Why I Chose the BMW i3 REx Over the Tesla Model 3 + Long Term Review
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- čas přidán 4. 02. 2018
- This is a video about how I decided on a CPO BMW i3 REx over the Tesla Model 3, plus a long term review. Check out the Pt 2 video where I answer your questions.
Link to how its made:
• BMW i3 Factory Product...
Last year, I traded in my mini cooper countryman for this, it’s a CPO 2014 BMW i3 with the range extender. I did this for many reasons . One reason is that I have been wanting to make the switch to an EV for a while, and this car fits my needs more so than the other options like the Leaf and the Tesla Model S.
By far the biggest factor when deciding on an electric car is the car’s range. How far can I drive this car and how do I charge it. As it is now, a 35 thousand dollar Tesla Model 3 will get you 220 miles and a 37 thousand dollar Chevy bolt will get you 240 miles on charge. These cars will be less money after the 75 hundred dollar federal tax credit along with other state credits, so count on around 30 thousand after dealer fees and taxes. Of these 2 cars, the clear winner in terms of charging convenience is the Tesla Model 3 as they have a massive proprietary charging network that stretches from coast to coast. The same cannot be said for all of the other electric cars. Their charging stations are cobbled together at odd locations and out of range on many highways leaving many potential EV buyers looking elsewhere for their next car. One thing is true for all purely electric cars, if you plan on traveling out of range, then you have to plan on charging it. A Model 3 will take 45 minutes to an hour at a supercharging station, and that is if one is available. This means that a 500 mile road trip will involve a charging session along the way, a couple of times while your there and another on the way home. I personally don’t take many road trips and don’t think that driving an EV for long distances is a good idea. After looking into my driving habits, I discovered that I only drive 25 to 30 miles daily with some exceptions that took me 60 to 75 miles on rare occasions. Considering these factors, I felt that I wouldn’t use the 220 miles of the Tesla Model 3 that often at all which led me to the BMW i3
The i3 gets about 80 miles per charge along with another 80 miles available via the range extender for a combined 160 miles. The range extender is a 650cc 2 cylinder scooter motor that kicks in to charge the battery when it drops below 4% to extend the range. This seemed like a perfect option for my needs as the range extender can also be refueled when needed. The i3 is also a hatchback which is another advantage over the Model 3 for transportation of my music gear. As I kept searching, I noticed that used BMW i3’s were dropping in price dramatically during this time, especially in California. As I looked into it more, I quickly realized that this car is light years ahead of anything else in terms of its production, including the Model 3. There are plenty of videos about how this car is manufactured, and if you are like me, you will be amazed at this process, there is a link to more about this below, but basically this is a revolutionary, ground up designed car that is made of aluminum and carbon fiber composites as well as recycled materials. Even the factory is wind powered.
So after all of this research, I decided to buy this CPO i3 from a dealer in California as there were none nearby in here Arizona. I paid 18,500 for this car with around 25 thousand miles on it. The MSRP of this car was around 49 thousand with all of the options included when it was new just 3 years prior. The car was delivered in March last year and it has been by daily driver ever since.
I can say that after nearly a year of normal driving, I have not needed the extra range from the range extender at all. I also have never needed to use a public charging station. The car gets charged at home every day or so and I wake to a fresh car with 75 miles of battery life which is more than enough, but it it's nice to know that the extra range is available if I need it. The i3 has about a 19kw battery and my electricity costs about 11 cents per Kw, so it would cost me about 2 dollars to charge the i3 from a fully depleted battery. I only use about 25% of the battery per day during nice weather and charge it every other day. I would say it costs about 15 to 20 dollars a month to keep the i3 charged.
So many people simply don't understand this car. Thanks for the video 🙂 The most important thing in buying an electric vehicle is your needs. Focus on your needs not the hype. Well done 👍
i only hear you on my right ear....
2 years later:
Omg same!!
Totaly agree with you. dislikes expected though there are a lot of tesla fans who just dont want to think about other options
It was entirely because of your video that I bought an i3. Thanks so much for the introduction to the used pricing on these. Got myself a Rex and loving it.
Nice! Glad to help out for sure, enjoy your i3!
Goooood how he just reminded me how much i like that car. So unfortunate i cant afford it. I really agree on every sentence he said
Do you still recommend it after one year.
a 18k$ used I3 for daily driving(30miles
clear men 007 sadly to say the i3 depreciation is terrible. I returned my 2014 i3 after 2 year lease and it was worth $13-$15k with a sticker of $51k and 30k miles....
Oh I just wish this car would cost that much in my country, but it's more like 30 thousand
All cars loose 50% of there value after 3 years. EVs are even worse except for the model S, it looses about as much value as an ICE Car. Lesson; buy used.
