We're super excited to meet all of our Straight Piper's at Wings and Slicks on October 28! It'll be the best meet ever. What do you think about the i3s? Cool? Beautiful? Hideous? Not cool? The Future? Also thanks to our early video access Patreon supporters Michael H, Somark L, Sean R, Oliver U, Arthur E, David C, Israel C, Luke M, De Kun L, James M, Paul B, Julian M, Graeme P, Ethan L, Charles E, Pavo B, LeaseCosts Canada, Stephen Y, Edgarson R, Ryan J, Curtis K, Kevin D, Robert P, Ben M, Allen G, Andrew R, Nick L, Joe, Waleed M, Hyogo M, Omar, J, Paul B, Matt W, Bill B, Kelvin K, Carlos L, Forrest W, Carlos S, Kevin S, Jeremy S, Brad M, Eli G, 10ShapedFist, Phuong N, Santhosh B, Peter S, MK, Andy B, Casey A, Rob J, Andrew L, Jayjay S, Emil, Christopher K, Alex S, Artur N, Alexander M, Edward A, Carlin M, Haley W, Pablo O, Kevin J, Jim G, Kirk H, Brylon E, Matt P, Johnson L, Glenn K, James S, Rohit S, Grant H, Jim W, Henry K, Sean F, Kim H, Joel P, larusso, Dallon H, Nealon Y, Giliar D, Matthew G, Paul F, Jesse Y, John D, Devin B, Eric W, Brian H, Jonathan P, Aaron A, Fei D, Chad S, Cameron P, Derek R, Hugo G, Justin M, Nelson C, Eric Z, Griffin O, Daniel R, James B, Doanh L, Aaron B, Christopher S, Jayjay S, Armel M, Jordan R, David, Maciej S, Nihilia, Dante A, Geoffrey G, Jeff M! Check out the cool rewards at www.patreon.com/thestraightpipes
TheStraightPipes november and onwards the i3 will have the 120ah/~43kWh battery pack. talked to BMW 3 hours ago and test drove the i3S ( must be a sign lol ). oh and no more rex
One thing that would be good to see you guys talking about is the speed you can maintain when the battery runs out, how it handles going up hills, and coding it to be euro spec so you can hold the charge at whatever you want rather than just 6.5%. There are a number of people that had gone up a hill and run out of battery, then as the petrol motor only makes 33kw you get stuck at about 60-70kmh climbing up the hill.
It actually is for the gasoline engine - most people use the range extender so little that if it suddenly gets used a lot (like these two did), then it starts throwing errors.
I've done 180,000km in my 2015 i3 REx. Positives: Saved ~€25k in running costs in 3 years Most reliable BMW I've ever owned, one service (it's a bi-annual schedule) and no major issues Hurtled around, full throttle from every traffic light, drifting on ice and forest roads (yes, i3 can drift) with zero maintenance or running cost concerns That visibility, electric torque and the awesome turning circle make it basically the best city car ever built Practicality is great, I've actually fit both a washing machine and dishwasher in the back at the same time (with a little planning), suicide doors help with loading odd items Looks grew on me over time, not a fan at first (I've got a goldish silver that looks better IMHO than the other colours (dropped for 2016 and 2017 but back for 2018)) Repair costs are surprisingly low... provided nothing involves the carbon fiber... cheaper than a 1-series to insure Interior design is awesome, you guys missed some of the best features... like that cup holder you found under the armrest... actually slots into any of four positions around the cabin The usual electric stuff like remote pre-heating in winter One pedal driving... once you get used to it it's awesome, at this point I regularly go from 130km/h to a dead stop a car length behind the guy in front at the lights, feet off pedals, just timing it right It's RWD and electric... that's enough reason to buy it right there... Negatives: Suspension on the post 2016 is actually softer than mine, I've actually proven in testing to be able to detect when I run over a €2 coin, it's that hard Tires are quite expensive... and I've gone through a lot of them Range needs to be better (2018 gets double the range on my 22kWh car with it's new 44kWh pack but more would be welcome, Lion Energy have shown an i3 mule with a 100kWh 700km WLTP range pack) No Android Auto Seats are OK for up to 2 hours at a stretch... after that the lack of lumbar support is an issue Service Items: Factory delivered my car with the sunroof gearing not matching on both sides (fixed under warranty) Passenger wing mirror folding motor needed to be replaced @100,000km Those door handles have needed adjusting twice due to becoming loose with use Still on factory pads and discs even though I drive like a lunatic
Checked the Canadian website. Boy does it have a bunch of typos. To start off with. All engine options show 125 hp instead of kW. Doesn't actually say that there is anything different. i3 Rex shows nothing for range/power in the summary. Where as it shows the i3s Rex having 135 hp, 170 kW. Someone didn't proof read the page.
I drove an i3. The regenerative braking is insane! The entire drive I only had to touch the brakes twice. It was like a game of "Can the car stop itself" haha
@@PaggyDaggy exactly! It was quirky and actually kind of fun to drive! Although I will say, I hopped in an m240i immediately after the i3 and I was back to loving gasoline cars haha
Nissan has been bombarding me with ads that their cars have this too. And now that I have mentioned Nissan the robots will probably send me more ads, dammit!
I've looked into a used i3 as a city runaround and the prices have absolutely tanked! MSRP of a brand new one is crazy but you can find a 2015 with less than 30k miles for around $17k USD. at that price, this is an awesome BEV!
John Edwards I just got a 2017 with 6,800 miles on it! I never thought I would have a BMW but here I am lol. The price was too good to pass up, plus 90 days of no payments because of “Rona”.
Just turned in a 24mo lease on an i3. My family and I LOVED it. Here's my input. First, w rebates and $0 down the lease was $320/mo. It was for us a free car because we sold a Focus ST that we were putting $400+/mo in gas into. So we pocketed the cash and leased this. Secondly, nothing in town, especially in and around traffic is more fun to drive or easier to maneuver or rip past traffic. The only issue I had was the suicide door and inability for rear passengers to lower their windows but its a minor gripe. For comparison a lease on a Volt was gonna be like $4k down and almost $600/mo. You can buy i3 Rex's used now for like $20k or even less.
@@kmier2000 yes in Las Vegas! When you lease a vehicle here they take the full federal tax credit off the top. Plus there's often additional rebates. I get a rebate for being a previous BMW owner and also a rebate for being a USAA member, and a lot of people don't realize this but you can negotiate the MSRP on a leased just like you can on buying a car. So what I do is I just go on Edmunds Price guarantee and print that out, I subtract all my rebates I'm eligible for. and that tends to get you a pretty sweet deal on Leasing and I 3
I hate you Yanks ;) you always get deals on everything. I get my consolation in the fact Kia Stinger is cheaper here.... which I will probably never buy lol.
Used I3s are that cheap because BMW's warranty is either over or about to be over at the price point. And the maintenance cost is pretty high out of warranty. One would be much better off leasing it.
I own the BMW i3 Rex (non-sport). I love the car and I loved the video. You touched on so many of the good, the bad, the ugly, and the quirky parts of it. Such a good review. BMW definitely didn't make a perfect car, but it is so different and so unique that it makes driving the car every day a pleasure and a pure joy. I am in the group that loves the car's styling and design quirks. It's definitely not the new Range Rover Velar, but it's unique and it's futuristic. All of the components and pieces make the car feel special and not some other boring and bland, Honda Accord or Subaru Legacy, etc.. I just recently had some scratches fixed on the car and was driving a conventional Internal Combustion Vehicle for about 2 weeks. Coming back into the car permanently cemented my love for electric cars and powertrains which,In my opinion, while different, are superior to most ICE vehicles. I'm so happy you all are giving all cars great review video's, as well as talking about Electric vehicles, which will continue to become more pervasive in everyday driving. Oh and by the way, if you have the BMW app, when the car is plugged in, it will tell you a time when the car will be done charging. Thanks again!
