You’re an idiot if you think you can generalize all of them into one category. People who say this are always very ignorant and usually have NO knowledge about cars in general
I owned an i8 for three years and enjoyed it very much. Styling is great and enough performance for what I needed at the time; as the video suggests, it was certainly not boring. It turned heads everywhere I went and got nothing but praise and curiosity. Strangely enough, the only times I've seen someone talk bad about them are my friends who own Lambos/Ferraris. I think it was some weird separation complex especially when you consider the vertical doors the i8 has, when in actuality the i8 is not the same class as either of those brands so not sure why they were so concerned lol. I guess insecurities exist in the most unexpected places sometimes. Either way, had zero issues with the car but I cannot comment on long term ownership. Moved on to something more performance orientated now, but the i8 was a great time and backseats with a proper boot made for a great looking daily driver. Overall, I really appreciate what BMW did with the i8 by showing the world that a legit hybrid could look really, really cool. At the time, there were only Prius type looking hybrids on the road. It was bold and a triumph for a prototype car essentially going into production. I think that should be the story told when looking back on the i8.
Well as your friend I would’ve just told you the car is shit and not worth the money lol. Head turns aren’t more valuable than a more reliable car that’s actually quick 😅
I have had one for 7 years. The fuel pressure sensor was replaced under warranty. Mine didn’t need it but they did it anyway. It has been a wonderful car and as you have discovered, it is plenty quick. Besides, the whole acceleration paradigm has shifted - you have Teslas, Kias and Hyundais beating supercars to 60 now. There is always something quicker, that is not the be-all end-all of a car anyway. I really appreciate the car’s dual personality. It’s a stealth electric cruiser when you are just taking it easy and then you pop it into Sport Mode and it becomes a different car. Most of the naysayers have never driven one so they can badmouth it all they want, I love mine and still look forward to every drive. By the way, I am 73, 6 feet tall and I have no problems getting in and out. You might have better luck getting out by swinging your left leg out first, and then pushing out with your right leg. It’s really not that hard.
I've had mine for ~2 years now and its been bullet proof. Also its not been a garage queen, I've daily driven it for a year. Here in EU where we have much better electricity grid it actually makes sense to charge this vehicle at your home; 2,5 hours and EV battery is full. I've achieved great long term MPG, around 60-70 (2,8L/100km). I can do many of daily stuff with pure EV mode. I like the vehicle much, its unique and nice looking - i8 design is just something else, doesn't get old. There's not many of them around, during 2 years of ownership I've only seen 3-4 other i8's. Getting in and out; place your hand to the door sill and use it as a pivot point. Annual servicing is dirt cheap. Annual tax and insurance also. Vehicle is quick enough, I did not buy the car to race on the streets or highways, I've used the LC-mode against some 2WD vehicles with much more bhp and those all have lost acceleration to 60-70 mph (100-140km/h), which is enough for me. Because of the i8 AWD system + instant electric torque it picks rapidly at the normal speeds. In the Civilized world (EU) one loses his driving licence for 2-3 years if caught on ("heavy") speeding and faces fines up to 5-10-20k (euros), that's makes ppls thinking more and racing less.
0-60 in 2.5, 3.0, or 4.0sec ... is pretty much all the same, when there really is no safe place to really hammer on the quickest of cars. The i8 looks better than any Tesla ever made.
At least you can drive that more than 100k miles without it blowing up and being worth 10% of its original value... so in a way maybe the Camry shoulda been $40k all along. 😂
It is pretty crazy but The more technology the more ECUs the more expensive cars get. I'm going to guess the Camry probably has more than 15 ECUs in there.
I have a i8 roadster as well as several other sports cars. The i8 is the most innovative BMW ever and often misunderstood and underrated. It's a future classic.
can you tell me about the maintenance and reliability? I am looking to get one but with everyone saying it is super expensive and impractical to maintain i am having second thoughts
@@KrypTeK702 So far my, i8 is extremly reliable. I had only the services according to the service plan (in Switzerland covered by BMW for 10 years/100k km). I had not a single tecnical issue or problem at all. I can inly recommend the i8. My best car ever.
They look pretty good! Especially when they are in someone else's garage...lol. No thanks. Give me a fully loaded Camry with a V6 brand new and I'm good.
I got a 2019 BMW i8 coupe with 13K miles for 58K cash OTD with a clean title and still under its CPO warranty. Used that to buy an 4K Platinum extended warranty through BMW for 5 years and 60K additional mile and wrote it off under my business. These cars are fantastic and everyone will stare at you, but make sure to get that warranty incase something goes wrong. Fantastic car if you plan accordingly.
The idea of a BMW with two transmissions is terrifying. That being said, it looks incredible and I’ve never understood the criticism that it is too slow.
I’m surprised how many negative comments people have had that I’ve read. My wife wanted one for fun when she wasn’t taking the kids anywhere in her 550i. I love the thing and actually use it more than my SUV so it’s pretty much a daily driver and I abuse the thing and literally nothing has ever went wrong with it in 75k miles. I’m fifty years old, 200 pound, 6’1”, and can get in and out of it fine so unless you’re really out of shape it’s really a non issue.
I think without a loaded batterie, the power needs to come from the 1.5l 3 zylinder😅. On the german Autobahn it will be hard to stay above 120miles/h for a longer time/distance. On US freeways the gasoline engine should handle the speed while loading the batterie😊
Without question one of the best review videos that I've ever seen. Extremely informative, well articulated, comprehensive, organized, intelligent, entertaining, and helpful. Truly wonderful video and production
I nearly spit my drink over my keyboard when you called the Mini engine reliable. You probably could hear my laugh in the US from over here in Germany. xD
he's not wrong. I had a 2016 F56 (bought new) for 5 years and not once did it ever have an engine issue. I only got rid of it because a coworker at my old job offered me 15k for it. took that and got a GR86 Premium after
My BMW mechanic said "STAY AWAY!" because of electrical issues and other reviews said DON'T own one outside of warranty period. There's a REASON a $146K car depreciates to $50K. My used 1996 M-B SL600 was a $150K car, depreciated to $15K because of maintenance like convertible top struts and defective electrical insulation on the three wiring harnesses.
But that's in 9 years (if you use 2016 as an example), so about 11k per year depreciation... I think all cars with a sticker over 100k would do that - 911s being an exception.. MB S class 550 couple 4matic was 130k in 2016 with options, they are about 35k now..
It is based on luck what you get, cheap or expensive is no matter, except if they(any) make it by your wish. I got(had) much more expensive cars but I was lucky - and do you know what was my luck? Any good cars (german) are only until 1980, later is same as buying plastic toy . They are so ugly that I can't even speak of it.
Bruh your car is 28 years old and still costs 15k? Kept its value well. Most cars lose 99% of their value in 30 years. 1996 30k ford mondeo costs 200€ max in 2024
There is ONE driving around in my town. My neck hurts when it drives by in the other direction. Unfortunately I am a family man without having the funds to keep one of these on the side. I agree with your analysis. Maybe one day...
I have one. I love it. Its economical. Its really fast. It gets a lot of attention. I will not be selling it anytime soon. On autobahn from 100-200 kmh, it is ridiculously quick.
The entrance and egress thing is hysterical: I owned one, and the real problem with exiting is, in tighter parking spots, the door will not be able to go up, resting on the car next to you. You need to open it, rest on the car next to you, drop to the pavement, close the door, and then you can stand up 😂
I bought a 2003 Audi RS6. Amazing vehicle! Little did I know that with the exception of lightbulbs, most everything on the vehicle is bespoke. Repair costs are astronomical. Still… I love it and am happy to have it. My wife daily drives it, that is the hardest part of ownership!
