i3 purchase 94rex or 120 bev

[oscarricher]

hi

wanting to buy a new i3. Ive been offered a 2018 i3s rex with current battery for around $75k AUD, however im thinking the 120 battery is due Jan next year here and the prices will be pretty much the same as the current model. I dont mind the idea of the rex (i thought it might sound like a scooter engine when on but i couldnt hear much in the cabin) which is being discontinued, should i try and bargain the dealer down? Obviously they are saying people are buying more rex due to discontinuation but with the larger batter around the corner,,,,?

 

[I33t]

Well, decide the distances you use. If the 120 is way enough then I’d wait for the 120. Much better than an electric vehicle with an extra petrol charger. Petrol charger i3 needs more maintenance and not as reliable compared to a 100% electric vehicle.

Mine is the original i3 2014 and only has the battery and has been excellent. Never run out of power driving all around Adelaide.

Work out your distances. That’s what you need to decide the EV or REX.

 

[i3Houston]

Rex or BEV?

BEV suits people who are organized and have predictable schedule.

Rex is not fool proof though, given that people with ICE car run out of gas!

 

[jadnashuanh]

I'll second the idea of it's hard to tell unless you know what your intended usage will be. I've got an original BEV that suits my needs well. I really don't need more range as everything is close, and my longest typical trip is 40-miles RT, and that's not frequent. SO, even in the midst of winter with the heat cranked up and no preconditioning, it meets my needs, and should for the foreseeable future. Your needs may differ considerably. I also have an ICE I can use as a backup. I bought the i3 because most stuff is close, walking isn't possible, and the ICE would not typically ever get up to normal operating temperatures, which is really tough on one. The EV doesn't really care. NOte, once the REx does turn on, it needs about 10-minutes to reach normal operating temperature and provide full output. Even if you don't need it, it will turn on about every 6-weeks or so, just to make sure it can. But, it needs the battery SOC to be less than 75% for that to happen. To me, the additional cost, maintenance, and lower efficiency of the REx just wasn't worth the rare time when I'd choose to take it verses using my ICE which can go 500-miles without stopping and can refill almost anywhere quickly.

If the i3 will be an only car, and you need longer range frequently, it may not be the best choice, even with the REx. Yes, it can do it, but it's not really designed for that. Some of it depends on where you can recharge, and if any of them have CCS (DC) chargers, and how often they're actually working and not occupied.

 

[sipabit]

I don't think we can answer your question for you. It's really based on your need. There will be a lot less maintenance without the REX. I don't know the weight difference between the higher battery capacity vs the lower one with a REX, but I have a feeling the larger battery would still be heavier. Performance will drop a bit, but I don't know if that would matter to you at all.

You should have a pretty good reason to buy new. The EV scene is situated now where buying used is really the way to go or lease. Buying new just makes you the guy that the rest of us will buy from when we're ready for an upgrade and you'll take a big hit on it. The resale value on the i3 is horrible, possibly the worst which is what makes it such a great opportunity for those buying them used. That's a different topic, but I would feel bad for you if I didn't at least note it in my response. Each to his own.

 

[alohart]

I don't know the weight difference between the higher battery capacity vs the lower one with a REX, but I have a feeling the larger battery would still be heavier.

The 94 Ah BEV is significantly lighter than the 60 Ah REx, so I would be surprised if the 120 Ah BEV is heavier than the 94 Ah REx.

 

[gt1]

When people are talking about problems with their cars, the subject of REX comes up quite frequently. The old tech is not as reliable as new.

 

[sipabit]

150 miles will be plenty for most people. I'd never recommend an EV to someone who can't charge at home. Assuming you do what you're supposed to do and charge at home, you should do just fine. Majority of Americans don't drive more than 30 miles per day and Californians drive only 40 mi / day on average. I happen to drive more than that going one way for a total of 70-80 miles a day, but that's far from the norm. Even then, I drive the original small battery version with rated 73 miles and do just fine rarely using the REX as I can charge at work. With 150 miles, I wouldn't think twice about it being enough.