Ezequiel Adames yup. That's why I love my 2016 i3 Rex. It cost me $20k at a certified BMW dealer (warranty until 2022) and its fully loaded. I will probably only lose 6 grand in the 4 years that I will have the car.
Mind sharing some details of your purchase? I'm about to purchase a 2016 Rex at the dealer (CPO). I'd love to know a bit more about what you paid, what features, etc. Thanks!
We leased an i3 in 2014 for 3 years and another one in 2015 for two years. Due to low demand, we got them for about $65/month after discounts, federal and state tax incentives. They were good but had some unique problems. After the i3s we got a Tesla Model S and a few weeks ago got our Model 3, so can directly compare.
The huge windshields are prone to rock chips and the dealers try to rip you off for repairing them. Due to their unique CFRP construction, you shouldn’t take them to safelite or other 3rd parties for glass replacement. There were stories of people unaware and the repairs damaged the structure, causing the car to become unsafe and totaled. We had to replace one of our windshields due to cracks during our lease term. The dealers all have different pricing so shop around.
The wheels are unique and are the only cars that use these tires. There are shortages since Bridgestone makes them in batches, so often you can not get them except though the dealer. Mounted and balanced they are usually about $200 each. That’s not a crazy price for a high performance car, but expensive for a $18k car. Also treadlife is shorter than most other cars. I only got about 12k miles from our rear tires and since the wheels are staggered you can not rotate them to extend tread life.
The REx will sometimes not kick on when you are running low of power and will cause a drivetrain error. This also happens a lot if you don’t run it very often.
We took a REx on a road trip one long weekend and the tiny 1.9 gallon gas tank was a huge hassle. There weren’t enough chargers along our route so we had to fill up. On a 800 mile trip, we charged 3 times at CCS and at public chargers. The rest of the time we had to refuel 11 times. It didn’t take long, but felt like a big hassle. It’s one of those things where you could do it, but it’s not fun. I doubt people with families and kids will want to stop so often.
I believe due to the light weight, tall sides and narrow tires, the i3 gets blown about by the wind more than usual. You really feel crosswinds.
Our i3 needed a new transmission in the last year we had it. The dealer took almost 2 months to replace it and gave us a fossil 328i loaner. I would not keep the BMW out of warranty, there are too many small issues are are expensive and you can only service it at the dealer. The dealer uses the service center as a big profit center, usually more profit than they make on the car. I read that BMW will probably not make a new i3 with fully cfrp constuction and the iNext will be a mixed material car. Some CFRP, steel and aluminum. This makes me wonder about long term service and repairs.
After our first i3 went back, we got a new “inventory” Model S. It was $68k before tax incentives, so about $10k more than a fully optioned new i3 REx. While a bit more, you get a whole lot more car, a totally luxury experience compared to the spartan i3 and arguably much more classically elegant design. The cabin materials are less eco/utilitarian and more like a conventional BMW or Mercedes with alcantara on the dash and headliner, napa leather on dash, doors and seats. The handling and ride are much better and even our slow 2016 base model (0-60 in 5.5s) is much faster than our i3. The trunk space is huge. The front trunk large enough for a small luggage and is water tight so makes it usable where in the i3 it was tiny and dirty. There is a huge panoramic sunroof and there was no sunroof option in the i3 until recently.
The dealer purchase experience is much better than BMW. The price is the price so there is no negotiation. No finance guy that tried to upsell you. The service department is not looking to make a profit from you.
We picked up our car in NJ and drove it home to Atlanta. The trip wouldn’t have been possible on a i3 BEV and a hassle with the REx. The Tesla supercharging network make it so easy. They are spaced out along the highway at perfect intervals so you can plug in, use the restroom and be done charging enough to make it to the next supercharger. It’s also free with Model S so there is no hassle of getting 3rd party charging cards like evgo, ChargePoint, etc, since they don’t directly take credit card payments.
Our Model s also has autopilot and is light years better than the single camera adaptive cruise on the i3. On the i3 it was gimmick in comparison. It never felt safe and sometimes the i3 would respond slowly or not see the car in front. On our S, we use it everyday in traffic and on highways and it’s great.
After a 2 year wait, a few weeks ago, we got our Tesla Model 3. It is fully loaded and cost $57k so a few thousand less than a new i3 REx. Again, the driving experience is much better than i3 and on a totally different level. It’s actually even faster than our S, but the ride is not as smooth. The handling is extremely sharp and it feels like you are driving a large Porsche Cayman without any engine noise. Road noise is comparable to i3 and louder than our S. The layout is more like a 3 series sedan so no hatchback. The trunk is standard size like the BMW 3 series, but there is also a good size front trunk. The Model 3 also has access to the supercharger network which makes long distance travel effortless. When you select a destination, the nav automatically calculates where you need to charge. It’s not free on the 3, but costs about the same as charging at home.
r2d2c3po Awesome facts, greatly stated. Thanks
Excellent points, Nice to have a comment form someone that has owned both cars.
r2d2c3po very informative. Thanks
As for "autonomous driving" / "autopilot" afaik BMW doesnt declare it as such. Thats because the wouldnt dare.
