Moving with an i3 into an area with no dealer support?

[gat14ned]

We've happily enjoyed our i3 for 10 months now and just got a job offer that would send us from New York State into Canada into an area without any BMW support for the i3. Has anyone made a similar move and how did it turn out? We like the car very much and would be still living in an urban environment, but without ANY infrastructure in the city or dealers/technicians with i3 knowledge. Any suggestions or advice?

 

[SSi3]

Whereabouts in Canada?

I'm in southwestern Ontario, 2hr drive from the nearest Toronto BMW i dealer, my fingers are crossed that I will only need to schedule my annual service in the years to come... otherwise it will be a long flatbed ride down the 401 for our baby.

 

[gat14ned]

Halifax, Nova Scotia. No i3 dealer or technicians in the area, according to BMW Canada. A longer flatbed ride to Montreal or Toronto than you've got, I'm afraid.

So I was wondering if anyone else is well out of range of dealer support and how it's been for anyone in that position. Had we known that this was on the horizon, we probably wouldn't have gotten an i3, but we had no clue what-so-ever a year ago, and went all electric with an i3 and MercedesBenz BClass EV - which is not available at all in Canada, and so will definitely not come with us. But the i3 we're trying to figure out about whether it will work and we'll just have to deal with the distance on rare occasions or it it will be a real difficulty having it so far from anyone who knows anything about it and what it needs.

 

[SSi3]

Ahh eesh :shock:

For my own sanity i'd not bring it as I would be fretting the whole time about it having issues being that far from an i dealer.

Welcome to Canada

 

[jadnashuanh]

That's a tough call. While EV's don't generally need much of any service, when they do, you really want someone who is trained on them to do it right. Throw in the (maybe) colder climate, and your winter driving range may be a factor for much longer than where you are now. If everything you normally do is in the city, that may not be a factor at all. Then, a software or recall or service campaign update, and it may be both time consuming and inconvenient. No idea what the electric costs or fuel costs are, but maybe high, that may make a difference. There are some subtle differences in standard equipment between the USA and Canada, but I do not think that would be an issue. For example, I don't think they use the TPMS, and rely on the less exact rolling diameter detection to find a low tire. So, if something went on that, they may neither have the training or the parts. Canada requires daytime running lights, so the menu choices on theirs may be different, but as long as you left it on, you'd not have an issue. There may be other subtle differences.

 

[barrychan]

I also live on the island with dealership but no service for the i3 as of right now so if something happens, it will be a 2hours ferry ride to Vancouver.

 

[gat14ned]

Thanks, everyone for the responses. Just heard that the local dealer is quite sure that they'll be able to help us as needed as their technicians are trained, so it seems that it may well work out, after all. If not, flatbed westward here we go!

 

[SSi3]

That's great to hear! You will definitely have a rare car on the east coast of Canada!