The i8 and Lotus Elise have been my dream cars for 10 years. Unfortunately the i8 was never doable for me because of the price. A year ago I almost picked one up when I saw them dip below 50k but decided to hold off, I am so glad I did because they are depreciating even faster now. I'll probably wait until they get down to a comfortable 35k and then pick one up. Blue exterior white interior is 😍
I had one for about 3 years. The only issue I had was a battery change. It was a daily. Driven about an hour and a half for my regular commute and I put plenty of miles on it before I sold it
@ my wife and I bought a house recently and gave 2 kids with another on the way so it wasn’t fit for my life currently. I absolutely plan on getting another one someday once the family car vehicle is paid off if the market is still good on these
After watching your dad in so many TFL videos, it is good to watch you continue doing these reviews. Great job and fun to watch. Looking forwards to many more.
Love the i8, and was considering buying one two-three years ago. But watch the BMW TH-cam vid of the i8 being assembled in their plant. Everything is so “hidden” and “behind some panel”, maintaining is clearly a nightmare, forget that it’s a low-production run so many parts gotta be astronomical in price…
An old coworker of mine didn't have good luck with this car... drove it out the lot and broke down at the light just a few feet away, the dealer towed it back and supposedly fixed it since it didnt make it out the lot and refused to turn on. So the dealer gave him another new one and a week later it broke down too. It had some type of electrical issue, after that, my coworker wanted nothing to do with the i8 and asked if he can get an M5 instead and luckily the dealer agreed.
It’s okay that people are terrible about actually understanding the numbers involved in the cost of ownership of a vehicle. That’s what makes deals like this happen. They’ll finance their new Subaru that will depreciate just as hard and cost them $1500/yr more in gas and think they’re making a way more frugal decision. Or they’ll keep leasing/buying new German luxury cars because they’re afraid of the possibility of some repair bills. Very logical. People will spend tens of thousands of dollars on a depreciating asset at a 10% interest rate, then thousands a year on insurance and fuel, but think a few grand in repairs is a financial disaster.
Most ppl are like frogs. If the temperature of the water in the pot gets slowly turned up, no problem. But if it's already boiling, major problem! Also, most don't save for a rainy day.
@ which is just further reason why depreciation generally represents a deal. Most of it is because of peace of mind and a general lack of appeal for older things… If you don’t have savings you certainly shouldn’t be buying a BMW.
I remember seeing one of these for the first time in Florida. I was so floored I thought it was like $200,000. you say what you will about used German luxury cars and reliability. this car always looked timelessly beautiful in my opinion.
And when you consider how everyone thinks you "save money on gas." An $8k repair on most cars means a full engine and or trans replacement.... So to think, to "save on gas" you must accept a full engine and tranny swap? Doesn't sound like a feature.
I think it's moreso just the cost associated with lower-run model scarcity like this, not necessarily a BMW tax. Having helped build bespoke packs with very similar specs, even after some very significant discounts we got, they cost $10k each (without labor). And it definitely did not go through the same level of safety validation/verification as the BMW packs do, haha. Those really cheap packs can only afford to be that cheap because they're produced at such a massive scale and are still in production using significantly more cost- and energy-efficient cell chemistry that didn't exist when this car was made.
I’ve had a Rolls Royce Cullinan Black Badge, and plenty of of nice vehicles. I still miss my i8 and will likely get one again soon. It was one of the funnest vehicles I’ve ever driven. Always put a smile on my face and brightened my day.
When I saw that Home Depot have pickups to rent for $20/75 min. I knew right away, no need to buy truck for me! BTW my garage is... Lexus SC430, 2024 Nissan Z!
The 12v battery thing that was mentions is not unique to the i8. Thats every modern BMW and other german cars as well. the car needs to know when its a new battery so it doesn't overcharge what it might get stuck thinking is an old battery.
You mean a person you would actually want to hangout with or something you would like to work with 😂 instead of a robot 🤖 personality and a workhorse who makes his employees/ “friends” work in a windowless bunker, Doug doesn’t actually have friends, only payroll pals!
Water Pump went out 2 times on me before the warranty expired - I bought 2017 in 2019 - - Love BMW but after the warranty, if you do not know an INDY Mechanic get rid of - I have owned 10 BMWs in my LIFE - when they BREAK they BREAK - Had i8 tuned - once tuned totally different car - Def a SLEEPER Loved the CAR but went with NSX after selling with no issues and I actually DRIVE it - With a SUPER CAR - Like a McClaran or MC20 - yes you may can get one at 120k - but can you afford the 500 oil change or 2500 to 12000 Brakes - how about the Insurance - Some things to think about - DEF not worth the 159k but I got mine for 69k in 2019 - So that was worth it - If you can find a COnvertible keep it and hold on to it - Your Video was spot on
Another comment complaining about the “criminal” price of new cars. In 1993, a nicely specced Camry XLE was just over $20k. Run that through an inflation calculator and you get the equivalent of $43k. Your $37k 2025 Camry is CHEAPER, in dollar value, than the Camrys of your youth, not to mention, faster, quieter, safer, and better equipped. The same holds true for just about any mainstream car you can think of. Whether or not your salary has kept pace of inflation is a different story entirely but dollar for dollar the cars are cheaper now than they used to be.
I've owned mine for almost 5 years now and it's been very reliable. Just oil changes and tires. Next service I will need to do brakes and top off the coolant. That's it. Almost 60K miles on the clock. I got it tuned by Alex Myers at Yorkshire DPF Centre and also installed a Pedal Commander. These two things knocked the 0-60 times down to 3.7 seconds, which I have done several times and is dragy verified. Not bad for a 3 cylinder hybrid! (I think the 3.8 second time from Motor Trend mentioned in this video is either inaccurate or BMW gave them a tuned car to test. I also own a McLaren and a tuned W12 Bentley and I assure you the i8 in stock format is not a sub 4 second Car.)
Make sure they fill the coolant correctly. I see reports of needing to pull a vacuum to properly fill the passages. I'd worry that done incorrectly it could lead to overheating and risk engine failure.
This car could have been the logical successor to the M6. But BMW would have had to abandon the hybrid platform and replace the underpowered gasoline engine with something comparable to the V-10 in hp rating. The electric motor range is a joke and a ticking time bomb in terms of replacement cost. Typical BMW over engineered cost disaster. That, along with the hp depravation, is a big part of why the car is not popular among automotive enthusiasts.
@@terryweller1233 Disagree. M8 is a logical successor to the M6 - they went the turbo v8 way just like the others (refused at first - but overall performance is better than e63 etc - even though that n/a v10 gets the best top speed for any bimmers). i8 was just a "parallel" development, ahead of its time - look at the Xm and the new m5 - which is 10 years later (I am not saying I love it, but it is the trend). It was also an "eco" move to have that weird engine setup for the i8. I put over 2k km on an i8 in Germany and was very satisfied with performance (I drive an m550i daily and had several m3s before) - there is no hp. deprivation, 369 hp total and it is relatively light (3,450 lb just like an E46 M3). And it is a niche and expensive car for many enthusiasts (who love to mod cars) - but watch Clarkson pick it over an M3 in one of his shows - that can sum it up, in a way...
@@dens6960As an M6 owner (2008 V-10 coupe with manual transmission making it a fairly rare car) I can assure you the M8 is not a logical successor. The latter being a two door cow with BMW badging-----but will agree it is a nice touring car. The I-8 has the right proportions to fit the M6 mold but whether it could be platformed with M6 performance features is another matter. Unfortunately, BMW designers recent focus on the Chinese marketplace have caused them to completely lose their mind in developing cars that are desirable to the American marketplace as well as the tradition of past generations of BMWs. Real shame-----especially when viewed against such design projects as the I-8.
