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      05-20-2014, 03:29 PM   #1
BMWMN1971
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Test drove the I3 today

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Nice little car with an amazing acceleration. Found interior pretty plain and not very futuristic. There is a lot of empty space that gives the impression something is missing inside. Not worth $42k in my opinion.
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      05-20-2014, 03:51 PM   #2
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I drove that same one at Motorwerks on Saturday. Great car but the only option it had was the silver paint and heated seats
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      05-20-2014, 04:09 PM   #3
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I drove at BMW of Minnetonka. They had at least 6 I3 in the event. I did not check all of them but the one I drove was very basic.

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Originally Posted by zonka81 View Post
I drove that same one at Motorwerks on Saturday. Great car but the only option it had was the silver paint and heated seats
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      05-21-2014, 02:06 PM   #4
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Motorwerks wasn't having an event. The one we drove was actually for sale and in their inventory.
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      05-24-2014, 04:35 PM   #5
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Well, I couldn't disagree more with the mediocore feed-back on this vehicle from my fellow Minnesotans..

"it only had a few options" -- C'mon guys you are so missing the point if that's what you walked away with and wanting to post here for all to know

I drove one @ Mtka today and was absolutely floored:

Instant and copious torque = Unbelievable acceleration
Spacey, quiet, solid cabin
Uber luxury? No, but upscale for certain and futuristic and fresh
LOVE the sustainability elements of materials and production

IMO? Fantastic job by BMW on their first generation electric car..Very much a consideration for my wifes future car (she works out of the home)

I feel like I drove the future today!
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      05-25-2014, 11:07 PM   #6
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cool car
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      05-28-2014, 11:39 AM   #7
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Drove one in Spokane this last week.
The dealership here has a Mega and Giga. Both were all EV no REX.



I drove the Mega. The interior was nice, but not as good as the Giga. The two tone upholstery and eucalyptus wood really made a difference. The Mega just felt cheap. Considering the price, BMW should have made the entry model better.



The acceleration that everyone talks about is no joke. The car is quick off the line. And the sound! What sound? It was very weird going that fast without all of the rumble and exhaust music.
The handling was great. It definitely felt more like a go-cart than my Mini S! It has a great tight turn radius. Perfect for scooting around town.

Having the drive selector on the column and how you rock it forward or back was different. Having to press a button to put it into park was awkward.
I found out that if you leave it in park then get out of the car, it shuts down. You have to restart it when you get back in. That was weird.

The cabin was as roomy as I read. At least in the front of the car. Lots of head room and for a car this small, it definitely felt larger than it looks. The seats were comfortable, but wouldn't feel too good after a couple hours of driving around. I wonder how well the materials would hold up over time.



Rear seating was a little tight. I'm 6'-3" but fit fine. I wouldn't want to be back there for too long though. Good thing I do most of the driving in the family. But with how fun the i3 is to drive, I think we'll all be fighting for who gets to mash on the go pedal!

The carbon fiber can be seen in just the right places. However, it's not very pretty. If you're used to a nice tweed weave look of carbon hoods and the like, you'll be disappointed here. It's all go and no show. The best word I have to describe the car is honest. It's honest in how it uses its materials. Nothing is trying to be something that it's not.

I could go on and on. I was very impressed. But there were a few ??? moments. Like when closing the doors. You really have to slam them shut. And when you do, its like the doors are shaking and the panels wobble a little. Also, the rear camera is in an odd place. Right in the middle of the bumper above the license plate.

The dealership is getting another shipment soon and one of them is going to be another Mega but in Solar Orange Metallic. I really want to see this color in person. If I really like that, I'll be placing an order soon!
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      05-28-2014, 05:09 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Midwest X6
Well, I couldn't disagree more with the mediocore feed-back on this vehicle from my fellow Minnesotans..

"it only had a few options" -- C'mon guys you are so missing the point if that's what you walked away with and wanting to post here for all to know

I drove one @ Mtka today and was absolutely floored:

Instant and copious torque = Unbelievable acceleration
Spacey, quiet, solid cabin
Uber luxury? No, but upscale for certain and futuristic and fresh
LOVE the sustainability elements of materials and production

IMO? Fantastic job by BMW on their first generation electric car..Very much a consideration for my wifes future car (she works out of the home)

