Help! Would an i3 suit us??!

[alohart]

But this car has an unpleasant thrummy/booming noise (like an open window) above about 50mph which really distracts from the pleasure.

I have not read this complaint previously, so this isn't typical at all.

A long shot… If this car has 20" tires, early Bridgestone 20" tires had a design problem that caused an irritating noise. Our i3 has 19" tires, so I never heard this noise. It was described as a "whoop-whoop-whoop" noise, maybe synchronized to the driving speed.

I don't recall when the redesigned 20" tires began appearing on i3's, but in the U.S. at least, I'm pretty certain that it was before 2016 models were built.

 

[bwilson4web]

I'm thinking the loaner might have a door seal problem. See if cracking either or both windows and using the fan has an effect.

Bob Wilson

 

[GuyD]

Still waiting for our i3 to get trucked down from Durban...….

Interested to see if this car is quieter than the demo model. Most people seem to think that the i3 is 'quiet' but I see that the What Car UK review also states that the i3 is tiring on a long run due to the 'resonance' in the body..? Could this be car specific for some reason?

Or is it all down to tyres? I hear that the 'official' i3 tyres are very expensive so I was wondering if other owners have tried 'normal' tyres (and perhaps a bit wider too) a la the i3s (I know that the i3s has different wheels).

Are there tyres out there that are quieter (and cheaper ) than the recommended standard fitted ones? Do any normally available after sales alloy wheels fit or are the i3 hubs unique?

Thanks

 

[CanisLupus]

I suggest that what I've experienced is more related to the condition or age of the pavement or the type of road . Fresh new asphalt is super quiet . Older roads do make some noise . The finer , perhaps sand in the mix , wears away from the top and the larger stones then make up the surface . Sort of like cobblestone in a way , but smaller . Any noise would be less evident when the engine of an ICE is running .

 

[stumbledotcom]

The Bridgestone Ecopias are not expensive as OEM tires go. Tire Rack in the US shows prices ranging from $136 for the 19” front 155 to $164 for the 20” rear 175, all with immediate availability. In comparison, the OEM run-flats for my 3-series are at least $100 more per tire. I believe the myth that the i3 tires are expensive stems from 2014 when unscrupulous dealers tried to get double or triple the MSPR because of relative rarity during the intro period.

BMW and Bridgestone designed the car and tires together so other brands/sizes aren’t an option as far as I know. One other brand brought out a winter tire but I didn’t pay much attention to that since they don’t apply to coastal California. Different sizes probably won’t work without modifications. There have been reports of clearance problems from folks who mistakenly fitted rear 175 in front. The new i3S has different suspension/fender flares to accommodate its wider tires, for example.

Best advice, find a reliable dealer/retailer who can get them installed as needed. Maybe I’m lucky but there’s a Firestone/Bridgestone store four blocks from my house that’s always gotten a tire within 24 hours at prices within the Tire Rack range.

 

[jadnashuanh]

I use mine as (I feel) intended...running around town, and trips within the battery range. I've not used it for a trip where a recharge was required to get back home. Yes, I could, but I haven't. I use my ICE for those trips. There is a high-speed road through town, and the car sees higher than the speed limit of its limited access road, but it definitely starts to draw down the battery, but is fine for the trips I take. My i3 gets used 99% of my driving, and is my daily driver.

I will say that on those trips where I've stressed the battery's SOC, I find that my ICE is more comfortable. The sounds between the two are different, and the i3 has the edge over the ICE (not all ICE are created equal, though!). It's not exactly quiet, but you don't have the typical exhaust/engine drone in the i3. The road surface does make a difference on any tire and car. The i3 has a reasonable amount of sound deadening, but it's not like it's super insulated. Given the battery size, and the mission, you can't drive it for hours on end unless you have the REx (and then, need to stop every hour to refill the tank), so some of those sounds that grate on most people don't seem to intrude as much on the shorter trips.

The i3 is not a general purpose, long-range vehicle, and as long as you don't try to use it as such, it's pretty damn nice!

 

[GuyD]

So our i3 has arrived - sight unseen!

