Help me justify buying a 2017 330e on 25k, to replace a 330i
Discussion
In terms of electricity cost, your £150/year might be way off, unless you swap to an EV tarrif and charge off peak (but then peak rates are higher so you'd have to offset your higher domestic use against savings).
330e battery is 12kw
An average electricity tarrif will be around 16p/kWh - so that's just under £2 per full charge
I suspect you'd charge more than 4 times a week (you won't get the advertised max range from a charge), but even at 4 charges a week, you're looking at £380ish/year
330e battery is 12kw
An average electricity tarrif will be around 16p/kWh - so that's just under £2 per full charge
I suspect you'd charge more than 4 times a week (you won't get the advertised max range from a charge), but even at 4 charges a week, you're looking at £380ish/year
I’m looking at the 2017 car which has the smaller 7.7kw battery so should cost less to charge for my "electric twelve miles" each day I drive the car. Using your numbers, that still points to less than £200 per year.
I won’t drive a 330e more than 200 days a year ie 4 days a week. I don't use the car every day, or even every week. I don’t commute, I run three cars and I won’t beggar around with cables in the cold or or late at night. (A lot of 330e and 530e owners admit that they can't be bovvered to connect cables. And it's highly unlikely that their wives are ever be bothered to connect a cable.)
Maybe I should be assuming that I'll charge the car more often when I'm out and about: at shops, restaurants, car parks, whatever. If I do, then I'm treating that saving as a potential bonus.
I'm looking at the 330e as a more modern car than the E91.
The 330e is not an EV - I can't afford the enormous depreciation of an EV to run short, local mileages, it's a first generation PHEV. (I have friends who are losing £10k a year in depreciation to do 4,000 miles on a Tesla S. They only do it for the tax break and the Eco virtue signalling)
I couldn't bring myself to run a BMW i3: it has none of the driveability and quality of the 3 series, which is has always been the class leader amongst compact premium cars.
I won’t drive a 330e more than 200 days a year ie 4 days a week. I don't use the car every day, or even every week. I don’t commute, I run three cars and I won’t beggar around with cables in the cold or or late at night. (A lot of 330e and 530e owners admit that they can't be bovvered to connect cables. And it's highly unlikely that their wives are ever be bothered to connect a cable.)
Maybe I should be assuming that I'll charge the car more often when I'm out and about: at shops, restaurants, car parks, whatever. If I do, then I'm treating that saving as a potential bonus.
I'm looking at the 330e as a more modern car than the E91.
The 330e is not an EV - I can't afford the enormous depreciation of an EV to run short, local mileages, it's a first generation PHEV. (I have friends who are losing £10k a year in depreciation to do 4,000 miles on a Tesla S. They only do it for the tax break and the Eco virtue signalling)
I couldn't bring myself to run a BMW i3: it has none of the driveability and quality of the 3 series, which is has always been the class leader amongst compact premium cars.
Edited by MikeInWimbledon on Saturday 12th June 10:38
Edited by MikeInWimbledon on Saturday 12th June 10:45
I think the rule of thumb is cars depreciation is roughly 50%/3 years and that is your main cost
£10k upfront on a £25k car which may be worth £12.5k in three years v a car that is probably at the base of its depreciation curve
If you’re driving it as a petrol car it will be no more economical than your current car, to get the benefit of the economy you have to be charging it regularly and fit a driving profile that maximises the electric motor
Saying you can’t be bothered regularly charging at home and will rely on “expensive” public chargers seems self defeating to me
I know people who run them as company cars and don’t ever charge them as it’s all about tax, equally I have own friend who bought one privately and has hardly ever put any petrol in it in over 3 years
He commutes 15 miles each way and can charge at home and at his office ( for free ) ... his use is ideal
Bottom line .. you’re not going to save any money ... it’s going to cost you loads, but if you want a new car then just do it
£10k upfront on a £25k car which may be worth £12.5k in three years v a car that is probably at the base of its depreciation curve
If you’re driving it as a petrol car it will be no more economical than your current car, to get the benefit of the economy you have to be charging it regularly and fit a driving profile that maximises the electric motor
Saying you can’t be bothered regularly charging at home and will rely on “expensive” public chargers seems self defeating to me
I know people who run them as company cars and don’t ever charge them as it’s all about tax, equally I have own friend who bought one privately and has hardly ever put any petrol in it in over 3 years
He commutes 15 miles each way and can charge at home and at his office ( for free ) ... his use is ideal
Bottom line .. you’re not going to save any money ... it’s going to cost you loads, but if you want a new car then just do it
Neat summary, Earthdweller.
