Missed my i3 Rex. Want to buy one again. What to avoid?

[nickp]

I want to buy a car for my daughter and it is going to be a i3 Rex. I used to own the 15 i3 Rex and loved the car for two years, panicked and sold it off because there was a talk about issues with the AC and that it took almost 8K to fix it. Long story short, I want to buy the i3 Rex and these are my questions.
How reliable has this car been for those of you that have owned it for a while?
Any issues with the Rex part?
Should I be really avoiding the 14 model year?
Is the battery and charging component warranty in CA really 10 yrs or 150K miles?
How bad is the battery degradation?

I know my choice will be limited because I want the HK audio and adaptive cruise control with the nicer bigger screen. I can live without Android Auto or car play but it would be nice to have. Are there any upgrades for that?
I guess these are all the questions I have for now

 

[alohart]

We bought a 2014 BEV new and replaced it after 7.5 years with a used 2019 BEV because of range degradation. After only 13k miles, actual range had decreased by ~25% but was unlikely to decrease by 30% by the time our 8/100k battery pack warranty expired. Otherwise, neither i3 has had any unexpected repair, and both have been very reliable. Our 2014 had 3 warranty repairs made as part of BMW service actions, but I waited until scheduled maintenance service to have these preventative repairs fixed (KLE replaced because of a defect that could cause it to quit functioning, motor mount bracket bolt replaced by a stronger version, driver airbag reprogrammed).

Initial problems with the 2014 i3 should have been fixed except for those related to the REx engine, the A/C compressor, the fragile polymer motor mount bracket, and range degradation that affected many but not all 60 Ah i3's. To avoid potential range degradation, I wouldn't buy an i3 earlier than the 2017 model. An aluminum motor mount bracket replaced the polymer bracket in 2016 and later i3's. I don't know when more reliable A/C compressors were installed. Sometimes difficult to diagnose REx system problems seem to occur in all model years.

 

[i3StormTrooper]

Very good Info…

I’m in the same i3 boat…

I leased ‘15 Rex and loved it - couple issues under warranty. It was only a 2 year lease..

So, now I’m looking for one again. I agree in the newer year, however I’m keeping the budget under 20k. I’ve found a 15 Rex kitted almost to the T of my previous - added leather and 20’s.

Car fax revealed a very cared for car - CPO X2 and the battery was replaced 12/7/22 via BMW dealer. (Plan to call them tomorrow)

This new battery, do you think the warranty is - i3 has 51k miles.

Thanks for any info - looking forward to return for a fun little city car that is still ahead of its time - ha!