RE: BMW i8 | The Brave Pill
Discussion
I normally class BMWs as cars that people buy to try and impress other people because they have no imagination and its what they think theyre expected to buy if they have aspirations higher than vauxhall.
The i8 is the exception, i3 possibly too although that hasn't aged anywhere near as well. Fellow director bought one several years ago, it's fantastic, definitely a future classic. There were cheaper, faster and more practical cars at the time, but none were as head turning.
The i8 is the exception, i3 possibly too although that hasn't aged anywhere near as well. Fellow director bought one several years ago, it's fantastic, definitely a future classic. There were cheaper, faster and more practical cars at the time, but none were as head turning.
Are these really a brave pill? Yes in theory the batteries and some other parts of the electric drivetrain have the potential to go kaput (just like any ICE engine) but have any actually? Some cars have deserved reputations based on specific design flaws, but has this one?
Isn’t the petrol engine essentially a version of the B38 that’s found in 318i’s and Mini Coopers? These are pretty reliable afaik, I always recommend them in the car buying forums
Isn’t the petrol engine essentially a version of the B38 that’s found in 318i’s and Mini Coopers? These are pretty reliable afaik, I always recommend them in the car buying forums
Pusikurac said:
I almost bought one before Covid, but I waited. Now, the prices are 20% higher than 2 years ago. I'm not paying 20% more, when it should be 20% less! No way. I guess I'll wait. And maybe buy R8, while at it.
I8 is really a good proposition, as tax is really low comparing to any other sportscar.
Yes, at that price point I would also place more emphasis on an exotic engine such as a V10 or V12. However, I've driven the i8 once as a passenger and I have to admit I was quite intrigued. It hat quite a presence and the sound (although artificial) was also good. However, it's definitely not practical with only a tiny boot in the back. Still an interesting car. But a bit too expensive at the moment. I8 is really a good proposition, as tax is really low comparing to any other sportscar.
Griffit said:
Bought one in January from a BMW main dealer, 2015, Pure Impulse specification, 2 owners, 10k miles, 2yr AUC warranty, roadside assist etc for £50k. Thought I should get a hybrid for the school run as 3 miles never gets an engine warm, but equally a 320 mile round trip every couple of weeks for work meant some ICE and this is something I always wanted. Man maths made it work without me selling anything else interesting. This one seems pricey in comparison?
I get circa 46 mpg average on the long runs and electric equivalent even better. Real world electric is max 15 miles on smaller battery but real world range for me exceeds 400 per tank, which is costing about £55 to fill currently.
Doors aren't the problem everyone makes out. They feel large, you worry, then get out and see there's loads of space. First thing I did was have all of the cills inside and out wrapped and PPFd though to protect them, which was well worth it as scuffs would be inevitable. They are also a big hit outside school, at least with the kids!
Rear seat room is no issue for a 6/7 year old in an Isofix car seat even with my wife up front. Boot space more of an issue for all to go away however, it is 150 litres apparently!
I think of the i8 as more a GT car than sports car as it is supremely comfortable and quiet over distance, undoubtedly helped by the carbon construction. The drivetrain can do odd things switching between electric and engine sometimes around town and I think later cars might be better at that. To mitigate you can drive it in sports mode but I only bother on the open road if making some passes on other cars.
I have a 997 too, which is definitely a sports car and the one I took for a strop round Wales. It is a full 150mm narrower and 250mm shorter yet has more luggage capacity and feels open and airy in comparison. Each has a place in that regard. Not sure currently what could replace its mix of abilities? Great car, thoroughly enjoying it.
On my 3rd i8, two coupé’s and one roadster. The above is the most sensible post so far.I get circa 46 mpg average on the long runs and electric equivalent even better. Real world electric is max 15 miles on smaller battery but real world range for me exceeds 400 per tank, which is costing about £55 to fill currently.
Doors aren't the problem everyone makes out. They feel large, you worry, then get out and see there's loads of space. First thing I did was have all of the cills inside and out wrapped and PPFd though to protect them, which was well worth it as scuffs would be inevitable. They are also a big hit outside school, at least with the kids!
Rear seat room is no issue for a 6/7 year old in an Isofix car seat even with my wife up front. Boot space more of an issue for all to go away however, it is 150 litres apparently!
