So who's getting an i3?

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Discussion

oop north

1,595 posts

128 months

Wednesday 18th November 2015
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Just had the electrician round yesterday - need 50m of cable for the charger to go into where I need it! Once I get timescales for that to happen I will be ordering one (or buying an ex demo, not sure which)

oop north

1,595 posts

128 months

Tuesday 24th November 2015
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i3 Rex about to be ordered (provided my company passes the credit check) - black with sport pack (429s, solar prot glass, harman kardon, led lights) pro nav sunroof, park assist, dc rapid charge and suite interior (leather)

Coming in around two weeks I think but not fixed yet

trowelhead

1,867 posts

121 months

Friday 27th November 2015
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oop north said:
i3 Rex about to be ordered (provided my company passes the credit check) - black with sport pack (429s, solar prot glass, harman kardon, led lights) pro nav sunroof, park assist, dc rapid charge and suite interior (leather)

Coming in around two weeks I think but not fixed yet
Nice one, good spec too wink

Picking mine up on Monday! Very fast on the build and delivery.

The sport pack was perfect timing, had most of the stuff i wanted.

Post up some pics when you get it - there are not too many pics online of the new black colour!

oop north

1,595 posts

128 months

Saturday 28th November 2015
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Emailed the signed order form Thursday evening to the leasing broker. Estimated delivery 15.12 but not confirmed yet - last I heard it was still in Germany waiting to travel. Will put up a picture when I get it - didn't really want black but for the spec I wanted that was the only way I could get it - and at a great price

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

198 months

Saturday 28th November 2015
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Been reading that an updated i3 is coming which will increase EV only to 120miles!! It's also retro fit to existing car - the first bit is great news but at long last we have common sense from makers rather than build in obsolescence you get the ability to upgrade old model car to same spec as latest.


Really impressed.

I'd say a Rex and the updated battery/software makes it a cracking buy. Faster than an M4 to 40/50mph which is fun then zero running costs for nearly every commuter.


How good does the engine sound on the Rex? Rough or really good to rev out?

JonnyVTEC

3,005 posts

175 months

Saturday 28th November 2015
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Rev out? It's a generator isn't it just runs at constantly speed making electricity!

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

198 months

Saturday 28th November 2015
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JonnyVTEC said:
Rev out? It's a generator isn't it just runs at constantly speed making electricity!
Oh I didn't realise that - so in theory if you had a fuel tank large enough then you could keep going indefinitely.

If your on the M way doing 70mph at steady state and the engine is running what mpg does that achieve? Is the engine running under full load to get the battery charged up asap?

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

198 months

Saturday 28th November 2015
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On the old i3 Rex with its 72mile battery.

If you had the fuel tank full and battery fully charged in assuming you'd get 72odd miles from the battery BUT when the engine kicks in how long/more range does that add if you went until that ran out of fuel?

cheerfulcharlie

122 posts

180 months

Saturday 28th November 2015
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Had the test drive today and was hooked as I suspected. Random questions I have thought of.

Does anyone use the standard 13A socket to charge overnight and have you had any problems taking that approach ?
Has anyone managed to get any discount off the price
The car I drove had standard nav - I've had professional nav in a 3 series before and understand how good it is - but as the i3 would be used mainly around local roads - is there anything I would miss by not having it ?
Does anyone have the standard interior and does it look Ok.

I was quoted 8/10 weeks for delivery - is that realistic ?

P.S. Thanks for all the previous 70 pages - lots of useful info

oop north

1,595 posts

128 months

Sunday 29th November 2015
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In my opinion the base interior is fine - I would have had that happily but the stock car meant I didn't have the choice

Best thing is to go onto the Facebook bmw i3 uk group and ask questions there - very friendly and helpful bunch (quite a high volume of traffic)

Based on what I have learned from there, no discounts generally available (though there is currently support on the sport package) mpg obtained on the Rex is roughly 40, though on motorway it could be less (your mileage may vary, as they say), some owners are using regular extension leads but that will put a strain on that could lead to problems (chargers are heavily subsidised, though you might need to pay for more wiring than standard), there are tales of the Rex not being able to hold charge at motorway speeds but some owners say it's fine (up hill in winter weather at 70 I think it won't). I think the Rex brings charge equivalent to a full battery - so combined range 150-Ish.

