Some random thoughts about our i3

[vger105]

We've had our 2017 BEV for one month now and I want to share some of my thoughts about it.
*We absolutely love this car!!
*I love the exclusive nature of the i3. In the month that we've owned it I've only seen 2 others here on Long Island, NY
*I just put on the "LEKTRK" vanity plates I ordered
*This morning , after charging all night in our garage with a level 2 charger, there was an indicated 132 miles on the display.
That's without preconditioning the battery.
*When I ordered the car I didn't realize it didn't have a CD player. I don't miss it at all. I use the music on my phone and satellite radio.
*,I can't believe how quick it is from a standstill. It feels like the Mustang GT I had years ago.
*It befuddles me that the i3 is bigger on the inside than on the outside.
*Our other car, as well as my son's car, now feels so dated.
*Complaints? I wish the rear windows opened, to minimize the fluttering when I open the driver's window. Nothing else

I hope all of you are enjoying your i3s as much as we are. What a fantastic car!!

 

[eNate]

*It befuddles me that the i3 is bigger on the inside than on the outside.

Probably THE primary reason I didn't consider an i3 for so long was because it looks so small from the outside (and weird, but...).

I was convinced, without any thought, it wss too tiny to replace my allroad wagon.

Granted, the cargo volume isn't there, but the passenger space is excellent and measures up to many mid-sized sedans, and has generous headroom. That was a revelation the first time I sat in one. Crazy they cram that much into that little.

It's great you're enjoying your "exclusive" i3. My kids and I have identified 9 i3's in the neighborhood that are writhin about a ½ mile radius of the house. Never even noticed them until we brought ours home.

 

[PBNB]

I am still unsure of how I feel about the back of the car. I saw a white i3 the other day and all I could focus on was the great big white bumper and how close the tail lights are together.

I thought it looked really strange. I am not as bothered by mine with the darker grey but still find the lights too close to each other.

Other than that, I have to say that my 2015 i3 seems to have better tech and a more futuristic interior than my new 2019 Honda Ridgeline which feels like it is about 10 years behind.

 

[Timjohn]

I am still waiting for my 2020 i3S but one of the reasons I committed was because it is a hatch back. My 14 inch DOB and associated astronomy gear fit in the boot (seats folded down). Having a hard time with the wait.

 

[JohnWasser]

I've had my 2017 REx for about two weeks now and I'm very happy with it. I don't think I've seen ANY other i3 on the road yet.

My previous car was a Mini Cooper S. It had quite a lot of cargo space with the rear seats folded, and the i3 has even more, being about 5 inches taller.

Our EVgo cards are already here and our ChargePoint cards are on the way. I've charged it on free and pay Level 2 chargers and on free and pay DC Fast chargers so I'm comfortable with the process. I was able to activate a ChargePoint charger with "Wallet" app on my Apple Watch. On Sunday I tested the REx engine (emission testing mode) and then ran the battery down to 6%. The REx started right up and gave me another 80 miles to get to a charger.

Last night I was watching a YouTube video about the Continuously Variable Valve Duration mechanism in some brand of car engines. After seeing how complicated the mechanism was I was thankful I had switched to electric and no longer had to worry about the thousands of moving parts in a modern ICE.

On Monday I replaced the 6.5" display with the 10.25" version and enabled the "Range Extender" menu to allow "Hold State Of Charge".

Still looking forward to the day I use the Parking Assist to do parallel parking.

 

[eNate]

Last night I was watching a YouTube video about the Continuously Variable Valve Duration mechanism in some brand of car engines. After seeing how complicated the mechanism was I was thankful I had switched to electric and no longer had to worry about the thousands of moving parts in a modern ICE

Engineering Explained!

At risk of going off topic, this added complication is one reason I chose to forego the REX. Obviously, I don't need it, otherwise I would have reconsidered.

But your comment brings to mind the steam locomotives at the train museum and at the local historic railroad. It's a marvel how the tech progressed from fairly simple leather belt driven boilers on wheels, to the gargantuan and infinitely complex 1940‘s era SP 4294 cab-forwarded articulated beast on display in Sacramento, which gave way to the much simpler diesel electric.

And yet the i3 and other electrics bring new complications, such as complex cooling systems, an even higher reliance on non-user serviceable electronics, and the "unknowns" many potential buyers grapple with, such as trusting invisible charge levels vs. something familiar that we can see and touch, gasoline (eww!).

I'd love my EVs to be as reliable / easy to diagnose / work on as my old electric R/C buggy.

 

[alohart]

Still looking forward to the day I use the Parking Assist to do parallel parking.

Those who don't want to scratch their rear curb-side wheel don't use the i3's parking assist. Also, it's so slow that drivers of vehicles waiting behind for you to park would become very impatient.

 

[fbt12]

JohnWasser's posting surprised me a bit....

I too have/had a 2002 MiniCooper S. I put 170k on it and have just given it to my nephew's daughter. My garage space is small because of shelving on both sides. I have had to modify my side to fit my 2017 i3 REx. Even though parking in the garage is a new adventure every time, i still am very satisfied with my i3.

For me, the step up (15 years) in operations/safety/gadgets is dramatic. I added HSOC, AM radio, and a few other things to enhance my experience. Given the used price i paid, i am very happy with my price/performer!

And finally, i appreciate the feedback that i receive from this forum.

