New member - current EV driver looking for i3 for teen driver/project car

[turns2stone]

Hello all,

I'm a long time BMW owner - first saw the i3 at the Welt in 2011, and have always loved their quirky style and modern interior. Since 2011, I've owned a few M3s, X3 and have moved onto Teslas for my daily drivers.

But I've got a teen driver that will be ready soon, and don't mind taking on some of the hassles of a project/used car (I normally always buy new).

Based on some basic research, I think I'm looking for a 2017+ with a 94Ah battery. I have cheap charging at home, and the range is not a concern for a teen driver.

Since I've lived with EVs for 5+ years, the REX option seems like more (potential) headache than benefit for my use case. Correct?

I'd also prefer the most modern tech realistically available - CarPlay would be a huge plus.

Which models/price ranges should I be looking for? I'm located in Dallas, TX.

 

[Mondomensch]

Tbh, personally I’d be a bit concerned about mixing the fast acceleration of an i3 with a new teen driver (vs a boring but adequate performing car).

I think you’re right about going with no REX in this case. I’d also try to get a 2020 or later as improvements to things like the AC compressor have apparently been made, lessening the chances of totaling the car due to compressor failure and resulting battery cooling system damage.

I have missed the lack of side blind spot warning, but find the backup camera and front/back parking obstacle detection system work well.

Being new to used BMWs, I found out only after I bought my car that online vendors on eBay and elsewhere can supply the official BMW service/repair history for less than $10 once supplied with the VIN. That should also include the list of options as built. You may have better luck finding a deal at a non-BMW dealer that got an i3 as a tradein and just wants to get rid of it, especially if they’ve had it for a while. Good luck!

 

[mojo]

I'd agree with Mondomensch about putting a new driver in an i3. The car has the potential to get an inexperienced driver into trouble very quickly.

If you haven't already, I would first get some insurance quotes. The situation in the US may be different, but in the UK, an i3 would be insanely expensive to insure for a new driver.

 

[EvanstonI3]

You may discover that finding a BEV may be difficult, as the REX seems to have been far more available. I know that when I was looking for our BEV in 2020, we had to have it shipped from Washington State to Chicagoland because the ratio of REX to BEV available was like 10:1

 

[turns2stone]

Tbh, personally I’d be a bit concerned about mixing the fast acceleration of an i3 with a new teen driver (vs a boring but adequate performing car).

I think you’re right about going with no REX in this case. I’d also try to get a 2020 or later as improvements to things like the AC compressor have apparently been made, lessening the chances of totaling the car due to compressor failure and resulting battery cooling system damage.

I have missed the lack of side blind spot warning, but find the backup camera and front/back parking obstacle detection system work well.

Being new to used BMWs, I found out only after I bought my car that online vendors on eBay and elsewhere can supply the official BMW service/repair history for less than $10 once supplied with the VIN. That should also include the list of options as built. You may have better luck finding a deal at a non-BMW dealer that got an i3 as a tradein and just wants to get rid of it, especially if they’ve had it for a while. Good luck!

I'd agree with Mondomensch about putting a new driver in an i3. The car has the potential to get an inexperienced driver into trouble very quickly.

If you haven't already, I would first get some insurance quotes. The situation in the US may be different, but in the UK, an i3 would be insanely expensive to insure for a new driver.

You may discover that finding a BEV may be difficult, as the REX seems to have been far more available. I know that when I was looking for our BEV in 2020, we had to have it shipped from Washington State to Chicagoland because the ratio of REX to BEV available was like 10:1

I feel pretty good about my teen's maturity level in regards to being responsible with a quicker-than-average car. My younger child... well, that's a problem for another day and definitely a more realistic concern

Good reminder to check insurance quotes!

Regarding REx vs. BEV... wow you guys are right, BEV is hard to find!
EDIT: what is the typical price delta for REx vs. BEV? For a '20 model, similarly equipped?

