[86Zed]

Hello! Looking to pick the brains of the i enthusiasts and long term owners. My wife and I have used an i3 loaner a dozen plus times over the past six years and really enjoyed the experience. Ultimately we are not onboard with spending $60K+ to dip our toes into the electric realm. As my current daily starts to show its age and requires more frequent cash deposits I am entertaining the idea of shaking things up.

We have half a mind to purchase a new Toyota Corolla GR or Civic Si Hatch but we make a lot of shorter trips and I like the calm electric experience. My assumption was to seek a 2017+, ideally without the range extender as that seems to represent the bulk of maintenance issues. 2019 and newer would get me in CPO range.

Thoughts?

[86Zed]

Looks like I need to find a more active USA forum for i3 enthusiasts, any recommendations?

[tankertoad]

You're on the right track. Avoid the range extender unless long trips or poor charging infrastructure. Get the biggest battery that suits your needs. 2017+ is good, 2019+ is better (more options standard as well as range). If you do highway driving, the "S" has better tracking in winds.

[vreihen16]

Originally Posted by 86Zed

Looks like I need to find a more active USA forum for i3 enthusiasts, any recommendations?

https://www.mybmwi3.com/forum/


.

[FrozenRex]

Previous replies have good information. Now that I3 is out of production I've noticed much less activity on various I3 forums.

We have a 2018 I3S Rex bought new, currently 40K miles. Only issue was a software glitch which dealer resolved with an update. Still no charging stations in frozen north so Rex was mandatory but it has been trouble free.

The S version is much more stable for highway driving at the expense of a harder ride, great on twisting roads though. Also the 20" S tires are summer only, need 19" snows for colder climates. Avoid 2017 as some have outdated 3G telecommunication modules which no longer work.

I would highly recommend the 2018 and later I3's for local (75 mile radius) driving, they are pretty well debugged by now. CPO would be great if you can find one. Also being small and light for an EV they are more efficient than most newer but heavier EV's.

[86Zed]

Originally Posted by FrozenRex

I would highly recommend the 2018 and later I3's for local (75 mile radius) driving, they are pretty well debugged by now. CPO would be great if you can find one. Also being small and light for an EV they are more efficient than most newer but heavier EV's.

Thank you for the detailed reply! I still have minor concerns about the winter driving capabilities (cerainly worse than my E91) and range loss during the most frigid weeks here (<0F for daily highs).

Going to check out an example at the dealer for ergonomics and kiddo layout again.

[Haywood]

Originally Posted by 86Zed

Thank you for the detailed reply! I still have minor concerns about the winter driving capabilities (cerainly worse than my E91) and range loss during the most frigid weeks here (<0F for daily highs).

Going to check out an example at the dealer for ergonomics and kiddo layout again.

Just picked up a 2019 i3s BEV with only 14,500 miles. It's a brilliant, fun car to drive. I stayed away from the Rex versions because all the issues I've read and I didn't want to deal with oil changes. It's being used as an around town car with occasional short highway drive. I have a home charger so I don't really need to worry about public charging. The cold weather definitely affects the distance. Last week, when the temps were below zero, I would only get about 110 miles showing after a full charge and only 3.0 miles/Kwh. Yesterday, after charging while temps were almost 50, I got 136 miles on a full charge. But, I wouldn't let it scare you away from getting one.

[JDAURIA]

i3 noob - why would a prospective owner want to avoid the REX? Personally, it sounds like a nice peace of mind feature and to alleviate range anxiety? I've been researching quite a bit, would love to pick up one in the next few months for getting around town and to ease my way into the EV world.

[ovekvam]

Originally Posted by JDAURIA

i3 noob - why would a prospective owner want to avoid the REX? Personally, it sounds like a nice peace of mind feature and to alleviate range anxiety? I've been researching quite a bit, would love to pick up one in the next few months for getting around town and to ease my way into the EV world.

There are more things that can fail and need maintenance with the REX engine. And the BEV version has a heat pump, which makes it more efficient.

[86Zed]

Agreed on the BeV search. All of my trips in this car will be local and short distances, a few other options for long hauls.

[JDAURIA]

Originally Posted by ovekvam

There are more things that can fail and need maintenance with the REX engine. And the BEV version has a heat pump, which makes it more efficient.