I've met people who have broken down in brand new 3 days old hybrid and electric Japanese cars and this one is still going after all these years. Not so bad. It appears they had better mastered modern tech back then than today
Looks amazing. I’ve always turned my head when I see one but all the electrical stuff and dual Transmission means a lot of upkeep when Warranty expires but looks AMAZING
B/4 you buy one you better see all the videos of sam crac made going thru hell to fix/ flush the cooling system. There's some thing like 3 water pumps in this car.
Maintenance costs: For a BMW i8 with 80,000 miles, annual maintenance costs can increase due to wear and tear on key components. You might expect to pay around $2,000 to $4,000 per year, depending on the condition of the car and the parts needing attention. Common expenses could include: • Battery system: Hybrid batteries may need inspection or repair, which can be costly if out of warranty. • Tires and brakes: Sports tires and carbon-ceramic brakes (if equipped) are expensive to replace. • Routine services: Oil changes, fluid replacements, and other standard maintenance will still cost $500-$1,000 annually. • Unexpected repairs: Issues with electronics or the drivetrain can be significant due to the car’s complexity.
The i8 is a DESIGN and tech exercise. A great design. I don't think it will appreciate in value. It never was appreciated when new and the whole world kvetches about its problems and compromises. No respect? No collect.
I got one a year ago for 70k with 20k miles, mint condition. I'm very into tech / nerd so I always wanted one, it definitely stands out more than more expensive cars I've owned and it hasn't had any maintenance issues in my time- I get way more looks and compliments on it than like a new X4M comp for example. I'll probably trade it sometime this year for a Gallardo or 570s because I do miss having more power to get more of the driving thrill. I think these cars are worth getting if you just really want one and can budget an extra 10k for potential issues down the road
I love mine. 19 roadster. Impractical as heck but otherwise outstanding and eyepoppingly good looking. 911 targa 4 was my other choice, but for twice the money it wasnt worth it. Not to say it isnt an amazing car, but not 2x the i8. No regrets
Also worth mentioning that the design of the carbon fiber hood means (according to BMW) you need two people to lift it, both sides at the same time. If you try to open the hood on your lonesome, the hood may crack from the uneven pressure.
@PatsGarageOnline oh vastly more issues the MP4 12c is probably one of the most unreliable cars ever built. I'm always shocked when I spot one driving on the roads that it's working
I got into an accident 7 months ago. The person hitting me is an older gentleman driving an midsize SUV onto a Toyota Camry. My Camry is total. He ran through a red light. My guess would be he was distracted like on a cellar phone. Today's vehicles in US are getting bigger and faster. 1 month later, I witness another SUV hit a sedan and flip it like egg tossing in the air and land it on the roof of the car. In summary, becareful out there as a small sedan.
@naufaldihilmi8507 yes i did. Thanks. I always wanted an SUV but on a small scale. I got the Honda CRV for $32k. Now every intersections with traffic light is a horror for me.
I’ve always loved it, actually just tried to buy one but the dealership was too greedy with their monthly payment plan for 2015. If I ever get one I’m pulling the electric motors, batteries, and the 3-cylinder gas motor, and replacing it all with a hi-performance small 4-cylinder gas engine, that will cure all the major issues, then I will upgrade the internet system in the car, these mods should give me a great looking car that’s problem free!
Jen & Mary are not impressed by BMWs, Ferraris and GTRs. They are impressed with a Wrangler or 4Runner carrying a golden retriever and a ruggedly handsome outdoorsy guy.
Meh, you're not my style of presenter but your video's actually really informative, thanks for the time on this. I especially liked you showing the ingress and egress with the back seat as well. It would have been doubly informative if you could have stated your height and weight though. I think it's very good looking though not sure if it's top BMW. I liked the 3.0CS, my E39 M5 (the 1999-2003 model), the first X5 and the E46 M3 (2003-2005 or so). The i8 actually looks even too futuristic for here in Tokyo, almost like a movie prop for something set in 2040. And I dislike sacrificing the ingress/egress for styling, especially when the E39 is trivial to get in/out of and also looks great. But I have to say you put the i8 in my "overlooked classics" folder.
Super cheap or super expensive. I can't do middle of the road with the 3cyl, but it does have 11.6kwh which is fair. 13.6kwh Prius 4cyl and 6.8kwh 918 8cyl is all ya need.
Theres a lime green one at the Rt 46 Delta Gas Station in Fairfield NJ. Its an engine out situation from what the mechanic Told me. He works on my AMG's both mechanically and electronically and is know to rebuild Failed Computers...in house. His name is Mo. He'll tell you exactly why the lime green I8 has been at his shop for so long for. You wont see Mo making any I8 recommendations any time soon.
I enquired with BMW about the i8 when it first came out and received a beautiful (and expensive) brochure in the mail. Unfortunately I could not find a BMW dealer that had one I could test drive. So I instead bought a Tesla Model S P90D (which accelerated much faster, could be test driven, was cheaper and far more practical).
Saw a white-blue BMW i8 on Mallorca two days ago on a supermarket parking lot. My gf liked the looks of that car very much. When I told her it was a three cylinder hybrid her reaction was: "Why would you put a housewife engine in such a car?"
The car is a timeless styling. I’ve seen a few at my dealer over the years. I recall it wasn’t ideal for a tall person. It’s also very light using carbon fiber.
When you father reviewed that car, I was interested. After seeing you try to get in and out, I will stick with my current, much older car for road trips.
@@StevenStGelais this is such an oversimplistic trope. First of all, depreciation is not a math equation where you subtract impending repair bills from the msrp. Second of all, much more goes into depreciation than just reliability. Namely, the target market vs the supply. The market for cars like this overwhelmingly skew towards people who buy new or late model cars. Also, peace of mind factors in. As does a general lack of appeal for anything old. There’s probably a happy medium somewhere, but in general it’s basically always going to be more frugal to buy older than newer. Even if that means buying something 15+ years old. Depreciation and insurance are the biggest killers, not to mention fuel. It’s also very easy to tell the state of an EV’s battery… and they can last way longer than 10 years.
@@noahmcdaniel4920 please enlighten me, what is the lifespan of the lithium battery? Most chemistries of lithium batteries are rated for 10 years. That doesn't mean it won't hold a charge after that, but the capacity at that point is usually 60% of the factory capacity at best. They start becoming unsafe at that point and are more prone to swelling. I'm not ignorant to lithium battery tech. I've replaced my lead acid with an ultra cap up front and got lifepo4 battery in the trunk.
German cars are well known for being unreliable, that's why I will never buy a crappy German car. I just paid 30k OTD for a brand new 2025 gasoline Toyota Corolla LE sedan and I'm super happy!
The low voltage battery needs to be calibrated in the ECM on ALL modern BMWs, actually, so that's not i8 specific. An OBD2 that can do it costs about $300 and is probably worth owning if you have one.
I bought a gen 3 Dodge Viper 2005 47,000 MI has a few Nicks in the paint here and there i mean its 19yrs old but it came with a few mods it has a full exhaust and aftermarket wheels I paid 39k for it in Sept 2024. Its 10 times the car this bmw is its way more reliable it was built very simple so its not constantly breaking down. If your going to spend 45 to 50k i highly suggest you look up 3rd gen viper roadster. Great video though i always thought the I8 looked very cool.
2019 - 2023 Audi e-Trons are similar in price for basically no miles on the odometer....AWD with more utility over a Camry. The 24+ Q8 eTron can be had (used) for under $50K with low miles and larger battery for close to 300 miles of range.