I agree, and disagree. They are a crazy good bargain used, and ridiculously overpriced new. That said, people should keep buying them new, so I can pick one up cheap in a couple of years when my daughter gets her license.
At 15k they seem a much better deal except the batteries are older technology but still good. The battery will last like 10years or range*1000 miles so like 150k miles. Otherwise they should be very reliable, with no corrosion problems.
Don't judge this car before you drive it. I don't want EVs in my life but I had a chance to drive an i3 and this thing FLIES in the city. It's ridiculous.
One of the key features, which you skipped over really quickly, and as far as I know, unique to this car, is the generator. Which is a game changer. I've driven around in one of these cars for 3 months, and the fact that you have no range anxiety, and that you can actually cruise at a low speed with the generator on is incredible. Also, I don't know if your regular car is an M2 or something, but the car handles ridiculously well in corners.
Just (Oct 2023) picked up a 2019 i3 with the 44 kWh battery. Not a REX one, you don't need it. (REX was discontinued with the bigger batt.) Love: small turning circle, true one pedal driving, lower insurance cost, quirky and unusual looks, instant torque(!), perfect city car, hatchback utility (compared to Tesla Model 3), half the price of a Tesla M3/MY, never need to stop at a gas station again(!), Level 1 charging gets me 70 kms overnight (twice of what I drive), not a PHEV with only 30-60 kms range, did I mention quirky/torquey already 😂, plenty fast without the guilt of polluting the air, enough of 220-260 kms range to easily not have range anxiety, eco-friendly materials used inside. Perfect used luxury EV, IMO! Other great to have features: USB C and A plugs under armrest, Harmon Cardon audio (not Bowers & Wilkins, but good enough), wireless Apple Carplay, frunk space for bulky charging cable.
Late to this one but I’m 100% team Yuri on this one. This car is one of the most beautiful car that came out in the last 10 years and it also doesn’t age. It’s gonna be a classic IMO.
I bought a 2017 i3 over other electric cars, (I'm not a BMW guy, I'm a Chevy guy) here are my reasons. 1) I test drove a Bolt and thought it was "fine", but the same place had an i3 and when I got in it it felt SO much better. I more or less fell in love after that first test drive. 2) better range than on a Volt, Leaf, or pretty much other car I could find. (Outside of buying a brand new car, which I did consider) 3) it wasnt a lot more than a Volt, and it was a cheap as the very cheapest Bolt I could find. 4) Price! If Nissan would have been willing to give a lower interest rate on the Kona, I probably would have bought new, but the i3 was at least 13k cheaper , and without the break on the interest rate, it didn't make any sense to buy new. 5) most places I want to go are about 200km, which puts them at the upper limit of the i3. TL;DR - price, range, and drivability
This is a tech platform for BMW to test out new manufacturing and technology ideas, things that Tesla could only dream of. It's not a cost-effective car and was never meant to be one. Nobody buys this for cost effectiveness. If you want a cost effective EV you might want to look at new Kia or Hyundai or such.
I'd respectfully disagree with that. The BMW tech platform doesn't have much that is revolutionary. Carbon tub cars have been done before. Tesla, on the other hand, have a software updatable mass market car that goes 300 miles on a charge - well before anyone else, featuring the most widely used and reputed semi-autonomous tech that's upgrading all the time. So they may have chosen the right manufacturing and technology ideas than BMW. For me it's a shame, because BMW did the i3 in 2012 - they could have been ahead of the game if they'd stuck with EVs and developing them. Instead, here in the states, they're losing sales to Tesla daily.
zolikoff I think you mixed that up. Tesla has things bmw could only dream of.... Tesla has the 3 safest cars of all time due to the cars tech and physical safety characteristics. Also bmw doesn’t have autopilot and there car doesn’t always get newer like Tesla through over the air updates. A bmw or any other car for that matter gets older each year you have it.
Have driven the regular i3, not the S. Loved it. I quite like the "futuristic moon buggy" styling + I really liked how it drives. It's actually a proper BMW. 50/50 weight distribution, low CoG, RWD. Would love to get one. Second-hand prices are not too bad. Now with the larger battery, would just go for the pure electric version.
Bought one. Range Extender was one big reason, plus the fact that it’s a true hatchback.. A perfect city car, because of its size, manoeuvrability and visibility. Love it!
Driven i3 since 2015, and I have to say it's one of my favorite cars! Best city and zipping around car ever, highway not so much. Pritty nervous at high speed. To bad they are almost VW Golf common in Norway, don't feel wierd and special driving it anymore🤡
Hi Yuri and Jakub, I once commented on your Mercedes A Class video about satellite radio and you asked me about my current ride, it used to be a 2012 sonata that had satellite radio but did not rewind. Since then in June I upgraded to a 2016 honda civic touring with 12k driven on it and it does rewind satellite radio. It actually has made everything in my life better and now I am a huge honda fan. I got a lot of good tips when considering a trade in upgrade from your channel so I just wanted to say Thanks!
I driven one and yes I would have one 100%. It looks cool and is so roomy for such a compact car. It’s extremely peppy and fun to drive around town too. I would wait and get the new 43kwh version coming soon. No need for the REX where I live in the UK. Plenty of chargers around.
It looks cool, the s especially drives fantastic, it is made of carbon fiber, love the addition of cute little sunroofs, its zippy around town, extremely easy to park with its size, sits four comfortably around town, space for huge bags of groceries, and there is minimal need to use the brakes, saving more maintenance in the long run. Love it... Pre-loved ones are very nicely kept, and are not hard to find. No brainer.
The price is steep, but I like the whole environment consideration of the i3. The factory in Leipzig that builds it is power exclusively by wind turbines. All body panels are composite - no steel is used. No rivets - the Carbon fiber chassis is bonded by adhesives. The interior resin and wood are all recyclable. You won't see this kind of environmental protection that goes into a Leaf or even a Model 3. I just wished it looks more like a 3 series than an egg.
Why would Steel be bad for the enviroment? Steel can easily be produced and recycled. Carbon Fiber on the other hand need a lot of energy to be produced and is a lot harder to recycle.
Steel is heavy - over the course of the car's life it takes energy to move it about. CFRP is expensive & energy intensive now but we're getting better and there's more opportunities to improve on it than steel. In fact BMW worked quite hard to make the i3 CFRP to drive costs down - previously you won't find such materials in any car under $100,000. Also I did mention the Leipzig plant used to build the i3 is powered by renewable energy sources right outside of the factory. It is also a LEED certified building with lots of natural light & little waste in production.
@@simonhersche6720 Steel itself is not the problem, its the painting of a steel chassis which causes the problems. You have to spray the paint 5-6 on the car and each time you do that you have to heat up the hole chassis to 800°C. Carbon fiber on the other side just needs 1 coating layer and one paint layer and 120°C haet treatment afterwards
I've been leasing an i3 (just electric) for the past two years. I got it because I think it looks weird and awesome. It's great fun in the city and a right laugh in the snow, but tiring on longer journeys because of the harsh ride and twitchiness. I've enjoyed my time with it, but I'm old and pretty fond of my spine (the roads in Glasgow are shocking), so looking for something with suspension.
I tested one and I like the styling and really loved the interior but the range is to limited. Also the range extender does not create enough power to keep up highway speeds when the battery is completely dead. Give it more then 300km range and no extender then I might be interested.
