BMW i3 | 5 THINGS NOBODY TOLD ME...& 5 things I love!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 6 มิ.ย. 2024
- Hi everybody!
Please note, I am not a car expert! I just wanted to share these 5 quirks (and 5 things I love) that I have learned about the i3 over the past 3 months of driving it.
There are a ton of great in-depth reviews from people who are - "Alex on Autos" has a great review on the i3 you can find here: • 2017 BMW i3 REx Review... - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
I have an early 2014 UK car in the same trim as yours, well the same interior. Mine doesn't have the sunroof and a couple of things look a bit different.
My 'things to know' added to your list.
1) range varies A LOT depending on outside temperature. If it's cold I'll get way less distance out of the battery, by up to 20%
2) my car has a lighter coloured footwell and carpets than your car and they show the dirt pretty badly.
3) the suicide doors, whilst they're cool, make it a nightmare to get out of the back if you're bay-parked in a tight space because you have to open the front door first and close it last. Probably not a problem in the US. But you can find yourself shimmying in and out very awkwardly!
3) The front seatbelt anchors are attached to the rear suicide doors, so even if you just want to quickly let someone out of the back, just cracking open the front door isn't enough to open the back door. You also have to remove your belt! (My guess is that this feature is to show off the pillar-less interior space afforded by the highly rigid carbon composite body)
4) the regenerative 'engine braking' doesn't operate as hard at full battery or when you confuse the traction control (e.g. going over potholes) and you come to rely on it, so that can cause a scary moment before you learn to anticipate it!
I know I listed all 'bad' stuff, but overall the car is wonderful and a lot of the good stuff you mentioned. One pedal driving, quiet, ready to go straight away, loads of usable performance in traffic, instant torque, great handling (RWD and 50/50 weight distribution), amazing interior. A very special car.
Dan Katz thank you so much for your insight and additions to the list! I’m sure it will be very helpful to others. I completely agree with the frustration of opening the back doors in tight spaces...especially when you have a bags/groceries to take out. After 6 months, I’m definitely still loving the car, although we are entering the colder season, so I’ll definitely have to see how the battery performs!
on the newer models the front seats can also move forward (like 2 door cars do ) to help let your rear passengers not sure if it is on the older i3 models.
I have a question regarding the early year i3's, did you experience any sort of battery degradation ?
@@Woflcat nothing I've really noticed, of course the range you'll get versus advertised range can vary depending on your driving style. You might also expect to get smoother as an EV driver and better at extracting that battery charge over the time you have the car.
The i3 has a battery thermostat unlike even the new Leaf (IIRC) that is passively cooled or something? So Nissan suggest to extend battery life, you should wait before you plug it in when you've just been driving it, which obviously nobody is going to do. The i3 doesn't have this issue as far as I know.
Certainly the variance in range from hot to cold has been much greater than any perceived battery degradation over time. The biggest issue with the i3 in the first place is its range, if you are regularly going to need to go 80-100 miles I would suggest either a Range Extender model, a newer i3 or a different EV like the Chevy Bolt. But of course, then you don't get all the nice design touches and cool experience of the i3.
I would say though, if you have another car in the household for taking long trips, you will be amazed at how often you use the i3. They are a fantastic deal on the used market, since many consumers have these same concerns and BMW for their part have obviously over-engineered the car as a 'halo product' to alleviate buyers' fears. I don't think used EVs will be available for such low prices at 2-5 years old for very long as they become more mainstream and understood to be inherently reliable. We do 10,000 - 12,000 miles a year in the i3, just because it's always the first choice for any journey that is within range!
I hope that helps.
@@midknight2K yes, indeed they do! The difficulties I'm talking about aren't so much getting your feet on the ground / out of the car, more that when you find yourself there in a tight spot you're stuck between both the half-open doors! You have to shimmy towards the front door and carefully close the back door. Not a huge problem if you're relatively fit and healthy, it's your car and you know what you're doing. But most of the time my rear passengers have never used a car like this before! So the temptation is to let people out of the back before you park in the space, and you can do this, but you have to remove your belt first because the driver's belt braces to the rear door. It's not a deal-breaker by any means, just something to be aware of. I guess it probably wouldn't be a problem in the States because your parking bays are so much wider than ours in the UK.
I would also say it's a challenge for the elderly, again only in a tight spot. The car is actually ok in general for older people because it's quite high up and you don't have to stoop to get in, a bit like a compact crossover.
To answer your A/C question, when you said it went back to 132 but air was still blowing. The reason it went back up to 132 from 119 is because you pressed the green A/C button and turned off the air conditioning compressor so the range went back up. It was still blowing air because only the FAN was on blowing in outside air but not cooling it with the Air Conditioner. The fan uses practically no energy so you won’t see much if any decrease in range. You may have felt cold air was still coming in even after you turned off the green A/C button because there was still left over cold air in the unit which hadn’t come out through the vents yet, in a few minutes it would just be the fan bringing in air from outside, at whatever temperature he outside air happened to be.
However the salesman should have told you that using A/C or Heating drastically reduces range in all electric vehicles. Actually air doesn’t drain nearly as much as the heater. The heater will drop your range even more if it’s really cold outside. Also batteries get lower range in the cold as well so it’s reduced by that too.