Oh bullshit ! Some can be, but I had a e36 coupe for ten years beside average stuff (tyres servicing and brake pads) mine needed nothing never had a problem except paint but all cars in Australia suffer with paint
Excellent review !! ..... I just like the look of the car and the butterfly doors really set it off. The only problem being is if law enforcement sees anybody trying to get in or out of the vehicle they are going to swear they're intoxicated and most likely harass them 😅 ... The rear seats are there for insurance purposes to make the car more affordable and appealing when it comes to ensuring it. Four seaters will always be cheaper than two seaters in sport cars by insurance standards. BMW doesn't actually expect anybody to sit back there
The maintenance on em is crazy expensive. Luckily i had a factory warranty for mine. Which probably doesn't apply anymore since they're discontinued after 2020 or 21. So yea buying one of these is asking for a headache. But it looks great. 😅
@fastdunn the shape of the wheel directs air in a certain pattern to help with brake cooling. If it's on the wrong side of the car it's working backwards.
Don't forget the tiny gas tank too. I think the biggest issue continues to be the price, or rather the lack of value. A similarly aged M3 blows it away in every conceivable way - except those gorgeous looks.
I checked prices in Thailand and it ranges around 140-220,000$ for 2014-2021 models There's a wooping23 for sale. I guess all of them? But they are priced insanely like every cool looking car. It's also the price for chinese-made Benz cars because german made sport ones like a SLR will set you back a cold million. Used.
Get the Z4 coupe N52 engine from 06-08' is the best bang on the buck if you want a BMW sports car to have fun with a little better than German reliability.
These are 6 to 10 years old. The ones that were taken care of with lower mileage are around 55-66K. You can get a brand new 2024 Corvette for a little more.
In Dubai the cars that I see the most parked on the side of the highway with their hoods up are BMWs and MBs. They are usually 5-7 years old from what I can tell. Owning a used BMW, MB or Porsche is not difficult. What's difficult is maintaining and repairing them. That's where the real money hole is
Paid $4500 for extra warrantee on my 2017 audi s6 twin turbo v8…cost audi $25,000 in repairs in 45,000 miles…in shop 6 times for a total of 2 months over 8 years….but its hair raising quick fast and fun….my mitsubishi montero was 24 years old had 135,000 miles and 4 services but never needed any warrantee work costing only half the price of the audi…theres a lesson here!
Yeah, some of those luxury German cars depreciate fast. A friend of mine purchased a four year old V8 Mercedes back in 2018 ( I forgot what model) that sold for 130,000 new. I think he paid around 40K for it. He drove it for a year and sold it in order to avoid the inevitable costly German repairs. That thing was fast, too!
I don't think I get in any car other than an SUV legs first. Butt first is just so much easier on most cars. Plus even on SUVs it feels like I'll fall over doing it.
Great video
Thanks!
That car is setup to break your wallet
19:32 except the editor forgot to do their job 😂
I've seen one with a LS swap.
@@Some-Guy1127Which COMPLETELY negates what the car is! 😒
Nothing is more expensive than a cheap German luxury car.
Exactly this.
How about a cheap Italian luxury car, Maserati quattroporte
You’re an idiot if you think you can generalize all of them into one category. People who say this are always very ignorant and usually have NO knowledge about cars in general
Costs you a few good cars worth of money to keep it on the road. Lease is the way to go with these cars if you have to have one.
@@Salubrious101 I almost said “European luxury car” lol.
I owned an i8 for three years and enjoyed it very much. Styling is great and enough performance for what I needed at the time; as the video suggests, it was certainly not boring. It turned heads everywhere I went and got nothing but praise and curiosity. Strangely enough, the only times I've seen someone talk bad about them are my friends who own Lambos/Ferraris. I think it was some weird separation complex especially when you consider the vertical doors the i8 has, when in actuality the i8 is not the same class as either of those brands so not sure why they were so concerned lol. I guess insecurities exist in the most unexpected places sometimes. Either way, had zero issues with the car but I cannot comment on long term ownership. Moved on to something more performance orientated now, but the i8 was a great time and backseats with a proper boot made for a great looking daily driver. Overall, I really appreciate what BMW did with the i8 by showing the world that a legit hybrid could look really, really cool. At the time, there were only Prius type looking hybrids on the road. It was bold and a triumph for a prototype car essentially going into production. I think that should be the story told when looking back on the i8.
Well said!😎
I don’t think they are your friends
@@k0j_why, for being honest and stating their opinion about his car?
Well as your friend I would’ve just told you the car is shit and not worth the money lol. Head turns aren’t more valuable than a more reliable car that’s actually quick 😅
@@nickstar1410good thing you don't have any friends
I have had one for 7 years. The fuel pressure sensor was replaced under warranty. Mine didn’t need it but they did it anyway. It has been a wonderful car and as you have discovered, it is plenty quick. Besides, the whole acceleration paradigm has shifted - you have Teslas, Kias and Hyundais beating supercars to 60 now. There is always something quicker, that is not the be-all end-all of a car anyway. I really appreciate the car’s dual personality. It’s a stealth electric cruiser when you are just taking it easy and then you pop it into Sport Mode and it becomes a different car. Most of the naysayers have never driven one so they can badmouth it all they want, I love mine and still look forward to every drive. By the way, I am 73, 6 feet tall and I have no problems getting in and out. You might have better luck getting out by swinging your left leg out first, and then pushing out with your right leg. It’s really not that hard.
Don’t care if others are faster as long as YOU get enjoyment out of your car.
I've had mine for ~2 years now and its been bullet proof. Also its not been a garage queen, I've daily driven it for a year. Here in EU where we have much better electricity grid it actually makes sense to charge this vehicle at your home; 2,5 hours and EV battery is full. I've achieved great long term MPG, around 60-70 (2,8L/100km). I can do many of daily stuff with pure EV mode.
I like the vehicle much, its unique and nice looking - i8 design is just something else, doesn't get old. There's not many of them around, during 2 years of ownership I've only seen 3-4 other i8's. Getting in and out; place your hand to the door sill and use it as a pivot point.
Annual servicing is dirt cheap. Annual tax and insurance also. Vehicle is quick enough, I did not buy the car to race on the streets or highways, I've used the LC-mode against some 2WD vehicles with much more bhp and those all have lost acceleration to 60-70 mph (100-140km/h), which is enough for me. Because of the i8 AWD system + instant electric torque it picks rapidly at the normal speeds.
In the Civilized world (EU) one loses his driving licence for 2-3 years if caught on ("heavy") speeding and faces fines up to 5-10-20k (euros), that's makes ppls thinking more and racing less.
0-60 in 2.5, 3.0, or 4.0sec ... is pretty much all the same, when there really is no safe place to really hammer on the quickest of cars. The i8 looks better than any Tesla ever made.
Right on Grandpa 💪
@@KrustyKlownspeak for yourself I live somewhere where there’s plenty of open roads that have plenty of places to launch it 😊
Apparently, BMW dealerships are refusing to work on them. So that should save you a lot of money lol
😂😂😂
😂😂😎
Uhhh that's a deal breaker lol
Where did you hear that? My local BMW dealer says that’s nonsense.
@@michaelc2254 the ones around here in GA won't do it.
$37k for a Camry is crazy
At least you can drive that more than 100k miles without it blowing up and being worth 10% of its original value... so in a way maybe the Camry shoulda been $40k all along. 😂
@@BabyJesus66Camry should be no more than $30k for a fully loaded one
@nindokwan unless you have a horrible credit score and pay the ridiculous interest
30k for Camry= 35k 10 years later and you can sell it for 18k
45k for German car= 90k in 10 years and you would be lucky to sell it for8k
😂😂🎉
It is pretty crazy but The more technology the more ECUs the more expensive cars get. I'm going to guess the Camry probably has more than 15 ECUs in there.
