time with the app which is good if you have an EV electricity tariff which is cheaper at night.

3: Running costs and range

Of course we are in difficult times with regards to fuel prices and energy prices so this could vary but I am basing this on present day prices and compared to me M5 which in my opinion is a good comparison because the real world performance of i4M50 is very similar to that of the M5.

I reckon I was probably getting very good mpg out of my M5, I was getting 20mpg (imperial gallons) from mine and based on this figure and the cost I am paying for my electricity (currently don't have an EV tariff) the i4M50 is working out to be costing my a third of what the M5 cost per mile, so based on my yearly mileage that works out at £2K per year saving. When I switch to an EV tariff this figure will increase by quite a bit so for anyone debating the switch I say it's a no brainer.

Range on 20" wheels, these are the wider 20s which are offered in the UK but I am 100% getting between 236-244 miles in less than ideal operating temperatures for an electric car, most of my journeys are less than 8 miles which would mean the range might drop with longer journeys but one thing I have found is the state of charge it shows is very accurate to the figure of range it shows so the range left before empty you can believe you'll achieve.


Conclusion I am over the moon with the car and I can't recall the last time I felt this happy with a car purchase.

Looks good

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by footie

Maybe the i4 40 might approach that figure but the M50 I very much doubt it.

Yeah I am waiting for i4 40 demo to show up at local dealers.

[bavarianride]

Originally Posted by Cosmo_Kramer

They let anyone test drive or do I need a reservation with them? I already drove one at Fremont but I want to spend some time with iDrive 8.

It is currently walk-in only, just head to sales office and put your name of the waitlist. I went on a Tue@10am and there was no one waiting.

Is Fremont also walk-in?

[Cosmo_Kramer]

Originally Posted by bavarianride

It is currently walk-in only, just head to sales office and put your name of the waitlist. I went on a Tue@10am and there was no one waiting.

Is Fremont also walk-in?

I got lucky, the day that I went in to place an order they had a loaner from BMW. Wasn't sure it was for customer test drive car since it's not theirs. I only drove for a very short drive didn't get to play around with iDrive.