Thanks for being so thorough in your explanation! I think one of the things that confuses me that I was trying to show, is that sometimes if I press the “auto” button, the range will fluctuate so much. Sometimes the range will increase when I hit auto, as compared to not having any air/fan running in the car. I did read that weather conditions can have a big effect on the range. In Vancouver, we’re lucky it doesn’t get too cold, but it will be interesting to see come winter.
The range also fluctuates because it's an estimate, not a hard value.
Great explanation! The compressor requires way more power.
Hey, Tim Cook 👋
It's the same for every car in the universe. AC consumes power.
5:00 For the rear passengers I think of the i3 as basically a 3 door hatchback - can't get out without front door open, can't roll down the windows. The suicide doors just make it slightly easier to get in and out than tilting the front seats forward.
Greetings from Prague. As for the sunroof which is split into two separate windows. It has something to do with the rigidity and stiffness of the life module from carbon fibers. Safety for all passengers will dramatically decrease if there’s just one big sunroof.
Great comments - thanks! The stiff headrests are part of the roll cage; they protect you like roll bars if you're in an accident. The divider in the sunroof is probably also there for safety's sake.
Ahhh I didn’t know that about the headrests, thank you for the info!
yep same to the stationary windows just like coupes. Adds structural integrity for stuff like rear-ending/body panel hits. Vs a movable window with a hollow door....which would buckle more often and be a more COSTLY repair. Since its carbon bmw must have done its HW during testing To bolster the door/dogleg.
The reason why you have so much room between the driver and passenger is not because there isn't a console but rather in the EV world there is no transmission as you would have in a traditional ICE vehicle is because that is where the transmission is typically placed. They put a console there to cover the bump there would normally be and a console over the area to add a place for the shift knob and to give you some extra storage.
thank you for the info!
It’s perfect for a single person or a couple without small child. Otherwise the Leaf is the best option for a family. I love the i3 because you get all the perks of a BMW without the insane service cost (just tires & brakes)
Yes, I completely agree with everything you said!
One-pedal driving is not a "feature", per se - it is a characteristic of regenerative braking. I agree, though, it's kind of cool once you get the timing down. The only drawback is that if I don't use the brake pedal occasionally, rust builds up as it does on any disc brakes.
Ray Maas
Yes, rusty discs is a feature of your (and mine) efficient driving. I have to remember to use them from time to time
I’m a new i3 driver. I completely agree with you on the lack of a lane departure system. I also agree with you on all the pros. The car is uniquely genius and the production and materials are revolutionary. Happy Driving to you! Nice video!
I thought that the lane departure system or blind spot monitoring would be standard on most new vehicles now. (I learned that the bmw x1 also doesn't have the blind spot monitor, even as an option.) But, that aside, the car is very unique and the materials used are top of the line. Enjoy your new i3 and thanks for watching!
I live alone in Florida, am age 74 and my travel is now limited mostly to 5 miles round trip every one or two weeks to Walmart for grocery curbside pickup. Hence, I last week I was able to get a great, absolutely spontaneous deal on an immaculate 2017 i3 in blue with moon roof. I'd never even set in an EV. I felt totally green casting off combustion range extenders and the maintenance costs of them. I do like the 33kw battery over the older version and made my 110 mile trip home from buying it with a 13 mile reserve on Eco Pro +. It was a great opportunity to really identify my car's max range on a 65 degree day and the 2+ hour trip experience that I now want to do again now that I know the steering wheel goes in and out too as well as up and down.
I have been into the Owner's Manual and Genius How to TH-cam videos like I was back in college learning a new profession lol, and am amazed at the technology I was ignorant of. I once had a 427 Corvette so I won't call the i3 fast, but will say it is more spirited than any car I've had in the last 45 years including my current 2012 Chrysler 200 Limited 3.6 Convertible. (The i3 moon roof saves my sun soul) I see your points about the cons you observed, but my backseat will probably never be used. Since the entire body is made of carbon fiber, I believe the overhead divider is for structural integrity and did give BMW a good reason to design such a handy moon roof setup. The only con I can add, that is probably related more to my oversized stomach than the door design, is the pointed section just below the window sometimes rakes my stomach when I open or close the door in a standing position.
I hope you have been having, or had, a great time with yours as I am looking forward to a long and beautiful friendship with mine at least until I need to buy new tires way down the short road I travel.
P.S. My dog Molly is gone now but she would have had no use for the back seat either, or even the wonderful navigation system.
Hi Rick! Thank you so much for sharing your view on the i3! I truly appreciate hearing from other owners. I'm so happy to hear that you have been loving it. I agree, the moon roof is definitely a must have - I keep it open year round, just for added light in the car (it makes it feel bigger to me haha). I've also had the opportunity to drive it on a long road trip and really test out it's range ability...there was a scary moment where I got down to about 10km of range left, but that was a lesson learned!
How do you find it in winter conditions? I'm assuming you're from Canada so I'd like to know how it handles especially in highway with snow. Do you use winter tires? Thx
very helpful.. i have just ordered mine. cannot wait!
Exciting! Congratulations!
The good and the bad. I leased a 2018 i3 Rex with all the options, and for
the most part I really like the car. For what it's worth, here is a short list of
the things I really like about the car, followed by my top complaints about
my i3. I'm in the US, so some issues may pertain just to that version.