I think of the i8 as more a GT car than sports car as it is supremely comfortable and quiet over distance, undoubtedly helped by the carbon construction. The drivetrain can do odd things switching between electric and engine sometimes around town and I think later cars might be better at that. To mitigate you can drive it in sports mode but I only bother on the open road if making some passes on other cars.
I have a 997 too, which is definitely a sports car and the one I took for a strop round Wales. It is a full 150mm narrower and 250mm shorter yet has more luggage capacity and feels open and airy in comparison. Each has a place in that regard. Not sure currently what could replace its mix of abilities? Great car, thoroughly enjoying it.
i've had one for a few years now. I'm afraid the anti 3 cyl arguement comes from an old view (which I too held until I tried the i8). Coming from a 3 litre twin turbo bmw, the i8 is quicker.
As a daily driver the i8 is a pleasant place to be and is as quick as an m3 of the same era. Got to drive one to know though.
No braver than most choices. Some parts cheap, some expensive. No reason why batteries wont last 20 years and can be replaced for about the same price as a couple of turbos.
Not brave choice.
As a daily driver the i8 is a pleasant place to be and is as quick as an m3 of the same era. Got to drive one to know though.
No braver than most choices. Some parts cheap, some expensive. No reason why batteries wont last 20 years and can be replaced for about the same price as a couple of turbos.
Not brave choice.
Mr Squarekins said:
i've had one for a few years now. I'm afraid the anti 3 cyl arguement comes from an old view (which I too held until I tried the i8). Coming from a 3 litre twin turbo bmw, the i8 is quicker.
As a daily driver the i8 is a pleasant place to be and is as quick as an m3 of the same era. Got to drive one to know though.
No braver than most choices. Some parts cheap, some expensive. No reason why batteries wont last 20 years and can be replaced for about the same price as a couple of turbos.
Not brave choice.
I definitely suffer from having a very old view regarding engines as you mention. I would really like a go in one to see, because whenever I see one I do completely fall for the way they look.As a daily driver the i8 is a pleasant place to be and is as quick as an m3 of the same era. Got to drive one to know though.
No braver than most choices. Some parts cheap, some expensive. No reason why batteries wont last 20 years and can be replaced for about the same price as a couple of turbos.
Not brave choice.
They are dripping in a sense of occasion I reckon(both inside and outside).
I have a I8 roadster and love it. I know of no other car which can cruise silently with the roof down then at the flick of the lever turn into a snarling beast with brilliant HUD, flappy paddles V8 NASCAR noise ( piped I know but who cares) and a proper instant turn of speed, then, flick the lever back and cruise on the motorway at 50+ MPG with very little noise. 400 mile range, great looks, brilliant hi-fi, carbon fibre chassis………..
This IS a future classic, it is unique and brilliant. We will look back at these posts and not believe that you could have bought one of these for £40K
Jx
This IS a future classic, it is unique and brilliant. We will look back at these posts and not believe that you could have bought one of these for £40K
Jx
jackg said:
I have a I8 roadster and love it. I know of no other car which can cruise silently with the roof down then at the flick of the lever turn into a snarling beast with brilliant HUD, flappy paddles V8 NASCAR noise ( piped I know but who cares) and a proper instant turn of speed, then, flick the lever back and cruise on the motorway at 50+ MPG with very little noise. 400 mile range, great looks, brilliant hi-fi, carbon fibre chassis………..
This IS a future classic, it is unique and brilliant. We will look back at these posts and not believe that you could have bought one of these for £40K
Jx
Did they add lumbar on the lci model by chance?This IS a future classic, it is unique and brilliant. We will look back at these posts and not believe that you could have bought one of these for £40K
Jx
How legit is the concern over the battery? Anyone needed to replace theirs yet? Ballpark costs?
Griffit said:
Rear seat room is no issue for a 6/7 year old in an Isofix car seat even with my wife up front.
Rear sear room (and access) looks worse than in my E63 6 Series. I'd be v interested to see an Isofix base/seat in situ.Edited by g3org3y on Sunday 1st May 19:19
2018 Pre-LCI i8 owner here. Bought 18 months ago, done only 3,500 miles since due to lockdown, but still WBAC offer more than I paid for it from BMW approved. BMW warranty is about £1k if needed. Service is reasonable but dealerships seem to only have a few people that are "qualified" for i8s.
No real issues with the doors but with any nice car that you really care about, you will probably park in the empty part of the car park anyway.