I have a i8 roadster as well as several other sports cars. The i8 is the most innovative BMW ever and often misunderstood and underrated. It's a future classic.
What you do for a living?
@octanestim4343 I'm cardiologist.
Wonder how much to maintain this in good shape.
can you tell me about the maintenance and reliability? I am looking to get one but with everyone saying it is super expensive and impractical to maintain i am having second thoughts
@@KrypTeK702 So far my, i8 is extremly reliable. I had only the services according to the service plan (in Switzerland covered by BMW for 10 years/100k km). I had not a single tecnical issue or problem at all. I can inly recommend the i8. My best car ever.
I love the look of these. Don’t care that they’re impractical. It’s always cool to see one on the road.
It's cool to see one on the road, not so cool if you're paying the repair bills. Definitely cool to see though lol
I see an i8 on my local roads with the vanity plate STKMRKT. Always makes me smile.
They are always well loved and all I mostly read is good news 😊
What’s impractical about them
They look pretty good! Especially when they are in someone else's garage...lol. No thanks. Give me a fully loaded Camry with a V6 brand new and I'm good.
I got a 2019 BMW i8 coupe with 13K miles for 58K cash OTD with a clean title and still under its CPO warranty. Used that to buy an 4K Platinum extended warranty through BMW for 5 years and 60K additional mile and wrote it off under my business. These cars are fantastic and everyone will stare at you, but make sure to get that warranty incase something goes wrong. Fantastic car if you plan accordingly.
How much is the platinum extended warranty?
@@roland2864 58K. 🤭
😮 You wrote the car off or the extended warranty off under your business?! I wish I knew how to do all this! No one has ever taught me 😢
@dzdhandzcan816 they don't teach you shit like this that you need to know in school. Thank God for algebra and PE though😂
What do you do for work?😭
The idea of a BMW with two transmissions is terrifying. That being said, it looks incredible and I’ve never understood the criticism that it is too slow.
The fact of owning a BMW pass its warranty is even more terrifying.
I’m surprised how many negative comments people have had that I’ve read. My wife wanted one for fun when she wasn’t taking the kids anywhere in her 550i. I love the thing and actually use it more than my SUV so it’s pretty much a daily driver and I abuse the thing and literally nothing has ever went wrong with it in 75k miles. I’m fifty years old, 200 pound, 6’1”, and can get in and out of it fine so unless you’re really out of shape it’s really a non issue.
I think without a loaded batterie, the power needs to come from the 1.5l 3 zylinder😅. On the german Autobahn it will be hard to stay above 120miles/h for a longer time/distance. On US freeways the gasoline engine should handle the speed while loading the batterie😊
@@righteousone1 I own 2 BMWs, 25 year old one and 2008 both have more reliable gearboxes than my modern Ford company car 🤣
@@elijahcarr4137 Ford is the American version of BMW.
Without question one of the best review videos that I've ever seen. Extremely informative, well articulated, comprehensive, organized, intelligent, entertaining, and helpful. Truly wonderful video and production
I nearly spit my drink over my keyboard when you called the Mini engine reliable. You probably could hear my laugh in the US from over here in Germany. xD
he's not wrong. I had a 2016 F56 (bought new) for 5 years and not once did it ever have an engine issue. I only got rid of it because a coworker at my old job offered me 15k for it. took that and got a GR86 Premium after
@@infam0usPn=1
They are very reliable. This is the base motor out of the F56 Mini. You might be thinking of the older motors out of the R series cars.
You must be laughing because your knowledge is dumb. They are actually reliable.
Most people beat on bmws then the next person calls it trash cause it has all these problems. they're not honda you can't beat on them hard.
My BMW mechanic said "STAY AWAY!" because of electrical issues and other reviews said DON'T own one outside of warranty period. There's a REASON a $146K car depreciates to $50K. My used 1996 M-B SL600 was a $150K car, depreciated to $15K because of maintenance like convertible top struts and defective electrical insulation on the three wiring harnesses.
But that's in 9 years (if you use 2016 as an example), so about 11k per year depreciation... I think all cars with a sticker over 100k would do that - 911s being an exception.. MB S class 550 couple 4matic was 130k in 2016 with options, they are about 35k now..
@@dens6960German cars are trash
It is based on luck what you get, cheap or expensive is no matter, except if they(any) make it by your wish. I got(had) much more expensive cars but I was lucky - and do you know what was my luck? Any good cars (german) are only until 1980, later is same as buying plastic toy . They are so ugly that I can't even speak of it.
Bro that’s is cars in general 😂unless your driving something super rare most cars lose value as soon as you drive off the lot
Bruh your car is 28 years old and still costs 15k? Kept its value well. Most cars lose 99% of their value in 30 years. 1996 30k ford mondeo costs 200€ max in 2024
I8 is the purest form of Nerd-core in the automotive world I’m all over it
It's a rolling dumpster on fire.
@@righteousone1 but... but... it has doors that go up 😂
@@BabyJesus66😂 u ain’t right
There is ONE driving around in my town. My neck hurts when it drives by in the other direction. Unfortunately I am a family man without having the funds to keep one of these on the side. I agree with your analysis. Maybe one day...
I have one. I love it. Its economical. Its really fast. It gets a lot of attention. I will not be selling it anytime soon.
On autobahn from 100-200 kmh, it is ridiculously quick.
That car has been an instant classic IMO.
There's the plot hole. You have an autobahn.
I’m looking to add one to my collection, are there certain years and options to look out for?
@marsarmory6236 they had like three colors. White, Grey, Blue.
My Kia is faster, gets more looks, and has double the seats 😅
The entrance and egress thing is hysterical:
I owned one, and the real problem with exiting is, in tighter parking spots, the door will not be able to go up, resting on the car next to you.
You need to open it, rest on the car next to you, drop to the pavement, close the door, and then you can stand up 😂
I bought a 2003 Audi RS6. Amazing vehicle! Little did I know that with the exception of lightbulbs, most everything on the vehicle is bespoke. Repair costs are astronomical. Still… I love it and am happy to have it. My wife daily drives it, that is the hardest part of ownership!
The i8 and Lotus Elise have been my dream cars for 10 years. Unfortunately the i8 was never doable for me because of the price. A year ago I almost picked one up when I saw them dip below 50k but decided to hold off, I am so glad I did because they are depreciating even faster now. I'll probably wait until they get down to a comfortable 35k and then pick one up. Blue exterior white interior is 😍
I saw a black one with a wide body kit and super aggressive wheels. Looked absolutely awesome
I had one for about 3 years. The only issue I had was a battery change. It was a daily. Driven about an hour and a half for my regular commute and I put plenty of miles on it before I sold it
Reason for selling?
@ my wife and I bought a house recently and gave 2 kids with another on the way so it wasn’t fit for my life currently. I absolutely plan on getting another one someday once the family car vehicle is paid off if the market is still good on these
37k is crazy, the closest one to me is $65k
The cheapest low mileage one on Auto Tempest is 42k. Cheapest running one is 36k.
Same. I've looked at a few here in vegas and they're 2-3x what he's talking about.
@@robertspear5506yall are looking in the wrong place..
Channels like this always lie as a form of clickbaiting for views.
I8 is the Plymouth Prowler of Super cars😂
After watching your dad in so many TFL videos, it is good to watch you continue doing these reviews. Great job and fun to watch. Looking forwards to many more.
