BMW i3 REX - any deals out there for cash buyer ?
Discussion
Hi there,
Took a BMW i3 for a 30 min test drive on Friday, and was quite simply blown away.
Picking another one up on Tuesday for a 48 hour test drive and if all goes well I will be looking to place an order in the next couple of weeks.
Anyone know of any deals out there on these ? Nissan are giving Leaf's away like sweets and I know BMW deals are notoriously thin on the ground but for a cash buyer could I expect to get anything off ?
Any contacts much appreciated.
Regards
Tim
Took a BMW i3 for a 30 min test drive on Friday, and was quite simply blown away.
Picking another one up on Tuesday for a 48 hour test drive and if all goes well I will be looking to place an order in the next couple of weeks.
Anyone know of any deals out there on these ? Nissan are giving Leaf's away like sweets and I know BMW deals are notoriously thin on the ground but for a cash buyer could I expect to get anything off ?
Any contacts much appreciated.
Regards
Tim
Think twice before paying out cash upfront for a i3 or Leaf.
I've just bought a Leaf on PCP, looking at 2-3 year residues, even after just 2 years the Leaf loses 50-60% value. 3 years predicted residues on the i3 is not much better at 34%!!
EVs are still emerging technology, think the current range as the original iPhone, great concept and fab to use, but you know in 12-24 months times there will be improvements in the technology.
I've just bought a Leaf on PCP, looking at 2-3 year residues, even after just 2 years the Leaf loses 50-60% value. 3 years predicted residues on the i3 is not much better at 34%!!
EVs are still emerging technology, think the current range as the original iPhone, great concept and fab to use, but you know in 12-24 months times there will be improvements in the technology.
Hi there,
Will be able to give full impressions on Wednesday after I have driven the car for a couple of days but the one thing that impressed me more than anything else was the petrol engine.
Having driven Toyota Prius and other hybrids and seen the way the petrol engine is used as the main driving engine it was a revelation to me the way BMW have engineered the i3.
The main drive in the i3 is the electric power train, the petrol engine is used purely as a generator to maintain the charge in the battery and not to drive the wheels (so I am told by the dealer anyway). This for me is a completely different way of thinking.
I was not aware of the way it worked until I drove it briefly and had it explained to me.
Regards
Tim
Will be able to give full impressions on Wednesday after I have driven the car for a couple of days but the one thing that impressed me more than anything else was the petrol engine.
Having driven Toyota Prius and other hybrids and seen the way the petrol engine is used as the main driving engine it was a revelation to me the way BMW have engineered the i3.
The main drive in the i3 is the electric power train, the petrol engine is used purely as a generator to maintain the charge in the battery and not to drive the wheels (so I am told by the dealer anyway). This for me is a completely different way of thinking.
I was not aware of the way it worked until I drove it briefly and had it explained to me.
Regards
Tim
autofocus said:
I was not aware of the way it worked until I drove it briefly and had it explained to me.
The Ampera and Outlander PHEV work in pretty much the same way and both have much larger petrol tanks so their 'extended range' is a lot larger but the i3 is more efficient and has a bigger battery so the electric range is significantly larger (the most important bit IMO).I recently drove an i3 purely to see if it was as good as said and compared to Zoe or Leaf its like a hot hatch against a 1.2 Corsa - its a genuinely fast car to about 50 maybe more, no real sacrifice in normal expectation and with a REX no range anxiety. Its acceleration made me smile, 170 BHP is always better than 88!!!
Lovely details inside and I guess a high smile factor, if you have to have a REX its the way to go but if you don't need a REX then its a couple of grand a year more than a leaf (Guess £3.5k a year) and if just used for dirty mileage that's a question you need to ask.
Lovely details inside and I guess a high smile factor, if you have to have a REX its the way to go but if you don't need a REX then its a couple of grand a year more than a leaf (Guess £3.5k a year) and if just used for dirty mileage that's a question you need to ask.
DSLiverpool said:
I recently drove an i3 purely to see if it was as good as said and compared to Zoe or Leaf its like a hot hatch against a 1.2 Corsa - its a genuinely fast car to about 50 maybe more, no real sacrifice in normal expectation and with a REX no range anxiety. Its acceleration made me smile, 170 BHP is always better than 88!!!
Lovely details inside and I guess a high smile factor, if you have to have a REX its the way to go but if you don't need a REX then its a couple of grand a year more than a leaf (Guess £3.5k a year) and if just used for dirty mileage that's a question you need to ask.