But according to some studies BMW is actually ahead of Tesla, now that Tesla and Mobileye quit their cooperation.
Teslas autopilot was / or is high level 2, that is already enough for cars to drive alone for a long time.
Though BMW and Co started late (later) than tesla they are now ahead in developement.
But BMW wouldnt dare to release something advertised as autopilot unless they got lvl 4.
Your I3 was from 2015, so basically it is the model from 2013 especially in terms of automated driving. Your Model 3 is second half 2017 release. Thats 4 years later and Tesla WAS ahead in the first years after 2010.
As for price, not even with any gimick available I get the most expensive i3 REX variant over 55k € AFTER VAT (which is 19% here). And that is only if you really pay full price, so i cant imagine it being more expensive than $57k in the US (after VAT).
r2d2c3po wait, what?
Why I Chose a *USED* BMW i3 REx Over a *BRAND NEW* Tesla Model 3 + Long Term Review
Because you could not afford a Tesla
I actually like the look of it for some strange reason.
Me too! It's an awesome car.
That's a great review of the i3 Rex, thank you.
Thanks for taking the time to share your experience with this car. I've actually been looking at buying a used i3 for much the same reasons you cited. The opportunity to pick up one of these up for a fraction of the original price is pretty darned tempting. And I'd get spirited acceleration while virtually never buying gas again. Don't know if I'm going to pull the trigger yet, but I do think that anyone who is seriously interested in an i3 would do well to strongly consider buying it used and let someone else eat the massive drop in value in those first couple of years.
Agree completely. I bought a 2014 i3 in 2016. It was untitled (new), so I got both Federal and State (Pennsylvania) incentives, saving me $9500, and the price I paid was far under the MSRP. During negotiation with the dealer I pointed out that although I liked the car (never look too eager while negotiating with a car dealer!) I couldn't realistically drive it to visit my children who live 400 miles away. The dealer offered me BMW's mobility program as a freebie: for 14 days a year (technically, I don't think they bother to keep track, as long as I don't abuse the program I'm sure I could get away with a few more days) I can exchange my i3 for a gas powered BMW. I've done that several times to take long trips. It's the best of all worlds, until the day comes (not too far off I hope) when long distance travel by electric vehicle will be commonplace.
@Jhon Krasnovskiy yep, I have. Years ago if you bought a Cadillac and got the gold keys, you got stuff like that as well.
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experience - helped me decide on the i3 W/Range Extender. Loving it.
Cool. Keep the i3 videos coming
My right ear really liked this video
For me its one of the nicest EVs ever...
356 Tesla owners hated this video
That really was a great video. Thanks for that. Good to know that not all Americans think you have to shout into a microphone and not all have annoying voices...well done man.
You make an excellent point. I really like the i3, yes I've always found the looks a bit strange but I wouldn't call it ugly. I think the car is master in engineering. Its very light, very agile and beats most others from a start. Also its very roomy and futuristic inside while having a small form factor. I've tried a model s which I found to be big, heavy and boring inside but I've put in a reservation for the model 3 mainly due to the increased range and pleasing looking exterior. In fact the only reason I never went for the i3 was due to the fact that I live in an apartment with no parking and with its limited range this would have been a problem for me. But the i3 is sooo much fun and I found its interior so much more pleasing than any tesla. In fact it make my audi s3 seem boring.
Thank you for your comment and congrats on your Model 3! Any EV purchase is a win in my book and the Model 3 is an incredible car. If I didn't absolutely need the cargo space, I would have purchased one as well. Cheers
I can't wait till the BMW i3S is on sale.
A few notes: Use your brakes every now and then to keep them functional. Also, use the extender every now and then for the very same reason.
I appreciate this review, as I've been going back and forth between these exact 2 cars - do I use my model 3 reservation and spend that money, or spend significantly less for the lower-range i3? Thanks for putting together this video with your thoughts.
We own a 2016 i3 Rex and LOVE IT! This little car has a lot to offer.
This video should be titled "Why I bought a used car instead of a new car". There's no way in hell an i3 is worth the $45k-$60K brand new.
thanks for the video. Pretty informative about this cool, brave car!
Kick ass review man. I’ve been looking into my next car for awhile. I’ve been a Prius owner since 2009. It’s time for the EV and you made some really good points. I also average around 25 miles a day. Lots to think about now. Thanks!
I test drive a 2015 fully loaded for 23k. What an incredible experience! The view, it’s really quiet and the speed comes out of nowhere! I’ve found even better versions online for 16k. I’m definitely getting this car.
