Looking for an used i3, but am scared of the tire reliability...HELP!

[JCPLA]

Hey i3 people!

I have been looking for a low mileage 2016 used i3 for some time and I have indeed found a few I like. However, I also did a lot of research regarding all the pros and cons i3 has to offer and one of the most concerning issue for me is the reliability of its tires...So many owners reported the excessive wear and the punctures they are getting even when the car is 2 weeks old. Many of them stated that it is abnormally worn and it gets expensive to replace tires so often. Not to mention the mental struggle everytime you drive in the streets of Los Angeles that are full of uneven pavement and potholes.

The last thing I ought to worry about is to get stranded ANYWHERE... With my over 20 years of driving, I only had 1 flat and it was out in the wilderness with my Subaru (but it has a spare). I like i3 and test drove it twice! There are other short-coming of i3 I can deal with but this tire issue has kept me from actually making the purchase for weeks.


Would anyone like to help me make the right choice?


Cheers,
JCPLA

 

[alohart]

If an i3 driver enjoys its instant torque too often, the rear tires, to which all regenerative braking force is also applied, will wear prematurely. Those who drive more conservatively have experienced tire life of more than 30k miles, some as high as 40k miles. So the tire wear rate is controlled entirely by the driver.

A flat tire due to it being pinched between the wheel and the sharp edge of a pothole is a more serious problem with the very low profile 20" tires compared with the less low profile 19" tires which have taller sidewalls to resist pinching. Honolulu has pretty bad roads, but our i3 with 19" tires hasn't suffered a flat tire in almost 4 years of driving. However, I do my best to avoid running over potholes. If a driver is not willing or able to avoid potholes, flat tires would likely be a bigger problem.

A flat tire due to being punctured by a nail, screw, etc., might be more likely in a low-rolling-resistance tire like that installed on an i3. Such tires are lighter and are probably thinner than regular tires, so they might be more prone to puncturing. There is no alternative regular tire available. However, i3 tires are narrower than normal, so they are less likely to run over a nail, screw, etc.

I carry a plug kit in the frunk. A plug kit can repair most punctures caused by a nail or screw more quickly than changing a flat tire. I prefer a plug kit to the expensive flat repair slime included with an i3 which creates a mess inside a tire. An i3 includes a 12 V air pump which works well. I use it monthly if I need to add air to a tire due to normal air pressure loss or to an ambient temperature decrease. So I feel pretty well protected.

When I need to replace my tires, I might consider keeping the best front tire to put on a used i3 front wheel to keep at home as a spare. I wouldn't carry it as a spare because of how much room it would occupy and how dangerous it might be in a collision. Carrying a spare tire would require buying and carrying a jack and lug nut wrench. Our last 2 cars haven't had spare tires, jacks, or lug nut wrenches. The car which we bought in 2002 and sold in 2017 included a spare, jack, and lug nut wrench which we never needed in 15 years of driving even though this car had similar low-rolling-resistance Bridgestone tires similar to those on our i3.

i3 tires are not near the top of my list of i3 concerns.

 

[JCPLA]

Thank you Art for the thorough insight. That eased my mind a bit. I am also not an aggressive driver that is why my current leaf with 38K the tires are still in a decent shape.


But where are your top concerns of i3? Looks like you have a 2014 model that might have more bugs than the new versions?

I thought to get an used 2016 i3 and drive it for the next couple of year while waiting for more EV choices by 2020. But BMW just announced their new iX3 SUV EV too, and Hyundai's Kona is coming out this quarter, too. I am baffled now...should I get used i3 now or wait till the end of the year just to see. I am in no hurry since the Leaf is still running great, it is just old. Guess I merely wanted a new toy...

