A week into this world of i3 ownership ...

[Finchie]

What folks might find interesting is that my previous ride was a Jeep SRT8 which I had for 10 years (SRT=Street Racing Technology with 6.1 litre hemi with a 0-60 time of 4.2 seconds - for a Grand Cherokee. !). I still class myself as a “petrol-head” as I still have 3 motorbikes !

A couple of weeks ago I was mildly curious about EVs - mainly a personal guilt thing that I had single-handedly caused the odd weather of the last few months across the globe ! Yup, wikipedia has taken a battering as this is a world of TLAs - ICE, BEV, REx etc !

As I was browsing a BMW dealers site, a chat agent popped up, grabbed my details and I ende7d up on a test drive 2 days later !

Signed up there and then for two reasons
- Loved the looks
- Loved the performance (acceleration etc. Nippy little thing. Could probably beat my jeep off the line over 0-30, and feels better in twisties) !

I’ve seen a few lists of some negatives, but quite frankly, every time I read those I think to myself “would I change it because of that” ! Nope, love the looks, love the performance.

I’m sure there is a list of common first timer “learnings”. In the same way as triathlon (take your helmet off when you transition from the cycle to the run), I’d like to add my first entry to i3 ownership ...

Planned my route and stops in London last week, found a great bank of charging stations, turned up. “Oh I have to supply my OWN charging cable - it’s not like a petrol / gas pump that has the hose permanently attached to the pump”

THATS why I was sold on REx - my “get out of jail free card”.

Anyhow, please bear with me over the weeks as I ask what might appear to be dumb questions !

My first is - surely there must be a way of displaying the outside temperature on the console / display ?

By the way, despite that, I still bloody love it !

Cheers, Finchie

 

[jfran2]

I'm with you, Finchie. Two weeks into mine and I love it! On my 2014, you push the little button on the lower left side of the instrument cluster. It will cycle through several options, one of which is the temperature. Cheers!

 

[stumbledotcom]

In both my ‘14 and ‘17, the instrument panel data display—odometer, consumption, average speed, temperature time, battery percentage— is controlled by the button at the end of the turn signal stalk. Press repeatedly until you see the data you want or to have none displayed.

The button on the left side of the instrument cluster has different functions depending on whether the i3 is in standby (light around the start button is orange) or ready (blue light). In standby, a button press turns on the odometer displays—permanent on the left, trip on the right. In ready, the button resets the trip odometer.

Not sure if the instrument cluster button functions I have compared to jfran2’s description is due to equipment differences or US specs. I suspect the latter because my i3 turn signal/instrument cluster buttons behave essentially just like those in my E90.

 

[jadnashuanh]

If I remember correctly, you can select the items you want to display via i-drive, then, the button on the stalk will cycle through that list. But, yes, temperature is there in your choice of formats C or F.

I bought mine because I live close to most things, and my ICE would never get warmed up thoroughly on most trips. It's so nice to also be able to tell the car to condition the cabin before I'm ready to leave. Especially in the winter if it's snow covered...the stuff comes off so much easier without scraping the windshield. While you can do that on an ICE with a remote starter...sitting idling is a pretty bad thing for economy, environment, and it does not warm up the transmission much, so it isn't really ready then, either.

 

[Finchie]

Thanks Jfran2, stumbledotcom and Jim. Very helpful.

Off the back of your top tips, I managed to find it in the manual. I never would have found it without your guidance.

Got to be the most unfriendly owners manual I’ve read (I’ve only ever read two though )

Cheers, Finchie

 

[alohart]

Got to be the most unfriendly owners manual I’ve read (I’ve only ever read two though )

I agree, and I've read a few more than two.

Finding information in the Owner's Manual is much easier with the searchable digital version that is customized for the options on one's i3 based in its VIN. It is available in the U.S. as BMW i Driver's Guide smartphone app. Hopefully, this app is available in the U.K. as well.

 

[Tacfoto]

Congratulations on your new car. Hope you are still loving it it. I just found that the dial for the AC temperature has a small display above the number that shows which direction the vents are blowing. It's so small I had noticed it.

Also the trip odometer is reset with small near invisible button on the left side of LED display.

 

[jadnashuanh]

That same button on the main display, when the car is off, will display some info to you that is sometimes useful. If I remember, it is also how you access the reset for some service issues (some are on i-Drive).

Most BMWs have all sorts of interesting (and sometimes frustrating) 'features', that you might discover on your own, but in reality, you owe it to yourself to actually read the owner's manual at least once, and more often is probably useful to discover what it can actually do for you.

One useful thing is to, once you've set up your preferences in mirrors, climate control, options on the display, etc., is to save your profile to a USB drive that can be restored, if it's erased, during a service session. It can really help if two people drive the car to not share the key fob, and then, the car will adjust things for the driver. I'm not sure how it responds if both are in the car at the same time, though!?

The owner's manual is large for a reason...there's a lot of automation in the car that you may find useful, but only if you know about it.

 

[Finchie]

Aloha Art ! Top tip on the downloadable manual. Yes we have it, so downloaded to, it is tied to the VIN and so am all over that.

Jim, another top tip for the USB backup of the settings. Still need to persuade my wife to come in it - let alone drive it !

Tacfoto, took a look last night on the way home in the dark, couldn't see it, so will try again in the light BUT ...

It reminded me of my first work trip last Monday, using DAB every 5 mins was interrupted by a travel update and TP was on. Yup, took me the whole 90 minute trip to find the little button with the "wireless mast" to turn off TP. I was pulling my hair out Another entry for the "Duffers guide to the i3", which I should get the rights to and write !!

Finally, next bit of really disappointing news. Just found out James May has bought one (formerly of Top Gear and now the Grand Tour). While that is a fantastic endorsement - to me he will always be "Captain Slow" ! Great choice though if you think about how many different cars he has driven !!!

Cheers, Finchie

 

[stumbledotcom]

I just found that the dial for the AC temperature has a small display above the number that shows which direction the vents are blowing. It's so small I had noticed it.

BMW USA has posted a series of Genius videos that explain basic features. The one on climate control shows the graphics Tacfoto references. Note they're only visible when the system is in manual mode.

https://youtu.be/GajeNlUs-Q4

 

[Finchie]

I just found that the dial for the AC temperature has a small display above the number that shows which direction the vents are blowing. It's so small I had noticed it.

BMW USA has posted a series of Genius videos that explain basic features. The one on climate control shows the graphics Tacfoto references. Note they're only visible when the system is in manual mode.

https://youtu.be/GajeNlUs-Q4

Brilliant !! I am right hand drive, so can't see that AC button as it is hidden behind the dial from where I sit. Never knew it was there (note to self - sit in the passenger seat to find out what else I can't see). I'll only need it in 6 months time, but good to know.

Cheers, Finchie

 

[Finchie]

Aargh - Apologies ! Fake news. I can totally see the AC button from where I sit. It has just never registered. Bit too cold at the moment over in Blighty to worry about AC !!!