Cool review guys. I'm a big guy too and I love my i3, sitting position roll in the top does not bother me at all. Level 2 charging at 40amp takes 3.5 to 4 hrs from empty on the 33Kwh battery (or as near as possible with the Rex).
14:14 he just referenced the vehicle I replaced for this one. No complaints about my previous car, just ready to go electric. I will definitely miss my previous car.
Looks: love the innovative style Handling: quick and sharp Interior: best design of EV cars Had a '15 i3 Rex and loved so much I got another i3 Rex, a 2017. I am in an area with piss poor charge network so would not do anything else, few and often broken. So leaf, Tesla, bolt, mini, smart cars were out.... And would definitely do another. I see a '19 in my future if bmw can keep battery upgrades going. And time to full charge is in the bmw app 🖖
I just got a 2016 BMW i3 Rex and I absolutely love it. It has so many more features than my old car (2016 mini cooper) that was kinda broken. So I traded in the mini and got the bmw for the cost of fixing the mini.
To be honest, I feel like the I3 is the next evolution of the Honda Element and I do love both cars, I do wish they did something with the rear windows, they don’t need to come down but I would like them to pop out like on the element. My other complaint would be the tires, I either wished that more cars adapted this or BMW should have used more standard size tires, I do get the roller resistance and all but it brings the tire choices down to a couple and they can charge whatever they want.
What is this new intro?! Heck yeah boys! I love your show and it keeps getting better since the day I was searching for VW Alltrack reviews. Keep killing it guys!
Love this car. I bought one for my mother in law. It's the perfect car for puttering around town. But the yellow submarine light on the gauges is a "feature" that I'm all too familiar with.
I respect everyones opinion, but like am I the only one who thinks this car is SOOO good looking.!!??? I would buy a used one just for its looks, and you get a 2016 used one for 20k
I wanted one but didn't have enough to fork out for a second hand one, but yes they look fucking so cool. Polarising as fuck you either love it or think it is the worst design in history lol.
In person I find it just really oddly proportioned and the color scheme bleh. But it really comes down to what people like. I feel the same way about the i8, it's like they are trying to scream futuristic. Still better than the Toyota Mirai looks.
Looking to buy one in Australia. 2014 used ones go for $40k. Soooo expensive but I'm almost ready to buy one. Also Australia sucks regarding infrastructure
I've driven an i3 for a few days on a couple of occasions and it's just been awesome. The highlight has to be those skinny front tyres and that can do u-turns like it's nobody's business...
My friend's dad bought one of these a little while back because he didn't want to wait for the Model 3 anymore (which I told him to wait but whatever, his choice). This thing feels really tall, but at low speeds it's pretty fun to ride around in. Think a Smart car on enough roids to make it bigger and faster
In 2020 Mazda will release a EV with the same setup as the i3. It'll be electric, with a ROTARY(!!) backup generator. Pretty funny because it wouldn't push me to drive electric at all, I would just want to listen to that rotary engine all day.
tunkor Best comment ever! Sad thing about your comment, I’ve made similar and people call me dumb and say I’d die... Are the majority of people now a days seriously humor-challenged?
The i3s actually has wider tires than the standard i3 that was produced for (I don't know, something like) the last 6 years which is dumb because these increase the rolling resistance and the narrower old tires also worked just fine. I testdrove one when it was fairly new and I liked it. Lately I have driven the Leaf 2 and Renault Zoe and also my mum picked up an A3 etron just yesterday. I like electric drivetrains for a daily car and the etron is a great cheap hybrid solution for those who have range anxiety or don't want to compromise on going 100 instead of 170 on the German Autobahn. Personally I don't want to give up on the emotions that come with a conventional engine. The sound, the smell and everything. The more analogue the better for fun country roads
Luckily BMW have been listening to you, it now has a touch screen and Android auto. In fact the i drive 7 is now cloud based everything in real time. Anyway I bought one in the UK delivery in December cost £37,000 with extras without REX. I can't wait. Lol
The new one next year will go 300km on a battery charge and eliminate the REX as the range is now good enough. If you do not like the funky design or just want something cheaper - look at Hyundai Kona EV or Kia Niro EV. i3 still sells a *lot* in its target markets, but for others there should be a Mini EV next year and then iX3 after that along with i4.
I found one for 9k near me. I like that it's carbon fiber and they let a blind person design it. That's really cool. For people who don't know BMWs BC stands for before Claus
I own an i3 2020. Perhaps the last of its kind and I love it. The range extender does the job but I rarely use it. Added a lvl 2 charger at home as well. No problems so far. It's a beautiful machine for city driving. Very agile. No issues with highway driving either....and I pushed the limits to test its performance. On the sport model they put bigger rear tires so it is a very stable driving experience. No so much with the think winter tires but still okay.... Did I hear the price of gas is up? 🙂 who cares.... as long as the grid is working.
I LOVE the i3! I drove it at a BMW event in Cali last year and I fell in love. Going to save up enough cash to buy CPO. Do you guys feel like it’s worth buying certified preowned?
I have an i3 REx...love it. Actually prefer it to the M135i I had before it for most of the time. Yuri, I know how much you love cup holders and you seemed to miss a trick with the i3 one. The one in the armrest comes out and you can attach it to one of 3 clips in front of the front cup holder. You can can also buy more holders if 2 aren’t enough. Google i3 cup holders and a couple of videos come up showing what I mean. Would also like to point out I appear to be of similar size to Jakub and find the driving position fine and seats comfy enough. Don’t give me backache which some cars do. Great work guys, all the best.
How's the acceleration performance when the battery is discharged and you're running on the REx? I heard somewhere that the REx doesn't produce enough current to really power the car well with losses through the charging system and then to the electric motors, so it's more of a "limp to the next gas station" than a practical range extender.
Limp to the next charger. It can sustain something like 70-80kmh, but if you go faster, then battery state of charge will start going down. In long trips what you do is start running the REX immediately and it slows down battery drain, so you can keep re-fueling the REX every 80-100km and most likely get to your destination before the battery is fully empty.
I own an i3 - I drove a Tesla, Smart and Leaf before I got this. Was the best of the bunch. Compromised compared to the new offerings, but for me it was better. Also, in the UK charge completion time is listed and also the volume is on the right, and as you are sitting on the right, your left hand is free to sip on your coffee ;)
I drove this last year. The one pedal driving threw me off so much. I drove it in Queens in New York, so in the tight spots it was really nice to have the shorter body and when I was accelerating onto the Grand Central on the on-ramp it was full of pickup but I would never call this car fast. it totally felt like the roof and the body were turning at different times then each other.
Fyi, the fuel tank for the REX ICE holds 1.9 gallons = 7.2 liters. So on an extended highway drive you're either: stopping every 90 minutes to refuel; or stopping every 90 minutes for a 30 - 60 minute charge.
Hey Jakub & Yuri, Do you guys use your email? I asked you back in June if you were interested in reviewing a Model 3? Y'all not a fan of Tesla? I have one and I'm in Mississauga during the weekends. Love the vids, but I guess you guys either missed the email or aren't interested?? FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO SEE A MODEL 3 REVIEW, UPVOTE SO THE BOYS SEE THIS :)
I leased a i3 for 2 years and the only negative comment I have is how bad the tires wear. At the end of the lease I had 12,000 miles on the car and it needed 3 tires.....the 4th tire tread was 1/32 short of needing replacement. i talked to 2 other i3 owners who experienced the same tire wear issue. Other than that I really enjoyed the car. It was my first and probably my last BMW.