The statistics suggest that the i3 lies somewhere been "acceptable" and "slow" as regards acceleration. It has a huge advantage off the line, given the instant maximum torque, but it still registers over 7 seconds to 60mph, which suggests to me that it is pretty glacial above 30mph.Lovely details inside and I guess a high smile factor, if you have to have a REX its the way to go but if you don't need a REX then its a couple of grand a year more than a leaf (Guess £3.5k a year) and if just used for dirty mileage that's a question you need to ask.
I shall end up with an electric car in a few years, by which time they will be ballistic up to about 80 or 100mph!
ORD said:
The statistics suggest that the i3 lies somewhere been "acceptable" and "slow" as regards acceleration. It has a huge advantage off the line, given the instant maximum torque, but it still registers over 7 seconds to 60mph, which suggests to me that it is pretty glacial above 30mph
Not sure what city cars you are used to driving, but the i3 is far from slow. I found it quite fun actually.It also doesn't feel glacial above 30mph.
Of course it isn't a rocket ship, but then it isn't intended to be. Rather it is a well designed, comfortable, nice to drive, nippy city car.
Only big downside from my perspective is the predicted poor/ish 2 and 3 year residuals which makes ownership costs high for the type of car it is.
Suggest you have a test drive, and report back on here your thoughts.
Hi there,
OK day one with the car and it really is a little gem
This one is really well spec'd with it being a demo so has Leather, enhanced Sat Nav, Internet (surfing Pistonheads from the car is certainly an experience), Harman Kardon sound system etc etc. I think it would be around £40k out of the showroom (before the grant)
Only done around 75 miles in it today on a mixture of electric and petrol via the REX. I have tended to use the electric on country roads/pottering in town and then the REX on the M6. Certainly handles it will and pretty much no range anxiety which was the biggest drawback of the Leaf.
Got around 130 miles to do tomorrow and have no on street charging cable (it was stuck in the dealerships machine and they couldn't release it) so will rely on rapid chargers and REX which will be fine.
Will take a few more pics tomorrow.
Regards
Tim
OK day one with the car and it really is a little gem
This one is really well spec'd with it being a demo so has Leather, enhanced Sat Nav, Internet (surfing Pistonheads from the car is certainly an experience), Harman Kardon sound system etc etc. I think it would be around £40k out of the showroom (before the grant)
Only done around 75 miles in it today on a mixture of electric and petrol via the REX. I have tended to use the electric on country roads/pottering in town and then the REX on the M6. Certainly handles it will and pretty much no range anxiety which was the biggest drawback of the Leaf.
Got around 130 miles to do tomorrow and have no on street charging cable (it was stuck in the dealerships machine and they couldn't release it) so will rely on rapid chargers and REX which will be fine.
Will take a few more pics tomorrow.
Regards
Tim
EddieSteadyGo said:
Not sure what city cars you are used to driving, but the i3 is far from slow. I found it quite fun actually.
It also doesn't feel glacial above 30mph.
Of course it isn't a rocket ship, but then it isn't intended to be. Rather it is a well designed, comfortable, nice to drive, nippy city car.
Only big downside from my perspective is the predicted poor/ish 2 and 3 year residuals which makes ownership costs high for the type of car it is.
Suggest you have a test drive, and report back on here your thoughts.
City cars don't cost 35k. It's a premium super mini and has to be judged by those standards. It is not fast at all In that company. It also doesn't feel glacial above 30mph.
Of course it isn't a rocket ship, but then it isn't intended to be. Rather it is a well designed, comfortable, nice to drive, nippy city car.
Only big downside from my perspective is the predicted poor/ish 2 and 3 year residuals which makes ownership costs high for the type of car it is.
Suggest you have a test drive, and report back on here your thoughts.
ORD said:
City cars don't cost 35k. It's a premium super mini and has to be judged by those standards. It is not fast at all In that company.
Which premium super minis are you comparing it to? Also, I don't think it is fast. Nippy would be my description.
Honestly, if you don't like the i3, fair enough. Not sure though if you are just trying to be controversial for the sake of it...
Hi there,
OK lets move the thread back on topic. The i3 is plenty fast enough for me
Charged the i3 overnight, left home this morning with 68 miles of electric charge (and a petrol range of 23 miles)
Headed for Manchester across the hills rather than the motorway due to an accident in Stoke. Arrived with 14 miles of charge left having not used the petrol engine at all. I stopped en route to fill the petrol tank up (£7.20/6.5 litres filled it) just in case. Manchester is 54 miles from the front door for reference
Left the car for most of the day (not on charge as the dealer could not supply a cable for the on street chargers).