The Good:
- One-Pedal driving (Not unique to i3, but still great)
- The large interior despite a small body.
- Environmental sustainability of the materials
- The headlights are excellent. (Not all new cars can claim that.)
- Automatic hold from rolling when stopped going uphill.
- (There's more but these stand out.)
The Bad:
- Speedometer reads 2-3 mph high. Other BMW owners say this is due to
Germany laws forbidding a low reading, so BMW opts to error the other
way. There is no adjustment as far as I know. This needs to be fixed.
- Cannot make mirrors fold in automatically when car is locked, only
manually.
- No front fog lights offered, even though UK & EU versions have them.
- No rear fog light (ala Volvo) offered, even though UK & EU versions have
them.
- No BLIS (My 2008 Volvo had it, for goodness sake.)
- Rear wiper does not resume when car is started, even though switch is
left on. (You have to turn it off and back on for some reason.)
- Poor enhanced cruise control (much to say, too little space)
- No lane assist option
- No Up-To-Date operator manuals available, printed or electronic. They all
have incorrect or missing representations of the controls and features.
- One last negative comment: I've never successfully used the auto-park
feature because it takes too long to get it set up and started before
someone has come up behind me leaving no room to back up. I can shift
into reverse and back into a spot manually much more quickly. ☺
Bill Spencer thanks for such a detailed list outlining your pros/cons about the car! I didn’t know about the speedometer reading higher, that’s very interesting. I have to say I agree with the majority of your points. I have only used the auto park once, but honestly the car is so small, with a ton of visibility, that it’s so easy to park it.
I can confirm that even the older models including my 2015 BMW i3 read about 2 to 3 miles above the actual speed you are travelling. Also there is the option to program the rear view mirrors to fold in when the lock button or keyless entry button is held. You just have to buy a Bluetooth OBD2 adapter from Amazon and the bimmercode app from the iOS app store or Google play store. It works wonders and you can even program your REx version to allow you to manually start the gas generator at any point in time after the battery has dropped below 75%. It definitely helps with road trips. Both the adapter and the bimmercode in-app activation purchase run you about $50 to $60 dollars.
You can code auto folding mirrors.
You dont need fog lights. The less light you have on the road, the more comfortable your eyes are. When you foglights, it tends to pull your eyesight down.
theory816 In heavy fog the fog lights can be very helpful to display the lane/road markings more clearly. Of course in most parts of Europe and North America these conditions are very rare, and only milf fog is experienced from time to time.
There is a tilt feature on the head rest . If you look in the back there is a button to change the angle of the head rest
I have exactly the same car .Therevis no button to adjust the headrest:(It has something to push forward the whole backrest to make easy access to the back seat.
Regarding One-Pedal driving, I agree it's really fun and gives you a lot of control. But most importantly, using that feature helps your range because the energy used to slow the car (without brakes) goes back into the battery. When you use the brakes the energy used to stop is wasted in heat at the wheels.
Not always - in a Prius the brake pedal is regenerative braking down to 7mph then friction except in an emergency. So you have a conventional accelerator/brake layout and let the car work out what is best, or have a one pedal accelerator/regen brake and a seperate friction brake and the driver has to figure it out. Also does the one pedal regen braking put the brake lights on so the driver behind knows you are decelerating?
Air con makes air cold, this uses energy... even in a normal car. Turn it off and the coldest the air will be coming through the vents is the outside temperature. This uses less energy. 👍🏼
I miss sitting in your little spaceship! Miss you too❤️❤️ I am still laughing at your story of when you went to buy it😂😂
Yes, the little spaceship! All that haggling I did... means more money for bags! Hope you guys can come and visit again soon! xo
There is lane assist in your car. Do you mean there is no blind spot detection instead?
Yep, that’s what I meant! I wish I could go back and change it in my video *facepalm* haha.
@@LValiquette you aren't wrong, there is no lane assist. Or I've had the car for 3 years and don't know it. Maybe if you're using adaptive cruise control it can assist if you're getting out of your lane but I'm 99 percent sure it doesn't do that.
LValiquette thank you so much for sharing your lovely i3! First thing I asked the salesperson was if this car has blind spot assist (I’ve had this feature and it is hard to let go) and he said no because this car has great view and it practically doesn’t need blind spot assists. My question is do you feel the same? Thank you in advance.
I would have to agree with the salesperson, the car does have really great visibility! When I do shoulder checks, there aren't really any parts of the car blocking my view. While I would have liked to have the blind spot assist as extra reassurance, it definitely is not needed with the car! Hope this helps!
LValiquette thank you for the input! It’s really helpful.
It’s like the fully loaded soccer Mom vehicle that all soccer moms dream of
I have the 2014 bmw i3 rex- love the car- so does my wife - had it 14 months- still love it- rex version eliminates range anxiety
Approximately how many highway miles does this car go with rex? And how much of that would the air conditioner consume if I used it? I have highway driving of 133 miles which typically takes 2 - 2 1/2 hours unless there's traffic.
I want to get an older model however I can’t find one to purchase with a warranty that will cover if the battery or other issues occur.