I bought 1 year old used in UK for about $26K. The price of fuel in UK is about $7 per gallon. I commute more 1000 miles per month and with additional driving around I typically spend about $4K on fuel per year. So - in about 6 years this car will have entirely paid for itself (assuming its reasonably reliable and doesn't hit me with BMW repair bills). In essence a free car ! No brainer. Can't really ask for more
-Agree with the awkward highway steering. Seems like something that could be fixed. -Visibility varies. For taller people who sit further back, the A-pillar definitely blocks a good portion of your view. -No coasting is annoying, but i got used to it. Also got used to stopping without the brakes. -Agree with sitting too high. Feels awkward. -Handling is good considering the narrow tires. The steering delay is also weird. -"Resin-ish" material is cool, but rough and difficult to clean. Tears apart paper towers and rags get hung up on it -Ugly car -My knees bump into the steering column. -No range extender on mine, Used for regular commutes or short weekend drives Why I got it? 1. Heavy discount for the model i bought. 2. Rear wheel drive/better handling. 2018 i3s BEV 90aH
The bmw i3 is so ugly it becomes cute somehow, different, unique. I’m looking into buying one just for city driving since gas prices in California are $4.60 right now 😬
i3 owner here and I freaken love it. Have a 2014 (no rex) I bought ex lease. Yup you'd be mad to buy one of these new. I think part of the rapid depreciation is a lot of places offer good incentives for EVs, so you might get 10% or so off the sticker price. I didn’t like the looks till I got one and now I all I think is Future Tub! Regen braking is great to, just need to retrain your brain. Blowing away unsuspecting muscle car drivers at lights, check. 90 degree turns at 30mph, check. Occasinal power slide in the wet, check. Fit a couple of 2x4x8s in the back, check. But for th love of god don’t drive it in snow! The regen breaking was enough to lock the wheels and start sliding. PS I’m 6’5” and fit comfortably so deal with it 😊
Out here we're getting political Ads to vote for and against stuff in California. Little do they know that I generally vote the opposite of anything with a high ad campaign.
Helpful video guys! Nice job, especially editing. I just bought a used 2017 i3REx and the time to full charge is displayed quite largely on the driver side display when the car is off and still displayed when you close the door upon exiting. Also, there's the well done BMW Connected App. Looks can be deceiving should be the moniker on this car (and who cares what people really think).
Good luck with getting a car where the panel gaps line up. Used to do valet parking and every Model 3 or Model S we got looked like it had been assembled by a 2 year old and the quality of the interior materials makes a Nissan Leaf feel rich.
We're super excited to meet all of our Straight Piper's at Wings and Slicks on October 28! It'll be the best meet ever.
What do you think about the i3s? Cool? Beautiful? Hideous? Not cool? The Future?
Also thanks to our early video access Patreon supporters Michael H, Somark L, Sean R, Oliver U, Arthur E, David C, Israel C, Luke M, De Kun L, James M, Paul B, Julian M, Graeme P, Ethan L, Charles E, Pavo B, LeaseCosts Canada, Stephen Y, Edgarson R, Ryan J, Curtis K, Kevin D, Robert P, Ben M, Allen G, Andrew R, Nick L, Joe, Waleed M, Hyogo M, Omar, J, Paul B, Matt W, Bill B, Kelvin K, Carlos L, Forrest W, Carlos S, Kevin S, Jeremy S, Brad M, Eli G, 10ShapedFist, Phuong N, Santhosh B, Peter S, MK, Andy B, Casey A, Rob J, Andrew L, Jayjay S, Emil, Christopher K, Alex S, Artur N, Alexander M, Edward A, Carlin M, Haley W, Pablo O, Kevin J, Jim G, Kirk H, Brylon E, Matt P, Johnson L, Glenn K, James S, Rohit S, Grant H, Jim W, Henry K, Sean F, Kim H, Joel P, larusso, Dallon H, Nealon Y, Giliar D, Matthew G, Paul F, Jesse Y, John D, Devin B, Eric W, Brian H, Jonathan P, Aaron A, Fei D, Chad S, Cameron P, Derek R, Hugo G, Justin M, Nelson C, Eric Z, Griffin O, Daniel R, James B, Doanh L, Aaron B, Christopher S, Jayjay S, Armel M, Jordan R, David, Maciej S, Nihilia, Dante A, Geoffrey G, Jeff M! Check out the cool rewards at www.patreon.com/thestraightpipes
Y'all should give away some free tickets, you know some of your fans are students aha
Zabi Zee lol seriously dude I’m so broke as a student lol hook us up pipers 😂
Yay we can have a massive orgy. How sweet.
TheStraightPipes november and onwards the i3 will have the 120ah/~43kWh battery pack. talked to BMW 3 hours ago and test drove the i3S ( must be a sign lol ). oh and no more rex
One thing that would be good to see you guys talking about is the speed you can maintain when the battery runs out, how it handles going up hills, and coding it to be euro spec so you can hold the charge at whatever you want rather than just 6.5%. There are a number of people that had gone up a hill and run out of battery, then as the petrol motor only makes 33kw you get stuck at about 60-70kmh climbing up the hill.
Good to know that some of the BMW features have been carried over from the gasoline powered cars. Like the check engine light.
You don't have to worry about the check engine light coming on if it's always on. f(ಠ‿↼)z
German cars need a back-up check engine light for when the bulb of the first one burns out.
I see what you did there. And I like it.
Goteem
It actually is for the gasoline engine - most people use the range extender so little that if it suddenly gets used a lot (like these two did), then it starts throwing errors.
BMW: nah sorry no android auto
Aslo BMW: i give you these android tablets as a controller & rear seat entertainment on the 7 series
Nuhan Hidayat The tablets are Samsung tablets and they don’t run on android, they run on an OS made for BMW (or some other OS)
@@alishreim I've checked, they're android 🤷🏻♂
@@alishreim they run Android, it's simply just a BMW app.
Jeppe Werring Oh that’s odd. Hmm
@@alishreim they run android with a BMW skin
I've done 180,000km in my 2015 i3 REx.
Positives:
Saved ~€25k in running costs in 3 years
Most reliable BMW I've ever owned, one service (it's a bi-annual schedule) and no major issues
Hurtled around, full throttle from every traffic light, drifting on ice and forest roads (yes, i3 can drift) with zero maintenance or running cost concerns
That visibility, electric torque and the awesome turning circle make it basically the best city car ever built
Practicality is great, I've actually fit both a washing machine and dishwasher in the back at the same time (with a little planning), suicide doors help with loading odd items
Looks grew on me over time, not a fan at first (I've got a goldish silver that looks better IMHO than the other colours (dropped for 2016 and 2017 but back for 2018))
Repair costs are surprisingly low... provided nothing involves the carbon fiber... cheaper than a 1-series to insure
Interior design is awesome, you guys missed some of the best features... like that cup holder you found under the armrest... actually slots into any of four positions around the cabin
The usual electric stuff like remote pre-heating in winter
One pedal driving... once you get used to it it's awesome, at this point I regularly go from 130km/h to a dead stop a car length behind the guy in front at the lights, feet off pedals, just timing it right
It's RWD and electric... that's enough reason to buy it right there...
Negatives:
Suspension on the post 2016 is actually softer than mine, I've actually proven in testing to be able to detect when I run over a €2 coin, it's that hard
Tires are quite expensive... and I've gone through a lot of them
Range needs to be better (2018 gets double the range on my 22kWh car with it's new 44kWh pack but more would be welcome, Lion Energy have shown an i3 mule with a 100kWh 700km WLTP range pack)
No Android Auto
Seats are OK for up to 2 hours at a stretch... after that the lack of lumbar support is an issue
Service Items:
Factory delivered my car with the sunroof gearing not matching on both sides (fixed under warranty)
Passenger wing mirror folding motor needed to be replaced @100,000km
Those door handles have needed adjusting twice due to becoming loose with use
Still on factory pads and discs even though I drive like a lunatic
I agree. Their review disappointed. Love my 2017 fully electric. Best gokart ever
That's comforting to know I have a 2015 rex, wad a little worried about reliability.
the needlessly complicated door handles break? shocking.