It looks immaculate and the twin spoke 20" wheels are very nice. Can't see any immediate differences between the 2016 64Ah demo and this 2017 94Ah model.

What should I look out for as differences/improvements? Now I'd better sit down with the manual/information and find out how to operate it properly - sure is different to our 16 year old diesel Jeeps!

It drives very nicely (and marginally better than the demo - feels a bit quieter and friskier). I am still concerned about the resonance/booming at more than 90kph as I find it unpleasant and tiring – it may just be my hearing spectrum as I don’t hear other owners complaining! One magazine report did mention it though. Certainly very road surface dependent and a lot of our local highways have rougher tar.

I’ll look into some sound deadening material and try it with the back seats down and a thick rubber mat (for the dogs anyway!) Any other suggestions?

By the way can I get the mirrors to fold automatically on leaving the car or turning it off?

- Guy

 

[jadnashuanh]

The mirrors can be coded to fold. Probably the easiest path is to download the Bimmercode app and purchase an OBD II compatible device. That, along with a bunch of other functionality can be changed to your liking.

 

[bwilson4web]

Rubber mats on the front floorboards are an excellent improvement.

Bob Wilson

 

[GuyD]

OK had the i3 for over a week now and finding my way around it nicely - the experience improves all the time with familiarity.

It is fantastic around town and on smoother tar. But it is still too throbby for my liking on rough tar so it is definitely the tyres (as supplied in 2017 by BMW as it is virtually new). I've added a 4.5mm rubber mat under the front carpets and in the rear load area which has helped. Also tried varying tyre pressures with little effect.

I think I should look into alternative low noise tyres at some point. Anybody got a good recommendation? - although they may not be available in Africa...

I am impressed by the range as I got above 200kms (nearly 130 miles) yesterday - mild weather; no wind; fairly level and average around 60mph (and a bit of town use). According to the read-out I am getting 5.8km per kW but that would indicate 34 kW battery use - huh?! I thought only 27kW was useable?

It certainly makes ICE cars feel very yesterday! So now we wait for a second suitable bigger suv EV to become available here to add to the i3. I-Pace maybe?

 

[theothertom]

It certainly makes ICE cars feel very yesterday! So now we wait for a second suitable bigger suv EV to become available here to add to the i3. I-Pace maybe?

Wait for the X3

 

[GuyD]

Presumably you mean the iX3?! If it is a 'conversion' of an existing ICE car (like the Golf; Leaf; Zoe?) then I am not interested. Which is my understanding so far but I may have the wrong end of the stick.....

I want to buy a genuine, designed 'from the ground up' EV (like the i3; I-Pace; any Tesla) which optimises all the space and format of an EV. I want revolution not evolution!

 

[jadnashuanh]

Up to this point, the only non-Bridgestone OEM tires available for the i3 are winter tires from Nokian. As far as I can tell, the i3 is the only vehicle that utilizes that size, so the market is limited. BMW, like most manufacturers, prefers to have alternate sources, but there is a limit on who will play or pay for the limited volume. As the car is on the market longer, and more have been sold, someone else may decide to take up the project but it hasn't happened yet, except for Nokian. Scandinavia has probably the highest proportion of EVs of any place, but China may be catching up...coupled with their severe winter conditions, Nokian saw a market for winter tires. Nobody else has for either the winter ones or those for other seasons.

 

[alohart]

It is fantastic around town and on smoother tar. But it is still too throbby for my liking on rough tar so it is definitely the tyres (as supplied in 2017 by BMW as it is virtually new).

Your 20" tires have 1" less sidewall height compared with the i3's 19" tires which could explain the tire noise. There's less sidewall to absorb pavement irregularities. Many i3 owners familiar with both the 19" and 20" tires have stated that the 19" tires provide a more comfortable ride.

I think I should look into alternative low noise tyres at some point. Anybody got a good recommendation? - although they may not be available in Africa...

There's only one 20" tire option regardless of where you live, so until a tire manufacturer decides to produce a competing 20" tire, no choices exist.