Love the i8, and was considering buying one two-three years ago. But watch the BMW TH-cam vid of the i8 being assembled in their plant. Everything is so “hidden” and “behind some panel”, maintaining is clearly a nightmare, forget that it’s a low-production run so many parts gotta be astronomical in price…
If you have accident more than 30 km/h ...aluminium parts will brake carbon chassis and car will be totaled....
An old coworker of mine didn't have good luck with this car... drove it out the lot and broke down at the light just a few feet away, the dealer towed it back and supposedly fixed it since it didnt make it out the lot and refused to turn on. So the dealer gave him another new one and a week later it broke down too. It had some type of electrical issue, after that, my coworker wanted nothing to do with the i8 and asked if he can get an M5 instead and luckily the dealer agreed.
It’s okay that people are terrible about actually understanding the numbers involved in the cost of ownership of a vehicle. That’s what makes deals like this happen. They’ll finance their new Subaru that will depreciate just as hard and cost them $1500/yr more in gas and think they’re making a way more frugal decision. Or they’ll keep leasing/buying new German luxury cars because they’re afraid of the possibility of some repair bills. Very logical.
People will spend tens of thousands of dollars on a depreciating asset at a 10% interest rate, then thousands a year on insurance and fuel, but think a few grand in repairs is a financial disaster.
Most ppl are like frogs. If the temperature of the water in the pot gets slowly turned up, no problem. But if it's already boiling, major problem! Also, most don't save for a rainy day.
@ which is just further reason why depreciation generally represents a deal. Most of it is because of peace of mind and a general lack of appeal for older things… If you don’t have savings you certainly shouldn’t be buying a BMW.
It's not always a financial decision. Some people just like cars.
I remember seeing one of these for the first time in Florida. I was so floored I thought it was like $200,000. you say what you will about used German luxury cars and reliability. this car always looked timelessly beautiful in my opinion.
$8k to replace a 15 mile battery is pretty crazy; that’s the BMW tax, as the same money will get you a 100 mile battery in cheaper brands.
And when you consider how everyone thinks you "save money on gas." An $8k repair on most cars means a full engine and or trans replacement.... So to think, to "save on gas" you must accept a full engine and tranny swap? Doesn't sound like a feature.
I think it's moreso just the cost associated with lower-run model scarcity like this, not necessarily a BMW tax. Having helped build bespoke packs with very similar specs, even after some very significant discounts we got, they cost $10k each (without labor). And it definitely did not go through the same level of safety validation/verification as the BMW packs do, haha. Those really cheap packs can only afford to be that cheap because they're produced at such a massive scale and are still in production using significantly more cost- and energy-efficient cell chemistry that didn't exist when this car was made.
I’ve had a Rolls Royce Cullinan Black Badge, and plenty of of nice vehicles. I still miss my i8 and will likely get one again soon. It was one of the funnest vehicles I’ve ever driven. Always put a smile on my face and brightened my day.
Still my dream car. But can't use it for Home Depot runs. Still want it.
When I saw that Home Depot have pickups to rent for $20/75 min. I knew right away, no need to buy truck for me!
BTW my garage is... Lexus SC430, 2024 Nissan Z!
Buy one brokie
Mines too!😎
i've seen someone use a GT3RS for a lumbar run, you can definitely use this for home depot runs lol
Every sports cars problem which is why I’d rather a trackhawk over my car
The 12v battery thing that was mentions is not unique to the i8. Thats every modern BMW and other german cars as well. the car needs to know when its a new battery so it doesn't overcharge what it might get stuck thinking is an old battery.
Man I remember watching the ads for these on youtube back in elementary school, I thought they were the coolest things ever
He’s like a different version of Doug but in a good way
You mean a person you would actually want to hangout with or something you would like to work with 😂 instead of a robot 🤖 personality and a workhorse who makes his employees/ “friends” work in a windowless bunker, Doug doesn’t actually have friends, only payroll pals!
@@BRBNWolfagreed, Doug probably has about 3-4 real friends, this guy prolly has load of people
Yea. Because Doug gives all his "Friends" a Doug Score after each "Hang Out"🤣🤣
is he his son? He looks and sounds alot like him
I love this comment
Water Pump went out 2 times on me before the warranty expired - I bought 2017 in 2019 - - Love BMW but after the warranty, if you do not know an INDY Mechanic get rid of - I have owned 10 BMWs in my LIFE - when they BREAK they BREAK - Had i8 tuned - once tuned totally different car - Def a SLEEPER Loved the CAR but went with NSX after selling with no issues and I actually DRIVE it - With a SUPER CAR - Like a McClaran or MC20 - yes you may can get one at 120k - but can you afford the 500 oil change or 2500 to 12000 Brakes - how about the Insurance - Some things to think about - DEF not worth the 159k but I got mine for 69k in 2019 - So that was worth it - If you can find a COnvertible keep it and hold on to it - Your Video was spot on
The fact that any Toyota Camry is over the price of $31,000 should be a crime
You misspelled $21,000 ... 🤣
Its not a crime if some people would stop buying the cars for those prices....
Another comment complaining about the “criminal” price of new cars. In 1993, a nicely specced Camry XLE was just over $20k. Run that through an inflation calculator and you get the equivalent of $43k. Your $37k 2025 Camry is CHEAPER, in dollar value, than the Camrys of your youth, not to mention, faster, quieter, safer, and better equipped. The same holds true for just about any mainstream car you can think of. Whether or not your salary has kept pace of inflation is a different story entirely but dollar for dollar the cars are cheaper now than they used to be.
I've owned mine for almost 5 years now and it's been very reliable. Just oil changes and tires. Next service I will need to do brakes and top off the coolant. That's it. Almost 60K miles on the clock. I got it tuned by Alex Myers at Yorkshire DPF Centre and also installed a Pedal Commander. These two things knocked the 0-60 times down to 3.7 seconds, which I have done several times and is dragy verified. Not bad for a 3 cylinder hybrid! (I think the 3.8 second time from Motor Trend mentioned in this video is either inaccurate or BMW gave them a tuned car to test. I also own a McLaren and a tuned W12 Bentley and I assure you the i8 in stock format is not a sub 4 second Car.)
Make sure they fill the coolant correctly. I see reports of needing to pull a vacuum to properly fill the passages. I'd worry that done incorrectly it could lead to overheating and risk engine failure.
If BMW sold this with an inline 6 or turbo 6, it would have sold much better.
This car could have been the logical successor to the M6. But BMW would have had to abandon the hybrid platform and replace the underpowered gasoline engine with something comparable to the V-10 in hp rating. The electric motor range is a joke and a ticking time bomb in terms of replacement cost. Typical BMW over engineered cost disaster. That, along with the hp depravation, is a big part of why the car is not popular among automotive enthusiasts.
Maybe once they are cheaper there will be engine and turbo upgrades to these cars .
@@terryweller1233 Disagree. M8 is a logical successor to the M6 - they went the turbo v8 way just like the others (refused at first - but overall performance is better than e63 etc - even though that n/a v10 gets the best top speed for any bimmers). i8 was just a "parallel" development, ahead of its time - look at the Xm and the new m5 - which is 10 years later (I am not saying I love it, but it is the trend). It was also an "eco" move to have that weird engine setup for the i8. I put over 2k km on an i8 in Germany and was very satisfied with performance (I drive an m550i daily and had several m3s before) - there is no hp. deprivation, 369 hp total and it is relatively light (3,450 lb just like an E46 M3). And it is a niche and expensive car for many enthusiasts (who love to mod cars) - but watch Clarkson pick it over an M3 in one of his shows - that can sum it up, in a way...