 

[alohart]

I feel pretty good about my teen's maturity level in regards to being responsible with a quicker-than-average car. My younger child... well, that's a problem for another day and definitely a more realistic concern

Good reminder to check insurance quotes!

Regarding REx vs. BEV... wow you guys are right, BEV is hard to find!
EDIT: what is the typical price delta for REx vs. BEV? For a '20 model, similarly equipped?

I'm pretty sure that a 2019 BEV would be identical to a 2020-2021 BEV with the exception of no pedestrian warning sound that became mandatory in the U.S. in 2020. It would be less expensive to purchase, and more 2019 i3's were sold so it might be easier to find. I replaced our 2019 BEV with a 2021 BEV, mostly to have the final year U.S. i3 and to have a bright exterior color, Galvanic Gold Metallic, instead of Imperial Blue Metallic, so dark it looked black in some lighting.

Both cars had the second from the top trim level, Giga World, tan wool upholstery with light brown leather trim and usually light eucalyptus dashboard trim. It's my favorite trim level because of its light, airy feeling. However, its wool upholstery can show stains. The top trim level, Tera World, is all dark brown leather that is probably the most bulletproof, usually with dark oak dashboard trim, but also the most expensive. The lowest trim level is Deka World, dark gray cloth upholstery that might hide stains well. Deka World seems to be the most common trim level, probably because it was the least expensive. The next trim level is Mega World, gray cloth upholstery with synthetic leather trim that can stain noticeably. The higher trim levels include more interior LED's and maybe a few other features.

For a new, young driver, I would want to have the Technology & Driving Assist package which includes a front-facing KAFAS camera that would be another eye on the road helping a driver avoid or reduce the severity of a collision. It might also include more ultrasonic bumper sensors to warn of low obstacles.

In 2018, BMW refreshed the i3 line with some nice improvements as well as introducing the i3S. It has a bit more power, sits a bit lower, has wider 20" wheels and summer performance tires, is a little less efficient, and would be more expensive to buy. A new driver certainly wouldn't need an i3S.

The standard 19" i3 wheels and all-season tires are preferable to the optional 20" i3 wheels with summer performance tires for those who value ride comfort, increased tire life, and less expensive replacement tires.

Our former 2019 BEV and current 2021 BEV were both used California cars. There were far more BEV's available in California than where I live. I bought both of them remotely which was a little unsettling, but they were both in wonderful condition and completely reliable. You would find a far greater selection if you were willing to buy remotely and either pay to have it transported to you or take an adventuresome road trip home.

 

[turns2stone]

I'm pretty sure that a 2019 BEV would be identical to a 2020-2021 BEV with the exception of no pedestrian warning sound that became mandatory in the U.S. in 2020. It would be less expensive to purchase, and more 2019 i3's were sold so it might be easier to find. I replaced our 2019 BEV with a 2021 BEV, mostly to have the final year U.S. i3 and to have a bright exterior color, Galvanic Gold Metallic, instead of Imperial Blue Metallic, so dark it looked black in some lighting.

Both cars had the second from the top trim level, Giga World, tan wool upholstery with light brown leather trim and usually light eucalyptus dashboard trim. It's my favorite trim level because of its light, airy feeling. However, its wool upholstery can show stains. The top trim level, Tera World, is all dark brown leather that is probably the most bulletproof, usually with dark oak dashboard trim, but also the most expensive. The lowest trim level is Deka World, dark gray cloth upholstery that might hide stains well. Deka World seems to be the most common trim level, probably because it was the least expensive. The next trim level is Mega World, gray cloth upholstery with synthetic leather trim that can stain noticeably. The higher trim levels include more interior LED's and maybe a few other features.

For a new, young driver, I would want to have the Technology & Driving Assist package which includes a front-facing KAFAS camera that would be another eye on the road helping a driver avoid or reduce the severity of a collision. It might also include more ultrasonic bumper sensors to warn of low obstacles.