I feel like I drove the future today!
It is all about expectations. Ave you been on a Tesla? That is the future for me. I found the i3 pretty plain at least the one I drove. I have a brand new F15 and the technology in my car and the quality of it is way higher quality than the one on the i3.
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      06-05-2014, 11:06 PM   #9
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Drove the I3 today at the I3 event here in Humboldt. The interior is absolutely bananas.. Definitely would have to grow on me, but thought it was pretty awesome. Acceleration was excellent.. From 0-60 it feels much quicker than the 7+ second time BMW claims.. I had a 328xi MT and this car would have killed it 0-90 MPH. I was especially impressed with throttle response.. Floor it at 20 MPH and this thing goes..
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      06-06-2014, 04:47 PM   #10
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The acceleration starts to noticeably taper off once you get above around 80mph or so. And, it's quiet getting there...I had one up to about 83 before I looked down and said, I better slow down!
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      06-16-2014, 11:43 AM   #11
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Saw one of these this morning driving behind me. I had to do a double take wondering what it was. I saw the roundel and immediately recognized it was an i3. It looks nice from the front, including lighting. However the rest of the outside looks like the Transformer that couldn't get pass Robot Boot Camp.
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      06-18-2014, 11:24 PM   #12
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Drove one today at an event. Pretty cool little car and does what it was intended to do very, very well (as far as I could tell from test drive anyway). Only issue for me is the price. Built one online to the tune of $55k. Just not sure it makes sense at that price point.

I may give it a closer look when my 335 lease is up though. It does make a lot of sense for a lot of the driving we do right now, short, around town stuff.. Just not sure it makes sense at just a few thousand less than a well equipped 335.
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      06-18-2014, 11:25 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by JRV
Saw one of these this morning driving behind me. I had to do a double take wondering what it was. I saw the roundel and immediately recognized it was an i3. It looks nice from the front, including lighting. However the rest of the outside looks like the Transformer that couldn't get pass Robot Boot Camp.
Kisco had an event, 5 or 6 of them running around near you..
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      06-19-2014, 03:40 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by chrisny View Post
Drove one today at an event. Pretty cool little car and does what it was intended to do very, very well (as far as I could tell from test drive anyway). Only issue for me is the price. Built one online to the tune of $55k. Just not sure it makes sense at that price point.

I may give it a closer look when my 335 lease is up though. It does make a lot of sense for a lot of the driving we do right now, short, around town stuff.. Just not sure it makes sense at just a few thousand less than a well equipped 335.
The only way to get one that expensive is the Tera trim level with the REx. I wasn't all that overwhelmed by all leather, and for around town, the REx probably isn't a great idea, either. I think people will be very happy with it IF they can either rent or borrow or have a second car for longer trips. I would NOT consider the i3 with a REx as a full ICE replacement...the tank is just too small, and depending on where you live, the compromises may be too great. In a multi-car stable, it's great, and I just put a deposit on one today, but it's a fully loaded Giga trim. Should have it next week.
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      06-19-2014, 08:48 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jadnashuanh View Post
The only way to get one that expensive is the Tera trim level with the REx. I wasn't all that overwhelmed by all leather, and for around town, the REx probably isn't a great idea, either. I think people will be very happy with it IF they can either rent or borrow or have a second car for longer trips. I would NOT consider the i3 with a REx as a full ICE replacement...the tank is just too small, and depending on where you live, the compromises may be too great. In a multi-car stable, it's great, and I just put a deposit on one today, but it's a fully loaded Giga trim. Should have it next week.
Ok, so even if you stick with the Giga without REx, same options otherwise, I'm still over $50k. So my point remains the same, it's well into 328/335 territory. That's a lot for a car that basically requires a second (or 3rd) car. And while the REx shouldn't be expected to make this an ICE replacement, I don't think anyone thinks it does. It's a back-up plan and a way to stretch it just a bit further, nothing more.

My BMW i3 Details
70 - 110 miles per charge
Fully charged in approximately 3.5 hours
See all standard features
BASE MSRP
$41,350
Giga World$1,700
Solar Orange Metallic w/Frozen Grey accent$550
Giga Cassia Natural Leather & Carum Spice Grey Wool Cloth$0
Sport 20" BMW i Light Alloy Double Spoke wheels style 430 w/mixed tires$1,300
Parking Assistant Package$1,000
Technology + Driving Assistant Package$2,500
DC Fast Charging (SAE)$700
Heated front seats$350
Destination & Handling:$925
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Total MSRP as Built $50,375
Estimate $42,875
Includes $7,500 federal tax incentive.
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      06-20-2014, 08:09 AM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jadnashuanh View Post
The only way to get one that expensive is the Tera trim level with the REx. I wasn't all that overwhelmed by all leather, and for around town, the REx probably isn't a great idea, either. I think people will be very happy with it IF they can either rent or borrow or have a second car for longer trips. I would NOT consider the i3 with a REx as a full ICE replacement...the tank is just too small, and depending on where you live, the compromises may be too great. In a multi-car stable, it's great, and I just put a deposit on one today, but it's a fully loaded Giga trim. Should have it next week.
the REX model exists to deter range anxiety which is a much larger issue in the USDM
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      06-20-2014, 10:22 AM   #17
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Test Drove the i3

My 7 year old and I test drove the i3 in Des Moines last week while my 335i was getting some routine work done.