It looks kinda cool :)
Now, this is what a real review looks like from a real buyer with mostly great things to say. I've always felt this would be a killer EV if it was mated to the Chevy's Bolt battery.
superb video, great content - i am in the market for a rex and your footage and audio is a great help to me.
I've had my 2014 i3 for a month and still am loving it. Like you, the i3 is perfect for my needs and I'm sure it would please me and my wallet for years to come.
Good explanation for why this met your needs. It highlights the different desires for car buyers. I was surprised that you didn’t mention how it drives at all. I’m curious if you drove both of them before you decided to buy?
All good points. 100 mile range electric cars are vastly underrated. Will they work for everyone? Of course not. Eventually the secret will get out on just how cheap these cars are to operate and buying them (BMW or otherwise) for 10-18 grand is such a no brainer for a majority of household that have more than one vehicle.
A BMW is only a no brainer if it is maintenance free. They are super expensive to maintain out of warranty.
They are already climbing in price.
BMW is no different than anything else. Do the work yourself for pennies on the dollar.
Nice review!
Very honest and fair review. Suites your needs well.
a great review of this amazing and so heavily underappreciated i3!
This is the first review of the BMW i3 I've seen. Nice review. When I was looking for an EV to replace my wife's car, the i3 never even showed up on my RADAR. I was looking at the Nissan Leaf, due to it's low price on the used market. I never actually got to the point of test driving one though, because, I found a Chevy Volt that I could simply assume the remainder of the lease on. I always liked the basic premise of the Volt being a "Series" Hybrid vs: a "Normal" Hybrid (a Series Hybrid is always powered by the Electric Battery/Motor while a Normal Hybrid uses both the Engine and Electric Motor to propel the vehicle [simultaneously].) When you are buying an EV you need to take a look at exactly how you drive and how far on a daily basis to determine the range you actually need vs: the range you "think" you need. For example: our Chevy Volt is my wife's car and it is her Daily Commuter, her commute is within the all electric range of the Volt, Consequently, we only drive it on Electric and almost never use the "Range Extender" Gas engine (it actually pisses us off if we have to use the gas engine for a couple of miles from time to time).
Thank you for the comment and yes, its a good idea to get a realistic overview of your driving habits before looking into getting an EV. It sounds like an EV is a perfect option for your wife when the lease on the Volt expires and used Leaf's are an excellent value. A CPO 2015 Leaf is going for around 11k! I looked into the Leaf, but felt that I needed a bit more range and versatility as this is my only car. Take care and good luck!
Thanks for the video. The I3 with the price brake you got is very attractive solution to get into an EV.
Interesting. I had a similar starting position and also opted for the same model with a similar price. I had 5 series and X5 before and I knew the outstanding quality and reliability of BMW cars. For everyday use on short and medium distances, this car is ideal and even long distances are basically no problem.
Although I do not have to carry a drum set ;-) I have a 240L Fat Max Stanley Box with my 501st Darth Vader costume. Despite initial doubts, it fits in prefect, even with enough reserve for other things.
This car has surprised me positively in many ways and I'm more than happy with my decision.
now that you have had it for this long, would you still recommend and has there been any issues you would warn potential buyers? im looking at a 2015 Rex with 42k miles. but there's no consistent info on reliability. some folks have issues with the fuel door. some have issues with airbags. would love your take.
Great review, you mentioned you had a Mini Cooper. My wife currently has a Mini Cooper S and I’ve been looking at the i3 as a replacement. How do you like the i3 compared to the mini? She really likes the mini just hoping she would like the i3 as much.
If you are smart about your Supercharger usage, no stop should take 45 minutes to an hour.
Exactly! Not to mention that 45 minute supercharging is better than being completely incapable of EVER being able to visit Brentwood from San Jose. Both in the Bay Area by the way. lol
Yup! Also the majority of the time you charge at home.
Heck... with an EV that leaves my garage with 310 miles of range every single morning... I visit a "station" maybe 10 times a year. ;)
I would have thought that 30 min max
And you pay at least 4 times the amount of money per mile to do it compared to an electric car. So go you!
Nice informative video on i3 that I think is a great car, even that it looks a bit odd in the front. What is great with I3 is that the car is designed from scratch as a EV, not just a modified fossile car, only Tesla can compete with that. BMW i3 is the most sold electric car in Norway last year (Yes, VW claim Golf is, but adding in hybrids makes that a false claim) All of them without a range extender because of taxation, only pure electric cars get tax cut.
Tesla is the most sold when you add Model S and Model X, and that even before Model 3 have arrived here. In 2018 Ev's now is close to 50% of new cars sold.
Contrary to the opinions of many people that do not own EV's, we find that range is not very important. We have a 2017 Kia Soul EV, and a home Level 2 charger. The car typically reports a range of about 106 miles after a charge. We drive around town (Tucson) and top off the battery a couple times a week.
