BMW Genius here! What is your i3 motoring advice?

[miemrich]

Hey Genius,

thank's for the advice. I'm in Florida and don't use internet so far. Could you show me how to enable this? There was no manual in my vehicle to describe the Nav and other advanced functions of my i3. Can you point me to an online manual, please?

 

[hailhail]

Mr Genius -

Are you able to give any tips/tricks on how to enable proper turn-by-turn navigation? On every other car I've owned with satnav - EVER - your next turn is displayed when getting close. In my 2015 i3 with the higher-end satnav, I have to follow the little white line and be constantly paying attention to where I ought to be headed (unless on the freeway when "exit view" or whatever is turned on).

 

[TheNickGuy]

Turn on the secondary right-had side screen, then change that smaller window to arrow display.

Boom, problem solved. It also counts down to your next turn.

 

[TomMoloughney]

Personally, I think they FOB design is dumb...the unlock button literally goes right to the edge of the FOB, making it somewhat easy to inadvertently unlock the car when you don't expect it, and, if that button gets held down long enough, open up the windows, too!

This is a problem that a lot of i3 owners have had. I just did a blog post about it:

http://bmwi3.blogspot.com/2016/03/bmw-i3-key-fob-fail.html

 

[barrychan]

L1 all the way....no problem that is i only use 50km a day.

Backup camera comes on slow when put in reverse.....

 

[CanisLupus]

One thing that I've noticed is regarding steering . We all come to realize the precision tracking steering mechanism that the i3 has . What threw me off a bit for at least the first week of ownership was this . I would think that the car had been pulled to one side or the other when in fact it wasn't . I would react to this by counter-steering against it and then need to bring it back again . In reality , the car doesn't get pulled offline . I believe that due to the somewhat firmer ride and the geometry of wheelbase vs. ride height , any changes in the level of the road will cause both vertical and horizontal deviation .

I'm not sure if I've used proper terms but I hope you understand my point .

So I learned that over roads with changing levelness (bumpy) if the steering is left in the center , the i3 will track perfectly straight .

 

[CanisLupus]

I have a couple of questions as well . It's been a year since my purchase so I've bought a Lexol cleaner and conditioner set to do the leather . My questions are ' Which parts of the seats are leather ? ' and ' Is the steering wheel leather ? ' . There are 2 different looking materials in the seats . Are they both leather but different grades or types in some way ? The steering wheel looks black ( a different colour ) . I treated the steering wheel and the conditioner did not absorb into it . I have not yet done anything to the material in the seats that differs from the dash/armrest etc. . Thanks for your help .

 

[Lesterbmwi3]

I have a question for bmw genius if make any sense to buy small heater 150 watt to heat additionally with extra 12 volt battery in a back of the car to use in cold winter and charge battery after is discharged and use car heating sparingly to not sacrificing a range of the car .my case I don’t pay for charging I 3 bc of my solar panels and I don’t care if I charge additional 12 v battery over night but I like the interior of the car is very warm .own I 3 for a year never pay for charging but I’m not driving a lot only 5K miles a year