20 miles is the max I have ever seen on full electric charge. Wasn't happy about that when I bought it, but generally it is about 15 miles range. 40+ mpg generally driving. Only a couple of longer trips but very nice as a cruiser - it is a GT car not a supercar.
Milton Keynes based, so slapping it into sport and having a bit of fun on the roundabouts is nice. Grips pretty good on standard tyres but quite a few options to improve with regard to wheel and tyre options.
Can fit a pair of teenagers in the back but only for a short trip. Boot is OK, but don't put your ice cream from the shops in there as it can get get warm
Overall, I think it's a really good balance being something "Special" as opposed to your usual lease cars that are around the £50k mark. Especially as new EV prices seem inflated.
Edited - something that impressed me was I got a puncture 100 miles from home. BMW assist (part of the warranty), plugged the tyre to get as far as the local BMW dealer. Non-standard tyres so not in stock, so they got me a taxi 100 miles home (ironically an S Class), dropped off a brand new M8 Competition the next morning as a loan car and then delivered my car back on a flat bed once the tyre was replaced after a couple of days....Maybe that is why the warranty is £1k a year?
No real issues with the doors but with any nice car that you really care about, you will probably park in the empty part of the car park anyway.
20 miles is the max I have ever seen on full electric charge. Wasn't happy about that when I bought it, but generally it is about 15 miles range. 40+ mpg generally driving. Only a couple of longer trips but very nice as a cruiser - it is a GT car not a supercar.
Milton Keynes based, so slapping it into sport and having a bit of fun on the roundabouts is nice. Grips pretty good on standard tyres but quite a few options to improve with regard to wheel and tyre options.
Can fit a pair of teenagers in the back but only for a short trip. Boot is OK, but don't put your ice cream from the shops in there as it can get get warm
Overall, I think it's a really good balance being something "Special" as opposed to your usual lease cars that are around the £50k mark. Especially as new EV prices seem inflated.
Edited - something that impressed me was I got a puncture 100 miles from home. BMW assist (part of the warranty), plugged the tyre to get as far as the local BMW dealer. Non-standard tyres so not in stock, so they got me a taxi 100 miles home (ironically an S Class), dropped off a brand new M8 Competition the next morning as a loan car and then delivered my car back on a flat bed once the tyre was replaced after a couple of days....Maybe that is why the warranty is £1k a year?
Edited by Avenicus on Sunday 1st May 20:56
Griffit said:
Lots of interesting stuff, edited by blearyeyedboy for brevity.
Thanks. That was great to read and gives me hope for realistically owning one one day (with two kids!).I particularly also note the absence of any owners coming here to tell us tales of battery replacements resulting in financial ruin. That slant to the article is extremely unconvincing, especially given the cost of repairing, say, a knackered E92 335i...
Edited by blearyeyedboy on Sunday 1st May 20:35
Really good to hear reviews from people on here that actually own or have owned them.
It did look proper 'wow' and revolutionary when launched. then for me, the attraction kind of fizzled out over the years, until recently that is, where I think they do look rather good.
A chap on the estate has one in black, all blacked out with aftermarket wider wheels (also in black). That thing looks proper stealth.
I also moaned about the 1.5 litre 3 pot engine, but as others have said, you forget that when driving it due to the performance, mpg, etc. Would love a go in one.
It did look proper 'wow' and revolutionary when launched. then for me, the attraction kind of fizzled out over the years, until recently that is, where I think they do look rather good.
A chap on the estate has one in black, all blacked out with aftermarket wider wheels (also in black). That thing looks proper stealth.
I also moaned about the 1.5 litre 3 pot engine, but as others have said, you forget that when driving it due to the performance, mpg, etc. Would love a go in one.
I love my i8. As posted by most the car does everything you could want, it doesn’t lack any speed, look or presence. I’ve had no issues to date with anything at all and running costs are substantially lower than any other car I own currently. Very few owners have anything bad to say. Mine is a 2016 pre LCI. 
Ironically BMW going the PHEV route for these probably makes them even better for car enthusiasts, despite the government now swapping to BEV for the tax breaks.
As well as an every day car the i8 is still a car you can go and do the North Coast 500, a road trip to Spa or the F1 in Monza for instance without worrying about charging points all the way there.
As well as an every day car the i8 is still a car you can go and do the North Coast 500, a road trip to Spa or the F1 in Monza for instance without worrying about charging points all the way there.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff