Welcome to the BMW i3 Forum

[EVI3]

Just purchased a 2016 BMW i3 ReX and am already loving it! It was hard to find one in our area so I bought it online completely sight unseen. It has a 1 year CPO so that helped a bit. They shipped it to me in an enclosed trailer, about a 500 mile trip, and it just showed up yesterday. Took the wife and kids for a ride last night and couldn't be happier. Got the State of Charge Hold and the gas tank size coded this morning and now just have to figure out how to code the garage door opener to the homelink, I spent an hour this morning trying to get it to work, my opener might not be compatible but it works with my wife's subaru outback. Anyway, just wanted to say hello!

 

[alohart]

Got the State of Charge Hold and the gas tank size coded this morning and now just have to figure out how to code the garage door opener to the homelink, I spent an hour this morning trying to get it to work, my opener might not be compatible but it works with my wife's subaru outback.

If your garage door opener uses rolling codes, programming the i3's garage door opener remote might be more complicated or impossible. The Homelink Website has programming videos and instructions.

When our condo association changed our entry gate opener to one that uses rolling security codes, I was unable to program our 2014 i3's remote. Some openers have a learning mode button that must be pressed during programming. I was unable to find such a button on our gate opener.

 

[jadnashuanh]

It's been awhile since I coded mine, but if I remember, there was a good video on the BMWUSA website. That video worked for me and if I remember correctly, it's along the following...the details are in the video.

It's a two step process...take a working remote, teach your car how to emulate it, then, put your opener into programming mode and get it to recognize the new remote.

Some openers have a limit on how many different remotes they'll allow. If that's the case, you might need to remove or reset the opener and then go in and resubscribe the remotes you want on it to then work.

 

[Anonymous]

1. Switch on the ignition.

2. Initial setup:
Press and hold the left and right button on the interior rearview mirror simultaneously for approximately 20 seconds until the LED on the interior rearview mirror flashes. This erases all programming of the buttons on the interior rearview mirror.

3. Hold the hand-held transmitter for the system to be controlled approx. 1 to 3 in/2.5 to 8 cm away from the buttons of the interior rearview mirror. The required distance depends on the manual transmitter.

4. Simultaneously press and hold the button of the desired function on the hand-held transmitter and the button to be programmed on the interior rearview mirror. The LED on the interior rearview mirror will begin flashing slowly.

5. Release both buttons as soon as the LED flashes more rapidly. The LED flashing faster indicates that the button on the interior rearview mirror has been programmed. If the LED does not flash faster after at least 60 seconds, change the distance between the interior rearview mirror and the hand-held transmitter and repeat the step. Several more attempts at different distances may be necessary. Wait at least 15 seconds between attempts.

This worked for me, except when I initially did it it would be hit or miss if the mirror button would actually activate the door. Found that the opener antenna wire had been wrapped up in a coil and tucked next to a metal support. Pulling it loose, and letting it hang straight down from the opener fixed the intermittent issue.

 

[EVI3]

Wow! Thanks for all the help everyone! I am going to try it with the car parked outside to see if that helps. I tried before parked in the garage, maybe it can’t communicate properly that way.

 

[Anonymous]

If trying the steps outside does't work, you may have a rolling code system. There is a way to check via the i3 mirror buttons, and also a way to sync the codes so the mirror buttons will work with it. Look around page 136 or so in the owner's manual for both sets of instructions - if you manual is missing, you can find it on line, or there is on on-board one you can access on the Nav screen.

 

[Biscuit]

Just joined this forum.

Tried to purchase a 2018 i3 February 2, 2018 and have been waiting ever since. I spoke with my local (SW Florida) dealer yesterday. BMW has no i3s models in the entire Southeast region right now. It seems that the only models now available are all REX models. Draw your own assumptions as to why.

Florida (the Sunshine State) and its electric vendors in my area offer absolutely no incentives. Sorry, there is one, a sticker to allow a BEV onto a restricted commuter lane. We have none here.

BMW CCA had an i3 incentive when I started to shop. That disappeared last year. I've been paying BMW car club dues since 1984 and was looking forward to their purchase incentives. I don't recall the car club pulling back on its purchase incentives before. Bummer.

Then there is the residual value. I lucked out when I couldn't buy a 2018 i3 model with a smaller battery than the 2019. The 2018 and older resale value will likely nose-dive. I really don't care since my plan is to keep the i3s

I worked at two BMW retail outlets for 11 years, sending hundreds of F&I deals to BMW Financial Services. NO LOVE from them because I've had no debt since early retirement 2007. I'm penalized for being financially conservative in my retirement! I only paid off slightly more than $900,000 in mortgages, etc. So, no lease means no $7,500 cap cost reduction and no existing BMW owners financial benefit. I'll skip federal taxes the year of delivery.

So, unlike many of you, I'm going to have to pay more than you to get a BEV urban car.

You probably get the drift of my situation and wonder why I'm so focused on a new i3s? I know my son wonders why not a Tesla Model 3, at least until Consumer Reports sunk that ship. He still does not comprehend what an urban car is. I live in a large Florida city so drive a tank and a half of premium gas a month, about 550 miles per month. Electricity is cheap here.