Lease payments are less than $100/mo. Total cost to own (with payments and fees) for 36 months is less than $8,000.
We were surprised the heat pump in the Soul EV cools the car down in hot weather faster than an gas car with A/C. Reason, the heat pump can run at full capacity with the car stopped, while an ICE vehicle has the A/C slowed down by an idling engine. The Soul EV has ventilated seats, making A/C less needed.
We had a Honda Element a few years ago and loved it, but those reverse swing doors are terrible in a parking lot.
augsburg Sounds like a perfect car for you and I couldn’t agree more about the AC, the i3 has the best cooling of any car I’ve owned by a long shot. That 106 range would cause anxiety for me as this is my only car and there have been more than a few times that I rolled home just before the REx would have kicked in. It’s great to know that another Tucsonan has made the EV switch, cheers!
I take many road trips in my EV. 25,000 miles just from road trips on weekend vacations with friends and family with less than six months of ownership. The quiet and smooth ride and help with driver assist on long distance roads, taking rests for a quick charge and to stretch you legs for a look around in some vistor/scenic/shopping/picnic locations can make for a great fun adventure. I have done road trips before with ICE vehicles, but I couldn't do it nearly as long without my current EV. From all my cars to choose, I reserve my EV for my long distance driver for those long pleasurable rides and adventures. Even my passengers seem to like the ride a lot more than typical cars on long drives.
The i3’s tiny gas tank is not designed to be refilled on the same journey as your statement about it implied. If you did so you would have to stop for gas every 60 miles or so You also neglected to mention that the i3’s performance is limited when running on the range extender. I have an i3 now. I live in a cold climate. Range drops to a mere 46 miles in cold weather. My i3 has the 22 KWHR battery pack I made 2 short trips of just 50 miles and 25 miles one way this weekend and ran out of battery 3 times and had to switch over to the REX. There is not one DC fast charger, at this time, in the state of Iow where I live. There are 5 Tesla super charging stations in or at the borders of Iowa. BMW has failed to release an i3 with a 200+ mile range for 2018 or even announce one for 2019. What a disappointment. My next car will be a Tesla or a Bolt.
I came to the same conclusion as you and ordered a BMW I3. Only difference it'll be an I3s without the rex, since I don't travel further distances too often and skipped the extra weight for that matter.
Thanks for the tube - after 3 years your points are still valid - and even though the competition has picked up pace since, also the i3 has depreciated so rapidly that one can get used units on the cheap. Therefore I think it's even better value for money today!
(The only downside to the video was the audio track playing solely on right channel - I thought that my headsets were broken. 😬)
8 Bit Guy recently obtained a white i3 ReX and the first thing he did was get someone to change the car’s firmware back to the European version since the US version renders part of the fuel capacity for the range extender deliberately unavailable and disables Hold Mode (which lets you run on the range extender and save the battery charge for later). Did you have that done (or was it done already)?
Awesome review, can you link those bags pls amazing how you pack it up, also can the rear seat be folded down? Thx and keep on safely!!
Attila János Nagy Thanks for the kind words, the drum bags are by a company called Protection Racket and the seats are folded flat so that I can get all of my gear in
Congrats, I hope you like your car. I got an M3 and I love it. Personally, the style for this is right up there with a Prius for cars I don't like...But to each their own.
I personally think the model 3 looks sleeker.
Thomas Miner Personally I'd wait for the Model Y
Kirivan Yam yeah but the model 3 is probably way more affordable than the model y
*Sexier
Yes, definitely better looking. With that being said I've owned 2 i3's and have a deposit on a Model 3.
Yea and it 5 times as safe
thanks for your review. I will look into getting one very affordable
Hi Justin. I know you posted this a few years ago but I have a question. How have the 20 inch wheels worked out for you? Thanks for the great review!
Thanks Dennis, the 20” wheels are great, no complaints other than having to replace them after 25k miles or so
@@superhostingtucson3302 Thanks Justin. I'm looking at a 2015 REX that is loaded for 16K with only 25 thousand miles.
Ive owned a 2014 Rex for a year now. No issues until recently. Was quoted $987 to repair the charging cable lock mechanism. Since it’s out of warranty, I’ll be working on upgrading to a Tesla soon.
Something not often realised about the i3 is how thermally efficient it is. There is no major thermal mass in the passenger cell so the AC doesn't have to work hard to cool it down or keep it cool/warm.
Brillant, thanks
I'm not sure why but I get no sound on this video. I've double checked other videos and they have no problem.
The sound is only in the right channel for me.
BRUH SAME I FREAKED OUT HAHAHAH
Yah... I have a TV as monitor setup without sound running through the TV and get the same issue on youtube here n there.
Hey there! There’s no audio for this video in the left channel; just a heads-up!