Great honest review of things the sales people won’t tell you about. A small point to get you thinking, Americans/Canadians (and others I’m sure) call the accelerator pedal the “gas” pedal...... the car you are driving is electric so there is no gasoline in it.....that made me laugh a little.
bertie1989 😂 haha! I actually never thought of that, but you’re totally right.
Some people like the term "Go Pedal".
This is an update a year later: I have had my “Litl’ Blue” 2017 BMW i3 BEV 33Kw 94Ah since 01/25/2021. I bought it in showroom condition from an original owner with 24k on the odometer. I’m 75, drive it about 30-100 miles a month mostly to pick up online ordered groceries and to visit the VA clinic. I use a 240V, 16A (3.84Kw) Level 2 charger in my carport routed inside as an alternate to my dryer outlet. I get 13.5 miles per hour of charging and at home my FPL electric cost at $0.031 per Mile. If there is a more perfect EV out there, I simply don’t want it. I don’t need more range, acceleration, styling, features, reliability, comfort, handling, or value. Litl Blue is obviously my Forever Car. Paid $16,500 but was offered $24,000 by Edmunds 3 months ago which tickled my worn out ego.😀
Yay! So happy to hear you are still loving it. It’s really been such a great car for me. No issues and I like that it’s not everywhere…like Tesla’s haha. I still get stopped all the time about it.
Good job. I test drive it and I love the feeling of driving it.
It’s quite a great little car!
Congratulations on your new i3. I also have a 2017 I3 Rex and I love it too. Super fun.
It’s such an amazing car! Glad to hear you are still loving it!
I enjoy watching you as it’s my first time to see your review as I’m considering buying a used 2017 BMW i3. I M a CA girl living in the UK. Your pros vs cons helps me a lot. Keep up the good work. You are very good at doing videos.
Georgia Cheer thank you! I’m glad I could help! Buying a car is definitely a big purchase, so it’s always good to hear what others think. Good luck!
Thanks for the info! I have my eyes on the 2018 Rex with all the tech fixings. I like the 2018 for the larger battery update. Looks like a 21-23k investment. Not bad considering it was 50k+ 2 years ago 😳
Yes! Getting a 2018 now for such a great price is the way to go!
I’ve been watching your channel for a while and love it!
I’ve recently been looking at i3’s. Wondering if you still have yours and if you are still liking it?
That was really informative. I have just ordered a 5 door i3 as I really want to go electric.
Congratulations! I hope that you love it!
5 door ?
@@slavicdollx yes, the door on the rear.
Soooo jelly. I have (and love) an older Nissan Leaf (and a petrol guzzling Lexus). Note that the changes in battery usage based on the AC etc still exist on even ICE cars, it's just they aren't predicted and you don't know beforehand how much energy driving modes and accessories will use.
I had no idea the rear windows didn't roll down on the BMW, and your explanation of the the two piece sunroof makes perfect sense.
Also yeah... leather sucks. My other car is full of it, and I hate it. When I was a kid (I'm old as now), cloth and velour seats came out and everyone was so happy. Now, for some stupid reason, everyone thinks leather is up market. I guess that's how marketing works!!! Great video.
I've met so many Leaf owners at different charging stations, you guys are by far the nicest haha. It's so great learning about EV's from them and little tips and tricks! The Leaf is such a reliable car, I'm glad you are still loving yours! I've definitely learned what accessories to turn off and how to maximize the battery of the car. I really think it's a learning curve that you wouldn't be able to get from just test driving it.
Thank you for the review
LValiquette, - Don't use baby wipes on real leather seats, use only mild soap and water or purpose designed cream cleaner, battery doesn't fluctuate it is only the computer estimating the possible range, if you were so inclined you could change the front seats with adjustable head rests? - hugh otherwise good review
They are super fun cars, the one pedal driving will also help increase range slightly if you are accelerating and stopping a lot because it spins the electric motor in reverse, acting as a generator which produces electricity, and also slows the car. And the spacious interior and lack of center console is due to the lack of the traditional combustion components. No engine and transmission up front, or fuel tank in the rear. Electric cars still have some learning to do now, but I think can be much more practical.
Ahh, I actually didn’t really know how the regenerative breaking worked, thanks for explaining it! I have been seeing more electric cars around Vancouver, which is a great first step, but I can’t see what the future holds for EV’s!
One pedal?
If you’re on Facebook search for the BMW i3 Worldwide Group. Lots of other owners are on there and we’ve discussed lots of issues at length so it might be helpful for you. :) That said we still have our 2014 i3 BEV and still love it in Chicago.
I'll definitely go and check out this facebook group, sounds like I'll get a ton of info from it - thank you! I'm always so happy to hear from experienced i3 owners, glad to hear you still love it!
Oh how do you find it handles in the snow??
TheEvh555 With proper winter tires it’s a snow beast and works really well in the snow. With the 19” “All Seasons” it’s okay but not great. The 20” option are summer tires and would not be great in the winter at all. If you’re wanting to buy one in an area that gets snow I’d strongly recommend getting a set of winter wheels/tires and swapping them each season. I’ve become a huge fan of having snow tires on any vehicle I drive now, whatever the setup for the driven wheels is (RWD, FWD or AWD)
Derek G. Weber Thank you. Going to check it out. I really want one but I’m afraid to buy because of the upkeep costs and battery.
great review! spark EV is similar in size... and it can do a one-pedal style drive in LOW. but man.....that carbon fiber framing you have is amazing. rear wheel drive too yeah? nice car.