Agreed on the 50% over 3 years thing. Tis true, that a 330e is probably going to lose £2500 a year in depreciation whereas the 330i won't.
As I said at the beginning, I'm assuming I would charge the 330e at home 200 times a year, but not more than that because of holidays, and days when the car's not used because I have two other cars, I don't commute, and I can be certain that my wife will cable up after she has been out and about.
I'm not counting a benefit from charging while out and about because I don't have a guess as to how often I'll be able to plug in for 2 hours.
I did expect more people to say "just update, it's not that much money, and you can't take it with you" but it's good to see that folks seem to be as positive about the 330i straight six petrol as I am.
So maybe this thread IS heading in the "stick with it" direction....
Agreed on the 50% over 3 years thing. Tis true, that a 330e is probably going to lose £2500 a year in depreciation whereas the 330i won't.
As I said at the beginning, I'm assuming I would charge the 330e at home 200 times a year, but not more than that because of holidays, and days when the car's not used because I have two other cars, I don't commute, and I can be certain that my wife will cable up after she has been out and about.
I'm not counting a benefit from charging while out and about because I don't have a guess as to how often I'll be able to plug in for 2 hours.
I did expect more people to say "just update, it's not that much money, and you can't take it with you" but it's good to see that folks seem to be as positive about the 330i straight six petrol as I am.
So maybe this thread IS heading in the "stick with it" direction....
It’s a difficult question to
Answer isn’t it ?
I have a 14 year old 3.0 straight six BMW as a weekend toy .. my daily is a now 6 year old 20d BMW which I bought new and is now paid for and has low miles and is mint and the wife’s Mini Cooper is here as well and she’s working from home now
Much as I’d think of upgrading the daily it did 2k last year and I’m not commuting anymore
I just can’t see the point, all the cars are very good and fully paid for
I wouldn’t sell the zed but as much as i think I could trade in the daily car I’d be paying £30k for the same thing .. which my head say woah !
I think I’d rather buy another toy to put in the garage than swop my 20d for a 30e .. or have some great holidays
Hey ho
Answer isn’t it ?
I have a 14 year old 3.0 straight six BMW as a weekend toy .. my daily is a now 6 year old 20d BMW which I bought new and is now paid for and has low miles and is mint and the wife’s Mini Cooper is here as well and she’s working from home now
Much as I’d think of upgrading the daily it did 2k last year and I’m not commuting anymore
I just can’t see the point, all the cars are very good and fully paid for
I wouldn’t sell the zed but as much as i think I could trade in the daily car I’d be paying £30k for the same thing .. which my head say woah !
I think I’d rather buy another toy to put in the garage than swop my 20d for a 30e .. or have some great holidays
Hey ho
Life is tough. My wife's runabout is an immaculate 2004 Mx5 which also has 25k on the clock and which never needs anything bar maintenance. It's worth pennies. She wouldn't swop it to a newer car for anything.
We'll get through it.
(Isn't depreciation wonderful when other people are picking up the tab? It's like flying Economy mid-week when you know you're being subsidised by the blokes in Business flying at short notice at the weekend)
But the 330e looks so shiny. And the tech is fascinating.
We'll get through it.
