To I3 REx or not to I3 REx?

[appie]

After quite some research, I'm still on the fence: should I but a used 60Ah REx or not?

Reserving some budget for repairs and general maintenance, this is the only model that meets our occasional range requirements that we can actually afford (so don't suggest to buy a non-REx 94Ah please), but the stories I read online (some of which on this forum) about crazy extensive/expensive repairs from BMW are putting me off.

Are these mostly about the early years, say '13-'14? I have my eye on a late 2015 car with about 70k mi.

I understand that it's common to see more negative than positive reports online, but are there really so many people that have a REx with so many expensive issues? On the other hand: I also see a lot of reports of very happy owners, so I just don't know...

My gut says that it will probably be alright, but when things do go wrong, it gets very expensive very quickly? And of course there's a number of things you should watch out for when purchasing a used I3, but in the end there are a lot of things you just can't know upfront, making it a bit of a game of chance?

EDIT: I expect many will answer with "so get a CPO/warranty" but that's besides the point: I want to know how "error prone" these vehicles are. I need something reliable and don't want a car that's away for repairs frequently.

 

[3pete]

My gut says that it will probably be alright, but when things do go wrong, it gets very expensive very quickly?

I don't have a REX but I think this still applies: I think your gut is right--you will probably be alright. And if you are not, things can get expensive quickly.

I want to know how "error prone" these vehicles are.

Taking a step back, I'd say you really want to know how likely an i3 REX that you buy is likely to be error prone, and ultimately no one can answer that accurately without a crystal ball. A catastrophic issue with a 0.001% chance of happening is still catastrophic if it happens to your car.

If you're looking for weak points or specific things to check on an i3 REX, hopefully someone can chime in with those if you haven't already found them. Otherwise, I'd say don't overthink it. It seems like you've done some research already, go with your gut.

At the same time, it's true the "premium" BMW brand means that dealer repairs can be more expensive than they probably should be. You also have to be ok with that if you're going to rely on BMW repairs if something goes wrong.

 

[frictioncircle]

RExs were unreliable when they first came out.

A friend that bought their 2014 REx new had their car in the dealer for about a month sorting out battery problems. They had a few more flatbeds in the interim until they switched to a 2019 REx.

Unfortunately that didn't break the chain of problems as they again needed a flatbed within their first months of ownership to deal with a drivetrain error.

That said, I think that a REx with a few years of trouble-free service behind it could a good choice but consider all the things you will never need to be concerned with if you buy a BEV: fuel filter, oil filter, coolant, spark plugs, etc.

 

[Anonymous]

The REx engine is the same engine that is in the BMW 650 Scooter introduced in 2010. It is the C-series engine built by Kymco company in Taiwan, a top engine builder that started out manufacturing most of Honda's small engines. Not a 'new' engine for the i3 by any means, with a history of reliability. I think most of the early REx 'teething' issues were simply BMW service techs with a lack of first-hand knowledge on the 'new' i3. Case in point - know one early REx owner who had his i3 REx in the shop for over a month while the service techs chased problematic start and run issues for the REx engine. They drained the fuel and cleaned out the fuel tank, changed out the fuel pump, changed the fuel filter, changed the coil, changed the plugs, swapped out the ECM, and were getting ready to swap out the engine when the owner brought in a note from one of the i3 boards which mentioned how the fuel pump relay could begin to fail and cause issues. One $20 part and 1/2 hour's labor later, the REx was running perfectly. The car was still under warranty, so BMW had to foot the bill for all the "let's throw parts at it and hope for the best" they did before the solution was presented by the owner. Owner of an independent BMW repair shop calls these kind of Dealer techs 'Ouija Board Mechanics'.

 

[appie]

Thank you all for your replies, and the valid points raised. I guess the bottom line indeed is that:

a) the chances of a break down are slim/moderate when buying a car that's been on the road for some time and has been looked after properly (so with the early model's teething problems having been resolved by previous owner)

b) often, an issue is/was mis-diagnosed by a "technician" resulting in the car getting a bad rep, while in the end often the repair turned out to be pretty simple and cheap

c) if you do run out of luck and something goes seriously wrong with your car, the BMW repair bill will be a hefty one.

Now, I am quite handy and car savvy, not at all afraid to roll up my sleeves and fix broken things on my car. E.g. I have replaced rotten outriggers on my Defender's chassis, welded in new footwells etc., but that's all pretty straight forward mechanical stuff. With the I3, there's just so much complexity / computerized stuff that requires you to have access to the BMW diagnostic software and tools, that I don't think the average "driveway mechanic" such as myself can fix it if/when something breaks. So if your luck runs out, you'll need to turn to BMW, and that's something you need to be able to afford.