 

[Hengus]

Just to add my few pence (cents) worth. I recently exchanged my 4 year old i3 REx 60Ah for a 120 Ah BEV. In the UK, we no longer have a REx option for the 2019 i3. Initially, I placed an order for a Kona EV which should have been delivered later this month. After sitting in a Standard Kona, I came away somewhat disillusioned. After some long chats with my local BMW i3 Agent, I placed an order for the 120Ah. I am pleased that I did. The 120 Ah BEV is a great car and with a heat pump (optional in the UK) it is much more comfortable than the i3 REx in cold weather. The increased BEV range is more than enough for 99% of my journeys, and I don’t miss the added complexity of the REx. In fairness to the REx, the only failure in 4 years was a stuck fuel flap which required a new fuel sensor. That said, on longer journeys in a BEV, a degree of planning is required with a fall back plan. This just reflects the current state of the UK charging system which, in fairness, is improving.

 

[RostHaus]

For me it depends on charging infrastructure.

I like to take mine on long distance journeys and at the moment I need at least 190 mi of highway range to make it to DC charging stations. So until the charging infrastructure improves, I'm staying with a REX.

If I was only using it at a city vehicle. BEV would be my choice.

 

[alansdaman]

I don't think we can answer your question for you. It's really based on your need. There will be a lot less maintenance without the REX. I don't know the weight difference between the higher battery capacity vs the lower one with a REX, but I have a feeling the larger battery would still be heavier. Performance will drop a bit, but I don't know if that would matter to you at all.

You should have a pretty good reason to buy new. The EV scene is situated now where buying used is really the way to go or lease. Buying new just makes you the guy that the rest of us will buy from when we're ready for an upgrade and you'll take a big hit on it. The resale value on the i3 is horrible, possibly the worst which is what makes it such a great opportunity for those buying them used. That's a different topic, but I would feel bad for you if I didn't at least note it in my response. Each to his own.

Man... I would almost say the opposite. Theres a 7500$ tax credit in the states, and lots and lots of dealer incentives, you'll get the full warranty, the newest tech and batteries, it can be what you choose, it looks like a well loved i3 stripper can be had for 14000 here, and a new fully loaded might be 42k if you use USAA and shop around on dealers, after another 7500, 120 ah vs 60 ah, matured safety tech. Used is a good value too, just saying new isn't "the sucker choice" by any means.

 

[sipabit]

I don't think we can answer your question for you. It's really based on your need. There will be a lot less maintenance without the REX. I don't know the weight difference between the higher battery capacity vs the lower one with a REX, but I have a feeling the larger battery would still be heavier. Performance will drop a bit, but I don't know if that would matter to you at all.

You should have a pretty good reason to buy new. The EV scene is situated now where buying used is really the way to go or lease. Buying new just makes you the guy that the rest of us will buy from when we're ready for an upgrade and you'll take a big hit on it. The resale value on the i3 is horrible, possibly the worst which is what makes it such a great opportunity for those buying them used. That's a different topic, but I would feel bad for you if I didn't at least note it in my response. Each to his own.

Man... I would almost say the opposite. Theres a 7500$ tax credit in the states, and lots and lots of dealer incentives, you'll get the full warranty, the newest tech and batteries, it can be what you choose, it looks like a well loved i3 stripper can be had for 14000 here, and a new fully loaded might be 42k if you use USAA and shop around on dealers, after another 7500, 120 ah vs 60 ah, matured safety tech. Used is a good value too, just saying new isn't "the sucker choice" by any means.

I see what you're saying, but remember the i3 is priced too high for the market. Apart from people being scared of EV's in the early days, the pricing is also why over 90% of people leased them when the i3 was introduced. In 2018 when all the leases ended in the USA, people started snatching them up, but there's still plenty of inventory as others are looking at pricier high range vehicles thinking that's what they need. Some 2016's and certainly 2017's are still under warranty.

The $7,500 tax credit or even at a $10,000 discount like Socal was offering through Edison Electric was still priced high when that discount is off of an MSRP car of $47,000. There's just too many other options to really strongly consider a new i3 in its price range.

The 2016's are still the better value, with 2017's coming up. A lot of people are attracted to the 2017 larger battery size but few will really use them. At what expense? The 2017's aren't typically loaded. The screens are typically the standard size. Each to their own, but that's my take.