Headed back from Manchester with 11 miles of electric range showing. My plan was to stop at Knutsford services and use the rapid charger so use the petrol engine out of Manchester to the M6. Pulled into the services and the charger was not working. Headed back to the dealers using just the petrol engine and got back with 9 miles left on the electric gauge and 40 miles of petrol. This thing is very economical, I am hugely impressed.
Love the way the i3 looks and the doors are mega very easy to live with.
Even found time to surf the net for my favourite site
Probably going to order one quite soon, just need to finalise the spec. The one I borrowed had a list of £42k (before the £5k grant) so a little bit OTT for me.
Regards
Tim
OK lets move the thread back on topic. The i3 is plenty fast enough for me
Charged the i3 overnight, left home this morning with 68 miles of electric charge (and a petrol range of 23 miles)
Headed for Manchester across the hills rather than the motorway due to an accident in Stoke. Arrived with 14 miles of charge left having not used the petrol engine at all. I stopped en route to fill the petrol tank up (£7.20/6.5 litres filled it) just in case. Manchester is 54 miles from the front door for reference
Left the car for most of the day (not on charge as the dealer could not supply a cable for the on street chargers).
Headed back from Manchester with 11 miles of electric range showing. My plan was to stop at Knutsford services and use the rapid charger so use the petrol engine out of Manchester to the M6. Pulled into the services and the charger was not working. Headed back to the dealers using just the petrol engine and got back with 9 miles left on the electric gauge and 40 miles of petrol. This thing is very economical, I am hugely impressed.
Love the way the i3 looks and the doors are mega very easy to live with.
Even found time to surf the net for my favourite site
Probably going to order one quite soon, just need to finalise the spec. The one I borrowed had a list of £42k (before the £5k grant) so a little bit OTT for me.
Regards
Tim
Edited by autofocus on Wednesday 1st April 21:17
Edited by autofocus on Wednesday 1st April 21:24
I'm also seriously considering a REX as a possible next car, hope you dont mind me posting a question I asked on the BMW forum re i3 ownership:
Would be interested to hear any owner reviews from Pistonheads members now that the car has been on sale for a year or so - see there has been a few topics in the past on here about ordering and a lot of comments following the first drive however not a lot on actual ownership experience. I have had a short test drive in one and really enjoyed it (apart from the tyre drone at motorway speeds) however I'm sure a lot of the enjoyment was from the novelty value of being in an electric car - once that has worn off (assuming it does) are you left with an enjoyable everyday car (ignoring any range anxiety / charging or depreciation issues)
Re the original posters question of discounts, I didn't go into detailed discussions with the Salesman but he stated that all i3 purchases go though BMW i therefore implying the dealers have no scope to offer cash buyer incentives. Also stated that the lead time for a built to order one is approx. 6 months.
Would be interested to hear any owner reviews from Pistonheads members now that the car has been on sale for a year or so - see there has been a few topics in the past on here about ordering and a lot of comments following the first drive however not a lot on actual ownership experience. I have had a short test drive in one and really enjoyed it (apart from the tyre drone at motorway speeds) however I'm sure a lot of the enjoyment was from the novelty value of being in an electric car - once that has worn off (assuming it does) are you left with an enjoyable everyday car (ignoring any range anxiety / charging or depreciation issues)
Re the original posters question of discounts, I didn't go into detailed discussions with the Salesman but he stated that all i3 purchases go though BMW i therefore implying the dealers have no scope to offer cash buyer incentives. Also stated that the lead time for a built to order one is approx. 6 months.
I am also considering an i3 and tested one this week
Park lane told me 12 weeks from order for a new one
The annoying thing is s 3yr lease on a used car is hardly any different than the monthly cost of a new one
I really want an i3 because it's fun to hoon round London in silent comfort and it's perfect for my 5-6 mile commute
However the monthly cost of £360 after a £9k ish deposit is clearly miles more expensive than a Leaf or Zoe... BMW PCP
is based on 8.7% apr vs zero on the others..
So got to really really want an i3 to make it stack up
Park lane told me 12 weeks from order for a new one
The annoying thing is s 3yr lease on a used car is hardly any different than the monthly cost of a new one
I really want an i3 because it's fun to hoon round London in silent comfort and it's perfect for my 5-6 mile commute
However the monthly cost of £360 after a £9k ish deposit is clearly miles more expensive than a Leaf or Zoe... BMW PCP
is based on 8.7% apr vs zero on the others..
So got to really really want an i3 to make it stack up
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