Thanks! The one-pedal drive has been so great, definitely a little bit of learning curve. I didn't realize the Spark also did one-pedal driving! I've only seen a few Sparks, but I've seen a ton of the Bolt's recently.
The Bolt is the same way.
I get my i3s in a few weeks and i never realised the back windows dont move....sales didnt tell you that !
Crazy huh!? Lesson learned, always check the back windows haha!I hope that you are enjoying your new car, the sport model is fantastic!
Ive only ever driven the i3 but wanted the S version for the extra oompf! :)
According to the 0-60 times its a little faster but i did watch a drag race on TH-cam between the 2 and there wasnt that much of a difference :)
I have the same car, except I have the range extender. As other people have mentioned, the predicted range is just that, a prediction. Gasoline cars with this feature do the same thing. And you can see the % battery remaining on the dashboard. It does not fluctuate. The seat discoloration things seems kind of obvious. Cream colored leather will pick up dye from your clothing. It's one reason why light color interiors are not popular.
Not a battery fluctuation, but rather AC consumes energy that reduces range the fan does not. I also think you meant to say Blind Spot Monitor. Hope you’re still enjoying the car. We love ours. Thanks for posting for those who know less than I do / we do!
Love this car's interior! Nobody else does textures like this anymore. Great video!
Tacoma98 The interior is definitely unique and the contrasting textures/fabrics are eye-catching. Thanks for watching!
Is it good for long travel any major servicing costs or anything ??
I'm thumbs up #1! I enjoyed your honest review cute car thanks for sharing😊
Thank you for the support! ☺️
Thank you! Great review and saved me some extra research!
Ms. Eddy Glad I could help! Thanks for watching!
I'm thinking of buying one Monday for UberEats. Recommend?
Ok the back window thing threw me off. I went to the Stephen James dealership and viewed one of these as I really wanted one. I’ve since changed my mind about buying one, but having seen this vid I don’t regret my decision.
"super duper..." I love your car girl!
It's like watching my sister do a review!!!!!
More options = more weight , if you take note as to the “battery fluctuation” aka the car only has so much juice and turning the AC on will deplete that energy which means the car won’t travel as far.
Ahhh! I love this car. It was one I was considering, but the range for my life isn't quite adequate. :(
Yes, the range is definitely on the lower side. I'm lucky I don't have far to drive everyday for work, but in the winter...the range drops even more!
Thanks for the review....I am considering this car! Or i8?
i8. I have the i3 and i8.
Just got one of these for my first car. The one you got is technically not the “fully loaded” because the i3 comes in 3 trims or as bmw calls it “worlds” in this order Mega, Giga, and Tera. Your vehicle is the Giga and I can tell by the color or your seats. I got the Tera world which comes with full leather seats that are a dark chocolate color that I LOVE!
Adam Titus it’s so strange because in Canada they aren’t referred to in worlds. Although when I was online looking at reviews they were often referred to them that way in different countries. The two different dealerships I went to never referred to them that way, so odd. There was the option for the leather seats, but I actually didn’t like the dark brown leather lol! Just personal preference though, glad you enjoy it!
LValiquette that’s so weird. Mine doesn’t have the sunroofs and it’s actually not an option for the vehicles in California. It is weird....
In the UK they have different names for the Interior World options. Base is Atellier, then Loft, Lodge and Suite. Your car has the Lodge interior which is a £1,500 option. The Suite is the full brown leather option and is an extra £2,000. The sunroof is a £780 option.
Yes, this is what I learned from Adam above. Strange how we don't use the term "worlds" here in Canada. I had the option of getting leather seats, but because my car exterior is already black, I opted for a light interior...just my personal preference though!
LValiquette you still made a good decision. I love the color seats you got but since my mom bought me this car when I turned 16 I had to drive my little brother to school and I didn’t want to take the chance of having him ruin the light colored cloth.
Actually really helpful - thank you!
Glad I could help! Thanks for watching!
Just bought a 94ah, Fully charged myself. LOVE IT. It only takes some time to get used to the flickering in kms
Congratulations! It's such an incredible car.
LValiquette Thank you! Works for everything I do. I don’t travel far. I live in Norway so the range isn’t too shabby, but cold here atm so I notice the reduction. Can’t wait for summer! :) Merry Xmas!
It's funny, I'm actually not a big fan of the i3's one-pedal driving. I prefer the e-Golf's system of toggling it on and off via the shifter. But then again, having no shifter at all on the i3 is one of the reasons it's so spacious.
I have a Chevy Spark and I enjoy the car but the range is just so close some days I decide to upgrade to one of these. Thanks so much for the info!
I’ve heard good things about the Chevy Spark! I hope you enjoy the i3, after a year of driving it, it’s been fantastic. Thank you for watching!
I want to buy a used one, I drive about 80 miles a day 40 to work 40 to home, which model should I look for?
Great vid!