They do look great…
@@dens6960As an M6 owner (2008 V-10 coupe with manual transmission making it a fairly rare car) I can assure you the M8 is not a logical successor. The latter being a two door cow with BMW badging-----but will agree it is a nice touring car. The I-8 has the right proportions to fit the M6 mold but whether it could be platformed with M6 performance features is another matter. Unfortunately, BMW designers recent focus on the Chinese marketplace have caused them to completely lose their mind in developing cars that are desirable to the American marketplace as well as the tradition of past generations of BMWs. Real shame-----especially when viewed against such design projects as the I-8.
I've met people who have broken down in brand new 3 days old hybrid and electric Japanese cars and this one is still going after all these years. Not so bad. It appears they had better mastered modern tech back then than today
I really want one. Perfect family car
Maybe if you're a strongly pro choice family. 😂
Looks amazing. I’ve always turned my head when I see one but all the electrical stuff and dual Transmission means a lot of upkeep when Warranty expires but looks AMAZING
B/4 you buy one you better see all the videos of sam crac made going thru hell to fix/ flush the cooling system. There's some thing like 3 water pumps in this car.
Exactly
Among other insane things.
Maintenance costs: For a BMW i8 with 80,000 miles, annual maintenance costs can increase due to wear and tear on key components. You might expect to pay around $2,000 to $4,000 per year, depending on the condition of the car and the parts needing attention. Common expenses could include:
• Battery system: Hybrid batteries may need inspection or repair, which can be costly if out of warranty.
• Tires and brakes: Sports tires and carbon-ceramic brakes (if equipped) are expensive to replace.
• Routine services: Oil changes, fluid replacements, and other standard maintenance will still cost $500-$1,000 annually.
• Unexpected repairs: Issues with electronics or the drivetrain can be significant due to the car’s complexity.
The i8 is a DESIGN and tech exercise. A great design. I don't think it will appreciate in value. It never was appreciated when new and the whole world kvetches about its problems and compromises.
No respect? No collect.
Great design? So it's super easy to fix and find parts for?
Love the looks. Am absolutely petrified of the maintenance. Just have had poor luck with BMW's in the past.
Whenever I see a couple in a channel, I subscribe because I love to support the idea of couples working together
I got one a year ago for 70k with 20k miles, mint condition. I'm very into tech / nerd so I always wanted one, it definitely stands out more than more expensive cars I've owned and it hasn't had any maintenance issues in my time- I get way more looks and compliments on it than like a new X4M comp for example. I'll probably trade it sometime this year for a Gallardo or 570s because I do miss having more power to get more of the driving thrill. I think these cars are worth getting if you just really want one and can budget an extra 10k for potential issues down the road
I love mine. 19 roadster. Impractical as heck but otherwise outstanding and eyepoppingly good looking.
911 targa 4 was my other choice, but for twice the money it wasnt worth it. Not to say it isnt an amazing car, but not 2x the i8. No regrets
The roadster is a level up from the coupe
I got a ‘19 Roadster too 😎👍
Also worth mentioning that the design of the carbon fiber hood means (according to BMW) you need two people to lift it, both sides at the same time. If you try to open the hood on your lonesome, the hood may crack from the uneven pressure.
Still is the Only good looking attainable butterfly door coupe on the market . I think the next one after this in price is an MP4 12c
The McLaren has more issues, sadly
@PatsGarageOnline oh vastly more issues the MP4 12c is probably one of the most unreliable cars ever built. I'm always shocked when I spot one driving on the roads that it's working
I got into an accident 7 months ago. The person hitting me is an older gentleman driving an midsize SUV onto a Toyota Camry. My Camry is total. He ran through a red light. My guess would be he was distracted like on a cellar phone. Today's vehicles in US are getting bigger and faster. 1 month later, I witness another SUV hit a sedan and flip it like egg tossing in the air and land it on the roof of the car.
In summary, becareful out there as a small sedan.
Hopefully u got an attorney
@naufaldihilmi8507 yes i did. Thanks. I always wanted an SUV but on a small scale. I got the Honda CRV for $32k. Now every intersections with traffic light is a horror for me.
I’ve always loved it, actually just tried to buy one but the dealership was too greedy with their monthly payment plan for 2015. If I ever get one I’m pulling the electric motors, batteries, and the 3-cylinder gas motor, and replacing it all with a hi-performance small 4-cylinder gas engine, that will cure all the major issues, then I will upgrade the internet system in the car, these mods should give me a great looking car that’s problem free!
The real (unanswered) question is if Jen & Mary would be impressed by a guy who rolls up in an i8.
THis 😂
The depends on his egress.
Jen & Mary are not impressed by BMWs, Ferraris and GTRs. They are impressed with a Wrangler or 4Runner carrying a golden retriever and a ruggedly handsome outdoorsy guy.
@@etaesu83so not this guy?
@@BabyJesus66 😮🤣😎
Meh, you're not my style of presenter but your video's actually really informative, thanks for the time on this. I especially liked you showing the ingress and egress with the back seat as well. It would have been doubly informative if you could have stated your height and weight though. I think it's very good looking though not sure if it's top BMW. I liked the 3.0CS, my E39 M5 (the 1999-2003 model), the first X5 and the E46 M3 (2003-2005 or so). The i8 actually looks even too futuristic for here in Tokyo, almost like a movie prop for something set in 2040. And I dislike sacrificing the ingress/egress for styling, especially when the E39 is trivial to get in/out of and also looks great. But I have to say you put the i8 in my "overlooked classics" folder.
Super cheap or super expensive. I can't do middle of the road with the 3cyl, but it does have 11.6kwh which is fair. 13.6kwh Prius 4cyl and 6.8kwh 918 8cyl is all ya need.
Theres a lime green one at the Rt 46 Delta Gas Station in Fairfield NJ. Its an engine out situation from what the mechanic Told me. He works on my AMG's both mechanically and electronically and is know to rebuild Failed Computers...in house. His name is Mo. He'll tell you exactly why the lime green I8 has been at his shop for so long for. You wont see Mo making any I8 recommendations any time soon.
Lol wow I was just in Fairfield too
Mo knows
I enquired with BMW about the i8 when it first came out and received a beautiful (and expensive) brochure in the mail. Unfortunately I could not find a BMW dealer that had one I could test drive. So I instead bought a Tesla Model S P90D (which accelerated much faster, could be test driven, was cheaper and far more practical).
Saw a white-blue BMW i8 on Mallorca two days ago on a supermarket parking lot. My gf liked the looks of that car very much. When I told her it was a three cylinder hybrid her reaction was: "Why would you put a housewife engine in such a car?"
Your gf should drive one.
Say don't worry, you'll never have one
The car is a timeless styling. I’ve seen a few at my dealer over the years. I recall it wasn’t ideal for a tall person. It’s also very light using carbon fiber.
In my European country the cheapest I've found for sale is 60k USD and they go up from there really easy...
They probably still have service centers that work on them in Europe lol.
@jean3030 Yes EV maintenance specialist shops are easily available
I would do some slight performance mods but either then that, I absolutely love the I8 and I personally would buy one
Its such a beautiful vehicle. I would love to own one!
When you father reviewed that car, I was interested. After seeing you try to get in and out, I will stick with my current, much older car for road trips.
Very expensive repair bills. Reliability? Lol
That's why they are cheap. Over engineered is always more expensive to work on. Not to mention the batteries are shot after 10 years
@@StevenStGelais did you both even watch the video?
@@StevenStGelais this is such an oversimplistic trope.
First of all, depreciation is not a math equation where you subtract impending repair bills from the msrp.
Second of all, much more goes into depreciation than just reliability. Namely, the target market vs the supply. The market for cars like this overwhelmingly skew towards people who buy new or late model cars. Also, peace of mind factors in. As does a general lack of appeal for anything old.
There’s probably a happy medium somewhere, but in general it’s basically always going to be more frugal to buy older than newer. Even if that means buying something 15+ years old. Depreciation and insurance are the biggest killers, not to mention fuel.
It’s also very easy to tell the state of an EV’s battery… and they can last way longer than 10 years.
@@noahmcdaniel4920 please enlighten me, what is the lifespan of the lithium battery? Most chemistries of lithium batteries are rated for 10 years. That doesn't mean it won't hold a charge after that, but the capacity at that point is usually 60% of the factory capacity at best. They start becoming unsafe at that point and are more prone to swelling. I'm not ignorant to lithium battery tech. I've replaced my lead acid with an ultra cap up front and got lifepo4 battery in the trunk.
German cars are well known for being unreliable, that's why I will never buy a crappy German car. I just paid 30k OTD for a brand new 2025 gasoline Toyota Corolla LE sedan and I'm super happy!
My guess is the yearly maintenance cost will be close to the initial cost at this point. My 3 series became a money pit after the warranty expired.
Warranty is key, gotta ditch it once it runs out.
Man servicing that thing is a nightmare
Servicing is easy. When things break, that's the issue.
The low voltage battery needs to be calibrated in the ECM on ALL modern BMWs, actually, so that's not i8 specific. An OBD2 that can do it costs about $300 and is probably worth owning if you have one.
I don't know where they found this below $40k. They're all $60-80k when I look in Colorado.
in Alaska
@@mercator79 Alaska??!! it'll take thousands to ship alone - LOL
I bought a gen 3 Dodge Viper 2005 47,000 MI has a few Nicks in the paint here and there i mean its 19yrs old but it came with a few mods it has a full exhaust and aftermarket wheels I paid 39k for it in Sept 2024. Its 10 times the car this bmw is its way more reliable it was built very simple so its not constantly breaking down. If your going to spend 45 to 50k i highly suggest you look up 3rd gen viper roadster. Great video though i always thought the I8 looked very cool.
The cheapest one in Australia is $75000 USD & that's for a grey Japanese import.
True.
2019 - 2023 Audi e-Trons are similar in price for basically no miles on the odometer....AWD with more utility over a Camry. The 24+ Q8 eTron can be had (used) for under $50K with low miles and larger battery for close to 300 miles of range.
Dude i cant find any BMW i8's for 30k tf u talking? Try like 20k+.
Duuude! Amazing review! You literally answered all of the questions I had on the i8. First time viewer. Just subscribed.
every German car post warranty is a literal ied for any owner's wallet.
Oh bullshit ! Some can be, but I had a e36 coupe for ten years beside average stuff (tyres servicing and brake pads) mine needed nothing never had a problem except paint but all cars in Australia suffer with paint
Older cars tend to be more reliable than these newer cars
You know that average German people own a ton of post warranty German cars, right? It's nowhere near as bad as you make it out to be.
Excellent review !! ..... I just like the look of the car and the butterfly doors really set it off. The only problem being is if law enforcement sees anybody trying to get in or out of the vehicle they are going to swear they're intoxicated and most likely harass them 😅 ... The rear seats are there for insurance purposes to make the car more affordable and appealing when it comes to ensuring it. Four seaters will always be cheaper than two seaters in sport cars by insurance standards. BMW doesn't actually expect anybody to sit back there
very nice but the insurance is very high
2019 roadster and I pay $100/mo and that is after the recent ganking insurance companies graced us all with. Was about 75 before that (Lemonade)
It's not worth much anymore so I doubt it
Full coverage was 1300/yr for me
The maintenance on em is crazy expensive. Luckily i had a factory warranty for mine. Which probably doesn't apply anymore since they're discontinued after 2020 or 21. So yea buying one of these is asking for a headache. But it looks great. 😅
R/F and L/F wheels needs to be swapped
Exactly! This is the number one thing recognized on the i8 forums.
Wow, that doesn't hurt the handling or any performance?
@fastdunn the shape of the wheel directs air in a certain pattern to help with brake cooling. If it's on the wrong side of the car it's working backwards.
Fantastic review and great info. We need more of Mary on camera! Learned a lot, thanks.
In europe these with 100k miles, not full service history, are about $55k. Im still thinking of one, but man, thats a lot of money….
Don't forget the tiny gas tank too.
I think the biggest issue continues to be the price, or rather the lack of value. A similarly aged M3 blows it away in every conceivable way - except those gorgeous looks.
Funny how all the comments who hate it are the people who never actually driven one or probably never seen one......gtfo
Truth
@@PatsGarageOnline The OG i8 owner! lol
Did it's battery go dead?
Stay away I worked at a dealership, this car has so many issues.
I checked prices in Thailand and it ranges around 140-220,000$ for 2014-2021 models There's a wooping23 for sale. I guess all of them? But they are priced insanely like every cool looking car. It's also the price for chinese-made Benz cars because german made sport ones like a SLR will set you back a cold million. Used.
I wouldn’t Touch a 10-year-old + Toyota hybrid car…. LET ALONE 10 year old + BMW HYBRID…. HELL TO THE NO.
My 2001 Prius still runs fine.
With the ORIGINAL hybrid battery cell????
@@ralphlazio505 replaced with an OEM Toyota pack not long before I bought it.
Love the long term review. I’ve always been a fan of the i8, I even considered leasing a new one back in 2015-16.
FYI; something cannot be revolutionary if it didn't change anything. This one changed nothing
As lifetime beemer fan, this is one of the best, if not the best looking beemer ever. I'd love to own one.
nothing's more expensive than a cheap german car
Get the Z4 coupe N52 engine from 06-08' is the best bang on the buck if you want a BMW sports car to have fun with a little better than German reliability.
These are 6 to 10 years old. The ones that were taken care of with lower mileage are around 55-66K. You can get a brand new 2024 Corvette for a little more.
In Dubai the cars that I see the most parked on the side of the highway with their hoods up are BMWs and MBs. They are usually 5-7 years old from what I can tell. Owning a used BMW, MB or Porsche is not difficult. What's difficult is maintaining and repairing them. That's where the real money hole is
Paid $4500 for extra warrantee on my 2017 audi s6 twin turbo v8…cost audi $25,000 in repairs in 45,000 miles…in shop 6 times for a total of 2 months over 8 years….but its hair raising quick fast and fun….my mitsubishi montero was 24 years old had 135,000 miles and 4 services but never needed any warrantee work costing only half the price of the audi…theres a lesson here!
The key move is to get in early, with Adaxum token you can do that
Yeah, some of those luxury German cars depreciate fast. A friend of mine purchased a four year old V8 Mercedes back in 2018 ( I forgot what model) that sold for 130,000 new. I think he paid around 40K for it. He drove it for a year and sold it in order to avoid the inevitable costly German repairs. That thing was fast, too!
I don't think I get in any car other than an SUV legs first. Butt first is just so much easier on most cars. Plus even on SUVs it feels like I'll fall over doing it.
the battery replacement does require telling the ecu that a new battery is in the car, but bmw are not the only ones who can do that
Absolutely look sick but then you hear a 3 cylinder hybrid, front wheel drive...😭 but 0-60 is around 4.8 tho. Which is decent fun
I have the M3 competition, and I can't afford the replacement M4. But this thing looks amazing.
This and the i3 in ionic silver are the closest we have to concept cars on the road until the Cybertruck.