BMW i3 among the most reliable cars in Germany

[agzand]

"the BMW i3 scored even better than the Model 3, with just 0.2 breakdowns per 1,000 vehicles for the 2020 model year and 0.8 for the previous model year."

https://insideevs.com/news/667690/tesla-model-3-reliability-adac-index-2022/

 

[Arm]

Interesting post. It's noted that the 12V battery caused over 40% of breakdowns. Meaning the score for the i3 would be even less.

That would make it 12 breakdowns per 100,000 vehicles for 2020 and 48 breakdowns per 100,000 vehicles for 2019. Not bad.

 

[alohart]

In 2014, I worried about buying a new i3 BEV because I thought that BMW reliability was below average and that repair costs were above average. Having owned a very reliable and relatively inexpensive to repair 2000 Honda Insight for 12 trouble-free years at that point, I wondered whether I was making an expensive mistake buying an i3. However, our 2014 i3 never failed us, so it had no repair costs over our 7.5 years of ownership.

I missed the opportunity to replace it with a 2021 U.S. BEV because I didn't realize until it was too late to order a 2021 i3 that BMW would not be sending any 2022 i3's to the U.S., so I bought a used 2019 BEV about a year ago. I expect it to be just as reliable as our 2014 BEV.

For the most part, BMW really did its homework before producing the i3. Experience with the limited production lease-only 2009-2010 Mini E followed by the 2012 ActiveE allowed BMW to eliminate most problems before the i3 was released. BMW did fail in its design of the original i3 polymer motor mount bracket that could crack and its attachment bolt that could sheer and the original i3 KLE that could fail, but BMW authorized free replacements of the weak motor mount bracket bolt and the KLE with improved versions. Unfortunately, BMW didn't authorize replacing the polymer motor mount bracket with the improved aluminum version unless the improved motor mount bracket bolt also sheered. Otherwise, no battery pack fires that I'm aware of. The propulsion motor bearing that could fail prematurely and an A/C compressor that could implode affected a few early i3 owners, but for the most part, the i3 has been extremely reliable.

 

[alohart]

It's noted that the 12V battery caused over 40% of breakdowns. Meaning the score for the i3 would be even less.

My reading of that article was that the 12 V battery failures were on the Model 3, not the i3. Model 3 12 V battery failures have been much worse that i3 12 V battery failures such that Tesla is now installing 12 V lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries in new Model 3's.

 

[frictioncircle]

I've owned three BMWs since new and one used.

My new 2014 BEV (2013 production) was #3 and seemed reliable in memory but when I look back over my service records, it went back quite a lot for non-minor service (motor mount, broken suspension arm, new steering column, etc.)

The new 2021 BEV s (2021 production) is #4 and, knock on whatever solid you have handy, has had no significant maintenance issues. It's the most reliable of all the BMWs I've had.

 

[JamesInLondon]

Three years plus into running Mr Porter 2017Rex, I have had two problems in total - both related to the 12v battery.

Other than that, it has been the most reliable vehicle that I have ever owned.