What Car Did You Drive Before Going Electric

[AzuraMOYK]

I’m currently driving a BMW X4 M40i, which, in non-BMW speak, is a crazy fast, slightly awkward-looking 3.0L petrol-powered SUV. I know, I know… boo me all you want!

But seriously, I’ve been thinking about switching to the electric side and cleansing myself of my polluting ways. When I’m not racing from one red light to the next, I actually enjoy cruising through the city in adaptive mode, where the stop-start tech turns off the engine for some quiet. It’s made me wonder if I might actually be craving an electric car.

I don’t drive much—maybe 200 miles in a day once a month, but most of the time, it’s just short trips to the store or weekend drives. Since I work from home and have a second car, my driving habits aren’t too demanding.

So, I’m curious:

• What car were you driving before you switched to electric, and do you miss it?
• Would you ever consider going back to fossil fuel, or are you fully committed to EV life?

 

[Dutchi3]

I still have a diesel Vanagon, love it, it is an oldtimer now. But daily driving is electric.

 

[eNate]

• What car were you driving before you switched to electric, and do you miss it?
• Would you ever consider going back to fossil fuel, or are you fully committed to EV life?

I've been a wagon guy since the mid 90's. A pair of Subaru Legacy wagons, followed by a Ford Flex (technically in wagon territory), an Acura TSX sportwagon, and finally an Audi allroad.

From the practicality standpoint, downsizing to the i3 was a compromise.

But I still own the Flex (it mostly sits), and I manage to carry plenty of unusual stuff in the i3, road trip in the VW ID.4, and would replace the Flex with an EV – a Kia EV9 or VW Buzz – should it ever make financial sense to do so.

I can't imagine ever again owning any sort of ICE variant.

 

[mfogarty]

I currently have both the 2020 i3 and a 2021 M235i GC. Before that I had a Focus RS.

 

[Clanduncan]

For the 25 years previous to owning my i3 I drove small diesel cars (various Corsas, Fiestas, and Citroen C3's), for the economy they would get, i.e. anything from 65-70 mpg (in the UK), which gave me a range of up to 700 miles per tank. Useful when commuting 500 miles a week, and at a cost of around 8-10p/mile depending on diesel costs.
Now I pay only 2-2.5p per mile for electric, when charging at home.
Like 'eNate' I can't imagine going back to any sort of ICE vehicle now.

 

[millybuzzin 63]

Currently drive a bmw i3 rex 2017 before I had a bmw 225xe so absolutely love the i3 so no way back for me.also I have a 1989 ford escort rs turbo in my garage had it for 20 years now love it

 

[ksnax]

Had a Ford Flex and 2002 Miata. Thought I would never sell both of them. I only miss the Miata 4-5 months per year, and I haven't missed the Flex at all since selling it last year now that I have a utility trailer figured out for the i3. But I am now kinda hosed if we get any serious snow and I need to go somewhere. (But I rarely NEED to go anywhere.) No regrets aside from no more convertible.

 

[drcarrera]

A Mk7 Golf R was the car we swapped for our i3. We still have two petrol cars, though - an AMG Merc for longer journeys and a McLaren.

 

[JamesInLondon]

For the last 35 years I have been a Mercedes owner; going all the way back to W113 280 SL 'Pagoda'. My two most recent cars were an A124 E320 convertible and a R230 600SL

 

[SSi3]

2010 328xiT 6MT

 

[Whereitis]

My previous daily ride was a 2014 Mazda CX-5 that I loved, but one test-drive last summer in my 14 i3 Rex and I was hooked. After selling the Mazda I only shelled out $2k for the i3. Almost a free car! No car payments for me. I kept my two classic cars, an 86 Caddy Fleetwood and a 71 Skylark ragtop. My girl drives a 15 428xi hardtop convertible, and we have a 21 Ram 2500 mega-cab for carrying our slide-in truck camper while hauling a trailer with 2 of our 3 Harleys in it.

 

[chucki3]

Like my signature says, a VW Jetta TDI. Got it for the mileage in '05, drove it for 18 years, did penance by shredding it and getting this electric car.

 

[youngwilliam]

Long time card-carrying member of BMW CCA - i3 for around town, E60 for travel, and 02 for autocross.

 

[kd7iwp]

I'm driving a 2001 325i for now, my new 2019 i3S REX should be shipping out to me next week. Before that I had a 2002 Golf TDI that was fantastic. The family car is a 2009 535xi wagon (stick shift) as the i3S will obviously be the commuter.

 

[tob1as]

2008 Smart Fortwo

 

[BMWCCA#41]

AzuraMOYK, I don't think it's odd at all to consider going from an M to an i3!

I've driven many other BMW Group products. In order of ownership: 1972 2002tii (Boopsie), 1981 528i (California Girl), 1995 525i (Rockie), 2004 MINI Cooper (Topknot), 1988 528e (Beti).