(Isn't depreciation wonderful when other people are picking up the tab? It's like flying Economy mid-week when you know you're being subsidised by the blokes in Business flying at short notice at the weekend)
But the 330e looks so shiny. And the tech is fascinating.
wassap said:
My G20 is giving me excellent MPG on a run. Starting journeys with a charge on a typical 120 mile drive, gets me 60mpg. Same return journey starting without any charge still gives me 53mpg. That’s very respectable in my book, it’s nice not having to drink from the black hose. Just running round locally I’m pretty much only using the batteries and with this weather I’m getting 35-40 miles. The range is terrible in winter though.
The only annoyance is the small tank and boot. Will be interesting to see if BmW follow Merc and start putting bigger batteries in. The new C Class will have a 60 mile range and 7KW charging
I struggle to get my G20 330e into the 40mpg and I charge it all the time now done 15k miles and overall average mpg is 36.The only annoyance is the small tank and boot. Will be interesting to see if BmW follow Merc and start putting bigger batteries in. The new C Class will have a 60 mile range and 7KW charging
Earthdweller said:
I just can’t see the point, all the cars are very good and fully paid for
Ultimately unless you were/are ready to spend ££££ on a brand new car any ways, you need to do ALOT of man maths to make any EV work as a replacement for a combustion car based on fuel costs. A PHEV is even more difficult if not impossible, and when you than factor in a second/third car I would personally say just forget it.I've been trying for the last few years to justify spending £30-40K needed to swap my wifes Lexus IS300H for a Model 3, but the when you put down the numbers on paper it doesn't even get close.
£10/year VED, currently sitting at 40% retained value coming up to 7 years old with pretty much £0 deprecation in the last 12 months, 2000 miles per year at 45mpg = £240/year. It would take over 125 years for the numbers to work out compared selling up and dropping £35k + sale value on a new car. Its simply not worth it, plus most importantly my wife doesn't care/want a new car at all, given all the family/weekend miles are done in our EV.
I gave it wash for the first time in about 12 months, and despite the parking scrapes there really is zero need to change it any time soon.
MikeInWimbledon said:
But the 330e looks so shiny. And the tech is fascinating.
I would say swapping a 330i for 330e isn't that exciting when the rest of the world is moving to full EVs. I get the urge to upgrade to the latest/newest BMW iDrive/tech, but a nearly 5 years old 330e isn't at all that uptodate either. Wait abit longer for used EVs to come down in price, the iPace is looking pretty good value at present, early Model S are now sub £30K, and the 3 will drop in price used the numbers been sold new will ensure that.
xx99xx said:
In terms of electricity cost, your £150/year might be way off, unless you swap to an EV tarrif and charge off peak (but then peak rates are higher so you'd have to offset your higher domestic use against savings).
330e battery is 12kw
An average electricity tarrif will be around 16p/kWh - so that's just under £2 per full charge
I suspect you'd charge more than 4 times a week (you won't get the advertised max range from a charge), but even at 4 charges a week, you're looking at £380ish/year
Charge off peak and will be 1.5p per kWh, so 18p. So 4 times a week= 72p, per year, around £40. Peak prices are 14p - cheaper than most normal tariffs.330e battery is 12kw
An average electricity tarrif will be around 16p/kWh - so that's just under £2 per full charge
I suspect you'd charge more than 4 times a week (you won't get the advertised max range from a charge), but even at 4 charges a week, you're looking at £380ish/year
“Charge off peak and will be 1.5p per kWh, so 18p. So 4 times a week= 72p, per year, around £40. Peak prices are 14p - cheaper than most normal tariffs.”
Yes, the electricity cost is irrelevant. Especially for the 2017 330e which only has half the battery capacity of the “current” £40k 330e which has the 12kWh battery.
Especially when the achieved petrol mpg is reported to be 40 or 50mpg, which is hardly any distance away from the 35mpg consumption of a 2009 330i.
Yes, the electricity cost is irrelevant. Especially for the 2017 330e which only has half the battery capacity of the “current” £40k 330e which has the 12kWh battery.
