4 days with an i3 - first impressions
Discussion
PixelpeepS3 said:
After a fair bit of arguing i got it with extras for around £6k off list - its still not a cheap car but you are paying for the tech (and the badge to an extent i guess) not the luxury or performance (neither is too shabby for a city car i should add..)
Congratulation! Considering a bog standard 320d is £31k, I don't think they are too expensive after govt grant at least. Are you buying outright or is this pcp? I have to say that I did not shop round that much when i ordered mine as the advice on the i3 facebook group is that as dealers are only agents, you cant get deals above the BMW advertised offers.
covmutley said:
PixelpeepS3 said:
After a fair bit of arguing i got it with extras for around £6k off list - its still not a cheap car but you are paying for the tech (and the badge to an extent i guess) not the luxury or performance (neither is too shabby for a city car i should add..)
Congratulation! Considering a bog standard 320d is £31k, I don't think they are too expensive after govt grant at least. Are you buying outright or is this pcp? I have to say that I did not shop round that much when i ordered mine as the advice on the i3 facebook group is that as dealers are only agents, you cant get deals above the BMW advertised offers.
The monthly payment seems a bit high to start off with but as i used to work in the mobile phone industry my brain can cope with
"yes the line rental is higher but you get more minutes so the overall bill will still be a lot less than you were paying in total (rental + data, voice and text use) previously"
it's a concept a surprising amount of people can't get their head round.
Exactly what I did. 1.3% helps!
I too have struggled with the high monthly and have wondered if I have done the right thing. But then i remind myself that I am going to save about £125 a month in fuel (I do 20k a year).
I assume your wont be getting it until end of October based on waiting times being reported?
Regarding the GFV I think this will be interesting. As Ev's become more mainstream and people realise they dont do 300 miles every day so range is not a big issue for most people, and as diesel begins to get taxed hard, i think it is quite possible it will be worth more than forecast currently.
I too have struggled with the high monthly and have wondered if I have done the right thing. But then i remind myself that I am going to save about £125 a month in fuel (I do 20k a year).
I assume your wont be getting it until end of October based on waiting times being reported?
Regarding the GFV I think this will be interesting. As Ev's become more mainstream and people realise they dont do 300 miles every day so range is not a big issue for most people, and as diesel begins to get taxed hard, i think it is quite possible it will be worth more than forecast currently.
Edited by covmutley on Thursday 22 June 09:25
The way to think about an EV (well any car) is not price but total cost of ownership. The significant reduction in both fuel and service costs were to me worth almost CHF 400 a month in comparison to the Subaru Forester which it 'replaced' (we kept it but only for off-road, load carrying or long drive stuff). Given this was pretty much the lease cost it meant that running an i3 as a second car was done at almost no extra cost than just running the Subaru.
My wife and I took one out for an extended test drive recently (i3 rex) . She has a Prius and wanted to see how well it handled her commute so we did that a round trip of about 45 miles
Equipment levels are good and its a nice place to be , she adapted very quickly to one foot driving and didnt touch the brakes at all , it did get pretty unsettled on the bumpy b roads though , at one point the rear stepped out quite a bit on dry roads as well .
I drove it back on the motorway and its was good at a steady gps 70mph
After the 45 mile trip the range had dropped by around 20 miles , think it was 141 miles combined when we got in , the range on the rex had jumped from 65 to 85 miles so i think the car had been doing a lot of hard miles before we took it out
I've read and BMW also mentioned its the fastest model they have to 30 mph and I quite believe it but if you read comments from owners you think they were driving a Veyron , to 30 its quick to 60 its not that special imo
We are very tempted , our spec came to about £38k and the 1.3% deal is attractive but not sure buying a used one in 12 months might be the much better option
Equipment levels are good and its a nice place to be , she adapted very quickly to one foot driving and didnt touch the brakes at all , it did get pretty unsettled on the bumpy b roads though , at one point the rear stepped out quite a bit on dry roads as well .