25k over 180k km? Thats 13.8€ per 100km. How much does gasoline cost in your country?
I would really want to afford one if they continue producing it with a bigger battery. Rex is cool für extra range and safety
Those lower 125/135 'hp' numbers are likely the kW numbers for the motor.
125 kW = 170 hp
135 kW = 184 hp
It was on the bmw Canada website and said hp 🤷🏼♂️
@@TheStraightPipes I just checked the Swedish website and it displays both kW and hp there.
BMW messed up on the Canadian website.
Checked the Canadian website. Boy does it have a bunch of typos.
To start off with. All engine options show 125 hp instead of kW. Doesn't actually say that there is anything different.
i3 Rex shows nothing for range/power in the summary. Where as it shows the i3s Rex having 135 hp, 170 kW.
Someone didn't proof read the page.
I told you! I wasn't crazy
The lower numbers are for i3, the higher are for i3s.
Crazy how much these cars depreciate. Brand new they’re around $50k+ and I’ve been looking at used ones for around d $13k, crazy!
yeah but used I3S's are still over 30k. But yeah you can find decent base I3's for 18k.
Same I saw on Carvana
The cheapest i3 i can find in Australia is 42k for a 2014 i3 60ah XD and there 80k new for a brand new i3 120ah. We get ripped off herein sucks
Yes!
The lack of comfort in this car is the reason they sell for cheap used. You can only put up with the hard ride for so long.
Borrowed my son's i3 for 5 days. Loved it. Now I want one. I am a 69 year old grandma but it was fun!
Cool!
Nice.
Take a pass or get one used since BMW is no longer making it for the NA market.
I drove an i3. The regenerative braking is insane! The entire drive I only had to touch the brakes twice. It was like a game of "Can the car stop itself" haha
MaxSpeed and when it comes to a full stop, it’s so smooth that you barely notice it. I love it!
@@PaggyDaggy exactly! It was quirky and actually kind of fun to drive!
Although I will say, I hopped in an m240i immediately after the i3 and I was back to loving gasoline cars haha
Nissan has been bombarding me with ads that their cars have this too. And now that I have mentioned Nissan the robots will probably send me more ads, dammit!
@@Michael-xv9ku lol!
I doubt they have this kind of regenerative braking unless theyre electric like the little i3 is
MaxSpeed yeah they are Nissan Leaf ads. They call it E-Pedal 🤷♂️
I've looked into a used i3 as a city runaround and the prices have absolutely tanked! MSRP of a brand new one is crazy but you can find a 2015 with less than 30k miles for around $17k USD. at that price, this is an awesome BEV!
John Edwards I just got a 2017 with 6,800 miles on it! I never thought I would have a BMW but here I am lol. The price was too good to pass up, plus 90 days of no payments because of “Rona”.
Just turned in a 24mo lease on an i3. My family and I LOVED it. Here's my input. First, w rebates and $0 down the lease was $320/mo. It was for us a free car because we sold a Focus ST that we were putting $400+/mo in gas into. So we pocketed the cash and leased this. Secondly, nothing in town, especially in and around traffic is more fun to drive or easier to maneuver or rip past traffic. The only issue I had was the suicide door and inability for rear passengers to lower their windows but its a minor gripe. For comparison a lease on a Volt was gonna be like $4k down and almost $600/mo. You can buy i3 Rex's used now for like $20k or even less.
are you in the USofA? in Canada this car is more like $550/mo and for 24mo closer to $600 if they offered it, because I don't think they do.
@@kmier2000 yes in Las Vegas! When you lease a vehicle here they take the full federal tax credit off the top. Plus there's often additional rebates. I get a rebate for being a previous BMW owner and also a rebate for being a USAA member, and a lot of people don't realize this but you can negotiate the MSRP on a leased just like you can on buying a car. So what I do is I just go on Edmunds Price guarantee and print that out, I subtract all my rebates I'm eligible for. and that tends to get you a pretty sweet deal on Leasing and I 3
I hate you Yanks ;) you always get deals on everything. I get my consolation in the fact Kia Stinger is cheaper here.... which I will probably never buy lol.
You got super lucky
Used I3s are that cheap because BMW's warranty is either over or about to be over at the price point. And the maintenance cost is pretty high out of warranty. One would be much better off leasing it.
I own the BMW i3 Rex (non-sport). I love the car and I loved the video. You touched on so many of the good, the bad, the ugly, and the quirky parts of it. Such a good review. BMW definitely didn't make a perfect car, but it is so different and so unique that it makes driving the car every day a pleasure and a pure joy. I am in the group that loves the car's styling and design quirks. It's definitely not the new Range Rover Velar, but it's unique and it's futuristic. All of the components and pieces make the car feel special and not some other boring and bland, Honda Accord or Subaru Legacy, etc.. I just recently had some scratches fixed on the car and was driving a conventional Internal Combustion Vehicle for about 2 weeks. Coming back into the car permanently cemented my love for electric cars and powertrains which,In my opinion, while different, are superior to most ICE vehicles. I'm so happy you all are giving all cars great review video's, as well as talking about Electric vehicles, which will continue to become more pervasive in everyday driving. Oh and by the way, if you have the BMW app, when the car is plugged in, it will tell you a time when the car will be done charging. Thanks again!
If you’re going to get one, don’t get it new! They have deprecated like crazy in the US at least, you can get them for under $15,000 usd
I agree, and disagree. They are a crazy good bargain used, and ridiculously overpriced new. That said, people should keep buying them new, so I can pick one up cheap in a couple of years when my daughter gets her license.
I hate crazy defecation. Not good
At 15k they seem a much better deal except the batteries are older technology but still good. The battery will last like 10years or range*1000 miles so like 150k miles. Otherwise they should be very reliable, with no corrosion problems.
I would love to get ine. But it's gonna cost a pretty penny to repair because it's a BMW.
@@michaelpaver3788 hell yeAh!!! Lol thats y i got a 2016 i3 rex as my first car! 19k optioned to 56k new
Don't judge this car before you drive it. I don't want EVs in my life but I had a chance to drive an i3 and this thing FLIES in the city. It's ridiculous.
Adeel A. Ahmad “I don’t want EVs in my life” is a quote i’m gonna hold with me for a while 💀
I used to have one. I'm back driving ice but the i3 was hands down the best city car I've ever driven.
@@iamJunXD Absolutely, small EVs with their swift acceleration are very good for city use
@@Stierenkloot yeah, but do you like it?
@@danpos1 He said he loved it, dummster
One of the key features, which you skipped over really quickly, and as far as I know, unique to this car, is the generator. Which is a game changer. I've driven around in one of these cars for 3 months, and the fact that you have no range anxiety, and that you can actually cruise at a low speed with the generator on is incredible. Also, I don't know if your regular car is an M2 or something, but the car handles ridiculously well in corners.
You guys just keep getting better. So happy to see such an awesome duo making it to the big leagues. Keep up the excellent work guys!!
Just (Oct 2023) picked up a 2019 i3 with the 44 kWh battery. Not a REX one, you don't need it. (REX was discontinued with the bigger batt.)