Good to know! Maybe I should shift my research and buying process to just EV only

[FrozenRex]

Regarding winter driving with the 2018 I3S we are in our fifth winter with it and use it for the majority of our driving. With the factory snow tire package it does well until the snow gets up to the bumpers, the weight of the Rex helps with traction.

Range is still 90 in the winter and 120 in the summer but no freeways up here so speeds are limited. Also we keep the garage at 40 deg in the winter, a zero degree battery would have less range.

[meko]

Originally Posted by 86Zed

Hello! Looking to pick the brains of the i enthusiasts and long term owners. My wife and I have used an i3 loaner a dozen plus times over the past six years and really enjoyed the experience. Ultimately we are not onboard with spending $60K+ to dip our toes into the electric realm. As my current daily starts to show its age and requires more frequent cash deposits I am entertaining the idea of shaking things up.

We have half a mind to purchase a new Toyota Corolla GR or Civic Si Hatch but we make a lot of shorter trips and I like the calm electric experience. My assumption was to seek a 2017+, ideally without the range extender as that seems to represent the bulk of maintenance issues. 2019 and newer would get me in CPO range.

Thoughts?

I’m in the exact same position and would love another manual around town but short trips are killing my cars. This little thing would be kinda perfect.

[SameGuy]

Originally Posted by Haywood

Just picked up a 2019 i3s BEV with only 14,500 miles. It's a brilliant, fun car to drive. I stayed away from the Rex versions because all the issues I've read and I didn't want to deal with oil changes. It's being used as an around town car with occasional short highway drive. I have a home charger so I don't really need to worry about public charging. The cold weather definitely affects the distance. Last week, when the temps were below zero, I would only get about 110 miles showing after a full charge and only 3.0 miles/Kwh. Yesterday, after charging while temps were almost 50, I got 136 miles on a full charge. But, I wouldn't let it scare you away from getting one.

This is pretty much what I’m looking for, though around here used i3 S are few and far between (and even fewer BEVs!), and so they command pretty hefty prices. A four year old BEV sells for more money than a brand new Cooper SE! But after going through one winter with the Cooper, I am looking to add its bigger, older brother to my garage, for when I need just a little more space.

[ronbot]

Just don't.

[SameGuy]

Yikes. Thanks for that… eye(?)-opener.

[note46]

Pretty sure that failure is on the older i3. 2019 and later should have the improved part to fix that issue.

[35mphgolf]

IMO 2019s are the golden year. Bigger battery, no weird alien noise. Supreme quiet. 20-21 added the pedestrian noise, a few different paints.

[86Zed]

The used inventory in my region is abysmal, especially for anything without the range extender. Still exploring ICE until the right one appears or my commute needs increase

[Coastali8]

I have a 2018 i3s with the REx. Never an issue. Starts right up and I can barely hear it run. Nice to have for the occasional trip over 100 miles to never have to worry about charging. I just find a gas station pump another 2 gallons in and keep on going.
Maintenance consists of changing the oil once a year. Easy to do myself.

[ovekvam]

I like the pedestrian warning sound, particularly as a cyclist. It is difficult to hear if an old i3 drives behind me. Besides, the sound is so discrete that I don't notice it inside the car if the radio is on.

[Bummerz]

I'm pretty new to the forum but wanted to add my 2c as I've owned a 2017 i3 94 Rex for about a year and in the last Toronto winter. I'd say 2017 is the sweet spot as you'll at least get the 94 (33 kwh) battery and 4g Telematics. I've had no problem with the Rex as it's a simple motorcycle motor that's rarely used. Oil changes are once per year and spark plugs are over several years between changes. Some have reported pressure loss in the tank which will lockout the fuel cap and prevent use of the Rex. This can get expensive to fix but many more have had no issues including myself. if you're comfortable with simple coding you can unlock the electrically limited capacity on the fuel tank and enable the "hold" charge with the Rex where you have the option to maintain the battery level once the charge gets below 75%. The Rex will prevent the battery from depleting at speeds less than around 80 mph and will actually increase battery range if you're just driving around town. I typically get around 130 miles at temps above 70f in nice conditions and about 80-90 miles as you get below 10f on battery alone. One thing to note is that the battery management is first class with heating and cooling tubes designed to keep it at the optimal temp. I can leave it outside for days at 0f and the battery will not lose any charge from when I left it. That's not the case with most Teslas.