We’ve got one and I agree with your conclusions 👍🏻
Thank you! After a year, I’ve still really been enjoying it. Glad to hear from another i3 owner 😀
LValiquette I find the torque great fun literally nothing beats you at the lights
Ours is a REX so no battery anxiety
And one pedal driving is the future!
Wow thanks for doing this review video. I just purchased my bmw 330i 2019... I’m new to bmw but I used to drive a Mini Cooper which is same company as bmw.
Congrats on the new car! 😀 Hope you enjoy it!
LValiquette Thank you dear.
A/C systems run chillers and pumps and generate cool air and use a lot of power in the process - it's like taking a fridge with you. It's very normal to notice a large drop in range when you enable it - it's a power hungry system, not just on the i3 but even diesel / petrol cars. I drive a Citroen C-Zero in France from time to time with an A/C system and it's exactly the same, about a 16 to 18km drop in range when I enable it. Turn off the A/C and just leave the fans blowing and of course you'll get the range back, however I'd assume that if the fans were on at full blast (no A/C) you'd see a small drop in range.
I agree with not having movable windows in the back, bit of a strange decision. They probably thought the A/C would simply keep everyone cool anyway, but for range you may want to switch that off.
Thanks for your comment, it's very helpful! The drop in range from using the A/C or turning on the heat (now in the fall), is quite shocking. I didn't realize it so much from just test driving the car. It's definitely something that I've had to get used to and I sort of have to choose the luxuries of using those systems or keeping my range.
for those stains on your seats, have you ever tried using one of those "magic eraser" sponges by the Mr. clean guy? you can find them at target, walmart, and even the Dollar Tree if your local store has them! There are some knock off brands, but get the real deal- they work great. You use it dry and with a little rubbing it gets even stubborn marks off the leather, no scratches.
Great suggestion! I'll have to give magic erasers a try! Those things are so great around the home, I didn't think to use them in my car.
Never ever use a magic sponge on leather, it's quite agressieve...
I slided in a 60 inch new TV in its box into the backseat area with no problems at all! Love those back doors!!!!
That’s amazing! It is quite roomy!
Good and honest review - great like an expert - Greetings from Munich ☺
Thank you! Greetings from Vancouver!
do the brake lights come on if you take your foot off the accelerator to come to a stop?
Great info. Clear, concise, complete. Thanks.
Michael Self thank you!
Curious! Bought the same car about the same time. I really really love it! 😍. Hope you enjoy the it....
It’s such a fantastic car! I’m glad you are enjoying it! I just went on a 6 hour road trip with it...a little stressful, but worth it!
Nice video. I liked that you touched on the points that no one told you about. I purchased a 2018 Chevy Bolt EV. Great car but as with all there are some quirks that no one mentions.
Congrats on your new EV! Your car has such great range, happy driving!
Thanks... yeah perfect for my work car. And like yours Fast as heck!
I agree with her on the I3. However, I would not buy new. You can buy a 2018 I3 with 20k miles for only $18k. Great EV for sure. Thank you for your review.
I agree with you! if you can get a used one for a great price, it can’t be beat.
When u turn ac on your air conditioning compresor its turning and its draw curent out your car batery that why your car range drops when you turn off the compresor and let onli the fan to blow the fand draws less energy from your car battery and shows the same km on dashboard
Cute and funny! Especially the part where you explain how you can accelerate at the lights🤣
Lol! I only do it when it’s safe, I swear haha!
I think you meant Blindspot Detection? Lane Keeping Assist is when the car steers itself, seeing the lines on the ground and helping you keep centered in the lane. Hope this helps!
Yep! Hahaha! I did mean blind spot detection...I didn’t realize until after I posted the video. Thanks!
Not sure anyone touched on it yet but the description of lane assist is incorrect. What was described was blind spot warning. Lane assist helps you to keep the car in-between the lines on the road. I just got an i3s and don't mind not having lane assist but wish I had the blind spot warning.
Hi
I have a question how does a rear facing baby seat work. Is it easy to put baby in and out?
thanks
Paula
The only thing to me that kills this car, and I have one myself, is the range. It's a great car we want to drive and drive and drive, but you always have to think about it. I do have the Rex version and it helps (if you get someone to code it, you can manually turn on the gas engine after 75 percent rather than wait till 5 percent) but still have to think about it. I know it was advertised as a commuter or city car but as typical humans, we have one car and want it to do everything. I did get it for half off which is the main reason I got it, but I think it's going to go down in history as a great car that just was ahead of it's time... Where of battery technology could produce 200 or 300 miles when it came out, it would have been a way bigger success.
I agree with you...I've had range anxiety a few times and had to move to eco pro mode - very stressful! I do think it is a great commuter car, I can usually go for about a week to and from work on just one charge. However, I sometimes wish I had invested in the Rex version, just for that added peace of mind. It's always great to hear how experienced i3 owners find the car, I appreciate your comment!
great review! Really helped!
Thanks!
I really love this car😭
smart video from a smart person - hope she can appreciate how much we can appreciate her work ethic..
Good torque is important when you’re at a stopped position and want to speed up to switch lanes or when you want to merge onto a highway to beat the sucker next to you.
Yes, very true!