I hadn't read a review on it yet as the styling was a bit disappointing and I really wasn't too interested in the car. My son, however, was immediately drawn to it. After driving it, I found myself grinning non-stop for half an hour. It is really fun to drive and the 0-40 accelleration is very impressive. It handles very well. It seems to be a solid car and for its size, has a good amount of room inside. If I did a lot of city driving, I would have a hard time not considering it.
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      06-25-2014, 10:52 AM   #18
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Originally Posted by TitaniumTurbo View Post
My 7 year old and I test drove the i3 in Des Moines last week while my 335i was getting some routine work done.

I hadn't read a review on it yet as the styling was a bit disappointing and I really wasn't too interested in the car. My son, however, was immediately drawn to it. After driving it, I found myself grinning non-stop for half an hour. It is really fun to drive and the 0-40 accelleration is very impressive. It handles very well. It seems to be a solid car and for its size, has a good amount of room inside. If I did a lot of city driving, I would have a hard time not considering it.
+1. I was as impressed with how much it felt like a bmw when closing doors and driving around as I was with the low end acceleration. Just has that solid and planted feel you expect from a BMW, despite being so small (and plastic ).
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      07-07-2014, 04:21 PM   #19
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So I know this coming from me will be amusing, since I’ve beat on BMW and the i3 pretty good these past few months. I had a chance to test drive the EV i3 today. It is quite impressive I do have to say. I was surprised how well it did handle and how it has some BMW DNA in it. It is an impressive performing machine. The acceleration is good for cut and thrust traffic carving (like any BMW should be) and it was quite stable in the turns I was able to take. The on-road straight line stability seemed a bit trammeling and the re-gen braking is not subtle by any means; that would take some getting used to. It has some wind noise to it too, but just because the ambient noise floor is so low from no engine exhaust and gear whine. It is ugly as all get out, and the interior was weird to me; there is too much dash to windshield-base ratio making it a big well of space. The drive selector is goofy, but hey it’s an electric, so it needs some unconventionality to it. The back seat is far too difficult to get in and out of; the front entry exit is wonderful. Trunk space is about the size of my Wife’s Z3. If you as a long-time BMW owner drove it blindfolded, you’d definitely know it was a BMW. But let's not kid ourselves it is no 3-series with a sport package. I’m hoping it will look better in white…

Last edited by Efthreeoh; 07-07-2014 at 08:11 PM..
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      07-09-2014, 05:39 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Efthreeoh View Post
So I know this coming from me will be amusing, since I’ve beat on BMW and the i3 pretty good these past few months. I had a chance to test drive the EV i3 today. It is quite impressive I do have to say. I was surprised how well it did handle and how it has some BMW DNA in it. It is an impressive performing machine. The acceleration is good for cut and thrust traffic carving (like any BMW should be) and it was quite stable in the turns I was able to take. The on-road straight line stability seemed a bit trammeling and the re-gen braking is not subtle by any means; that would take some getting used to. It has some wind noise to it too, but just because the ambient noise floor is so low from no engine exhaust and gear whine. It is ugly as all get out, and the interior was weird to me; there is too much dash to windshield-base ratio making it a big well of space. The drive selector is goofy, but hey it’s an electric, so it needs some unconventionality to it. The back seat is far too difficult to get in and out of; the front entry exit is wonderful. Trunk space is about the size of my Wife’s Z3. If you as a long-time BMW owner drove it blindfolded, you’d definitely know it was a BMW. But let's not kid ourselves it is no 3-series with a sport package. I’m hoping it will look better in white
haha, it does!
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      07-09-2014, 09:06 PM   #21
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haha, it does!
Good I hope so. Gray and Orange just don't do it for me. And where's Black BTW?
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      07-10-2014, 08:09 AM   #22
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The Arravani Grey is pretty dark (non-metallic, so it saves a few bucks, too), so that the contrast between the hood/roof/back and the sides isn't as great.

I have the Andesite Silver, and think that that is the nicest color combination currently available on the i3, course things like color are a very personal perception thing.
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