In 2018, BMW refreshed the i3 line with some nice improvements as well as introducing the i3S. It has a bit more power, sits a bit lower, has wider 20" wheels and summer performance tires, is a little less efficient, and would be more expensive to buy. A new driver certainly wouldn't need an i3S.

The standard 19" i3 wheels and all-season tires are preferable to the optional 20" i3 wheels with summer performance tires for those who value ride comfort, increased tire life, and less expensive replacement tires.

Our former 2019 BEV and current 2021 BEV were both used California cars. There were far more BEV's available in California than where I live. I bought both of them remotely which was a little unsettling, but they were both in wonderful condition and completely reliable. You would find a far greater selection if you were willing to buy remotely and either pay to have it transported to you or take an adventuresome road trip home.

Fantastic info, thank you!

Yes, I'm very flexible to location (really anywhere in the CONUS) and price is not as critical as getting those features as you've described, I may have located one that fits the bill, hopefully things will work out for this one. But wow BEVs aren't nearly as available as I'd expect. Where are all the 2021s coming off 3-year leases??

 

[coyotedriver]

You can definitely find a BEV at a good price if you cast a nationwide net. As other posters have noted, most of them will be California cars, though there are a handful of major metros outside of California where they seem to have sold.

Both of my kids learned to drive in our 2018 BEV, and my son drove it 25 miles each way on his school commute for his last two years of high school.

The biggest issue I’ve had with the kids driving the car is that it means that I can’t drive it…

 

[alohart]

Where are all the 2021s coming off 3-year leases??

One is in my parking space.

I had been looking for a used 2021 Galvanic Gold Metallic Giga World BEV with the Tech package but without a moon roof on the West Coast for several months on cars.com and similar Websites without any luck. My requirements were so specific that there had been very few such i3's sold new in the U.S., so even fewer would be available used in 2024. There were fewer than 1,500 2021 i3's sold in the U.S., less than 1/3rd the number of 2019 i3's sold. The REx model is the vast majority. Of the remaining BEV's, the lowest Deka World trim level is the majority. Of the relatively few Giga World BEV's, some don't include the Tech Package. I didn't care whether an i3 had the optional Harman Kardon entertainment system, heat pump, or 20" wheels and tires (I would have just swapped the wheels and tires with my favorite 19" wheel style, 428, from our 2019 i3). I would have rejected an i3 with a moon roof which allows heat into the cabin, can leak rainwater, is one more thing that can fail, and adds significant weight at the top of an i3 where it's least needed. I had a very nice 2019 BEV with my ideal specs except for its dark exterior color, Imperial Blue Metallic), so it would have been OK had I not found a 2021 i3 to replace it. I became discouraged and quit looking.

One day, someone posted that they had found their ideal used i3 on BMW's national Website. I didn't know that a national list of used i3's being sold by BMW dealers existed. I immediately thought that buying a used i3 from a dealer would be the most expensive option. I did not want a BMW-certified used i3 because an extra year of warranty coverage and maybe some new tires weren't worth the extra cost to me. Except for 3 early warranty repairs to fix design mistakes on our new 2014 i3 BEV, I have had no subsequent warranty repairs on our 2014, 2019, or 2021 i3's. The first time I looked at this Website, I found the 2021 i3 that I now own!

I had almost as much trouble finding a used 2019 i3 in 2022. Some i3's of interest were being sold by West Coast BMW dealers that didn't want to sell remotely - too much extra work. I finally enrolled in the auto shopping service of IQautos, a used car dealer in Marietta, GA, that had sold many used i3's. Lease returns are frequently sold to dealers at auto auctions which IQautos, but not I, could access. Within a couple of months, they had found 2 candidates at auto auctions in the western U.S. I bought one of them. Because it had not been shipped to IQautos yet and was being sold as-is with no dealer prep, I paid a lower than average dealer price. It was in great condition.

So be patient and don't give up!

