BMW i8 - 12 months on - owner feedback?
Discussion
K2MDL said:
Okay guys, convince me. I have a PORSCHE 991 911 C2S and looking at an i8 am I nuts? Took one for a short test drive in the rain. Not a good idea. I was impressed however, not as much as a drive in a Tesla P85D but I don't want a huge saloon.
Not sure the performance will be enough for me, I'm not a track day star, just a lover of nice cars that drive well. Worried about residuals, maybe the PORSCHE will be worth more over the same period. As a hybrid can I put through the company and claim VAT back?
Appreciate any replies from owners, email or here. Thanks!
Im the same as you, I own a very nice 991 C2S PDK and test drove a i8. The i8 was quick enough around town and quite nice to drive but just lacked the power after 70 mph. If you are thinking about buying new you are going to take a 20k bath on it in the first year. You can only claim back some of the VAT, you will pay BIK (lower rate as some said) but you can fully depreciate it in one year. Not sure the performance will be enough for me, I'm not a track day star, just a lover of nice cars that drive well. Worried about residuals, maybe the PORSCHE will be worth more over the same period. As a hybrid can I put through the company and claim VAT back?
Appreciate any replies from owners, email or here. Thanks!
Stick to the 911, its a better car in almost every way.
100% tax relief is great in the short term but when you sell the car you have a tax liability on the sale price of the vehicle or the true market value if you sell it cheap. 18% should cover depreciation so you don't lose out over the ownership period of the car compared to buying new when it comes to tax relief. Doesn't matter if you buy new or used, you only effectively get tax relief on the depreciation in the long term.
Tesla came back to me today offering a pretty much perfect spec car with 7k miles at just £8k under the price of the vehicle new. The deal isnt worth considering so Tesla is off the radar.
BMW are still hoping to sort an I8 for the weekend for me, fingers crossed. Im also going to see one of our suppliers tomorrow who has started buying ex development cars from Lotus. He has a couple of LHD Exiges at what seem to be great prices so the second EV idea might go out the window. Ive always wanted an Exige and these are the supercharged S verions with trick gearboxes. They're cheap enough to be a no brainer on the surface.
Tesla came back to me today offering a pretty much perfect spec car with 7k miles at just £8k under the price of the vehicle new. The deal isnt worth considering so Tesla is off the radar.
BMW are still hoping to sort an I8 for the weekend for me, fingers crossed. Im also going to see one of our suppliers tomorrow who has started buying ex development cars from Lotus. He has a couple of LHD Exiges at what seem to be great prices so the second EV idea might go out the window. Ive always wanted an Exige and these are the supercharged S verions with trick gearboxes. They're cheap enough to be a no brainer on the surface.
mr_tony said:
Don't drive the FF - you won't be able to resist
I fully expect that to be the case so Im staying away. For now TheBMWDriver said:
Im the same as you, I own a very nice 991 C2S PDK and test drove a i8. The i8 was quick enough around town and quite nice to drive but just lacked the power after 70 mph. If you are thinking about buying new you are going to take a 20k bath on it in the first year. You can only claim back some of the VAT, you will pay BIK (lower rate as some said) but you can fully depreciate it in one year.
Stick to the 911, its a better car in almost every way.
Thanks for that. You are the first to actually come out and say that! I love my 991 C2S also and having had at least 14 porkers over the years, yes it would be nice to get a totally different car, but I can't help feeling that the engine behind my ears in the i8 should be a 2 or 3 ltr straight six, not a didly little 3 pot 1.5. That's probably why above 70mph it starts getting eclipsed. Stick to the 911, its a better car in almost every way.
I did have a drive in a 1 year old Porsche 991 Turbo S, but a. they are a lot more money and b. it is identical (even down to the colour) of my current C2S. Just totally mental performance however but in every day use I think the i8 would give me more accessible push without ending up doing ballistic speeds.
Trying to get a day drive for an i8 then hopefully make my mind up.