Especially when the achieved petrol mpg is reported to be 40 or 50mpg, which is hardly any distance away from the 35mpg consumption of a 2009 330i.
gangzoom said:
Earthdweller said:
I just can’t see the point, all the cars are very good and fully paid for
Ultimately unless you were/are ready to spend ££££ on a brand new car any ways, you need to do ALOT of man maths to make any EV work as a replacement for a combustion car based on fuel costs. A PHEV is even more difficult if not impossible, and when you than factor in a second/third car I would personally say just forget it.I've been trying for the last few years to justify spending £30-40K needed to swap my wifes Lexus IS300H for a Model 3, but the when you put down the numbers on paper it doesn't even get close.
£10/year VED, currently sitting at 40% retained value coming up to 7 years old with pretty much £0 deprecation in the last 12 months, 2000 miles per year at 45mpg = £240/year. It would take over 125 years for the numbers to work out compared selling up and dropping £35k + sale value on a new car. Its simply not worth it, plus most importantly my wife doesn't care/want a new car at all, given all the family/weekend miles are done in our EV.
I gave it wash for the first time in about 12 months, and despite the parking scrapes there really is zero need to change it any time soon.
MikeInWimbledon said:
But the 330e looks so shiny. And the tech is fascinating.
I would say swapping a 330i for 330e isn't that exciting when the rest of the world is moving to full EVs. I get the urge to upgrade to the latest/newest BMW iDrive/tech, but a nearly 5 years old 330e isn't at all that uptodate either. Wait abit longer for used EVs to come down in price, the iPace is looking pretty good value at present, early Model S are now sub £30K, and the 3 will drop in price used the numbers been sold new will ensure that.
It's a tax dodge. Most of them never plug them in as they have fuel cards for petrol, but no means of reclaiming electricity costs.
Even if you only drive 10 miles a day on most days, the cash buys you something a lot less interesting than the automotive equivalent of an MP3 player that can only store 20 songs.
I remember those MP3 players !
As Fagan once said:
“I’m reviewing the situation.”
The 330e is cheap, at well under half price, but maybe it’s not the right solution, just yet. I should either stick or stay old tech.
https://youtu.be/96rC4X_KWl4
As Fagan once said:
“I’m reviewing the situation.”
The 330e is cheap, at well under half price, but maybe it’s not the right solution, just yet. I should either stick or stay old tech.
https://youtu.be/96rC4X_KWl4
As said, these car are a tax compliance.
Personally, I wouldn't have one if it's not under warranty. Hybrids in general, and especially the German ones. Remember you have some more stuff to go wrong with them, with seemingly little to no benefit. Added weight, added complexity and often reduced space.
Personally, I wouldn't have one if it's not under warranty. Hybrids in general, and especially the German ones. Remember you have some more stuff to go wrong with them, with seemingly little to no benefit. Added weight, added complexity and often reduced space.
So here's "my" conclusion.
I couldn't convince myself about the cost, CO2 or 200kg extra weight case for a 330e, after test drives.
The numbers didn't add up for anyone outside of the Company car tax break wheeze.
So I bought a one owner 320i manual with 12k on the clock. Ticks the box of being "more modern" and delivers 45mpg rather than the 35mpg of my 330i. It's light, on standard suspension (no ratted teeth fillings) and has split fold rear seats, so "probably" meets my basic needs for the local runabout.
First impressions are excellent, but should I have laid out almost twice as much for a 2017 340i estate?
Maybe, maybe not: Wife doesn't see the need to update anyway. Perhaps in a year or two I'll do the Man Maths to justify it.
I couldn't convince myself about the cost, CO2 or 200kg extra weight case for a 330e, after test drives.
The numbers didn't add up for anyone outside of the Company car tax break wheeze.
So I bought a one owner 320i manual with 12k on the clock. Ticks the box of being "more modern" and delivers 45mpg rather than the 35mpg of my 330i. It's light, on standard suspension (no ratted teeth fillings) and has split fold rear seats, so "probably" meets my basic needs for the local runabout.