I've also owned some Fords: a lousy '73 Pinto wagon; a decent '87 Ford Taurus wagon (Dutch); and my most recent ride, a well-designed '17 Focus sedan (Scoot the Turtle), with a German-engineered 3 cylinder/turbo and matching manual tranny that got great gas mileage and performed well, but scared me that it might self-destruct due to a design flaw in the oil system.

Also a plain vanilla '78 Buick Skyhawk with very poor build quality and an '07 Honda Element with super practical plastic flooring, suicide doors akin to an i3, and next to impossible to remove rear seats.

The car I miss most was being restored by my first husband, car nut Eddie Hardman, when he abruptly exited due to cancer: a 1958 Rambler Cross-Country Station Wagon in two-tone Mariner turquoise metallic/Aloma beige, with fold-flat front seats and a "three on the tree."

I'm delighted have been gifted my '17 REx, originally the Mighty Maus and now Bitsy Blue, as my ticket to the future of mobility. I really wanted an all-electric i3, but was persuaded to go with the REx for emergency backup/resale value. And yes, I've been glad to have the REx on several occasions already.

Will I ever abandon electric? Doubtful, although in around five years I'm planning to move into a downtown senior highrise, so charging issues might sway me.

BMW's Neue Klasse will offer plenty of electric options. Let's hope some of them are affordable!

By the way, let me put in a plug for the Americans on this forum to consider joining the BMW Car Club, which offers great publications and much more.

 

[Whereitis]

AzuraMOYK, I don't think it's odd at all to consider going from an M to an i3!

I've driven many other BMW Group products. In order of ownership: 1972 2002tii (Boopsie), 1981 528i (California Girl), 1995 525i (Rockie), 2004 MINI Cooper (Topknot), 1988 528e (Beti).

I've also owned some Fords: a lousy '73 Pinto wagon; a decent '87 Ford Taurus wagon (Dutch); and my most recent ride, a well-designed '17 Focus sedan (Scoot the Turtle), with a German-engineered 3 cylinder/turbo and matching manual tranny that got great gas mileage and performed well, but scared me that it might self-destruct due to a design flaw in the oil system.

Also a plain vanilla '78 Buick Skyhawk with very poor build quality and an '07 Honda Element with super practical plastic flooring, suicide doors akin to an i3, and next to impossible to remove rear seats.

The car I miss most was being restored by my first husband, car nut Eddie Hardman, when he abruptly exited due to cancer: a 1958 Rambler Cross-Country Station Wagon in two-tone Mariner turquoise metallic/Aloma beige, with fold-flat front seats and a "three on the tree."

I'm delighted have been gifted my '17 REx, originally the Mighty Maus and now Bitsy Blue, as my ticket to the future of mobility. I really wanted an all-electric i3, but was persuaded to go with the REx for emergency backup/resale value. And yes, I've been glad to have the REx on several occasions already.

Will I ever abandon electric? Doubtful, although in around five years I'm planning to move into a downtown senior highrise, so charging issues might sway me.

BMW's Neue Klasse will offer plenty of electric options. Let's hope some of them are affordable!

By the way, let me put in a plug for the Americans on this forum to consider joining the BMW Car Club, which offers great publications and much more.

I bought an 03 Element EX new and my gf bought an 07, also new. Loved them both, mine got 18mpg with the 4-speed auto, hers got 25mph with the 5-speed auto. Had the seats in and out of both cars many times, it took maybe 2 minutes flat and seemed easy enough to be surprised you thought it a hassle.

 

[Simon Tilleard]

Had an i3 Rex for 6 years now and my conclusion is it's a brilliant car. Just like my V8 Landrover Discovery 2 that I've had for 22 years. For me it's the perfect blend. i3 for every day and disco when I need the sheer muscle.

 

[Jim0el]

The car I had before I bought my 3-year-old 2017 i3 REx was my favorite car ever: a '91 (which I also bought at its age of 3) Toyota MR2 with turbo, 5-speed and t-tops (2-liter, 200hp). I drove it for 26 years, and loved every moment. The car had great specs: 0 to 60 in 5.9 seconds; speedometer goes to 160. I loved going around corners at 70mph, but discovered that my own top speed is 140 -- a 2-lane remote highway in the Nevada desert gets really narrow at 140! (I had plenty of pedal left -- could have topped it out.) In mellow times I could get 34 miles per gallon, and in more spirited moments, about 18. But that was my middle-age gift to myself for turning 50. A bit past 75 I opted for electric, and the REx offered a comfortable transition to the e-age. I've been driving it for 4 1/2 years now, and except for the inane glass tailgate, I've found no faults and enjoyed my ride. Maybe by 20 years from now I'll have chosen a new lifetime favorite.

 

[jfran2]

Fun topic! I love my i3Rex and drive it 95% of the time. Before this, I've been a Saab guy for decades, and still love my '04 93 5-speed convertible. It will be tough to part with, but an i4 might persuade me once the used prices get to the point where I can afford them.