According to the read-out I am getting 5.8km per kW but that would indicate 34 kW battery use - huh?! I thought only 27kW was useable?

Brave new world for most of us: kW is a power unit, kWh is an energy unit. So your efficiency was 5.8 km per kWh.

The actual and usable capacities depend on temperature, how rapidly charge and discharge occur (i.e., charge and discharge current levels), and how well-balanced the 96 battery cells are in terms of capacity, charge level, and internal resistance. BMW states the nominal actual capacity as 33.2 kWh with 27.2 kWh usable. Some feel that the usable capacity is greater than 27.2 kWh under many conditions. You might have a battery pack with exceptional battery cells.

 

[GuyD]

Thanks Art - useful stuff.

Incidentally I felt that the demo i3 on 19" wheels was no better than this car on 20" wheels. Indeed I was surprised that the ride still seems fine - quite acceptable to me but I like a 'firmer and talkative' ride....

Now I have filled the i3 with heavy rubber mat just about everywhere I can fit it, I'll just have to accept the tyre noise - already my ears are cancelling out the background noise a fair bit. The difference between smooth tar noise and the rougher stuff that we have all over the place is night and day.

But the Harmon Kardon sound system helps in this task!

If we've got excellent batteries, I'll not complain. Already with the range I'm getting (and the Rex as back-up) allied to the journeys we do, I am over range anxiety.

I'm going to do a set of T-shirts - "Electric Cars - just simply better". Can't believe the amount of EVangelising I'm having to do - there is far more awareness and curiosity than I imagined - even here in darkest Afrika.....

 

[GuyD]

Our i3 is back home with tinted windows and the roof rails blacked out - looks great with a 'black top' and the tinting helps with the hot weather we're having - 28deg C in mid winter - crazy.....

Enjoying it more and more as I get into the swing of it. A small query to other drivers - I have read some comments about the handling/steering being a bit skittish at times and I find this too.

One thing I notice is that the steering does not strongly self-centre so the steering is a bit dead at straight ahead so the car can wander or dart a bit (particularly over a bit of broken road) This could of course be due to my tracking alignment being slightly out,

Anyone got any more helpful observations!?

 

[theothertom]

Our i3 is back home with tinted windows and the roof rails blacked out - looks great with a 'black top' and the tinting helps with the hot weather we're having - 28deg C in mid winter - crazy.....

Enjoying it more and more as I get into the swing of it. A small query to other drivers - I have read some comments about the handling/steering being a bit skittish at times and I find this too.

One thing I notice is that the steering does not strongly self-centre so the steering is a bit dead at straight ahead so the car can wander or dart a bit (particularly over a bit of broken road) This could of course be due to my tracking alignment being slightly out,

Anyone got any more helpful observations!?

I always blamed the skinny tires for the handling you describe

 

[GuyD]

I don't think skinny tyres per se should produce that effect. Has anyone tried increasing the toe-in at the front a touch to enhance self-centering and directional stability? May reduce range minimally and increase tyre wear.

Another query! Petrol certainly goes stale if left for a long time and it seems that the petrol in our i3 may never get used - will this result in poor quality petrol that may be problematic when the Rex does (eventually) have to kick in. Should the petrol be drained or deliberately used up on a regular basis?
Thanks Guy

 

[i3Houston]

If the wider tires are still unique to i3 and more specifically i3s[2018], they will be even harder to find. Just a thought.

 

[sipabit]

The best value will be the 2015. Best balance between available warranty and price. As far as how it ages? The car has remained virtually unchanged since it was released in the USA in 2014 and 2013 elsewhere. Not sure about the situation in S. Africa, but the USA leases are typically 3 years which is why we have so many 2015's available as lease returns, making it the best value as inventory surpasses demand by a substantial amount.

I don't know about the market where you're at, but in the USA, people were sitting on their hands waiting for the "cheap" Tesla that never came. So potential demand was high, but actual demand was low which helped keep the prices on the used i3's further down. The range is is rated at 72 miles give or take 15-20mi depending on how you drive it and what mode you're in.