My daily commuter is a 1991 BMW M5 with 229,300 miles. I've owned it since 2006 when it had 165,000 miles. Its never been financed. Next to housing, auto expense ( fuel, registration, repairs, maintenance but not insurance) is my second highest expense category. My average monthly auto expense for that M5 has been $795 for the last nine years. I'd rather put that towards a i3s payment and avoid my mechanic.

I have not owned a new car since post-grad school. Delivered hundreds working for BMW dealers so looking forward to that experience.

Finally, I'm a techie (older techie as in I had an IBM AT right out of grad school). I buy into all the technology, environmental considerations touted by BMW.

Looking forward to this experience.

 

[AndrewDebbie]

High mileage M5? You are brave. I looked at a very nice low milegage e34 M5 once, but the parts prices spooked me.


Do you have a BEV on order?

Shame about the CCA disount going away.

If you haven't orded yet, I wonder if Adrian A. is still working at BMW of South Atlanta. He could probably get you a better deal but you'd have to get the car from Atlanta. I have no idea what the charging infrastructure is like these days.


Here in the UK we can only get a very modest discount on 120Ah cars but that might change. In the UK BMW will have to compete with the new Peugeot e208 in addition to all the others.

 

[Biscuit]

Just not sure if I'm "Brave" to keep driving a '91 M5 but I sure enjoy it. Engine has been solid. I never replaced the sound system because the exhaust note is so thrilling. Folks pull up to me at traffic lights with thumbs-up. I have a buyer for it when the i3S arrives.

My prior used BMW was an E28 528e. After 450,000 miles, a lady T-boned me with her autistic son in the passenger seat. Insurance refused to repair so that led me to the M5 in 2006. Interior parts are first to disappear. With the M5 today, broke the water pump pulley last weekend. Not in stock at so many sources including BMW retail parts stores here and Germany. If the current retail outlet is mislead that they found it in Germany, I have a company in Illinois that can make a 102 mm pulley for me. So, it does get scary, especially now knowing BMW has been out of that pulley since 2017.

No, its not officially on order. I passed on my specifications last week. Since a year ago, my dealer has committed to sell me what I want when they receive an allocated i3S. They were respectful of my past service to BMW NA and BMW FS so essentially agreed to $1,000 over their invoice plus their local advertising assessment. A co-worker (Angie) moved to BMW of South Atlanta when I transferred to Chris BMW mid-1990. I doubt she is still a client advisor. Shipment of a i3S is possible; but, its about 600 miles.

Yeah, read somewhere that Peugeot might return to the states.

 

[AndrewDebbie]

I met Angie at BMW South Atlanta. Don't remember exactly when or which car, but I do remember the name. Must have been sometime before we moved to the UK in 2008. We bought our last US spec. BMW from South Atlanta in 2007.

I had a 1990 535i that I kept until we moved. Parts weren't a problem 10 years ago. It wasn't worth paying to ship it to Wales. LHD cars are more expensive to insure and fuel isn't cheap.


It would be a shame if a pulley takes your car off the road. Have you tried contacting BMW Classic directly????

 

[gsoben]

My power steering just stopped. I found that if I pull over stop and restart it fixed problem. Has anyone told BMW this flaw?

 

[alohart]

My power steering just stopped. I found that if I pull over stop and restart it fixed problem. Has anyone told BMW this flaw?

Quite a few i3 drivers have reported this problem to this forum. However, BMW likely doesn’t read this forum, so please file a complaint with the NHTSA.

 

[andreis]

Hi, I'm new here. I'm super excited about the Bmw i3 car.

 

[lesbi3]

Hello everyone! Am glad to have found this forum. I purchased a low mileage 2015 CPO Tera World REx last month (4/19) for work commuting in the Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX area. It still has one year of factory warranty remaining. It’s my first EV and is a pleasure to drive on the busy North Texas freeways.

 

[jlangham]

Well Howdy! I lived in North Dallas for 15 years, but bought my i3 here in Phoenix. Hope you enjoy the car.

 

[fireball08]

Just got my i3, thank you for a really helpful forum!

 

[KrisM]

Hi all,

I'm Kris from Belgium and I joined the forum a couple of days ago wen I ordered my i3 REX. It will be delivered +- 14.09.2019 so I'm
reading the forum in the meanwhile

 

[alohart]

I'm Kris from Belgium and I joined the forum a couple of days ago wen I ordered my i3 REX. It will be delivered +- 14.09.2019 so I'm reading the forum in the meanwhile

Congratulations!

I have read that the 2019 i3 REx version is not available in E.U. countries. Is this not true?

 

[KrisM]

Thanks !

And yes there are no more new 2019 REX 's for sale anymore, only the 120Ah.

 

[Bertone]

Hi and greetings from Madrid, Spain.

Just bought myself a secondhand i3 94 ah with very low mileage and in pristine condition.

Looking forward to learning all about this excellent car, and thanks for having me in this great forum!!!

Cheers.