First impressions are excellent, but should I have laid out almost twice as much for a 2017 340i estate?
Maybe, maybe not: Wife doesn't see the need to update anyway. Perhaps in a year or two I'll do the Man Maths to justify it.
Edited by MikeInWimbledon on Sunday 27th June 11:02
Interestingly, I’ve just upgraded from a 2006 335i Estate to a 2016 340i Estate.
Had it 3 days, so early impressions, but if I had the choice of buying them new tomorrow, for the same price - I’d choose the 2006 model (well, really I’d choose a 2009 LCI model because it looks nicer).
The newer car is definitely ‘better’ but it all feels less raw and more ‘aloof’.
Tech is better etc.
Maybe, in automotive terms, I’m just a dinosaur.
That said, the move does make it more likely that my next car will be an EV, mainly because the transition won’t be so stark.
Had it 3 days, so early impressions, but if I had the choice of buying them new tomorrow, for the same price - I’d choose the 2006 model (well, really I’d choose a 2009 LCI model because it looks nicer).
The newer car is definitely ‘better’ but it all feels less raw and more ‘aloof’.
Tech is better etc.
Maybe, in automotive terms, I’m just a dinosaur.
That said, the move does make it more likely that my next car will be an EV, mainly because the transition won’t be so stark.
Having had a 2016 plate 330e and a i3 BEV since March 2019.... I got mine on the company scheme because low BIK, free entry into the ULEZ in London etc.
I'd say really don't go for a 330e of that age. It's a compromised vehicle, brought out by the design brief of lowering sold fleet emissions and BIK buyers. I can't see how the ROI can be justified, either fiscally or for joy / satisfaction.
Checked mine with the DVLA, returned it March 2019... it's still sat without an MOT and so it hasn't done a mile I think since it went back. I imagine a really big loss for the lease company there.
I did 52k in 2 years, averaged about 48mpg, with a Rolec plugging it in overnight. My standard commute is 78 miles with a mix of A-road and motorway.
Yes the ZF 8-speed is nice to drive. The flappy paddles were a gimmick. The electric motor helping smooth out use it's got some of the niceities of a BEV.
The boot was horrifically small. Charging it is very slow so felt guilty plugging into public points when people could get 7.6/11/22kW instead of my 3.7kWh rate.
Charging system failed and had to be replaced. The pressurised fuel tank had constant problems and 3 months before it went back they replaced a lot of the fuel system, spilling fuel in the cabin which caused my interior to smell of fuel for weeks. Alternator was replaced iirc, as was the PAS.
It rode ok. the sport front seats felt too narrow and gave me a lot of hip pain.
Didn't have any other issues mechanically.
Can't see it being cheap either if you have any problems with the drivetrain. Have you seen how complex the motor bolted to the gearbox is?
Meanwhile, 27 months into being an i3 driver and racked up 40k miles ... it's a lot nicer. the cabin is far more light and feels less like I'm in a tank. The throttle response is awesome and the fact that it costs about 0.5p/mile in energy is pretty nice for personal mileage. Whenever I use to go to a hotel for company business I made sure I had destination charging somewhere.
Also managed to do 400 miles in it the other Sunday. Not on a single charge though.
Did get home from a night karting once when the M3 was shut with 0.5% battery left Range anxiety is more like range excitement.
I'd say really don't go for a 330e of that age. It's a compromised vehicle, brought out by the design brief of lowering sold fleet emissions and BIK buyers. I can't see how the ROI can be justified, either fiscally or for joy / satisfaction.
Checked mine with the DVLA, returned it March 2019... it's still sat without an MOT and so it hasn't done a mile I think since it went back. I imagine a really big loss for the lease company there.
I did 52k in 2 years, averaged about 48mpg, with a Rolec plugging it in overnight. My standard commute is 78 miles with a mix of A-road and motorway.
Yes the ZF 8-speed is nice to drive. The flappy paddles were a gimmick. The electric motor helping smooth out use it's got some of the niceities of a BEV.