Justin, I am just starting to look at used i3s and I am also located in Tucson. Glad I found your video. How do you deal with the summer temps here? What kind of things do you do to protect the battery from the high temps in the middle of the day? You make use of the battery pre-conditioning? Have you noticed a hit in battery capacity after making it through the hot summer. Winters here in Tucson should be no big deal for the i3 but the summer temps concern me.
Ryan Hammerel Hi Ryan, thanks for your questions. The i3 has a heating/cooling system for the battery that keeps it at ideal temperatures, even in our hot summers here, so I did not notice any loss of range at all after last summer. The first thing I did was tint the windows with 3m crystalline and get a heatshield sun shade to keep the interior cool. I schedule a departure time in the mornings so the car cools down while it is plugged in, this saves battery range because the car is not working as hard to cool the cabin while driving. I always find a shady spot when parking, even if it’s far away because the ground is cooler. The i3 has the best AC that I have ever experienced because it does not use an engine to power the compressor but rather an efficient heat pump that works just as well at idle. All in all, I think the freezing winters are worse on batteries than our hot summers are and BMW spent years testing this car in every scenario. Good luck finding your i3, I am sure will love it!
That is some BRUTAL depreciation...
it is very important to use the REX at least once a week, ( bring it up to operating temperature over a 10-15 km range ) to keep it lubricated, rust free and burn off any moisture in the engine oil, a natural occurrence from moisture, engine and never good if left un-run and over time will not function well.
Your experience with the REX seems common; it's main role is to reduce worry but it's hardly ever needed.
Sorry for the late comment, but your video came up as I'm doing my research on a used BMW i3s Rex (2018 or 2019) vs. used Tesla Model 3 vs. new Mini Cooper SE. Since you previously owned a Mini Countryman, I'm wondering if you would pick the BMW i3s Rex over the Mini Cooper SE--why or why not? And I know you don't have the i3 sport model, but how would you rate the handling of the i3 vs. the Mini "go-kart" experience? Thanks!
The i3 has more of a small SUV feeing in the driving position in comparison to a mini SE. THE I3 feels much more open and larger inside with all of the glass, but the SE would be more sporty due to its low position
@@superhostingtucson3302 Thanks for responding! Just a follow-up question: Besides the higher driving position, how would you say the i3 handling compares to the Mini in terms of responsiveness-does it have that same go-kart handling?
@@jamesv.791...
Yes, the i3 has amazing go-kart handling, especially if you go for the sporty version, (BMW i3S) which has; a lowered suspension, wider wheels, body and arches. The i3S is even quicker than the standard model too. It's 184hp electric motor can launch from 0-62mph, in an impressive 6.9 seconds...
But feels much faster than that when you're behind the wheel!😜🤯
Issue with i3 for me is tyres and where I live it's pothole hell literally they are all over and some you can not dodge
Having been in a tesla 3 on a long trip where the range estimate was constantly too long meaning we had to charge two times instead of stopping once or even not at all, this seems great. It appeared that the battery pack did not have the stated capacity.
On the subject of road trips - as the world transitions from petrol to electric, and they become more and more affordable, I see many 2 car families (which probably covers most households where I live) will keep buying a larger internal combustion vehicle for those road trips and family/load carrying duties, but will replace their small runabout car with an electric car.
And then, as people realise how awesome they are, and technology continues to advance, adoption rates will increase exponentially.
my right ear loved ths video
Great review...I live in Scottsdale, AZ, and never had any issues with the warm weather. I leased my first i3 REX, as I wasn’t sure if the i3 would have enough range. I liked the car so much I traded my 2016 BMW M3 for a i3, which I picked up used with only 15,000 miles for $20,000. With the warranty of 8 years from the dealership I couldn’t go wrong. Love this car!
Nice! These cars are hidden gems that people either love or hate and its nice to hear of another i3 fan here in AZ. This has been my favorite car by a long shot as well.
When i started to look for a replacement car I didn't go beyond the first picture of an i3, it appeared so ugly. But then when looking at the topic a bit more closely the looks, not only outside, but especially inside strangely grew on me...
Now I like it a lot, and I love the openness and slick design of the cockpit. I would no longer want to be buried by the ton of instruments and having the driveshaft tunnel beside me up to my elbow... It's well designed and I smile every time I walk up to it.
I am thinking of going to California to get one of these used as well. Can you talk a little bit more about the 8 year warranty? Is that something offered on the used i3.
salocin911 Most of the CPO i3’s that I found when looking a year ago were sold at BMW authorized dealers. This adds another 2 years to the factory 4 year warranty. The battery warranty is 8 years regardless if it is a CPO
The model 3 normally takes between 19 minutes to a 1/2 hour to charge at a Tesla SuperCharger due to their advanced battery chemistry and next-gen onboard charger. An hour to charge at a Tesla SuperCharger would be quite rare.