I drove it back on the motorway and its was good at a steady gps 70mph
After the 45 mile trip the range had dropped by around 20 miles , think it was 141 miles combined when we got in , the range on the rex had jumped from 65 to 85 miles so i think the car had been doing a lot of hard miles before we took it out
I've read and BMW also mentioned its the fastest model they have to 30 mph and I quite believe it but if you read comments from owners you think they were driving a Veyron , to 30 its quick to 60 its not that special imo
We are very tempted , our spec came to about £38k and the 1.3% deal is attractive but not sure buying a used one in 12 months might be the much better option
FeelingLucky said:
MitchT said:
Dave Hedgehog said:
to me it looks like something noddy would drive, i dont understand the logic in this
the tesla s on the other hand looks superb
Seems to be an issue with small eco cars. They all looks like some cutesy, squeaky toy that a besotted new mum would give her baby to play with in the bath. The i8 and the Model S look great, but they're prohibitively expensive. What we need is something affordable that's lower, wider and altogether sportier in stance. Even something akin to a 1 Series M Sport but with the edgier "i" styling would get the job done for those of us who don't want to look like we're driving a cartoon milk float.the tesla s on the other hand looks superb
WHERE IS MY MONEY ASSHOLE
liner33 said:
We are very tempted , our spec came to about £38k and the 1.3% deal is attractive but not sure buying a used one in 12 months might be the much better option
Well if you have the cash 2nd hand would clearly be cheaper. Although at the moment all the 94ah versions are still high priced. Will no doubt be a good used buy in 12 months.liner33 said:
at one point the rear stepped out quite a bit on dry roads as well .
It might have felt like it "stepped out" but i suspect it didn't. The DSC is calibrated to really prevent any significant slip, front or back, and can't be turned off (which going into the secret menus) If the driver is rough with the steering then the car does feel bit tip-toe like, as it's tall, narrow on narrow tyres. Once you learn to calm down your handwheel inputs it's fine.liner33 said:
I've read and BMW also mentioned its the fastest model they have to 30 mph and I quite believe it but if you read comments from owners you think they were driving a Veyron , to 30 its quick to 60 its not that special imo
It's actually pretty tardy from zero to about 15 mph as it doesn't have any gears so can't get to full power, until about 30mph, and from there to about 55 mph it's a genuinely quick car. Overall, 0 - 60 in about 7 is not fast by modern standards, but due to the lack of any lag, once rolling, and without any warning (no noise remember) in the real world ICE drivers will really have to be trying to "leave one behind" bellow about 60 or 70.Add in the fact that it looks likes noddys car, and loads of people think "i'll just nip in front at the next roundabout and suddenly find themselves getting left behind by noddy...... ;-)
I enjoy reading about people's real world experiences of EVs and hybrids, on the basis that I accept I'll be driving one in about 10 years time (either through choice or legislation).
Like most petrolheads (especially those of a bangernomics bent), I balance the high cost of running my car on a day to day basis versus the low purchase price of my old barge.
Before an EV driver has made any savings on a pence-per-mile basis, he/she has already spent £30k-ish on the car. As I've only spent £4.5k on mine, I've got a lot more in hand... Which I need to fuel the thirsty V8 under the bonnet!
FULL DISCLOSURE: I work in London, so get the tube to work Monday-Friday, and we take a lot of UK family holidays (four of us, which includes two monster-sized kids), where having a large, powerful, comfortable car with a huge boot comes in VERY handy.
Like most petrolheads (especially those of a bangernomics bent), I balance the high cost of running my car on a day to day basis versus the low purchase price of my old barge.
Before an EV driver has made any savings on a pence-per-mile basis, he/she has already spent £30k-ish on the car. As I've only spent £4.5k on mine, I've got a lot more in hand... Which I need to fuel the thirsty V8 under the bonnet!