At the risk of using a Chris Harris cliche... the i8 is just a brand new thing. It's different in character to the 911. I do love it, though my good lady wife is monopolising the driving at present as she should as it's her purchase.
IFyou watch the reviews you'll only see the more hardened journalists (like Harris) point out that the handling at the limit is less exciting than that a 911 can delivery. I think you'd just have to ask yourself if that is an issue or not. IF you don't regularly get your 911 out of shape on the public highway, then the i8 will almost certainly give you all you want dynamically, its really very very capable.
Overall you should just ask yourself what kind of driving you're buying it for. IF it's a daily driver, then I would say that it's a great prospect as a replacement. If it's replacing a car used solely as a sunday morning driver for blasting down the back lanes, then maybe less so. However if it's a daily are the doors going to work for you? They don't need much room, but if you park a lot in public carparks or a tight office car park it might get annoying quite quickly.
The only way to know is to go test one. It won't feel slow vs the 911 - off the line it launches very very well, it wold be a well driven 4wd supercar that keeps up for the first 50 yards..
IFyou watch the reviews you'll only see the more hardened journalists (like Harris) point out that the handling at the limit is less exciting than that a 911 can delivery. I think you'd just have to ask yourself if that is an issue or not. IF you don't regularly get your 911 out of shape on the public highway, then the i8 will almost certainly give you all you want dynamically, its really very very capable.
Overall you should just ask yourself what kind of driving you're buying it for. IF it's a daily driver, then I would say that it's a great prospect as a replacement. If it's replacing a car used solely as a sunday morning driver for blasting down the back lanes, then maybe less so. However if it's a daily are the doors going to work for you? They don't need much room, but if you park a lot in public carparks or a tight office car park it might get annoying quite quickly.
The only way to know is to go test one. It won't feel slow vs the 911 - off the line it launches very very well, it wold be a well driven 4wd supercar that keeps up for the first 50 yards..
BMW dropped one off for us this morning to try for the weekend. Took it out for a drive today in wet and miserable conditions. 6 degrees and rain along twisty tight country road with multiple dips and rises. First impressions are positive to say the least. Its quick, rides well, handles well and is planted. I wasn't hanging around and it was extremely surefooted in the poor conditions. The ride quality is excellent in normal driving mode and is more than acceptable in sports mode. It drives like a small car, extremely nimble and on its toes and very easy to drive. The seats are fantastic.
The only real downside (other than the lack of luggage space) is parking. The scissor doors swing to the white line either side of the car if you park centrally in a spot so if you get someone park on or over the white line next to you then you cant open the door. If a car does that on both sides of you then you simply wont be able to get in until they come back and move their car. We parked today, I looked out of the drivers window then the passenger window and thought nope, this isnt happening and had to drive off searching for a more suitable parking spot. We ended up in a completely different car park. You need an end parking spot so you can give yourself loads of room and ensure you cant get boxed in with cars either side. Thats a big problem for me.
Still, its a very tempting proposition.
The only real downside (other than the lack of luggage space) is parking. The scissor doors swing to the white line either side of the car if you park centrally in a spot so if you get someone park on or over the white line next to you then you cant open the door. If a car does that on both sides of you then you simply wont be able to get in until they come back and move their car. We parked today, I looked out of the drivers window then the passenger window and thought nope, this isnt happening and had to drive off searching for a more suitable parking spot. We ended up in a completely different car park. You need an end parking spot so you can give yourself loads of room and ensure you cant get boxed in with cars either side. Thats a big problem for me.
Still, its a very tempting proposition.
I had 911's in all guises for years: S, RS, Turbo, Turbo S. I have to wholeheartedly disagree.
The i8 lacks the ultimate performance of the 991 c2s but beats it for torque, comfort, economy, looks (in my book), general modernity. The i8 covers a much broader span of useability than the porsche.
Stick to the 911, its a better car in almost every way.
The i8 lacks the ultimate performance of the 991 c2s but beats it for torque, comfort, economy, looks (in my book), general modernity. The i8 covers a much broader span of useability than the porsche.