Of course, I always factor in a certain "contingency budget" when buying a used car, but with the I3 REx I think I may have to budget twice the regular amount and then hope all goes well, and I'm not sure I'm willing to take that chance...

 

[gt1]

From years on this forum it seems that the REX is responsible for a significant amount of complaints. I used to lease a 15 REX and rarely used, the tank lasted an entire year. i3 isn't a good gas car- it is noisy and the fuel economy isn't that good. Typical driving distances in Europe are shorter, and you maybe OK with a BEV, however that generation is known for battery degradation.

 

[frictioncircle]

Thank you all for your replies, and the valid points raised. I guess the bottom line indeed is that:

a) the chances of a break down are slim/moderate when buying a car that's been on the road for some time and has been looked after properly (so with the early model's teething problems having been resolved by previous owner)

b) often, an issue is/was mis-diagnosed by a "technician" resulting in the car getting a bad rep, while in the end often the repair turned out to be pretty simple and cheap

c) if you do run out of luck and something goes seriously wrong with your car, the BMW repair bill will be a hefty one.

appie...

Regarding a), Overall, I agree with this. Since 2014 my daily driver has been an i3 BEV and the drivetrain has been 100% reliable (knock on wood). That said, a 2x REx-owing friend has had to deal with flatbed tows due to drivetrain errors with their original 2014 REx and their new 2019 REx.

Regarding b), I haven't had misdiagnoses when taking my i3 to my dealer

Regarding c), if you're out of warranty and well past goodwill then yes, welcome to the land of Great Automotive Expenses!

 

[iCJ]

Apple what did you end up deciding?

I am piggybacking off of this thread as I am curious about the i3 if some needed major repairs, if there are common expensive issues, or its just random.

 

[appie]

Well, I have decided that between the quirky door setup, our occasional need to do ~130mi trips and the cost involved in case things do go wrong, the I3 isn't the most sensible purchase for us.

I'm looking at Audi a3 e-trons / VW Golf GTE'S now, the '15-'16 model. Price point around here is about the same, practicality is superior though more conventional, but e-range is much less of course, with about 20mi on battery only. However, that covers 95% of my daily needs with a couple of miles to spare, so plenty for me. And for longer trips the ICE is there to get us where we need to go, no matter the distance.

 

[iCJ]

Thank you appie for the followup. A buddy of mine has a Golf (ice), really nice car and would be great on your 130 mile trips.

 

[appie]

No problem iCJ, take care and best of luck with your I3 decision making process!

 

[JohnKelly]

We are just heading out on our 100th (or so) 350 mile round day-trip in our 2015 REX, so I don't have time to comment on whether or not they are good for that : ) Maximum in one day: 515 miles in winter conditions.

 

[appie]

Haha thanks, good to hear! Have a safe trip!

 

[agzand]

I think many REX problems are due to infrequent usage. The most complex parts of the car are the high voltage parts which are shared between REX/BEV.

Having said that based on engineering principles the chance of failure in REX is higher, simply because it has more parts.

Personally I think for most people in US only the 2019+ has adequate range as a BEV. For 60/94ah models the REX worth the trouble because it practically provides unlimited range.

 

[eNate]

Ultimately it still comes down to individual use case and tolerance.

I'll point back to my 2-day, 1,700 mile drive in a 120 Ah BEV (2021), which would have been borderline with the 94 Ah battery and impossible at this stage in DCFC rollout with the original 60 Ah battery.

With no REX, if any of the majority of charging stops was out-of-order, I'd have been on a 100+ mile tow truck ride, or parked at a motel with an extension cord running out the door.

But back on home turf, in a 3-car household, my former 94 Ah BEV was more than adequate 99% of the time. The only reason I road tripped an i3 1,700 miles was because that's how far away the dealership was where I purchased it. It likely won't be repeating any journeys of that length.

Around home, however, I've got such great DCFC coverage in the SF Bay area that I have numerous charging options to pick from, without really needing to pre-plan. In the not-too-distant future it'll be like that in more places.

Keep in mind that the Electrify America charging network, which I relied upon for my entire journey -- 18 charging stops in all -- didn't yet exist just four years ago! Their first station opened in May 2018.

 

[agzand]

A few additional thoughts about the BEV/REX debate:

- The REX has sort of a better warranty in PZEV states (15yrs/150k miles). It is not clear if many people have taken advantage of this yet, but theoretically you should be able to cover many issues even for non REX component under PZEV warranty.
- I think REX is sort of a unique characteristic of the i3. There are many BEVs, many of them more capable than i3, but i3 is the only production REX and if Mazda MX-30 falters, could be the only one forever.
- In some emergency situations it could be difficult to charge a BEV, but with a REX you can get out of there.

I was on the fence about a 2019 or a 2018 REX for my second i3. Eventually decided on the REX. I fully understand if someone chooses BEV for different factors.