So who's getting an i3?
Discussion
JPJPJP said:
No definitive price for the service until the key has been read
So I rolled up to a local dealer today for the key to be read
Work needed
- vehicle inspection
- brake fluid change
- micro filter
Price: £300
Said no thanks and came home
They tried to charge me close to £400 for the first service for my rex, I was absolutely blown away. The rex engine has done less than 500 miles yet needed an £80 oil change. My previous car was an AMG and the servicing was cheaper!So I rolled up to a local dealer today for the key to be read
Work needed
- vehicle inspection
- brake fluid change
- micro filter
Price: £300
Said no thanks and came home
I bought a 3 year service pack for £280, this can be bought anytime up until the first service and I strongly suggest anyone who has not yet had a service to buy one because BMW is a rip off on the i3. As soon as my car is out of warranty I will be servicing my car at independents, I own it and I will be keeping it up till 100k+ miles so a full BMWSH is not of value to me.
Greg_D said:
What about other little shopping cars like aygo,c1 etc that are also not expected to regularly get their brake fluid up past 100 degrees!!! How often are you expected to change their fluid?
It’s a gouge...
Pretty sure lack of brake fluid changes is a major contributor to pistons seizing in calipers in the long run. Whether or not the fluid gets hot enough near the caliper to boil off the water in the brake fluid (not sure where the vapour would go though!) still means the rest of the fluid retains more and more moisture over time.It’s a gouge...
Greg_D said:
Max_Torque said:
As the brakes aren't used much, in fact the fluid change becomes more important because they never get hot enough to drive off any absorbed water
Ok, every two years is an overkill for the UK climate, but it's not something i would suggest skipping!
What about other little shopping cars like aygo,c1 etc that are also not expected to regularly get their brake fluid up past 100 degrees!!! How often are you expected to change their fluid?Ok, every two years is an overkill for the UK climate, but it's not something i would suggest skipping!
It’s a gouge...
It doesn’t happen in any case. As brake fluid absorbs water the boiling point of the mixture falls and the anti corrosion and other additives become less effective. You don’t get drops of water materialising in certain places through the system like some seem to think and you can’t ‘boil the water off’.
Brake fluids are often specified with two boiling points; dry and wet. Dry is when pristine and no or negligible amount of water. Wet is when it’s absorbed a significant amount. A dry BP of 275c could be down to 175c with 2-3% of absorbed water and could easily boil in very hard braking.
How long will it take to absorb 2-3% of water? Your guess is as good as mine but 4-5 years would be more than enough.
There’s a lot of stuff written on this subject. Do some research and you might change your mind.
2 year changes may be a bit OTT for most applications but the fluid degradation is purely a matter of time whatever vehicle it’s in and regular changes will help maintain the system properly.
It always amazes me that people will pay what they do for a car and then baulk at paying £80 or so every two or three years.
Edited by anonymous-user on Thursday 16th August 21:40
Max_Torque said:
Random i3 question: Anyone know if the final drive unit in the transmission is based on one from another bmw platform?? (mini would make sense to me)
I'd love to get an lsd installed across the back axle! ;-)
just a thought but why would it be a traditional lsd? Wouldn’t it make sense if it was a electronic version I'd love to get an lsd installed across the back axle! ;-)
REALIST123 said:
Not really.
It doesn’t happen in any case. As brake fluid absorbs water the boiling point of the mixture falls and the anti corrosion and other additives become less effective. You don’t get drops of water materialising in certain places through the system like some seem to think and you can’t ‘boil the water off’.
Brake fluids are often specified with two boiling points; dry and wet. Dry is when pristine and no or negligible amount of water. Wet is when it’s absorbed a significant amount. A dry BP of 275c could be down to 175c with 2-3% of absorbed water and could easily boil in very hard braking.
How long will it take to absorb 2-3% of water? Your guess is as good as mine but 4-5 years would be more than enough.
There’s a lot of stuff written on this subject. Do some research and you might change your mind.
2 year changes may be a bit OTT for most applications but the fluid degradation is purely a matter of time whatever vehicle it’s in and regular changes will help maintain the system properly.
It always amazes me that people will pay what they do for a car and then baulk at paying £80 or so every two or three years.