FULL DISCLOSURE: I work in London, so get the tube to work Monday-Friday, and we take a lot of UK family holidays (four of us, which includes two monster-sized kids), where having a large, powerful, comfortable car with a huge boot comes in VERY handy.
MorganP104 said:
I enjoy reading about people's real world experiences of EVs and hybrids, on the basis that I accept I'll be driving one in about 10 years time (either through choice or legislation).
Like most petrolheads (especially those of a bangernomics bent), I balance the high cost of running my car on a day to day basis versus the low purchase price of my old barge.
Before an EV driver has made any savings on a pence-per-mile basis, he/she has already spent £30k-ish on the car. As I've only spent £4.5k on mine, I've got a lot more in hand... Which I need to fuel the thirsty V8 under the bonnet!
FULL DISCLOSURE: I work in London, so get the tube to work Monday-Friday, and we take a lot of UK family holidays (four of us, which includes two monster-sized kids), where having a large, powerful, comfortable car with a huge boot comes in VERY handy.
Agree, sort of. Before ordering the i3 I balanced it against a 2007 merc CLS. The fuel cost alone for the cls was circa £7k more over 3 years for me. Add in cheaper servicing, warranty, up to date tech, less repairs, perceived reliability etc. and my calculation was that the CLS would be about £80 a month less assuming an annual repair budget of only £500 year .Like most petrolheads (especially those of a bangernomics bent), I balance the high cost of running my car on a day to day basis versus the low purchase price of my old barge.
Before an EV driver has made any savings on a pence-per-mile basis, he/she has already spent £30k-ish on the car. As I've only spent £4.5k on mine, I've got a lot more in hand... Which I need to fuel the thirsty V8 under the bonnet!
FULL DISCLOSURE: I work in London, so get the tube to work Monday-Friday, and we take a lot of UK family holidays (four of us, which includes two monster-sized kids), where having a large, powerful, comfortable car with a huge boot comes in VERY handy.
I accept that if i didnt do 20k a year, the CLS would be a lot cheaper.
liner33 said:
Max_Torque said:
liner33 said:
at one point the rear stepped out quite a bit on dry roads as well .
It might have felt like it "stepped out" but i suspect it didn't. Only way that back end is going out without the whole car going with it in the dry is loose gravel on the road (so down a single track country lane), oil on the road or you pass across a manhole cover.
I've managed to get most my cars to step out or lightly drift (Z4M) but my i3 is pretty much stuck (I did have fun at my golf course gravel driveway however
)CooperS said:
liner33 said:
Max_Torque said:
liner33 said:
at one point the rear stepped out quite a bit on dry roads as well .
It might have felt like it "stepped out" but i suspect it didn't. Only way that back end is going out without the whole car going with it in the dry is loose gravel on the road (so down a single track country lane), oil on the road or you pass across a manhole cover.
I've managed to get most my cars to step out or lightly drift (Z4M) but my i3 is pretty much stuck (I did have fun at my golf course gravel driveway however
)I have done plenty of skid / snow training and was able to catch it - I guess most people wouldn't have and I suspect another day I would have entered the motorway backwards.
On country roads the suspension is so hard it frequently bounces mid corner. The traction cuts quite frequently. Personally I'd prefer a bit more slip in a car but given my experience of what happens when it does go I suspect BMW played it safe.
chandrew said:
I had my i3 step out quite considerably when entering a motorway. When it goes it's pretty nasty - much harder to control than something like an Elise. It was damp and I guess there was likely to be diesel or oil on the bend however the way it went killed my confidence the handling. Think considerable opposite steering a decent snake. When entering a fast-moving busy motorway (our approaches tend to be much shorter than in the U.K. And it certainly wasn't possible to control it within the lane) this is not what I wanted.
I have done plenty of skid / snow training and was able to catch it - I guess most people wouldn't have and I suspect another day I would have entered the motorway backwards.
On country roads the suspension is so hard it frequently bounces mid corner. The traction cuts quite frequently. Personally I'd prefer a bit more slip in a car but given my experience of what happens when it does go I suspect BMW played it safe.
