Registration Opens for BMW i3 Test Drive Events Across the U.S.

retusn · 05-08-2014, 06:15 PM

Did the test drive today in Evansville, IN.
Pretty impressive overall.

-Car does have some understeer when accelerating quickly.
-Interior was noise free, strange to have the good torque but no engine noise.
-Seats are firm.
-Instrument panel is well laid out.
-Nice navigation system
-Suspension was stiff but not bone jarring stiff over bumps and potholes.
-Very good visibility from the inside of the car.
-Regenerative braking was cool, took a bit to get used to.

Might be something in the future for the wife to replace her Chevy.

jadnashuanh · 05-12-2014, 10:23 PM

I'm signed up for the drive event in a couple of days, but the dealer called this morning and said they had their first shipment of i3's in, so I went over and scoped them out. As some have noted as a deficiency, the initial i3's in the USA can't get the sunroof...well, I'll get a direct comparison in a couple of days, but I will say that I had less than about 1/2" above my short brush cut to the ceiling when I had the seat all the way down, and positioned for where I'd want it to drive the car. The car came to them with about a 20% charge, and they were charging it prior to letting anyone drive it around, and I'm going to do that in the drive event, so I didn't stick around or go back later once it was charged. I did actually see it on the road as I was returning from the ride...weird running light pattern.

IOW, for me, and I'm only about 6'2", I'd never buy one with the sunroof, my head would be jammed against the headliner, but maybe sitting next to the glass, if the shade was opened. Long waist for my height makes finding both shirts long enough and cars that I fit into tough (throw in that I don't bend very well anymore, and it's tougher!)...looks like this one may work.

I took some measurements of the hatch area, to see if my recumbent trike would fit (usually, I fold it to save length), and it looks like it will work. I think it will work better not folded, since it isn't quite as high. The height to the headliner isn't flat (typical) and it appears the opening at the rear is about 26" high and about 36" wide. The height from the back of the folded seats gets to about 29" in the scooped out areas...the seats are almost flat, but not quite. Personally, I think they should post those dimensions, but keep in mind, those I listed are just approximate. Anyway, the two critical things are that I fit, and my trike, or there would be no big reason to buy one. My goal was to avoid all of the short trips in my GT, and a fair number of those are to the bike trail with my trike...

Next, see how it actually drives, then think about it a bit...talking to my financial advisor on Thursday, and that will be one, of many topics.

FWIW, the shop guy said that BMW hasn't approved any DC fast chargers for the dealers yet. This dealer had two chargers in their service entrance, and two (well one with two ports) in their "public" area. They are part of the Chargepoint system, and I did not ask if they charged for their use as part of that network, but I think they were free, at least for the time being.

ultraturtle · 05-13-2014, 06:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jadnashuanh

... for me, and I'm only about 6'2", I'd never buy one with the sunroof, my head would be jammed against the headliner, but maybe sitting next to the glass, if the shade was opened.

My advice would be to get one sooner, rather than later. Once sunroofs become available in the US, you will be unlikely to get a nicely equipped i3 without one, as BMW typically includes them on all but base models. I'm tall as well, and see this as a very limited window to get an i3 with leather seats and without a sunroof.

jadnashuanh · 05-14-2014, 04:33 PM

Well, I did the test drive, and found the car neat. I would miss the HUD from my existing vehicle, though. I goosed it once, and was doing like 84mph before I noticed...it was running out of oomph, but was still accelerating. I would also miss the autohold braking function. While the regen will keep it in place on a flat or maybe a slight slope, it would roll if the slope was above a certain point...not enough to dismiss the vehicle.

My trike was just a little bit too long with the rack on the back (the angle of the tailgate) to fit in unfolded, and it was maybe barely 1/2" too tall folded until I removed the side bars (designed to hold the panniers away from the wheel and gearing). So, the trike does fit when folded, which otherwise would have been a no-deal situation.

But, before I can consider it any further, I have to get my condo association to approve installing a L2 charge point outside, or at least make a small door to get the cord out if it were inside. No sense in buying it if it can't be recharged...not even an available receptacle, unless you leave a door open, which isn't a viable option. Only have a one-car garage, and want to keep my ICE in there, so inside isn't a viable option. ANyway, having the much shorter vehicle outside will make things easier for my neighbors, too.