What would or could the water % of brake fluid if never changed in 18/19 years 140k miles and pass at every MOT without issue It doesn’t happen in any case. As brake fluid absorbs water the boiling point of the mixture falls and the anti corrosion and other additives become less effective. You don’t get drops of water materialising in certain places through the system like some seem to think and you can’t ‘boil the water off’.
Brake fluids are often specified with two boiling points; dry and wet. Dry is when pristine and no or negligible amount of water. Wet is when it’s absorbed a significant amount. A dry BP of 275c could be down to 175c with 2-3% of absorbed water and could easily boil in very hard braking.
How long will it take to absorb 2-3% of water? Your guess is as good as mine but 4-5 years would be more than enough.
There’s a lot of stuff written on this subject. Do some research and you might change your mind.
2 year changes may be a bit OTT for most applications but the fluid degradation is purely a matter of time whatever vehicle it’s in and regular changes will help maintain the system properly.
It always amazes me that people will pay what they do for a car and then baulk at paying £80 or so every two or three years.
Edited by REALIST123 on Thursday 16th August 21:40
I know someone who has this and simply will not changebrake fluid - he tops it up on disc and pad changes but that’s all.
Toaster said:
Max_Torque said:
Random i3 question: Anyone know if the final drive unit in the transmission is based on one from another bmw platform?? (mini would make sense to me)
I'd love to get an lsd installed across the back axle! ;-)
just a thought but why would it be a traditional lsd? Wouldn’t it make sense if it was a electronic version I'd love to get an lsd installed across the back axle! ;-)
Welshbeef said:
What would or could the water % of brake fluid if never changed in 18/19 years 140k miles and pass at every MOT without issue
I know someone who has this and simply will not changebrake fluid - he tops it up on disc and pad changes but that’s all.
Sounds like a lucky chap.....I know someone who has this and simply will not changebrake fluid - he tops it up on disc and pad changes but that’s all.
I had the (Bosch) ABS unit fail on an Alfa I used to own. Confession time, I didn't replace the fluid for I think it was 4 years. Once I finally got inside the ABS block, I found the problem was simple - corrosion had caused a shuttle piston to seize up, preventing any fluid from reaching one rear wheel. It was easy enough to sort out in the end, but clearly, that lack of maintenance was the cause.
If it hadn't had the ABS, it would probably have carried on, slowly rotting the system from the inside out.
Unpalatable thought it may seem, best to do these jobs before they cause expensive and potentially nasty problems.
uknick said:
RossP said:
JPJPJP said:
Does the service pack include the brake fluid change?
I’m led to believe from posters on the bmw thread that it doesn’t
YesI’m led to believe from posters on the bmw thread that it doesn’t
I'm sure this has been posted in the last 103 pages (which I don't have time to read through) - but dos this not seem a bit ridiculous?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxe_b2GRwok
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxe_b2GRwok
guindilias said:
I'm sure this has been posted in the last 103 pages (which I don't have time to read through) - but dos this not seem a bit ridiculous?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxe_b2GRwok
I'm not sure it will have been. That's an i8.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxe_b2GRwok
Meanwhile my i3 goes back in two weeks.
guindilias said:
I'm sure this has been posted in the last 103 pages (which I don't have time to read through) - but dos this not seem a bit ridiculous?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxe_b2GRwok
Nearest thing I can think of are the bonnets on the Audi A2 and THE Tuscan that are bolted down. The Audi has a flip down grille with the fluids behind, and the TVR has the second half bonnet on the front with the fluids under it. Oh and the original Smart car, no bonnet, get at the fluids by taking off the grille panels along the bottom of the windscreen.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxe_b2GRwok
ajprice said:
guindilias said:
I'm sure this has been posted in the last 103 pages (which I don't have time to read through) - but dos this not seem a bit ridiculous?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxe_b2GRwok
Nearest thing I can think of are the bonnets on the Audi A2 and THE Tuscan that are bolted down. The Audi has a flip down grille with the fluids behind, and the TVR has the second half bonnet on the front with the fluids under it. Oh and the original Smart car, no bonnet, get at the fluids by taking off the grille panels along the bottom of the windscreen.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fxe_b2GRwok
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