This was nothing as dramatic just a little step out of about a foot , the car handled it fine without any input from the wife who has only driven fwd for the last 20 years really . Maybe there was gravel but I doubt it, the road is very bumpy and twisty and I suspect it was the bumps that unsettled it coupled with too much throttle. Certainly not an issue and not enough to put me off owning oneI have done plenty of skid / snow training and was able to catch it - I guess most people wouldn't have and I suspect another day I would have entered the motorway backwards.
On country roads the suspension is so hard it frequently bounces mid corner. The traction cuts quite frequently. Personally I'd prefer a bit more slip in a car but given my experience of what happens when it does go I suspect BMW played it safe.
one of my first impressions of the car (<5 minutes of driving) was how easy it was to unsettle.
I quickly realised that my steering input had to change. It's not like a normal car, the front wheels are really skinny but large in radius + they have no power running through them + the tyres are pumped to an inch of their lives + the suspension, i found, quite soft and wallow against the rock hard tyres and no give means the slightest incorrect input and you feel it.
Dunno, it's just a weird set up (weird as in not usual) - i accept this has all been designed in order to get maximum efficiency and coming from most well sorted modern hot saloon/hatches its a bit of a shock until you are used to it.
I quickly realised that my steering input had to change. It's not like a normal car, the front wheels are really skinny but large in radius + they have no power running through them + the tyres are pumped to an inch of their lives + the suspension, i found, quite soft and wallow against the rock hard tyres and no give means the slightest incorrect input and you feel it.
Dunno, it's just a weird set up (weird as in not usual) - i accept this has all been designed in order to get maximum efficiency and coming from most well sorted modern hot saloon/hatches its a bit of a shock until you are used to it.
covmutley said:
Regarding the GFV I think this will be interesting. As Ev's become more mainstream and people realise they dont do 300 miles every day so range is not a big issue for most people, and as diesel begins to get taxed hard, i think it is quite possible it will be worth more than forecast currently.
The first thing I get asked is 'what about the range', people honestly seem to think that they a driving 100's of miles daily, I don't understand how people have such vastly skewed perceptions of their daily usage. Obviously there are people who do massive daily mileages, but for the vast majority of people, an 80 mile range is perfectly adequate.Edited by covmutley on Thursday 22 June 09:25
In the 6 months I've had mine I've only used the REX a couple of times, and in each case it was because I was too lazy to stop and charge!
TXG399 said:
covmutley said:
Regarding the GFV I think this will be interesting. As Ev's become more mainstream and people realise they dont do 300 miles every day so range is not a big issue for most people, and as diesel begins to get taxed hard, i think it is quite possible it will be worth more than forecast currently.
The first thing I get asked is 'what about the range', people honestly seem to think that they a driving 100's of miles daily, I don't understand how people have such vastly skewed perceptions of their daily usage. Obviously there are people who do massive daily mileages, but for the vast majority of people, an 80 mile range is perfectly adequate.Edited by covmutley on Thursday 22 June 09:25
In the 6 months I've had mine I've only used the REX a couple of times, and in each case it was because I was too lazy to stop and charge!
then its - 90 miles isnt very far on a tank of fuel is it.
URGHHHHHHHH - it takes me £5.98 to fill it up, not £60 like your bucket!
if you could get £60 of fuel in an i3 it would do 900 miles - ish.
Z3MCJez said:
Dumb question, but does the REx generate enough charge to drive at constant 70 (or more) mph if you have run the battery to zero first? I.e. can you drive for an hour at a time at 70mph and do a splash and dash at the Shell to make an emergency run?
Jez
There certainly is a point where the REx will generate at a lower rate than the motor uses but not sure what the crossover point is. I certainly wouldn't want to go on a motorway with a low charge although I believe the car will go into a low power mode i.e. will limit the top speed to the point where the Rex will keep it going rather than coast to a halt. Jez
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