So, it seems to do what they said it would. The person that did the intro also said that 0-45mph, it is the fastest BMW that they currently sell. I would have thought that upper limit might have been high, but from a corporate viewpoint, that appears to be true.

ultraturtle · 05-14-2014, 08:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jadnashuanh

The person that did the intro also said that 0-45mph, it is the fastest BMW that they currently sell. I would have thought that upper limit might have been high, but from a corporate viewpoint, that appears to be true.

Actually, it is more like 0-26 mph, but that is where all the fun is anyway.

davem3fan · 05-16-2014, 02:33 PM

I very much enjoyed my i3 drive at Otto's BMW on May 15th.
As an M car customer, I can say that I'm very excited about how much I enjoyed the i3.

I don't know if I'll ever be an EV driver, but this makes me fear the prospect much less.
I'm fascinated by these EV (Electric Vehicle) entries from BMW because they had the patience to develop these two vehicles to their own standards, rather than rushing the products to market to take early advantage of a trend.

Toyota's ubiquitous Prius dominates the Alt Fuel market based on their strict ethic of utility. I like the idea that IF I ever want an EV, that there are finally at least two vehicles designed with BMW DNA.

Also, I've always wanted to drive a car with free-range, fair-trade, conflict-free, all-organic hemp seating.

Plus, the tires are gluten-free!

boulderado · 05-16-2014, 06:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davem3fan

Also, I've always wanted to drive a car with free-range, fair-trade, conflict-free, all-organic hemp seating.

Plus, the tires are gluten-free!

Is this supposed to be funny?

davem3fan · 05-16-2014, 08:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by boulderado

Is this supposed to be funny?

Why, Yes!

Are you as humorless as everyone else who would like to drive a car that saves the planet?

boulderado · 05-17-2014, 12:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by davem3fan

Why, Yes!

Are you as humorless as everyone else who would like to drive a car that saves the planet?

It is not my place to try to educate you and I certainly don't want to start a long environmental debate but climate change is real. CO2 emissions from internal combustion engines contribute significantly to the climate change and it wouldn't hurt to drive zero emission cars. You won't be saving the planet like Bruce Willis in Armageddon but future generations might appreciate your prudence.

A recent military report on climate change, if you have couple of minutes to spare:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/05/14/us...searchers.html

zonka81 · 05-20-2014, 10:34 AM

Me and my dad went to BMW Motorwerks in Minnesota to see the i3. It wasn't on the showroom floor so we asked and it was in the garage awaiting test drives. They OFFERED to let us test drive it without registering. Amazing car!
Attachment 1030123

Review:
Looks: Personally I think the car looks great, very futuristic design and we parked it next to our X3 and it made it look like it was from the stone age. I think it looks a little weird how the suicide door swings down at a slight angle.

Power and Breaking: Car has incredible torque. My uncle has a Tesla Model S that I have driven extensively, and it felt like the BMW was actually quicker from a standstill. I'm also used to the deceleration you get when you lift off the gas in the Tesla, but in the BMW it decelerates SO much faster. In order to get out of the garage at Motorwerks, you have to go down a long and steep ramp. Normally you just let the car roll down, but we actually had to use the gas, otherwise it would stop. Some people say that because it is an EV, it is totally silent. Thats true on the Tesla, where all you get is road noise and a tiny whine. The i3 is another story. When you accelerate, especially hard, there is this really annoying whining sound coming from the trunk. Its not quiet and after awhile I got really sick of it.

Ride and Handling: Firm ride, but comfortable enough, especially on roads where potholes are very common this time of year. Feels very solid going over bumps with no rattling feel and it feels solid when turning. Not sure if this has something to do with the Carbon Fiber tub? I have driven the X3 the a lot obviously and I've driven a 328 and 535 and they all have the same firm ride and solid as the i3. The best way to describe it is how my dad described, which is typical BMW ride. There is good feel from the steering wheel and its light but not as light as I would want it. Our X3 has Variable Sport Steering, which I think is great. Wish the i3 had it.

Overall: Good car. One of the biggest mistakes on this car is the placement of the engine Start/Stop button. The stalk that houses it and the gear shifter is right up against the steering wheel and the button is on the inside of the stalk and covered by the steering wheel. A very awkward place to put it. And if you,re the right height, you can't even see it. I love the futuristic dashboard framed in that composite fiber, looks great. I really like that despite the futuristic interior, they decided to keep the iDrive and other bits. When we started off, everything felt very new but very familiar and it only took a few minutes to work everything out. That being said if I wasn't 17 and had $50k to spend on a car, I'd seriously consider one of these over a 328.

Photos:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/834122...7644349266160/

Wah · 05-20-2014, 01:20 PM

Has anyone that went to the event received their incentive yet? Just wondering how much and is it only for the i3?