Love: small turning circle, true one pedal driving, lower insurance cost, quirky and unusual looks, instant torque(!), perfect city car, hatchback utility (compared to Tesla Model 3), half the price of a Tesla M3/MY, never need to stop at a gas station again(!), Level 1 charging gets me 70 kms overnight (twice of what I drive), not a PHEV with only 30-60 kms range, did I mention quirky/torquey already 😂, plenty fast without the guilt of polluting the air, enough of 220-260 kms range to easily not have range anxiety, eco-friendly materials used inside.
Perfect used luxury EV, IMO!
Other great to have features: USB C and A plugs under armrest, Harmon Cardon audio (not Bowers & Wilkins, but good enough), wireless Apple Carplay, frunk space for bulky charging cable.
I feel like you two are fighting in this video.
It’s a bit uncomfortable to watch at points. The hate in Jacob’s eyes.
It's tiresome to say the least and to compare the looks of the i8 is ridiculous.
You guys are so much fun to watch..thanks for the great work you put into making this reviews👍
Late to this one but I’m 100% team Yuri on this one. This car is one of the most beautiful car that came out in the last 10 years and it also doesn’t age. It’s gonna be a classic IMO.
6:16 check engine light, a true bmw confirmed
but it's got a true ford drive train so how dose that make it a true BMW?
But the rex does have a small electric generation motorbike engine in the back
I just got my i3s 120Ah. I love it. Yeah it looks weird but I think it’s brilliant
I bought a 2017 i3 over other electric cars, (I'm not a BMW guy, I'm a Chevy guy) here are my reasons.
1) I test drove a Bolt and thought it was "fine", but the same place had an i3 and when I got in it it felt SO much better. I more or less fell in love after that first test drive.
2) better range than on a Volt, Leaf, or pretty much other car I could find. (Outside of buying a brand new car, which I did consider)
3) it wasnt a lot more than a Volt, and it was a cheap as the very cheapest Bolt I could find.
4) Price! If Nissan would have been willing to give a lower interest rate on the Kona, I probably would have bought new, but the i3 was at least 13k cheaper , and without the break on the interest rate, it didn't make any sense to buy new.
5) most places I want to go are about 200km, which puts them at the upper limit of the i3.
TL;DR - price, range, and drivability
It's 66k CAD, I just configured a rear-drive, long range Tesla 3 with Autopilot for 70,700 CAD. What are BMW smoking!?
This is a tech platform for BMW to test out new manufacturing and technology ideas, things that Tesla could only dream of. It's not a cost-effective car and was never meant to be one. Nobody buys this for cost effectiveness. If you want a cost effective EV you might want to look at new Kia or Hyundai or such.
I'd respectfully disagree with that. The BMW tech platform doesn't have much that is revolutionary. Carbon tub cars have been done before. Tesla, on the other hand, have a software updatable mass market car that goes 300 miles on a charge - well before anyone else, featuring the most widely used and reputed semi-autonomous tech that's upgrading all the time. So they may have chosen the right manufacturing and technology ideas than BMW. For me it's a shame, because BMW did the i3 in 2012 - they could have been ahead of the game if they'd stuck with EVs and developing them. Instead, here in the states, they're losing sales to Tesla daily.
zolikoff I think you mixed that up. Tesla has things bmw could only dream of.... Tesla has the 3 safest cars of all time due to the cars tech and physical safety characteristics. Also bmw doesn’t have autopilot and there car doesn’t always get newer like Tesla through over the air updates. A bmw or any other car for that matter gets older each year you have it.
and some of the least reliable vehicles in history! Yay! :)
No - I agree I mean don’t get me wrong they have some cool cars but Tesla has every car company beat by a long shot.
I AM THAT ONE GUY IN THE COMMENTS!!!! YES!!!!!! ALSO, REAR HEADREST TEST: PASS!!!!!! (Thank you Yuri!!!)
$66k......LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL
I know right The one Jeremy Clarkson made on Top Gear was like 1200 maximum
Namesi simply not worth money … in the presence of Tesla model 3 😂😂
@@Aniket2712 Tesla also can choose not to service car or shut down supercharging for you. Because Tesla isn't a normal car company under normal rules.
cheesycheese5 *when you're out of warranty. You forgot that part.
@@joeljeffrey9139 I did thank you. But most car companies still help and do it for free if it's a recall. While Tesla can choose not to.
Have driven the regular i3, not the S. Loved it. I quite like the "futuristic moon buggy" styling + I really liked how it drives. It's actually a proper BMW. 50/50 weight distribution, low CoG, RWD.
Would love to get one. Second-hand prices are not too bad. Now with the larger battery, would just go for the pure electric version.
Bmw be like:
- Shall we continue making good looking cars?
- Nah screw that, let's make a rolling piggy bank
Literally and figuratively.
LOL Rolling piggy bank I can’t unsee it now.
Don't understand what it is with car makers and making ugly looking electric cars, only Tesla,rimac and a few others make decent looking electric cars
@@CianMcsweeney so people get in their heads that EV is ugly, piggy banky, to buy ICE cars for life.....that's why
Lol
Bought one. Range Extender was one big reason, plus the
fact that it’s a true hatchback.. A perfect city car, because of its size, manoeuvrability and visibility. Love it!
Driven i3 since 2015, and I have to say it's one of my favorite cars! Best city and zipping around car ever, highway not so much. Pritty nervous at high speed. To bad they are almost VW Golf common in Norway, don't feel wierd and special driving it anymore🤡
Hi Yuri and Jakub, I once commented on your Mercedes A Class video about satellite radio and you asked me about my current ride, it used to be a 2012 sonata that had satellite radio but did not rewind. Since then in June I upgraded to a 2016 honda civic touring with 12k driven on it and it does rewind satellite radio. It actually has made everything in my life better and now I am a huge honda fan. I got a lot of good tips when considering a trade in upgrade from your channel so I just wanted to say Thanks!
I driven one and yes I would have one 100%. It looks cool and is so roomy for such a compact car. It’s extremely peppy and fun to drive around town too. I would wait and get the new 43kwh version coming soon. No need for the REX where I live in the UK. Plenty of chargers around.
It looks cool, the s especially drives fantastic, it is made of carbon fiber, love the addition of cute little sunroofs, its zippy around town, extremely easy to park with its size, sits four comfortably around town, space for huge bags of groceries, and there is minimal need to use the brakes, saving more maintenance in the long run. Love it... Pre-loved ones are very nicely kept, and are not hard to find. No brainer.
The price is steep, but I like the whole environment consideration of the i3. The factory in Leipzig that builds it is power exclusively by wind turbines. All body panels are composite - no steel is used. No rivets - the Carbon fiber chassis is bonded by adhesives. The interior resin and wood are all recyclable.
You won't see this kind of environmental protection that goes into a Leaf or even a Model 3.
I just wished it looks more like a 3 series than an egg.
Why would Steel be bad for the enviroment? Steel can easily be produced and recycled. Carbon Fiber on the other hand need a lot of energy to be produced and is a lot harder to recycle.
Steel is heavy - over the course of the car's life it takes energy to move it about. CFRP is expensive & energy intensive now but we're getting better and there's more opportunities to improve on it than steel. In fact BMW worked quite hard to make the i3 CFRP to drive costs down - previously you won't find such materials in any car under $100,000.
Also I did mention the Leipzig plant used to build the i3 is powered by renewable energy sources right outside of the factory. It is also a LEED certified building with lots of natural light & little waste in production.
