So who's getting an i3?

[Job38]

I find the seats surprisingly good given how thin and light they are.

Someone on the Bookface group did a post with lowered springs and spacers - looked loads better, the standard height is hideous, he also claimed ride and handling much improved...

[chris56]

Max_Torque said:

Any one else find the i3 front chairs a bit lacking in lumbar support??

Also, i wonder if a set of 20mm lowering springs would improve the economy without ruining the ride?

(car sits very tall and high off ground as std)

Yep - very bad for my back. Borrowed an i3 as it was an option to replace my current daily driver and would have been ideal. Liked everyhting about the car except the seats. After driving the car to and from work one day - it was a case of three visits to the chiropractor to get my back into shape again - lumbar support was the issue.

[anonymous-user]

Wonder if the seats are from the normal BMW parts bin (doesn't look like it as the back rest is so thin)?

Might get a trimmer to look at slightly boosting the lumbar and side bolsters a bit. (also, the tilt forward action is pretty rubbish as the seats don't stay tilted forwards under their own weight.....)

I will have to look on the BookFace group to see where the lowering springs came from too ;-)

[RossP]

Seats are i3 specific.

I actually find them very comfortable so its a case of going on an extended trip to see if they suit you.

[anonymous-user]

RossP said:

Seats are i3 specific.

I actually find them very comfortable so its a case of going on an extended trip to see if they suit you.

I've owned the car for 5 months and 3k miles, so i think that counts as "extended".... ;-)


tbh, it's not awful, but compared to the sports seats in my 335 they feel lacking in lumbar (and side bolsters)

[RossP]

Max_Torque said:

compared to the sports seats in my 335 they feel lacking in lumbar (and side bolsters)

Yes agreed, the side bolsters are none existent!

And I do prefer my M4 seats

[covmutley]

After plan after plan and a few spreadsheets I ordered an i3 rex yesterday. I do 20k year, 90 mile round trip commute.

Looked at getting a 'nice' second hand car, but after costs and assuming repairs, cost differences really were surprisingly close. Also looked at going for a boring second hand car but decided I really didn't want to start to hate my commute.

Anyway, I was so impressed by the i3! One foot driving is so easy and relaxing. Very nippy, plenty of the usual tech, plus looking forward to the ev type stuff like departure preconditioning.

I went for standard except the sport pack and service pack. Not getting it till Sept due to current lease. Will be a long wait!!!

[anonymous-user]

My I3 is bargain basement, with just the Lodge interior pack (or what ever it's called) and tbh, the only thing i miss is ProNav, simply because i have it in my 335d and like to be able to see the entertainment details at the same time as the Nav. (Std Nav has poxy small screen)

[covmutley]

Each to their own, but £900 for bigger screen just didn't seem worth it. Compared to my octavia the sat nav screen is mounted much higher and so I found the standard screen good.

[modeller]

covmutley said:

Each to their own, but £900 for bigger screen just didn't seem worth it. Compared to my octavia the sat nav screen is mounted much higher and so I found the standard screen good.

Made the same decision. Just add RTTI for £40/year and it's all you need.

[CooperS]

I agree it's a lot of money but I think it's an essential.

I know they'll do something about it in the next refreshed model but things like the standard screen make that tech look very 2013.

[EricE]

I'm one month into i3 ownership and the car is absolutely perfect for what I need from a daily city car.
There are some options that I wouldn't order again (leather, adaptive cruise control, voice recognition, parking assistant) and only one option strikes me as an absolute must-have (LED headlights) but overall I couldn't be happier.
One-pedal driving with regenerative braking makes so much sense in stop and go traffic. I really can't imagine buying another ICE car except as a weekend/classic car "toy".

[Job38]

Agree, for my needs as business vehicle on fairly short journeys - it's a revelation!

LED lights are great, though they're the only lights I've had where the full beam (halogen) is worse the the standard headlights (LED)!

[RossP]

There is a big i3 meet this Sunday at Yorkshire Sculpture Park if anyone is interested.

Message me for details!

[ds666]

modeller said:

Made the same decision. Just add RTTI for £40/year and it's all you need.

RTTI is a complete waste of money .Everyday I sit in traffic jams , the map shows green . I sail through "red " sectors without delay . Completely unreliable - " connected drive " needs serious work if BMW wants to do autonomous driving or I fear we are all doomed !!

[HKP]

RTTI is standard now on both Navs.

[Mits]

I'm 5wks into ownership, used four days a week on the m1 & m25, 120mile round trip all on electric. Between 65-70mph traffic dependant, comfort mode, heated seats, a/c all on.

I ticked all boxes apart from the adaptive cruise, very relaxing and quick acceleration. Only thing lacking is side bolsters on seats, brakes not very sharp, handling a bit floaty, but I am comparing to M6 so probably expecting too much.
Need to see how the i3s looks and handles, then will probably upgrade to this when available.

[covmutley]

thats good to hear. I get mine in a few months time- the wait is going to be hard. I have a 90 mile round commute 90% motorway and am hoping it will be 100% electric in most of winter except the very coldest few days perhaps , so that seems achievable based on your range at mway speeds.

I started the process of getting a free home charger install via Electric Nation today and am also trying to convince work to install a charge point.

[Rich135]

Mits said:

I'm 5wks into ownership, used four days a week on the m1 & m25, 120mile round trip all on electric. Between 65-70mph traffic dependant, comfort mode, heated seats, a/c all on.

I ticked all boxes apart from the adaptive cruise, very relaxing and quick acceleration. Only thing lacking is side bolsters on seats, brakes not very sharp, handling a bit floaty, but I am comparing to M6 so probably expecting too much.
Need to see how the i3s looks and handles, then will probably upgrade to this when available.

Hi Mits, how much range does your car show at the end of a 120 mile commute? I do 140 a day and would love to be able to do that in an i3 Rex without using any fuel. Do you think that's possible?
Thanks,
Rich

[Otispunkmeyer]

EricE said:

I'm one month into i3 ownership and the car is absolutely perfect for what I need from a daily city car.
There are some options that I wouldn't order again (leather, adaptive cruise control, voice recognition, parking assistant) and only one option strikes me as an absolute must-have (LED headlights) but overall I couldn't be happier.
One-pedal driving with regenerative braking makes so much sense in stop and go traffic. I really can't imagine buying another ICE car except as a weekend/classic car "toy".

Yeah we have a pool i3 and the adaptive cruise is annoying really.... its like it needs a bit more rubber banding. If someone pulls in front of you a bit too close that regen effect has you lurching toward the windscreen!

I did however like the assisted driving. Only works in queues on the motorway but being able to sit there in nose to tail, crawling traffic without having to do anything at all is quite nice!