Tirpitz · 05-20-2014, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wah

Has anyone that went to the event received their incentive yet? Just wondering how much and is it only for the i3?

I don't think they are offering any incentive from this test drive event. If you got a tote bag and pen like I did that is the extent of the incentives.

05-08-2014, 06:15 PM	#23
retusn Private First Class 6 Rep 102 Posts Drives: 2013 X5M Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Warrick County, IN iTrader: (0)	Did the test drive today in Evansville, IN. Pretty impressive overall. -Car does have some understeer when accelerating quickly. -Interior was noise free, strange to have the good torque but no engine noise. -Seats are firm. -Instrument panel is well laid out. -Nice navigation system -Suspension was stiff but not bone jarring stiff over bumps and potholes. -Very good visibility from the inside of the car. -Regenerative braking was cool, took a bit to get used to. Might be something in the future for the wife to replace her Chevy. __________________ 2013 E70 X5M 2011 E92 M3 traded in, 2009 CTSV LEMON, 2008 Z06 Lemon Law, 2007 Z06 Dealer butcher, 2004 Z06 (Sold) 1996 GrandSport (sold), 1996 Impala SS (Sold)
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05-12-2014, 10:23 PM	#24
jadnashuanh Major 50 Rep 1,061 Posts Drives: 535iGT x-drive; i3 BEV Join Date: May 2010 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	I'm signed up for the drive event in a couple of days, but the dealer called this morning and said they had their first shipment of i3's in, so I went over and scoped them out. As some have noted as a deficiency, the initial i3's in the USA can't get the sunroof...well, I'll get a direct comparison in a couple of days, but I will say that I had less than about 1/2" above my short brush cut to the ceiling when I had the seat all the way down, and positioned for where I'd want it to drive the car. The car came to them with about a 20% charge, and they were charging it prior to letting anyone drive it around, and I'm going to do that in the drive event, so I didn't stick around or go back later once it was charged. I did actually see it on the road as I was returning from the ride...weird running light pattern. IOW, for me, and I'm only about 6'2", I'd never buy one with the sunroof, my head would be jammed against the headliner, but maybe sitting next to the glass, if the shade was opened. Long waist for my height makes finding both shirts long enough and cars that I fit into tough (throw in that I don't bend very well anymore, and it's tougher!)...looks like this one may work. I took some measurements of the hatch area, to see if my recumbent trike would fit (usually, I fold it to save length), and it looks like it will work. I think it will work better not folded, since it isn't quite as high. The height to the headliner isn't flat (typical) and it appears the opening at the rear is about 26" high and about 36" wide. The height from the back of the folded seats gets to about 29" in the scooped out areas...the seats are almost flat, but not quite. Personally, I think they should post those dimensions, but keep in mind, those I listed are just approximate. Anyway, the two critical things are that I fit, and my trike, or there would be no big reason to buy one. My goal was to avoid all of the short trips in my GT, and a fair number of those are to the bike trail with my trike... Next, see how it actually drives, then think about it a bit...talking to my financial advisor on Thursday, and that will be one, of many topics. FWIW, the shop guy said that BMW hasn't approved any DC fast chargers for the dealers yet. This dealer had two chargers in their service entrance, and two (well one with two ports) in their "public" area. They are part of the Chargepoint system, and I did not ask if they charged for their use as part of that network, but I think they were free, at least for the time being.
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05-14-2014, 04:33 PM	#26
jadnashuanh Major 50 Rep 1,061 Posts Drives: 535iGT x-drive; i3 BEV Join Date: May 2010 Location: USA iTrader: (0)	Well, I did the test drive, and found the car neat. I would miss the HUD from my existing vehicle, though. I goosed it once, and was doing like 84mph before I noticed...it was running out of oomph, but was still accelerating. I would also miss the autohold braking function. While the regen will keep it in place on a flat or maybe a slight slope, it would roll if the slope was above a certain point...not enough to dismiss the vehicle. My trike was just a little bit too long with the rack on the back (the angle of the tailgate) to fit in unfolded, and it was maybe barely 1/2" too tall folded until I removed the side bars (designed to hold the panniers away from the wheel and gearing). So, the trike does fit when folded, which otherwise would have been a no-deal situation. But, before I can consider it any further, I have to get my condo association to approve installing a L2 charge point outside, or at least make a small door to get the cord out if it were inside. No sense in buying it if it can't be recharged...not even an available receptacle, unless you leave a door open, which isn't a viable option. Only have a one-car garage, and want to keep my ICE in there, so inside isn't a viable option. ANyway, having the much shorter vehicle outside will make things easier for my neighbors, too. So, it seems to do what they said it would. The person that did the intro also said that 0-45mph, it is the fastest BMW that they currently sell. I would have thought that upper limit might have been high, but from a corporate viewpoint, that appears to be true.