Here is what the configurator says my car will look like:


Welshbeef

49,633 posts

198 months

Sunday 29th November 2015
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40mpg for the Rex when engine running? That's very poor for an engine that is simply running at constant rpm and also being only 0.6ltr.

None the less that means total range of then new i3 Rex will be 200/beyond miles.

cheerfulcharlie

122 posts

180 months

Sunday 29th November 2015
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If I ordered one (apart from the wheels) thats what mine would look like. Think they look really smart in the new Black colour. Will probably wait and see what happens with this new battery story before I make a decision.

Welshbeef

49,633 posts

198 months

Sunday 29th November 2015
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cheerfulcharlie said:
If I ordered one (apart from the wheels) thats what mine would look like. Think they look really smart in the new Black colour. Will probably wait and see what happens with this new battery story before I make a decision.
New battery is retro fit - clearly at a cost so would make sense to hold fire

oop north

1,595 posts

128 months

Sunday 29th November 2015
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Welshbeef said:
40mpg for the Rex when engine running? That's very poor for an engine that is simply running at constant rpm and also being only 0.6ltr.

None the less that means total range of then new i3 Rex will be 200/beyond miles.
Some people have quite nearer 50 mpg but measuring is a bit imprecise - not like you can turn the battery off to brim and check

mids

1,505 posts

258 months

Sunday 29th November 2015
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cheerfulcharlie said:
Does anyone use the standard 13A socket to charge overnight and have you had any problems taking that approach ?
Yep. I've been charging that way every night since March 2014. No problems so long as you have enough time to get the slower charge complete (but most people sleep longer than it takes to charge from empty anyway).

trowelhead

1,867 posts

121 months

Monday 30th November 2015
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cheerfulcharlie said:
The car I drove had standard nav - I've had professional nav in a 3 series before and understand how good it is - but as the i3 would be used mainly around local roads - is there anything I would miss by not having it ?
It would probably be fine, but the pro nav screen is very good. In such a high tech car, a big high def screen in the middle for all the media etc is nice

cheerfulcharlie said:
Does anyone have the standard interior and does it look Ok.
I test drove one with the standard interior - yes it's fine but the leather interior with wood dash is much nicer and really sets the car off imo - makes it a bit more special feeling (leather stitched dash, eucalyptus wood dash - rather than plastics)

cheerfulcharlie said:
I was quoted 8/10 weeks for delivery - is that realistic ?
Mine was 4 weeks, not sure why it was so quick but from reading around 8 weeks seems realistic.






Welshbeef

49,633 posts

198 months

Monday 30th November 2015
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Given the cost of the car not adding in leather is an oversight - the hard wearing ability and added bonus of wipe clean ticks the box for me

cheerfulcharlie

122 posts

180 months

Monday 30th November 2015
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Welshbeef said:
Given the cost of the car not adding in leather is an oversight - the hard wearing ability and added bonus of wipe clean ticks the box for me
I hardly think £2k can be called an oversight. Makes an expensive car even dearer. I think the cloth interiors suit its 'eco' image much better.

Had a lease quote today for 3+23 @ £350 for a base spec BEV (which wasn't what I asked for) - but as a starting point does that seem too high compared to what others have been getting ?

trowelhead

1,867 posts

121 months

Monday 30th November 2015
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cheerfulcharlie said:
Had a lease quote today for 3+23 @ £350 for a base spec BEV (which wasn't what I asked for) - but as a starting point does that seem too high compared to what others have been getting ?
Try fleetdrive electric, unless your milage is very high then that seems expensive. Once you have a quote from them (they were cheapest for me) then pretty much all the BMW dealers will be happy to match it also...

http://www.fleetdrive-electric.com/blog/vehicle/bm...

cheerfulcharlie

122 posts

180 months

Monday 30th November 2015
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OK thanks I will give them a try. The quote I had was based on 8000 miles per yr so no, not that high.