My '15 i3 has been a great asset. With Rex option I could care less about charge network; which is horrible in US with many stations down...
Do you have a 120v or put a rabid charger?
Hi, curious if you still have the car and hows it going? I'm looking at a 2015 i3 now. Thanks
Hi James, I sold the i3 Rex and have a Mini Cooper SE on order. The SE is basically an i3 with a lower price tag (and is more efficient according to Bjorn Nyland), plus I wanted a full electric car for less maintenance. A 2015 i3 is a great choice if you find a good deal
Good review....
Like the Chevrolet Volt Plug In Hybrid, does the BMW I 3 Rex require premium gasoline? Premium gas can last longer without being used.
The manual states a minimum octane of 89, but I would opt in for the best gas as its not used that often
You did a great job with the content and editing. My situation is similar I nearly bought a new I3 in 6/17 I'm so glad I did not I got a BMW executive used 2014 which provides an extended warranty. I am a lifelong tree hugger so I was drawn to the BMW ethos there is no car made more environmentally conscious. I really like it but, a few things bug me I don't think the heat or a/c are up to snuff. All e-cars have the problem of cold temps dropping range but, mine drops from 76 to 58 that is dramatic.
The Tesla's which I also looked at have bait and switch down to an art form. Does anybody honestly want a Tesla absent it's most famous feature the auto-pilot? What does that add to the price $15k?
I love my i3 with range extender, just in case you don't find a public charger. Totally recommend unless you need to drive over 70 miles a day.
Good to hear you love it - the range extender removes the anxiety of all electric.
my right ear liked the sound
Thks
Thank you for sharing your experience with the i3 REX. I’m seriously thinking about getting a CPO now. The price is right.
Todd Nicholson Thanks for the kind words, you will love the i3, take care!
I advise anyone who wants to buy an electric car to pull out a map and put a 📍 in all their favorite places. I was surprised when i was within range of major cities and just had to charge before coming back. It's really not that bad. Im loving my i3.
Design is the least thing to concern when battery and range are the most important thing to consider.
This is like comparing a 220i active tourer to 330i. The model 3 is not just another boring car, it is quite fast.
A key factor to keep in mind in Arizona is the Vehicle License Tax. EVs, and NOT hybrids, are all but totally exempt from the VLT. This can make a four figure difference PER YEAR. By adding the Rex, you really increase your tax liability (on top of the maintenance requirements of the engine and its associated components.
Aaron Tindall Good point and definitely something to consider
You can now get some bolt under or low 20k make. Same range as entry Tesla model 3 and like half the price.
Richard L Yes! You still have the poor charging network however, but the value is great. I’ve driven the bolt and the quality (interior and manufacturing) is nowhere near the i3. If you don’t need the range and want a luxury ride, the i3 is where it’s at!
I'm in Tucson too. Do you still have your i3? I need to change my 12v and would really like to avoid going to the autonation dealer service place. Plus it won't move right now. Can you help me?! I will pay you!
The carbon fiber construction is impressive, but the Rex gas tank is tiny at only 1.9 gallons, giving it only around 75 additional miles range on gas until it has to be refilled. This might be OK in emergencies, but would be tedious on a long trip. A less fancy alternative is a Chevy Volt, which can be had for less than $20k NEW after all incentives, has a battery range of 53 miles and gas range of over 350 miles.
Just ordered one of the last ones. Here in Germany there is currently very little difference between the price of a new one and the price of models that are a few years old.....end of production is July 2022 unfortunately.
Any comments on the Driving Assistant Plus?
Mine came equipped with adaptive cruise control and frontal collision warning, but no lane assist that I can notice. I haven’t really taken to the adaptive cruise control as there are too many variables when driving (road construction, pedestrians etc.). I found myself disengaging it too often. I think if you have a long commute with straight stop and go traffic, then it would be useful
Did you consider the Prius Prime? What would be the relative advantages and disadvantages of the i3 over the Prius Prime?
Philip Salen Hi Philip, the Prius Prime is more of a traditional hybrid that is designed to utilize its gas motor daily whereas the i3 REX is an EV with a small gas generator designed to kick in on rare occasions when the 75 mile range is not enough. It’s much lighter and more efficient as well
@@superhostingtucson3302 I prefer the small size and the EV capabilities of the i3. But I am concerned about the narrow tires. Also, Prius Prime seems to have more safety features (speaking as the father of a teen driver).
Add a aux 5-10 gallon aux gas tank mod and you'll get plenty of miles with the bimmercode mod. I'll probably never use the "trunk," and thinking of building a customized f1 kevlar/nitrile gas tank that I leave empty until I go on a long road trip. My daily commute is about 44 miles. With heat and ac on, I am only expecting about 40ish miles on my 2014.