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05-16-2014, 02:33 PM	#28
davem3fan Captain 186 Rep 722 Posts Drives: 2011 M3 Sedan Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Philly Metro iTrader: (2) Garage List 2016 BMW M3 [0.00] 2013 BMW X5 xDrive35d [0.00]	I very much enjoyed my i3 drive at Otto's BMW on May 15th. As an M car customer, I can say that I'm very excited about how much I enjoyed the i3. I don't know if I'll ever be an EV driver, but this makes me fear the prospect much less. I'm fascinated by these EV (Electric Vehicle) entries from BMW because they had the patience to develop these two vehicles to their own standards, rather than rushing the products to market to take early advantage of a trend. Toyota's ubiquitous Prius dominates the Alt Fuel market based on their strict ethic of utility. I like the idea that IF I ever want an EV, that there are finally at least two vehicles designed with BMW DNA. Also, I've always wanted to drive a car with free-range, fair-trade, conflict-free, all-organic hemp seating. Plus, the tires are gluten-free! __________________ Dave Flogaus CCA #123862 11 E90 M3 Sedan DCT 94 E36 325is M-Tech (S50)
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05-20-2014, 10:34 AM	#32
zonka81 Enlisted Member 9 Rep 35 Posts Drives: 2012 BMW 535i xDrive GT Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Minnesota iTrader: (0)	Me and my dad went to BMW Motorwerks in Minnesota to see the i3. It wasn't on the showroom floor so we asked and it was in the garage awaiting test drives. They OFFERED to let us test drive it without registering. Amazing car! Attachment 1030123 Review: Looks: Personally I think the car looks great, very futuristic design and we parked it next to our X3 and it made it look like it was from the stone age. I think it looks a little weird how the suicide door swings down at a slight angle. Power and Breaking: Car has incredible torque. My uncle has a Tesla Model S that I have driven extensively, and it felt like the BMW was actually quicker from a standstill. I'm also used to the deceleration you get when you lift off the gas in the Tesla, but in the BMW it decelerates SO much faster. In order to get out of the garage at Motorwerks, you have to go down a long and steep ramp. Normally you just let the car roll down, but we actually had to use the gas, otherwise it would stop. Some people say that because it is an EV, it is totally silent. Thats true on the Tesla, where all you get is road noise and a tiny whine. The i3 is another story. When you accelerate, especially hard, there is this really annoying whining sound coming from the trunk. Its not quiet and after awhile I got really sick of it. Ride and Handling: Firm ride, but comfortable enough, especially on roads where potholes are very common this time of year. Feels very solid going over bumps with no rattling feel and it feels solid when turning. Not sure if this has something to do with the Carbon Fiber tub? I have driven the X3 the a lot obviously and I've driven a 328 and 535 and they all have the same firm ride and solid as the i3. The best way to describe it is how my dad described, which is typical BMW ride. There is good feel from the steering wheel and its light but not as light as I would want it. Our X3 has Variable Sport Steering, which I think is great. Wish the i3 had it. Overall: Good car. One of the biggest mistakes on this car is the placement of the engine Start/Stop button. The stalk that houses it and the gear shifter is right up against the steering wheel and the button is on the inside of the stalk and covered by the steering wheel. A very awkward place to put it. And if you,re the right height, you can't even see it. I love the futuristic dashboard framed in that composite fiber, looks great. I really like that despite the futuristic interior, they decided to keep the iDrive and other bits. When we started off, everything felt very new but very familiar and it only took a few minutes to work everything out. That being said if I wasn't 17 and had $50k to spend on a car, I'd seriously consider one of these over a 328. Photos: https://www.flickr.com/photos/834122...7644349266160/ Last edited by zonka81; 05-20-2014 at 11:21 AM..
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05-20-2014, 01:20 PM	#33
Wah IG@i.am.wah 2779 Rep 3,815 Posts Drives: M2 CS Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: NJ iTrader: (4) Garage List 2022 Tesla Model Y ... [0.00] 1974 BMW 2002 [0.00] 2020 BMW M2 CS [0.00]	Has anyone that went to the event received their incentive yet? Just wondering how much and is it only for the i3?
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