@@simonhersche6720 Steel itself is not the problem, its the painting of a steel chassis which causes the problems. You have to spray the paint 5-6 on the car and each time you do that you have to heat up the hole chassis to 800°C. Carbon fiber on the other side just needs 1 coating layer and one paint layer and 120°C haet treatment afterwards
So does anybody now what the name of the documentary is Yuri was talking about? I looked for it but couldn't find it
I've been leasing an i3 (just electric) for the past two years. I got it because I think it looks weird and awesome. It's great fun in the city and a right laugh in the snow, but tiring on longer journeys because of the harsh ride and twitchiness.
I've enjoyed my time with it, but I'm old and pretty fond of my spine (the roads in Glasgow are shocking), so looking for something with suspension.
Wow it drives in the snow
You guys are better than most with the daily driving stuff, controls, usability, etc. Really good work there.
I tested one and I like the styling and really loved the interior but the range is to limited. Also the range extender does not create enough power to keep up highway speeds when the battery is completely dead. Give it more then 300km range and no extender then I might be interested.
Cool review guys. I'm a big guy too and I love my i3, sitting position roll in the top does not bother me at all. Level 2 charging at 40amp takes 3.5 to 4 hrs from empty on the 33Kwh battery (or as near as possible with the Rex).
I've been waiting for another Rex test! 😍🐕
He's the best
14:14 he just referenced the vehicle I replaced for this one. No complaints about my previous car, just ready to go electric. I will definitely miss my previous car.
Looks: love the innovative style
Handling: quick and sharp
Interior: best design of EV cars
Had a '15 i3 Rex and loved so much I got another i3 Rex, a 2017. I am in an area with piss poor charge network so would not do anything else, few and often broken. So leaf, Tesla, bolt, mini, smart cars were out.... And would definitely do another. I see a '19 in my future if bmw can keep battery upgrades going. And time to full charge is in the bmw app 🖖
I just got a 2016 BMW i3 Rex and I absolutely love it. It has so many more features than my old car (2016 mini cooper) that was kinda broken. So I traded in the mini and got the bmw for the cost of fixing the mini.
To be honest, I feel like the I3 is the next evolution of the Honda Element and I do love both cars, I do wish they did something with the rear windows, they don’t need to come down but I would like them to pop out like on the element. My other complaint would be the tires, I either wished that more cars adapted this or BMW should have used more standard size tires, I do get the roller resistance and all but it brings the tire choices down to a couple and they can charge whatever they want.
What is this new intro?! Heck yeah boys!
I love your show and it keeps getting better since the day I was searching for VW Alltrack reviews. Keep killing it guys!
Love this car. I bought one for my mother in law. It's the perfect car for puttering around town. But the yellow submarine light on the gauges is a "feature" that I'm all too familiar with.
Thank you guys for providing two perspectives. This is why you rock. You don't argue which is right but just "this _FEELS_ different to _ME_ though"
I respect everyones opinion, but like am I the only one who thinks this car is SOOO good looking.!!??? I would buy a used one just for its looks, and you get a 2016 used one for 20k
I wanted one but didn't have enough to fork out for a second hand one, but yes they look fucking so cool.
Polarising as fuck you either love it or think it is the worst design in history lol.
In person I find it just really oddly proportioned and the color scheme bleh. But it really comes down to what people like. I feel the same way about the i8, it's like they are trying to scream futuristic. Still better than the Toyota Mirai looks.
Why do ev’s look like clown cars:(
yeah, the bar is really low for Tesla
Looking to buy one in Australia. 2014 used ones go for $40k. Soooo expensive but I'm almost ready to buy one. Also Australia sucks regarding infrastructure
I've driven an i3 for a few days on a couple of occasions and it's just been awesome. The highlight has to be those skinny front tyres and that can do u-turns like it's nobody's business...
1:43 see the check engine light is “on”. What up with that?
My friend's dad bought one of these a little while back because he didn't want to wait for the Model 3 anymore (which I told him to wait but whatever, his choice). This thing feels really tall, but at low speeds it's pretty fun to ride around in. Think a Smart car on enough roids to make it bigger and faster
In 2020 Mazda will release a EV with the same setup as the i3. It'll be electric, with a ROTARY(!!) backup generator.
Pretty funny because it wouldn't push me to drive electric at all, I would just want to listen to that rotary engine all day.
It will drone at one rev range and be extremely quiet it is nothing interesting trust me...
Source: 2013 Chevy Volt driver
tunkor can i join you? 🤩
tunkor Best comment ever!
Sad thing about your comment, I’ve made similar and people call me dumb and say I’d die... Are the majority of people now a days seriously humor-challenged?
@@bengraves9416 a sense of humour is a dangerous thing! you want to be careful where you use it in case you offend someone.
Sad
The i3s actually has wider tires than the standard i3 that was produced for (I don't know, something like) the last 6 years which is dumb because these increase the rolling resistance and the narrower old tires also worked just fine.
I testdrove one when it was fairly new and I liked it. Lately I have driven the Leaf 2 and Renault Zoe and also my mum picked up an A3 etron just yesterday.
I like electric drivetrains for a daily car and the etron is a great cheap hybrid solution for those who have range anxiety or don't want to compromise on going 100 instead of 170 on the German Autobahn.
Personally I don't want to give up on the emotions that come with a conventional engine. The sound, the smell and everything. The more analogue the better for fun country roads
Jakubs reaction at 16:06 hahahah doesn't even want to touch that statement.
I think this video was very well done. Super creative ways of describing what you liked and didn’t. I was laughing the whole time. Keep it up!
You killed me with nostalgia when you brought out the tech deck
Luckily BMW have been listening to you, it now has a touch screen and Android auto. In fact the i drive 7 is now cloud based everything in real time. Anyway I bought one in the UK delivery in December cost £37,000 with extras without REX. I can't wait. Lol
The new one next year will go 300km on a battery charge and eliminate the REX as the range is now good enough. If you do not like the funky design or just want something cheaper - look at Hyundai Kona EV or Kia Niro EV. i3 still sells a *lot* in its target markets, but for others there should be a Mini EV next year and then iX3 after that along with i4.
Ah yeah, the eNiro, a great car that you can't buy (well not here in Spain - 1 year waiting list)
I found one for 9k near me. I like that it's carbon fiber and they let a blind person design it. That's really cool.
For people who don't know BMWs BC stands for before Claus
I will wait 2 years for this to depreciate to around $20k, then buy it used. Then it is a good car for the money.
Just bought one for $15,999 and got a $7500 rebate on my taxes!
I own an i3 2020. Perhaps the last of its kind and I love it. The range extender does the job but I rarely use it. Added a lvl 2 charger at home as well. No problems so far. It's a beautiful machine for city driving. Very agile. No issues with highway driving either....and I pushed the limits to test its performance. On the sport model they put bigger rear tires so it is a very stable driving experience. No so much with the think winter tires but still okay.... Did I hear the price of gas is up? 🙂 who cares.... as long as the grid is working.
"and we also happen to get a check engine light" LOL
The cup holder under that armrest actually comes out and attaches to the three holes that are in front of the front cup holder!
I LOVE the i3! I drove it at a BMW event in Cali last year and I fell in love. Going to save up enough cash to buy CPO.
Do you guys feel like it’s worth buying certified preowned?
I bought a used 15 Bev cpo earlier this year. Love the car. Certified is good for peace of mind.
Getting a warranty is a good idea for this car, we used it already
@@robertpryor7225 What all has gone wrong with yours?
liked for the ejecto-seato cuz,
favourited for the tec-dec,
Funny stuff guys as well as good content! keep up the good work!
Good job guys- entertaining A+
That has to be one of the most entertaining reviews on your channel. Thanks guys. P.s. I love the way it looks :)
"Whatever, it's electricity. Deal with it" lmao
This is a great episode. Lots of good natured arguing. We need more of this.