I would like to help you although I have never seen your videos and probably YT targeted me as a BMW owner (not this one of course :D). But I hope this will help you and others that will become car enthusiasts. Hopefully BMW. Not electric :D
Anyways, I will go by order:
1. This is not about the seats but about the jeans, and they tend to make them more and more like this. The solution is micellar water (without oil). It is aggressive enough, but will not damage the materials, same as it will not damage our faces much and does not need to rinse. I just hope the colours have not absorbed into your car seats, as then there is no way but chemical cleaning to fix this. So, buy a Curapox super soft toothbrush, spray some micellar on in and put some on the seats. Brus it out, wipe with a dry microfibre cloth. Viola, clean seats ;) You can do the same with other surfaces, your shoes, couches, etc. No need to thank me, when you become a famous TH-camr remember me at some giveaway.
2. This sucks, they should have made it adjustable, but put a pillow on your seat, this will make a barrier between your jeans as well, less cleaning.
3. Lane assist was optional I believe.
4. Most electric cars have these problems with a battery, unfortunately. But if you turn on the AC in a normal car, it will waste 10% more fuel for that reason.
5. You actually don't have rear windows, this is the same with every coupe.
The stuff you like I will not comment. Enjoy the drive.
You know that on an Internal combustion Engine the belt driven A/C-compressor takes between 4-8% of the power from the engine. Therefor you’ll have a range loss on an ICE as well.
In an electric car there’s an electric compressor so therefor it consumes some of the energy.
Also, use the Auto mode on the climate control and set the temperature a couple degrees lower if its 25 degrees, -not 10 degrees lower!
If you want more power from the Climate control, when in Eco PRO, go to the Eco PRO settings in the iDrive menu and deselect Eco PRO for climate.
You can also store a shortcut to the same menu by holding one of the buttons 1-8. So you don’t have to navigate in the iDrive all the time.
Thank you so much for all your great suggestions! I haven't really experimented with the settings, so it's good to know that I have some options with regards to the climate control. I appreciate your help!
Of course you could always use the 2/40 air conditioning method that we use in old classic cars - two windows open at 40 miles per hour.
A little drag inefficiency but otherwise no battery drain
I think the reason the range went back to 132km when putting the AC in auto was that at that point the temperature in the cabin was not calling for the AC to operate. If and when the temp increases and the AC goes from auto to "on" you will see the range decrease just as you did when you turned it on manually. Hope this makes sense.
Speaking of ICE, the last two BMWs I’ve owned (335 and X3) the accessories like AC compressor run off the battery. The alternator has a clutch that disconnects it from the serpentine belt when driving (saving about 20hp and fuel), then as you slow down the clutch engages to charge the battery. So the AC is effectively run by regenerative power. (Sometimes the alternator needs to engage while driving or at lights to keep battery charge up)
@@audibloke Hey Buster - I know BMW has incorporated an electric air compressor into its hybrids and EVs (www.autoevolution.com/news/visteon-s-electric-ac-compressor-makes-bmw-greener-26149.html) but are you sure your ICEs had one? It's one thing to have an electric motor driven compressor and quite another to have an electrically operated clutch to disengage the "traditional" belt driven compressor from the engine...
The seats are tall because they help with reinforcing the roof. In a roll over. The sun roof is split into for strength as well
Got it! Thank you!
I was looking to buy and called my local BWM dealer to see if they can service it and they said no. So I’m sticking with my Volt for the time being.
Oh strange! I’ve taken my BMW in to be serviced. BMW gives the first 4 years of service free! But, the volt is a great car, hope you’re enjoying it!
Thank you for your candid and pragmatic comments. :-) Are you still enjoying this car ~12 months after your initial review?
Thank you for the kind comment! Yes, this car has been a game changer for me. I have really been enjoying it! I see so many electric vehicles on the roads now, but I can say, I am happy with my choice.
With the one pedal driving, do the brake lights come on when lifting foot off and coming to a stop or slowing down? They should as this is a necessary warning to anyone behind you. If not, then yet another flaw in EV's. I understand that in a city and if you do not travel great distances, then an EV is probably a safe purchase, but in rural areas where to go anywhere (like where I live in West Cork, Ireland) involves quite long distances, then an EV is out of the question. Someone near me bought a base model Nissan Leaf ~ the nearest charging point is 34km away, and then there is only one unit; if he wants to drive to Cork city, 50km away, he has to find a charging point there, which is not easy as there are few ideally situated points in Ireland, and then has to wait for 45 minutes to charge it enough to get him home. Once home and it is plugged in to his domestic supply, if someone urgently wanted assistance or he was called out, he could not go as his car was without sufficient charge. On top of all that, Ireland is predominately a wet, cold country, and his Leaf's range is very limited, but if he puts on any heat, or lights, or windscreen wipers, then the range is immediately compromised. EV's in a city, yes if that is your choice, but here in rural West Cork, not a viable proposition. The biggest problem here is the abysmal lack of charging points and the sprawled out countryside.
We Canadians love green stuff so I also bought a 2014 i3 and am loving it!
Happy to hear that you are loving it! The i3 is a really amazing car.
@@LValiquette Absolutely, that's why I've influenced 2 friends of mine to get it and they did! Now, we've got three i3's in my friends circle.
I can't take it that the interior gives me a fleeting feeling of a living room
that's what I love about it... oh look I am in a lounge. and I am driving around in it. lol.
