[Imola.ZHP]

Originally Posted by jadnashuanh

You might wait a long time..US safety laws require there to be metal in the roof when you have a sunroof...that would mean a major redesign of the roof so they could have two different designs - one for the USA and one for the rest of the world when a sunroof is installed. Personally, I like the extra headroom not having one in there provides. I realize not everyone feels the same way, but I often feel like a second class citizen when IF the sunroof is optional, it is included as part of most packages that have options that I'd want. IOW, it is often not a stand-alone option, and that headroom means there are a lot of vehicles I just won't buy because I don't like banging my head or rubbing my hair because of the sunroof. I don't feel it's a big issue on a short-range vehicle like the i3, and the drag caused by having it opened just means fewer miles you can travel, not counting the extra weight on a light car in the worst possible place for it.

Where have you read that US safety laws require metal in the roof of a car? What about convertibles? Or cars with huge panoramic glass roofs? What about exotics made out of lighter materials?

People that get offended so easily about the thought of their car becoming outdated crack me up. I've been driving my 2003 e46 ZHP since 2006, watched the entire e9X platform come and go, and now the F30 has been here for a few years and is about to get a face-lift. Awesome! Trust me, at some point they will change the i3, weather its changing packages, offering new options/technologies, offering different colors and wheel choices, offering stand-alone options like a sunroof in the US, or an LCI update of the front and the back. But don't worry, your i3 will still be AWESOME, in the same way that my e46 is still awesome!

I've had sunroofs in 95% of the many vehicles I've owned over the years, I don't care about the weight, I don't care about the change in range, I won't buy an i3 until they offer the sunroof here. Period. Perhaps that will never happen, so perhaps I will never buy an i3. The rumors/news of the upcoming plug-in electric hybrid F30 might be the way to go, it would definitely kill my range anxiety. Hopefully it will look like any other F30 and you'll be able to order them with the M-Sport package.

Here is what we are all missing incase anyone has forgotten.





And from the exterior, looks good when open too, makes the car look better IMO.

[jadnashuanh]

A convertible requires strengthened windshield pillars and some also come with rear (pop-up) roll-bars. Vehicles with a sunroof are required to have metal reinforcement around them for roll-over protection. While the i3 may meet the strength requirements, the way they are written, they require metal reinforcement. Now, if they were modified to reflect actual structural strength, the i3 would likely pass, but not as the law is written. Getting anything through Congress is not an easy thing to perform. I would not expect this to change in the near term. It does not make sense to spend the money on making a third roof for the i3 (the first two are no sunroof, and the second with one).

Personally, I would not have bought an i3 if it had a sunroof...it takes up a critical amount of space and I don't buy cars where my head hits or rubs against the roof! I don't like the glare on the instruments when having a sunroof open, either, and if I do open one, I do it only for some quick ventilation, then close it up again. Extra weight and cost in the worst possible place in a car - way away from the center of gravity.

[radiantm3]

Took a few more photos:

[particulardude]

Great shots man. You do nice work - I saw BMWi repost one of your shots on Instagram that lead me to your page.

I did the extended test drive a couple weeks ago and really enjoyed the car. Such a unique and calm driving experience.

[ivad32]

I may have come upon you Saturday ~430p on Dougherty Rd between Crow Canyon and Bollinger. My 9 year old son rolled down his window to hear the electric hum as you speed away from the stop lights. The i3 seems to be a quick little ride. Looks like a fun option to your other M rides.

[radiantm3]

Originally Posted by ivad32

I may have come upon you Saturday ~430p on Dougherty Rd between Crow Canyon and Bollinger. My 9 year old son rolled down his window to hear the electric hum as you speed away from the stop lights. The i3 seems to be a quick little ride. Looks like a fun option to your other M rides.

It may have been. I do drive around there. It's definitely a fun little car around town. I've been seeing more and more around here lately.

[ORIGIN M.]

Congrats to you. Great write up. To bad the BMW dealer doesn't have much knowledge on the car. You should never have left had to leave the dealer without a fully charged car. Let alone the setting for how much power it excepts being set wrong.

You sir take fantastic pix.

Did the X5M remain in your stable ?

[ORIGIN M.]

[m3lover1]

Beautiful shots!!!

[RichP]

Wow these pictures are incredible!

Im turning in my extended test drive i3 tomorrow. its a REX and Ive basically had it in the worst conditions.. 20 degrees and now snowing. I had the same issue you did with the charger, it was set to "low" so the first night I plugged it in, got outside the next AM and only added 5 miles on 120V! Needless to say I got to experience the REX later in that day.

For someone with kids (I have a son who is going to be 4 this month) how do you find the coach doors with getting in and out of the back repeatedly, especially when parked alongside another vehicle? We already got sort of "trapped" once.

[ORIGIN M.]

Originally Posted by RichP

Wow these pictures are incredible!

Im turning in my extended test drive i3 tomorrow. its a REX and Ive basically had it in the worst conditions.. 20 degrees and now snowing. I had the same issue you did with the charger, it was set to "low" so the first night I plugged it in, got outside the next AM and only added 5 miles on 120V! Needless to say I got to experience the REX later in that day.

For someone with kids (I have a son who is going to be 4 this month) how do you find the coach doors with getting in and out of the back repeatedly, especially when parked alongside another vehicle? We already got sort of "trapped" once.

You open the front door first, then the rear, then close the front, load whomever in the back seat, and then open the front enough to close the rear, and then you are good to go.

[jadnashuanh]

While the front door won't latch with the rear open, as said, you could certainly move it to the closed position, if required, for more room. If you haven't found this out yet...you have to close the rear doors with authority, otherwise, you will sometimes get the door open warning when driving away.

[RichP]

Originally Posted by red-sauerkraut

You open the front door first, then the rear, then close the front, load whomever in the back seat, and then open the front enough to close the rear, and then you are good to go.

Originally Posted by jadnashuanh

While the front door won't latch with the rear open, as said, you could certainly move it to the closed position, if required, for more room. If you haven't found this out yet...you have to close the rear doors with authority, otherwise, you will sometimes get the door open warning when driving away.

Thank you both.. that seems like a pretty suitable technique for that situation. Just brought the vehicle back and going to take a few days to mull it over. Going to be my only car so I'm a bit more hesitant.. But I will say getting back into my A7 after.. it felt archaic in comparison.