 

[jadnashuanh]

I also have a 2014...one of the first ones shipped to the USA (built in early April 2014). It has not been particularly buggy. There were some software tweaks that were done in the first couple of years, but that wasn't a big deal. So, personally, knowing what I know, I wouldn't be afraid to buy a used 2014 or recommend one other than the fact that the warranty would now likely be over except for a CPO. Any one sold in that timeframe would have had any of its problems taken care of probably long ago. Until they upped the battery size, there really haven't been many changes to the vehicle. A few options became standard, and some new options appeared (sunroof, for example, and the i3s model), but nothing major or earth shattering. The larger battery is useful to some on the later models.

I had one flat...picked up a screw. I have the 19" tires verses the 20". Seems SCal dealers tend to stock more with the 20" tires, and being performance tires, they almost always wear faster than the all-seasons. It's important to ensure that the alignment is proper. If you buy a used one, I'd consider making that a dealer prep requirement and make sure they show you the before/after machine readout to verify it was actually done. Those with the staggered setup maybe more likely to see uneven wear on the rears if the alignment is slightly off than those with a square setup as a slight angular error will end up tipping the tire a bit more with the wider tire.

From a sidewall height standpoint, the i3's tires are fairly tall. Given their relatively narrow tire patch, you're less likely to pick up a nail or screw. The patch is longer, so the actual contact patch is about the same as a smaller diameter wheel, so total grip is about the same. FWIW, the actual tire cost is fairly low compared to those for my ICE - about 1/2 what I pay to replace one of them, so I don't consider them expensive.

 

[TOEd]

After two and a half years and 50,000 km on 19 inch rims our 2015 has had zero flats. Lots of tread left. Drive around potholes in Toronto Canada. Keep a patch kit and fix a flat tire goo in frunk but have never used it. Also keep a scissor jack, lug wrench and wood spacers in frunk. Tires take about a week to arrive once ordered at Costco. So I keep a narrow front and wider rear at home and at cottage just in case. No problems with car which has REx with over 10,000 km on it.

 

[CanisLupus]

30,000 km , half on Blizzaks , half on 20" summers . Recently repaired 1 slow leak that many shops preferred not to try to deal with . Slow leaks can be difficult to find . That's the only trouble I've had . I would consider myself to be not an aggressive driver . Also , even before having my i3 , it was my practice to avoid potholes so that is not new to me . My thoughts are that putting the suspension etc. as well through a hammering event such as a pothole is best avoided . Yes , I go slow over speed bumps also .

 

[JCPLA]

Thank you y'all for your feedback, much appreciated. I am continuing to look for an used 2016 or a brand new 2018 because of its hefty discounts these days. it is a tough call...

 

[engineear]

Have a 2015, replaced rears at 14K and not driven all that hard. You will not baby it either. You will love the instant torque and you will want to experience it. Let me know otherwise. Good luck. When buying used make sure to get extended warranty, you'll need it.

 

[theothertom]

. When buying used make sure to get extended warranty, you'll need it.

Have you had trouble with your '15 that would make you think there's more trouble coming?

 

[nickp]

. When buying used make sure to get extended warranty, you'll need it.

Have you had trouble with your '15 that would make you think there's more trouble coming?

I bought a 2015 Rex in June this year and it was a CPO. I would never buy something like the i3 without any factory warranty and CPO. At least I have peace of unlimited miles till August 2020.
Other than that the car has been a dream to drive.

 

[Jims5543]

Bought a CPO REX almost 1 year ago with 26K miles on it.

It now has over 40K miles on it and the tires look fine, my wife does 90% of the driving in it and drives it nice, I am responsible for 90% of the rear tire wear due to my 10% of the driving. :mrgreen:

The tires look great, 2 months ago we took it in for it scheduled Brake service and vehicle inspection and the subject of tires was not brought up, trust me they would try to sell me some if they could.

I just looked, 2 tires runs about $300 so a set of 4 will be in the 600-700 range. I am not sure how many miles I have on my tires, I do know they seem to be lasting as long as tires on any of my other cars.

Like others have said, I think the people wearing them out fast are probable enjoying the electric engine torque a little too much.