Curiously, he did not mention test driving the Model 3. It's easy to make a decision on an EV if you haven't had a test drive of all the other models.
I’m not surprised that the resale price for this dork-mobile dropped like a rock. It looks like something a child could drive around in the showroom while parents wait for their gas powered cars to be serviced.
You sound mature
Congrats ! Great video ! Some of those CPO i3 are being purchased by Canadians and driven home ..much easier on ReX than BEV ..we love our i3 !
I'm curious how you came to the conclusion it was easier than a BEV. Which BEV are you comparing it to?
You can't say easier than "BEV" there are several out there now, a BEV isn't a single vehicle, unless you are talking about i3 Rex vs i3 non Rex.
Captain Crunch yes we are.. And driving 2000 miles from southern US to Canada would not be practical In gen 1 bev i3.. Hence most go for Rex.. We have fewer level 3s up here
OK, that makes perfect sense. I was curious as my neighbors drive from Toronto to Miami and back again every year in their Tesla, and they say they love the trip and have zero issues.
That would probably be quite a bit more difficult in a i3 without the Rex I would imagine.
Captain Crunch i3 ain't no Tesla lol
No, but my neighbors have one. It is an interesting car, a love it or hate it kind of car. I have a Model S myself, but I like electric cars in general, so I definitely see why people who can make them work for them like the i3's.
If the Model 3 becomes more available, I think BMW needs to step up their i3 game a bit however. It is more expensive than a LR Model 3 now with a much shorter range, so they definitely need to give it an option at least for a longer range.
The problem for me about the i3 is the rear door, why do you need to open the front door first which make the practicality of getting out and in of the rear door take much longer time. Then there is the small knee room and head room in the rear seat.... And of course the styling of it, I don't seem to like the concept of it, as many other people too
How much are the tyres in america, as BMW has stopped developing the i3 model and is being replaced by the mini E?
Good luck finding tyres in 5 years.
I leased the new 94Ah (125miles) REX for 2 years ~ $250 a month in the UK 16 months ago.
The tyres are ~$125 each here and BMW dealers only.
John Dinsdale I haven’t needed tires as they were replaced as part of the CPO plan, but the i3 is still for sale and it was the highest selling EV of 2017 with over 100k sold, so I think there will be a market for tires for a while
So what is the price per tyre in the US , can you do a search there?
John Dinsdale looks like Tire Rack has the 20” size tire at 150$ each for the front and 165$ for the rear, the 19” size is 133$ front and 144$ rear. From what I’ve read, the rear wheels on this car wears out fast as it’s a rear wheel drive car
So that $330 for a pair of rears and as they are skinny they only last 20k miles because of the torque an electric car can generate, especially when the surface is harsh. I guess the desert road will not be good for this car?
John Dinsdale I’m fortunate to have nicely paved roads in my area and as far as the wear, I have put about 7,500 miles on this car in about 11 months and as far as the dealership is concerned, I am not due for a replacement in the near future.
How is the recall on the seatbelt? Don't care about the look of the car and it do have the REX. I current drive a 2013 Volt but looking for change.
I have yet to receive any information about the seatbelt recall, it looks like they still figuring out what to do about it. The Volt is a great car but much different than the i3 for sure. Take one for a test drive, that's what sold me on it
There are a couple i3 listings and I was tempted to get one at a local dealer but it was taken already. Goergia is a seatbelt state so Im fine with the recall as that's just what the seatbelt was intended to do. I'll continue to keep an out for a good deal between the i3 and possibly the Bolt EV which is surprisingly about the same size. My commute has changes from 27 miles to 60 miles per day with my new job to the city using about 1/2 gallon a day. A used i3 REX range (70-90 miles), price (under $20k), and size will fit all my needs for a family of 4 (my wife and our two little boys). Thanks for the quick reply.
My pleasure, good luck finding your next EV
Good on you for choosing the i3 .This car will almost certainly be the best EV for the price.The new model has better range and you don't need the rex.It's the ultimate round town driver which at the end of the day is all most folk do with there car anyway. It is made to be recycled and the factory that builds them is not using fossil fuels for power. It looks so different that people see it and say that's one of those electric cars, so its a good promoter for getting people thinking about there next car.They are very expensive new but a new i3 is just like any new vehicle you pay the premimum for trouble free motoring.That said your i3 will be less expensive to maintain than any second hand ice car.
my left ear enjoyed this video
I REALLY LOVE MY RIGHT EAR BEING TICKLED BY HIS VOICE
Try putting your phone in pocket for a whole new experience. Spoiler alert....its going to get a lil weird.
that's a very smart choice if you can buy one of these for only 18k. the cheapest used i3 I can find will cost me at least 40k AUD. Australians don't seem like environmental friendly cars, sigh...
how is the comfort/suspension?
It’s pretty comfortable and quiet, maybe a little firm on the suspension