 

[turns2stone]

One is in my parking space.

I had been looking for a used 2021 Galvanic Gold Metallic Giga World BEV with the Tech package but without a moon roof on the West Coast for several months on cars.com and similar Websites without any luck. My requirements were so specific that there had been very few such i3's sold new in the U.S., so even fewer would be available used in 2024. There were fewer than 1,500 2021 i3's sold in the U.S., less than 1/3rd the number of 2019 i3's sold. The REx model is the vast majority. Of the remaining BEV's, the lowest Deka World trim level is the majority. Of the relatively few Giga World BEV's, some don't include the Tech Package. I didn't care whether an i3 had the optional Harman Kardon entertainment system, heat pump, or 20" wheels and tires (I would have just swapped the wheels and tires with my favorite 19" wheel style, 428, from our 2019 i3). I would have rejected an i3 with a moon roof which allows heat into the cabin, can leak rainwater, is one more thing that can fail, and adds significant weight at the top of an i3 where it's least needed. I had a very nice 2019 BEV with my ideal specs except for its dark exterior color, Imperial Blue Metallic), so it would have been OK had I not found a 2021 i3 to replace it. I became discouraged and quit looking.

One day, someone posted that they had found their ideal used i3 on BMW's national Website. I didn't know that a national list of used i3's being sold by BMW dealers existed. I immediately thought that buying a used i3 from a dealer would be the most expensive option. I did not want a BMW-certified used i3 because an extra year of warranty coverage and maybe some new tires weren't worth the extra cost to me. Except for 3 early warranty repairs to fix design mistakes on our new 2014 i3 BEV, I have had no subsequent warranty repairs on our 2014, 2019, or 2021 i3's. The first time I looked at this Website, I found the 2021 i3 that I now own!

I had almost as much trouble finding a used 2019 i3 in 2022. Some i3's of interest were being sold by West Coast BMW dealers that didn't want to sell remotely - too much extra work. I finally enrolled in the auto shopping service of IQautos, a used car dealer in Marietta, GA, that had sold many used i3's. Lease returns are frequently sold to dealers at auto auctions which IQautos, but not I, could access. Within a couple of months, they had found 2 candidates at auto auctions in the western U.S. I bought one of them. Because it had not been shipped to IQautos yet and was being sold as-is with no dealer prep, I paid a lower than average dealer price. It was in great condition.

So be patient and don't give up!

Interesting, I was not aware of that website, either. I have bought lots of new cars, but the used market situation is new to me.

The only >2018 BEV I found is a $31K 2021 model, ouch!

I have a local salesperson/dealer, and was considering calling him to see if he could chase me down one. Do you think having a BMW dealer hunt one down is more effective than the IQautos site?

 

[alohart]

The only >2018 BEV I found is a $31K 2021 model, ouch!

I found 4 2021 i3 BEV's with the Tech package on that Website, the least expensive $19k with 22k miles in Salem, OR. Looks nice. Has the heat pump option. Its in-service date is 19 October, 2021, which would mean that its general warranty wouldn't expire until 19 October, 2025. It spent most of its life in the CA Bay Area. It incurred some minor damage to its left rear corner in November, 2022. It appears to have been available for sale since December, 2024, so maybe BMW of Salem would be willing to bargain. A bit far from Dallas, but anything's possible.

The one listed at $31k in an i3S which would be more in demand and rarer thus more expensive.

I have a local salesperson/dealer, and was considering calling him to see if he could chase me down one. Do you think having a BMW dealer hunt one down is more effective than the IQautos site?

My assumption, not always valid, is that getting a BMW dealer involved would raise the cost. However, that wasn't true for the 2021 i3 that I bought. I don't know how willing a local BMW dealer would be to buy an i3 at auction and transport it Dallas. It might be worth investigating. Wouldn't hurt to have IQautos searching for you as well assuming that they still do that. The first one with the i3 that you want wins.