Hey! So far, which electric car (full electric) you've driven is your favorite? Love your videos guys!
You'll see our answer soon
I am literally buying this exact spec i3s (even the same color) the day after tomorrow. CAN’T WAIT!!!
I'm glad to see the check engine light is included in this Bimmer as well. Are signal lights still an option or included with the electric model?
I have an i3 REx...love it. Actually prefer it to the M135i I had before it for most of the time. Yuri, I know how much you love cup holders and you seemed to miss a trick with the i3 one. The one in the armrest comes out and you can attach it to one of 3 clips in front of the front cup holder. You can can also buy more holders if 2 aren’t enough. Google i3 cup holders and a couple of videos come up showing what I mean. Would also like to point out I appear to be of similar size to Jakub and find the driving position fine and seats comfy enough. Don’t give me backache which some cars do. Great work guys, all the best.
Oh cool. I’ll look into the cup holder trick!!
Rex approves the rex.
Love the Eco Month 2018 opening! Looking forward to seeing what else you have coming down the (straight) pipes...
How's the acceleration performance when the battery is discharged and you're running on the REx? I heard somewhere that the REx doesn't produce enough current to really power the car well with losses through the charging system and then to the electric motors, so it's more of a "limp to the next gas station" than a practical range extender.
Limp to the next charger. It can sustain something like 70-80kmh, but if you go faster, then battery state of charge will start going down. In long trips what you do is start running the REX immediately and it slows down battery drain, so you can keep re-fueling the REX every 80-100km and most likely get to your destination before the battery is fully empty.
I own an i3 - I drove a Tesla, Smart and Leaf before I got this. Was the best of the bunch. Compromised compared to the new offerings, but for me it was better. Also, in the UK charge completion time is listed and also the volume is on the right, and as you are sitting on the right, your left hand is free to sip on your coffee ;)
lol! engine check light on already :)
Kris Mier they’re giving you the full BMW experience right away ;)
lol
I've seen a lot of people having issues with check engine light with the REx variant, if you go full gas mode, it will turn on.
So basically the check engine light goes on when the engine is running? That’s rich! Kinda makes sense though
Check Generator Light
I drove this last year. The one pedal driving threw me off so much. I drove it in Queens in New York, so in the tight spots it was really nice to have the shorter body and when I was accelerating onto the Grand Central on the on-ramp it was full of pickup but I would never call this car fast. it totally felt like the roof and the body were turning at different times then each other.
I would totally get this car, it’s the only EV available for buying in my country 🤷🏻♂️
My favorite bickering old couple on TH-cam.
Fyi, the fuel tank for the REX ICE holds 1.9 gallons = 7.2 liters. So on an extended highway drive you're either: stopping every 90 minutes to refuel; or stopping every 90 minutes for a 30 - 60 minute charge.
Hey Jakub & Yuri,
Do you guys use your email? I asked you back in June if you were interested in reviewing a Model 3? Y'all not a fan of Tesla? I have one and I'm in Mississauga during the weekends. Love the vids, but I guess you guys either missed the email or aren't interested??
FOR THOSE WHO WANT TO SEE A MODEL 3 REVIEW, UPVOTE SO THE BOYS SEE THIS :)
I leased a i3 for 2 years and the only negative comment I have is how bad the tires wear. At the end of the lease I had 12,000 miles on the car and it needed 3 tires.....the 4th tire tread was 1/32 short of needing replacement. i talked to 2 other i3 owners who experienced the same tire wear issue. Other than that I really enjoyed the car. It was my first and probably my last BMW.
Hey Jacob, I have the same breed dog named Loki. We should have a "Straight Pipes Pet-Fans"
Awesome
Best second hand EV on the market surely. Drops from nearly £40k in the U.K. (Tesla money, crazy) to just over £20k in about two years.
$66 grand.... that’s all I heard. Wow. Really? $22 Grand over priced to save $30 Bucks a week on fuel. Thanks for the quirky video.
I bought 1 year old used in UK for about $26K. The price of fuel in UK is about $7 per gallon. I commute more 1000 miles per month and with additional driving around I typically spend about $4K on fuel per year. So - in about 6 years this car will have entirely paid for itself (assuming its reasonably reliable and doesn't hit me with BMW repair bills). In essence a free car ! No brainer. Can't really ask for more
I like the car and am thinking about buying one off of lease...might not be a better deal out there. Thanks for the review.
Love your reviews, waiting for Tesla m3 review
-Agree with the awkward highway steering. Seems like something that could be fixed.
-Visibility varies. For taller people who sit further back, the A-pillar definitely blocks a good portion of your view.
-No coasting is annoying, but i got used to it. Also got used to stopping without the brakes.
-Agree with sitting too high. Feels awkward.
-Handling is good considering the narrow tires. The steering delay is also weird.
-"Resin-ish" material is cool, but rough and difficult to clean. Tears apart paper towers and rags get hung up on it
-Ugly car
-My knees bump into the steering column.
-No range extender on mine, Used for regular commutes or short weekend drives
Why I got it?
1. Heavy discount for the model i bought.
2. Rear wheel drive/better handling.
2018 i3s BEV 90aH
The bmw i3 is so ugly it becomes cute somehow, different, unique. I’m looking into buying one just for city driving since gas prices in California are $4.60 right now 😬
EdVentures used ones are like 15k with decent mileage lol
i3 owner here and I freaken love it. Have a 2014 (no rex) I bought ex lease. Yup you'd be mad to buy one of these new. I think part of the rapid depreciation is a lot of places offer good incentives for EVs, so you might get 10% or so off the sticker price. I didn’t like the looks till I got one and now I all I think is Future Tub! Regen braking is great to, just need to retrain your brain. Blowing away unsuspecting muscle car drivers at lights, check. 90 degree turns at 30mph, check. Occasinal power slide in the wet, check. Fit a couple of 2x4x8s in the back, check. But for th love of god don’t drive it in snow! The regen breaking was enough to lock the wheels and start sliding. PS I’m 6’5” and fit comfortably so deal with it 😊
Why did I have to watch 6 ads while watching this video. Like seriously chill with the ads
Sorry. TH-cam does that.
Out here we're getting political Ads to vote for and against stuff in California. Little do they know that I generally vote the opposite of anything with a high ad campaign.
I noticed an increase in the last 2 months as well. Hopefully it means they see you guys as ad revenue generators and you get more $ yourselves!
Helpful video guys! Nice job, especially editing. I just bought a used 2017 i3REx and the time to full charge is displayed quite largely on the driver side display when the car is off and still displayed when you close the door upon exiting. Also, there's the well done BMW Connected App. Looks can be deceiving should be the moniker on this car (and who cares what people really think).
Are... are we getting a Prius review?
That would make me so stupidly happy.
Ya
I found out the S existed the other day at work. Thank you for the review 👍🏿
I rather have a Tesla Model 3.
Trill Texas will probably be €4000 more expensive in the EU
15:17 Or bought it used fully loaded, 2018 Rex i3s for 19k and freaking loves it. Chipped it for the auto drive and extra .6 gallons for the win.
These are dirt cheap used!
Lol Jakub's face when Yuri suggested the i-MiEV hahaha
You can get a Tesla model 3 performance for a little more
IF you can get it:
forums.tesla.com/forum/forums/tesla-model-3-delivery-time-and-experience
Good luck with getting a car where the panel gaps line up. Used to do valet parking and every Model 3 or Model S we got looked like it had been assembled by a 2 year old and the quality of the interior materials makes a Nissan Leaf feel rich.