I was totally shocked when I looked into one of these parked recently. The interior was attractive, different and way bigger than I could have possibly imagined based on my perception of the size of the car.
I hope that in the future they will add rear power windows.
Also i think they need to add electric trunk closure
Orit BC I completely agree!
Had my eyes on a used bmw i3 2014 w/the extender. The low price has me 2nd guessing myself but I honestly cannot find a reason not to buy it. Anyone know how much maintenance costs?
I find the maintenance very easy! I only need to get the battery checked...it feels good to not have any oil changes 😂
Get the service agreement with BMW details online or speak to a dealer surprisingly reasonable and includes recovery and other bits included
Did you get it ??
Nice review. Agree about the rear window. Range is whether the ac compressor is on or not. Not the fan running
James Judd Thanks! I’m learning as I go, I’m really happy there are knowledgeable people that can help others like me out.
Any options for a larger battery or has tank
That one pedal driving is basically regenerative braking which is a phenomenal feature on all nearly all electric vehicles. Basically the kinetic energy in the car slowing down is used to recharge the batteries and that's what you feel when you take your foot of the accelerator / gas pedal - free energy, YES, FREE ENERGY ! I don't see a gas car doing that in a million years...
Yes, I completely agree with you! It's amazing how I can drive my 14kms to work...but somehow only use about 8-10 kms of range, just based on the regenerative breaking. I can't wait to see the future of EV's, very exciting!
Foes the range extender mean unlimited range as long as the ice has gas?
It’s called a t top not really a sunroof. It’s a way to give the car more strength and durability and simply a cool style too
Kevin Smith thank you for this info! I didn’t know it had other functions, I definitely appreciate it more now!
Why assume it's color transfer, and not just dirt? Any light colored interior is going to show dirt, and BMWs are famous for that driver's side bolster wearing super fast given its configuration and rubbing when you get in and out of the car. AND...., if it IS color transfer, that's an issue with your pants as much as the car, but it's fundamentally the same problem - a light colored interior getting dirty.
I kind of think of it like my leather purses I buy. One of the problems many people encounter when they buy light coloured purses, is colour transfer from their jeans to the bag. That's how I knew to use the baby wipes (a trick I learned with my Louis Vuitton bags). Plus, the transfer is dark blue haha. I've never had light interior, only black in my previous cars, so this was something new to me!
The color transfer happens on all BMWs with light colored leather on the seat bolsters. I wear dark jeans and the dye rubs onto the leather.
Very well done video. Thanks
I did not know about the back windows not able to be opening for me it would not be a deal breaker BUT I suppose it is still a silly issue if its a hot day and you do not want to waste battery using the aircon I like to have all windows open in my current car..its a diesel but I sometimes prefer not to use aircon to save fuel.
I actually want to get the exact same colour interior as you with the wood and the seat colours etc and was worried about the colour transfer from jeans etc its good that the colour wipes clean off the leather sections though.
Yes, just make sure the baby wipes are alcohol-free and fragrance-free. There was a very helpful person above who suggested Lord Sheraton cleaners too. The back windows not being able to roll down aren't a huge issue for me either, but like you said, it would definitely help save some battery! I think a sunroof is pretty essential to get that extra air in the car.
I think many of the smaller cars have eliminated the opening rear windows.
@@billspencer6338 I would maybe understand this if they as standard added air con vents for rear passengers but they dont
Cute car! I am surprised that the seats aren’t all leather though. That color transfer is an issue on any car with light colored leather. I’ve always had black leather, but my husband used to have tan leather and color transfer was an issue. Do you not have your Cherokee anymore or is the Jeep your husbands?
Thanks! There was an option for all leather, but it was a dark leather and I liked the look of a lighter interior :) The cars I've had have always had black/dark leather so I've never had to deal with colour transfer, argh! The Jeep is my husband's, which comes in handy when we have lots of stuff to haul around!
What is the size of your battery and what year is the car
Does it have a backup camera?
Great video!!!
Have you seen the new Honda e? Its soooo cool. Its rear view mirrors are cameras, integrated into the dash board. Its beautiful.
Haven’t seen it yet! Will look into it!
how does the car handle at higher speeds when you are on the freeway?
I find that it handles well! I've driven it on the highway/freeway many times at fairly high speeds and haven't had a problem. The only issue is that it uses more battery power at higher speeds.
@@LValiquette thank you for the reply. How does it handle potholes with those very slim tires?
The tires are extremely slim, which took some getting used to. I am lucky that the roads on my commute to and from work are maintained well, so I haven’t had any issues with potholes yet. I do remember reading up on why the i3 has such narrow tires...quite a lot of thought went into it when Bridgestone designed it.
How do you plug it in???
On the rear passenger side, there is a charging inlet. It's hidden just like a regular gas tank on a car.
Thank you for your review. I miss my BMW i3 maybe after my Tesla lease ends I might go back to BMW again.
I saw that they are bringing out the new i4 in 2022 (in Canada, not sure if the release date is different elsewhere) and it's gorgeous! Have you seen the prototype for it?
@@LValiquette Aloha LValiquette I have seen some of the concept cars for BMW I hope they get on the ball and start making them soon. Tesla needs the competition LOL.