RE: BMW i8: Spotted

Author
Discussion

MrOrange

2,031 posts

252 months

Monday 5th August 2019
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BERNEV said:
Lots of stuff
Mostly agree. It's an imaginative thinking man's general use sports car. An innovative take on the 911-approach, just with a lot more individuality and style. I've had mine 3.5 years and have no plans to change it - it's also been a gentle intro into the world of electric, one that will see the wife get an Model 3 or maybe the Mini-E as her next car.

blearyeyedboy

6,252 posts

178 months

Tuesday 6th August 2019
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BERNEV said:
Lots of interesting stuff.
All power to your arm, sir. (Or to your right foot, perhaps?)

I think that's a really thoughtful description of how a lot of enthusiasts are beginning to feel about road cars. The i8 will be sought after in due course and recognised as one of the steps forward in the history of sportscars.

MKA29

399 posts

134 months

Tuesday 6th August 2019
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blearyeyedboy said:
The i8 will be sought after in due course and recognised as one of the steps forward in the history of sportscars.
We'll see about that one. I get it from the point of view of it being unique with its styling, heaps of carbon, one of the first of its kind... But I can see them reaching 30k or less within a few years

blearyeyedboy

6,252 posts

178 months

Tuesday 6th August 2019
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MKA29 said:
We'll see about that one. I get it from the point of view of it being unique with its styling, heaps of carbon, one of the first of its kind... But I can see them reaching 30k or less within a few years
So can I.

So did the Mk1 NSX.

I'm thinking beyond that point.

swisstoni

16,844 posts

278 months

Wednesday 7th August 2019
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Just checked how Z1s are doing for comparison.

These are 30 years old now (fk me!) and go for around £40k. Not bad but not stratospheric.




Court_S

12,764 posts

176 months

Wednesday 7th August 2019
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Possibly not the best indicator of what is a great car but my five year old thought the i8's at Sytner were the coolest things in there - he absolutely loved them. We were killing time waiting for some plates to be made up so had a mooch at the used cars and he was impressed. He preferred them to either of the Mclarens they had too.

I still think that they have a lot of presence and remain striking for what is now quite an old design.

It'll be interesting to see where BMW go with the next generation of i cars.

LordGrover

33,531 posts

211 months

Wednesday 7th August 2019
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There's a blue & white one in my road which has never struck me as terribly attractive.
Saw a black one just this morning which looked cracking.
Very much on my radar when I tire of my Porkster.

BERNEV

20 posts

109 months

Thursday 22nd August 2019
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As I think I've said, the I8 does nothing particularly spectacularly. It is not the fastest and it has a pathetic full electric range. And it has no real luggage space, and it is only a BMW. But some BMWs are destined for great things. I now know I shouldn't have sold my S54 Z3M coupe and perhaps should have bought a Z8 a year after the launch (but as I couldn't afford it anyway this is a moot point). But it is different - I have just watched an I8 assembly video and it's all done back to front with virtually full assembly of the mechanicals/electrics before they put painted body panels on it. This difference from the norm (and from more measured BMWs) is the discriminator in my view for future values. But that's not the point - it is a fabulous car and I can still see myself getting up early for a A-A drive just for the fun of it. But I accept that it is perhaps not the car if you are still a track day or fast road specialist. But those days are fast disappearing sadly.

swisstoni

16,844 posts

278 months

Thursday 22nd August 2019
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You certainly could make a case for the ‘i’ models being at least interesting in years to come.
I understand that, going forward, all BMWs will be offered with an EV option, just like another engine.

So goodbye bespoke carbon structures and hello mainstream humdrumness.

BERNEV

20 posts

109 months

Monday 26th August 2019
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This is probably not the right place in the forum for it (so sorry) but can experienced I8 owners tell me how long it should charge from empty to full on a normal domestic socket (I live in the middle of nowhere with variable electricity supply if that makes a difference). My last charge indicated nearly 6 hours and the book says 3 hours. VMT.

MrOrange

2,031 posts

252 months

Monday 26th August 2019
quotequote all
BERNEV said:
This is probably not the right place in the forum for it (so sorry) but can experienced I8 owners tell me how long it should charge from empty to full on a normal domestic socket (I live in the middle of nowhere with variable electricity supply if that makes a difference). My last charge indicated nearly 6 hours and the book says 3 hours. VMT.
It’s a 7kWh battery and charges quite quickly to 85% with the last few percentage taking a bit longer. Even using my 16 amp proper charger it can take 4 hours; depending on the outside temp, battery temp, how much cooling the car has to do during the charge etc. You may also have the car set to charge at a reduced rate, check the display when you power the car down.

BERNEV

20 posts

109 months

Saturday 31st August 2019
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Okay thank you Mr Orange.

Mr Squarekins

1,041 posts

61 months

Tuesday 3rd September 2019
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I bought a 3k mile one owner high spec car this year with a two year bmw warranty and service pack for £55k.

I love it as a daily driver. Smooth, special and great on fuel. Hard to find something as interesting for the money.

Only downside for me is it's a bit large for UK carpark spaces. Doors mean an end space is needed as a safeguard for returning and getting in.

Otherwise, life's too short not to at around £50k.

Mr Squarekins

1,041 posts

61 months

Tuesday 3rd September 2019
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MrOrange said:
It’s a 7kWh battery and charges quite quickly to 85% with the last few percentage taking a bit longer. Even using my 16 amp proper charger it can take 4 hours; depending on the outside temp, battery temp, how much cooling the car has to do during the charge etc. You may also have the car set to charge at a reduced rate, check the display when you power the car down.
I concur. Max charge time has been around 4 hours. Never 6.

Shnozz

27,418 posts

270 months

Wednesday 4th September 2019
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Mr Squarekins said:
I bought a 3k mile one owner high spec car this year with a two year bmw warranty and service pack for £55k.

I love it as a daily driver. Smooth, special and great on fuel. Hard to find something as interesting for the money.

Only downside for me is it's a bit large for UK carpark spaces. Doors mean an end space is needed as a safeguard for returning and getting in.

Otherwise, life's too short not to at around £50k.
For all the reasons you identify the i8 woud make a perfect daily driver for me too. I have a house in another country with a large garage for my petrolhead fixes and having a cheap to run but interesting daily in the UK. However, the problem is I have an underground parking space of a normal size under my UK apartment so the i8 looks like it will be a struggle. I did try and get BMW to allow a test drive where I could see how it fits (the dealer is about 1 mile from my place) but they never got back to me. Instead I read the comments that a normal space isn't very convenient so have just chalked it down to being inappropriate for me.

Mr Squarekins

1,041 posts

61 months

Wednesday 4th September 2019
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Shnozz said:
For all the reasons you identify the i8 woud make a perfect daily driver for me too. I have a house in another country with a large garage for my petrolhead fixes and having a cheap to run but interesting daily in the UK. However, the problem is I have an underground parking space of a normal size under my UK apartment so the i8 looks like it will be a struggle. I did try and get BMW to allow a test drive where I could see how it fits (the dealer is about 1 mile from my place) but they never got back to me. Instead I read the comments that a normal space isn't very convenient so have just chalked it down to being inappropriate for me.
I'd ring them up and ask them to bring one round to your house. I did this as i have a huge garage but tight (ish) access along the side of my house. Bmw were only too happy to oblige. Drove one round to me to check it would fit ok. Very helpful.

Try it, even if it's to get it out of your system.

With a test drive, take it to a carpark to make sure you are happy. I've had no parking issues other than the normal concerns with leaving my nice car.