BMW i8 - 12 months on - owner feedback?
Discussion
Now that the i8 has been around for over 12 months I wondered if there are any long term owners on here that could share their ownership experience with us?
The initial premiums seem to be dying down and I have seen some early i8s for around £85k which is a good £25k down in depreciation! Pity those who paid a premium for theirs
The initial premiums seem to be dying down and I have seen some early i8s for around £85k which is a good £25k down in depreciation! Pity those who paid a premium for theirs
I had a 1st car which i paid a premium for and also sold for a premium whilst mine was being built. So lost barely nothing on it.
So I had two i8's so far.
I can't see another car out there that i would like more.
It does everything I want: ultra comfortable and totally silent when around town. I charge it for small trips and get 400 miles+ out of every tank. Bearing in mind that a full tank is £40.
On the road it is very sharp in handling terms and although the sound is synthesised, it is really good to put you in the mood.
It truly is one of the first multi purpose sportscar.
It is extremely well screwed together.
In short, i love it.
So I had two i8's so far.
I can't see another car out there that i would like more.
It does everything I want: ultra comfortable and totally silent when around town. I charge it for small trips and get 400 miles+ out of every tank. Bearing in mind that a full tank is £40.
On the road it is very sharp in handling terms and although the sound is synthesised, it is really good to put you in the mood.
It truly is one of the first multi purpose sportscar.
It is extremely well screwed together.
In short, i love it.
Mine arrived last weekend delivered direct to my detailer - miserable BMW dealer supplied the car with a discharged power pack and just under a half a tank of fuel; wouldn't mind, but it cost less than £40.00 to fully brim it once the low fuel indication came on.
Question - what's the general consensus regarding Super or regular unleaded fuel?
Inside the fuel flap (once I got the thing open), does say 98 octane, so it got filled with Shell Vmax; would it make a difference?
It's on cars like this that a dealer handover would have helpful - rather than the standard RTFM !
Thanks in anticipation
Graham
Question - what's the general consensus regarding Super or regular unleaded fuel?
Inside the fuel flap (once I got the thing open), does say 98 octane, so it got filled with Shell Vmax; would it make a difference?
It's on cars like this that a dealer handover would have helpful - rather than the standard RTFM !
Thanks in anticipation
Graham
Pretty sure the owners handbook permits even the European watered down 95 (is it called 85/15 or something ?) - many techniques hints tips etc seem to be in the mobile phone handbook but not in the paper version with even more in the mobile phone app
Some dealers offer a second handover after a couple of months to help increase familiarity with the systems
Some dealers offer a second handover after a couple of months to help increase familiarity with the systems
Edited by johnnyreggae on Thursday 1st October 06:52
Edited by johnnyreggae on Thursday 1st October 06:58
GrahamPM said:
Mine arrived last weekend delivered direct to my detailer - miserable BMW dealer supplied the car with a discharged power pack and just under a half a tank of fuel; wouldn't mind, but it cost less than £40.00 to fully brim it once the low fuel indication came on.
Question - what's the general consensus regarding Super or regular unleaded fuel?
Inside the fuel flap (once I got the thing open), does say 98 octane, so it got filled with Shell Vmax; would it make a difference?
It's on cars like this that a dealer handover would have helpful - rather than the standard RTFM !
Thanks in anticipation
Graham
Poor form from the dealer. Name and shame!Question - what's the general consensus regarding Super or regular unleaded fuel?
Inside the fuel flap (once I got the thing open), does say 98 octane, so it got filled with Shell Vmax; would it make a difference?
It's on cars like this that a dealer handover would have helpful - rather than the standard RTFM !
Thanks in anticipation
Graham
I would stick to 98. The engine is quite highly tuned. I am sure it would take 95 but like most modern engines, the ECU would probably tune performance down to avoid potential damage.
Someone mentioned rear space. We actually travelled short distances with 2 small adults in the back and front seats fwd. Not ideal but it can work.
When two adults travel with luggage, fill the boot with soft bags (nothing heat sensitive!) and also use soft bags for rear seats.
This car is very much like a modern 911 in terms of seating and space (i should know, i had a few).
Really a poor show from all dealers - having done on-line enquirers with Williams, Haliwell-Jones, Knights & Sytners only one dealer followed up promptly and I ordered the car from him. Unfortunately the interest level dropped off once I'd ordered the car and they realised i wanted to buy the car rather than contract hire or lease - less commission?
I bought 2 Fiat 500's for my daughters last year and had better service from Lookers!
I'm sure if Frank was still in charge - they'd be more attentive! (Not Williams!!)
Graham
I bought 2 Fiat 500's for my daughters last year and had better service from Lookers!
I'm sure if Frank was still in charge - they'd be more attentive! (Not Williams!!)
Graham
Funny you say that, I went along to a Berry's in West London (near Brentford), lovely salesman, very attentive and educated me on all parts of the i8 including the technology and history behind it. However when he registered me on their i8 mainframe so to speak, no one has called in nearly 2 weeks.
I have since picked up an R8 but genuinely wished to purchase an i8. Luckily since then they seem to have dropped circa £5k for the cheapest private car so I may just pick up one of those instead of a VAT qualifying one at circa £90-£100k.
I have since picked up an R8 but genuinely wished to purchase an i8. Luckily since then they seem to have dropped circa £5k for the cheapest private car so I may just pick up one of those instead of a VAT qualifying one at circa £90-£100k.
Also - howmanyleft lists more than 700 i8s registered this year. Looking at previous sought after bmws that doesn't fill me with confidence on the long term residuals. M coupes hit around 600 in total in a non limited multi year run and the i8 has already exceeded that with probably a long production run ahead.
I'm not looking for a depreciation buster, but I've seen more R8 GTS on the road than i8s so far and there are only 33 R8 GTS in the country allegedly. Something doesn't add up here...
I'm not looking for a depreciation buster, but I've seen more R8 GTS on the road than i8s so far and there are only 33 R8 GTS in the country allegedly. Something doesn't add up here...
johnnyreggae said:
there are realistically very few 2014 genuine customer cars and maybe only a couple of hundred 2015
Shows what I know with nearly 850 in total on howmanyleft more or less at the date of that post.......Never believe what a dealer tells you !
Wonder where they all are
johnnyreggae said:
Shows what I know with nearly 850 in total on howmanyleft more or less at the date of that post.......
Never believe what a dealer tells you !
Wonder where they all are
Kind of what I'm thinking they seem to be rare on the road. Something doesn't add up, but the figures from other sources suggest that there are more than 600 in the UK....Never believe what a dealer tells you !
Wonder where they all are
Mrs_t is seriously negotiating on one right now - would make a great daily driver instead of a gas guzzler and it's a very pretty thing and drives brilliantly...
Finance wise BMW are prepared to guarantee the future value at only 50k after 3 years - which for a 110k car doesn't seem that confident. This isn't going to be a 1M depreciation wise. Still it's a cool car and it's only money I guess...
I'm really enjoying mine - haven't tried an Iso fix in the back of mine yet!
I think the £20k first year drop is probably reflected in the 'company purchase' corporation tax claw back available on a new car rather than individual doing a private purchase.
It's a rare car - and if they have made / registered that many, where are they being hidden? I've only seen a handful on the roads over the past 12 months. The i8 does attract a lot of attention - maybe more so in the bright blue or pearl white, and so far, all positive! Even had thumbs up from a cyclist!!
Graham
I think the £20k first year drop is probably reflected in the 'company purchase' corporation tax claw back available on a new car rather than individual doing a private purchase.
It's a rare car - and if they have made / registered that many, where are they being hidden? I've only seen a handful on the roads over the past 12 months. The i8 does attract a lot of attention - maybe more so in the bright blue or pearl white, and so far, all positive! Even had thumbs up from a cyclist!!
Graham
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