Potential i3 Purchase

[gherkin12]

Hi all

Couple of questions from a perspective buyer.

I've come across a 2015 i3 Rex with 22k on the clock at around the $16k mark - I was wondering what I should look for should i go the route and purchase it. I've driven one for a couple of days when I was located in the UK so know how they drive. However i've never brought one, especially second hand.

Secondly my commute is 45 miles of highway each way in Las Vegas (so quite warm) - i very rarely go above 70mph in an ICE so would be sitting at sensible speeds - however as its a 90 mile round trip hence the Rex requirement. How much of an issue is temperature for the batteries. I know if its cold batteries they don't like it, but was wondering what the other extreme end of the scale would be like.

TIA

 

[jadnashuanh]

The i3 uses a liquid cooled battery compartment, so while in operation, or if you can plug it in, shouldn't be a major issue unlike say a Nissan Leaf, which uses air cooled ones. It's hard to cool the battery when you're parked on a hot asphalt that might be 150-degrees before you park on it! Driving down the road, the cooling seems to handle it fine.

But, excessive heat will likely cause the compressor and fans to run more often, and that comes out of battery capacity. At a 90-mile round-trip with the 2015 (which has the original, smaller battery compared to the latest versions), you'll likely be using the REx daily. Now, if you drive very conservatively, you MIGHT get most of the way on batteries, or maybe all the way if running in Eco Pro mode, but that limits the a/c function, so in AZ, probably not a great idea with the large front windshield! BMW has said that driving with the windows open above 25-mph causes more drag and therefore energy usage than having them closed and using the a/c. SO, other than maybe initially to help purge out a lot of the hot air, close the windows for maximum range. I have a BEV, and my normal needs are well within the battery capacity. Actually using the REx on a regular basis might make it more reliable. SOme people may only end up using it a couple times a year, if that, and that's tough on an engine. The logic will turn it on for a maintenance cycle under some circumstances. Being an ICE, it has spark plugs, oil filters, air filters, muffler, etc., which add to the maintenance costs. Being only 2-cylinders, it's not horrible, and some perform that task themselves. The car will have about 3 more years on the battery warranty. Your mileage on battery alone will vary based on how you drive, just like on an ICE. If you can set a departure time while plugged in, that can precondition the cabin and the batteries to maximize your range.

Batteries 'age' by the number of charging cycles. One charge from near zero to full is one cycle. Charging it from 90-100 ten times, is also one cycle. The bigger the battery, the fewer cycles you'll have for the same miles driven.

I like my BEV, but am selling it and my ICE for a new X5 45e hybrid...it will go the distance I need on battery for normal operation, but has the long-legs of a typical ICE, and that will let me get down to one vehicle rather than two. There hasn't been an ICE with enough hybrid battery capacity until recently, so the BEV was a good choice for most driving, as otherwise, my ICE would be used for mostly short hops, which isn't great on an ICE.

 

[gherkin12]

Thanks for the reply Jim I'll probably give that one a miss and try and find a newer one. Out of curiosity which year did they change the batteries?

 

[alohart]

Out of curiosity which year did they change the batteries?

Almost all 2017 U.S. i3's had the larger 94 Ah battery pack. Apparently, a very few 2017 U.S. i3's had the original 60 Ah battery pack. Owning a 2014 i3, I would avoid buying an i3 with the 60 Ah battery pack because far more owners of 60 Ah battery packs have reported range and usable battery pack capacity losses compared with 94 Ah battery pack owners, even when considering that 60 Ah battery packs are older and are more likely to have experienced more charge-discharge cycles.

 

[BL5]

2015 REx owner here. You’ll probably get 65-70 miles off EV (most I ever got was 78), so a 90mi round trip would use REx daily. Do you have a place to plug in at work? Even a 110V outlet might give you enough re-charge to make it home on EV.

16k is the price I paid for my loaded CPO 2015 about 6 months ago. Ideally I wanted 2017 for the add’l 50% EV range, but that was another 6-8k. I see 2017’s with REx in low 20’s now.

If you get a 2015, I’d suggest swapping out the 12V battery, seems to be the source of many issues after 5 or 6 years. You can find a OEM one from Remy Battery, I believe around $150.

I’m happy with my 2015 REx. I use my Tesla Model 3 for longer trips and i3 for shorter trips.

 

[Pahaska]

I paid right on $25k for my Certified 2018 I3 a month ago. With the exception of one mark where someone apparently dragged a white shoe across the black driver's door panel, I challenge anyone to know it is not a new car without checking the mileage. I'm trying to find a way to erase that white line an the door panel, although I doubt anyone will ever notice it except me.

 

[CanisLupus]

Pencil erasers are made of a number of different materials . You could try them out .

 

[Pahaska]

I managed to get rid of the white streak using a black marker very sparingly applied immediately followed by rubbing with a moist cloth to spread it evenly. I can't even find it myself now. I think it was white shoe polish from the toe of someone's shoe while getting out of the car.