 

[JohnWasser]

JohnWasser's posting surprised me a bit....

I too have/had a 2002 MiniCooper S. My garage space is small because of shelving on both sides. I have had to modify my side to fit my 2017 i3 REx. Even though parking in the garage is a new adventure every time, i still am very satisfied with my i3.

I guess it is over a foot longer and three inches wider in addition to being 6 to 7 inches taller. They looked very close, parked side by side.

2003 Mini Cooper: 143-144″ L x 67″ W x 55-56″ H
2017 BMW i3: 157″ L x 70″ W x 62″ H

13-14" longer
3" wider
6-7" taller

 

[frictioncircle]

vger105 & JohnWasser –

Welcome to the forum and enjoy your new i3s!

Tesla has been crushing every other EV maker in terms of sales, but the work that BMW's engineers did (nearly a decade ago) to realize the i3 is remarkable.

The i3 is a carbon-fiber, RWD, emission-free Zen pod – an oasis of calm during the madding commute.

I've driven a good number of other EVs, including Teslas, and nothing comes close.

 

[trumpetdoug]

vger105 & JohnWasser –


The i3 is a carbon-fiber, RWD, emission-free Zen pod – an oasis of calm during the madding commute.

I've driven a good number of other EVs, including Teslas, and nothing comes close.

Oasis of calm for sure. I've had mine (2017 REX) for a month and really hate that I'm not able to get out and drive it much right now. (Covid 19)

I only hope that the car holds together well. I have heard horror stories about repair bills in the BMW line. The good news is many of those stories revolve around a gasoline engine. Well we don't have much of that going on even with a REX.

Doug - out

 

[eNate]

... really hate that I'm not able to get out and drive it much right now. (Covid 19)

Hey man, me and my i3 can be socially distant (off the line), can self isolate (sunroof closed), and help maintain good hand hygiene (drive past the gas station).

It's an ideal sanitarium!

 

[trumpetdoug]

Never thought of all that!! Love the part of traveling past the gas stations!!


Doug - out

 

[JohnWasser]

Never thought of all that!! Love the part of traveling past the gas stations!!

Filthy places, covered in germs.

 

[robthebold]

Probably THE primary reason I didn't consider an i3 for so long was because it looks so small from the outside (and weird, but...).

I was convinced, without any thought, it wss too tiny to replace my allroad wagon.

Granted, the cargo volume isn't there, but the passenger space is excellent and measures up to many mid-sized sedans, and has generous headroom. That was a revelation the first time I sat in one. Crazy they cram that much into that little.

It's great you're enjoying your "exclusive" i3. My kids and I have identified 9 i3's in the neighborhood that are writhin about a ½ mile radius of the house. Never even noticed them until we brought ours home.

It sure looks small, but no complaints from the kids in back. In fact, I get thanks for the car being warmed up ready to go on cold winter mornings thanks to programmable departure time .

Not so bad, cargo-wise, really. Granted I come from an Infiniti G35 coupe.

Here's a full bale of straw:

https://www.mybmwi3.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=16638&p=62944#p62944

No impingement on the passenger area, and the privacy flap lays flat as well.

 

[richs]

*I love the exclusive nature of the i3. In the month that we've owned it I've only seen 2 others here on Long Island, NY

LOL. Try driving one around Austin, TX, darting around all the Teslas. Not a single other i3 in sight for the two weeks I've had my black 2017 REx. I know a Tesla owner, and he'd never even heard of an i3 before, much less seen one.

So, yeah, 'exclusive' is a good way to put it.

 

[Pahaska]

Another Austin, TX owner of 6 days. I traded in a Genesis that was just too big for the driving I do these days. I'm still discovering hidden bells and whistles. The Genesis controls were more intuitive and it takes an occasional look into the on-board owner's manual to decipher something. I virtually never drive over 60 miles in a day, so the I3 is perfect, even with the slow charger.

 

[jadnashuanh]

When used as designed, the i3 is a great car! I've had mine now for over 5-years pretty trouble-free.

I'm getting tired of shuffling cars in the winter to make room for the plow (only have a single car garage!), so I have ordered the new X5 hybrid...it should do for my normal daily operations in EV mode, and just run normally, but more efficiently when gasoline is needed. I'll miss the tight turning circle and ease of sneaking into spaces, but at my age, the X5 seems like a better solution for a one-car user. I can pull a travel trailer with it, too, if all works out...something the i3 could never really do.

I'll miss the i3 when the new X5 comes in...

 

[Timjohn]

Well I have had my i3S REX for 5 months now and haven't been to a gas station yet. It is the first car that I thoroughly look forward to driving every time I get into it. I am an avid motorcyclist and the i3 gives me that same feeling.

Its a joy to drive and I belong to a local EV group where there are a ton of Leaf, Tesla, Kona and some other not so common EV members but only a handful of i3 owners of the 100 or so members. I rarely see other BMW i3 vehicles and haven't seen another i3S yet so its nice to have something unusual. Telsas are everywhere. I chose the i3 because I wanted a hatchback and a good city car. When I tested the other EV's (Leaf, Tesla S85, Niro and Kona) they were nice but frankly I wanted something less sedan like and more compact but useful. Surprisely, the Tesla's acceleration did nothing to inspire me to want one. It felt ponderous and large. Kona would be my second choice.

Anyway, to each his own right.