TheBMWDriver said:
K2MDL said:
Okay guys, convince me. I have a PORSCHE 991 911 C2S and looking at an i8 am I nuts? Took one for a short test drive in the rain. Not a good idea. I was impressed however, not as much as a drive in a Tesla P85D but I don't want a huge saloon.
Not sure the performance will be enough for me, I'm not a track day star, just a lover of nice cars that drive well. Worried about residuals, maybe the PORSCHE will be worth more over the same period. As a hybrid can I put through the company and claim VAT back?
Appreciate any replies from owners, email or here. Thanks!
Im the same as you, I own a very nice 991 C2S PDK and test drove a i8. The i8 was quick enough around town and quite nice to drive but just lacked the power after 70 mph. If you are thinking about buying new you are going to take a 20k bath on it in the first year. You can only claim back some of the VAT, you will pay BIK (lower rate as some said) but you can fully depreciate it in one year. Not sure the performance will be enough for me, I'm not a track day star, just a lover of nice cars that drive well. Worried about residuals, maybe the PORSCHE will be worth more over the same period. As a hybrid can I put through the company and claim VAT back?
Appreciate any replies from owners, email or here. Thanks!
Stick to the 911, its a better car in almost every way.
Hi...i had a very brief test drive in an i8 ,,and i found the doors a big issue...on the passenger side there was already foot marks on the dash where people had been getting in ,, and when i entered on the drivers side ...well i dont really know how to describe my effort.... a falling twisting motion ....which left my legs outside the car...i then struggled to pull them in behind the wheel....in my elise i could at least use the door for support ..
is there an easier way or should i book some yoga classes?
apart from that i was really impressed with the electric power ,,not especially quiet due to road noise through the tyres ,wind noise was more noticeable than i would expect on a brand new car...seemed to be the doors sucking out at around 70mph, is this normal or just poor adjustment?
i would really like to pull the trigger and order one...but it just hasnt blown me away like the first drive in an elise or 911
maybe a 2nd longer test drive is needed ,but it seems 10 miles is all i am allowed from the dealers!!
is there an easier way or should i book some yoga classes?
apart from that i was really impressed with the electric power ,,not especially quiet due to road noise through the tyres ,wind noise was more noticeable than i would expect on a brand new car...seemed to be the doors sucking out at around 70mph, is this normal or just poor adjustment?
i would really like to pull the trigger and order one...but it just hasnt blown me away like the first drive in an elise or 911
maybe a 2nd longer test drive is needed ,but it seems 10 miles is all i am allowed from the dealers!!
Sounds badly adjusted. There isn't much noise, but having a carbon tub and being lightweight it's not going to be a rolls...
As for the doors, I'm 6'2" and not thin, but I find it ok - and that's with child seats in the back.
The only compromise with doors as others have said is you need to watch where you park - but I don't find that an issue. Spent the whole day in outs for the first time yesterday having prized the keys off Mrs t and I love it to bits. It feels ever but as special as my FF and the edrive around town is brilliant (nearly diced with a pedestrian with headphones on who didn't hear me approach though...)
Only thing I've noticed though is that the trip mpg seems to only update when the engine is running... I did 12 miles in electric mode and the mpg didn't change, then started improving as the engine kicked in and I cruised at 50mph on light throttle. Does the mpg not factor in the edrive miles travelled?
As for the doors, I'm 6'2" and not thin, but I find it ok - and that's with child seats in the back.
The only compromise with doors as others have said is you need to watch where you park - but I don't find that an issue. Spent the whole day in outs for the first time yesterday having prized the keys off Mrs t and I love it to bits. It feels ever but as special as my FF and the edrive around town is brilliant (nearly diced with a pedestrian with headphones on who didn't hear me approach though...)
Only thing I've noticed though is that the trip mpg seems to only update when the engine is running... I did 12 miles in electric mode and the mpg didn't change, then started improving as the engine kicked in and I cruised at 50mph on light throttle. Does the mpg not factor in the edrive miles travelled?
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