The boot was horrifically small. Charging it is very slow so felt guilty plugging into public points when people could get 7.6/11/22kW instead of my 3.7kWh rate.
Charging system failed and had to be replaced. The pressurised fuel tank had constant problems and 3 months before it went back they replaced a lot of the fuel system, spilling fuel in the cabin which caused my interior to smell of fuel for weeks. Alternator was replaced iirc, as was the PAS.
It rode ok. the sport front seats felt too narrow and gave me a lot of hip pain.
Didn't have any other issues mechanically.
Can't see it being cheap either if you have any problems with the drivetrain. Have you seen how complex the motor bolted to the gearbox is?
Meanwhile, 27 months into being an i3 driver and racked up 40k miles ... it's a lot nicer. the cabin is far more light and feels less like I'm in a tank. The throttle response is awesome and the fact that it costs about 0.5p/mile in energy is pretty nice for personal mileage. Whenever I use to go to a hotel for company business I made sure I had destination charging somewhere.
Also managed to do 400 miles in it the other Sunday. Not on a single charge though.
Did get home from a night karting once when the M3 was shut with 0.5% battery left
Range anxiety is more like range excitement.survivalist said:
Interestingly, I’ve just upgraded from a 2006 335i Estate to a 2016 340i Estate. Had it 3 days, so early impressions, but if I had the choice of buying them new tomorrow, for the same price - I’d choose the 2006 model (well, really I’d choose a 2009 LCI model because it looks nicer).
The newer car is definitely ‘better’ but it all feels less raw and more ‘aloof’.
Aye, but the challenge is that we can't buy the E90 or E91 "new" any more.The newer car is definitely ‘better’ but it all feels less raw and more ‘aloof’.
Although my 2009 LCI 330i SE is loopy low mileage at 26k, it still doesn't look as new as the F30, and at 35mpg it is still a tad dearer than the 320i's 46mpg and, even with my BMW Authorised warranty, there's always that suspicion that the 12 year old car might have some kind of age related problem one day.
But then we've been through all this before when the E90 replaced the E46....
MikeInWimbledon said:
survivalist said:
Interestingly, I’ve just upgraded from a 2006 335i Estate to a 2016 340i Estate. Had it 3 days, so early impressions, but if I had the choice of buying them new tomorrow, for the same price - I’d choose the 2006 model (well, really I’d choose a 2009 LCI model because it looks nicer).
The newer car is definitely ‘better’ but it all feels less raw and more ‘aloof’.
Aye, but the challenge is that we can't buy the E90 or E91 "new" any more.The newer car is definitely ‘better’ but it all feels less raw and more ‘aloof’.
Although my 2009 LCI 330i SE is loopy low mileage at 26k, it still doesn't look as new as the F30, and at 35mpg it is still a tad dearer than the 320i's 46mpg and, even with my BMW Authorised warranty, there's always that suspicion that the 12 year old car might have some kind of age related problem one day.
But then we've been through all this before when the E90 replaced the E46....
The 330i to 320i move also changes the nature of the power delivery - loads more useable low down torque in the newer car. Moving from a 335i to 340i less so, as both the N54 and B58 are turbo with the associated torque.
caseys said:
Having had a 2016 plate 330e and a i3 BEV since March 2019.... I got mine on the company scheme because low BIK, free entry into the ULEZ in London etc.
I'd say really don't go for a 330e of that age. It's a compromised vehicle, brought out by the design brief of lowering sold fleet emissions and BIK buyers. I can't see how the ROI can be justified, either fiscally or for joy / satisfaction.
Checked mine with the DVLA, returned it March 2019... it's still sat without an MOT and so it hasn't done a mile I think since it went back. I imagine a really big loss for the lease company there.
I did 52k in 2 years, averaged about 48mpg, with a Rolec plugging it in overnight. My standard commute is 78 miles with a mix of A-road and motorway.
Yes the ZF 8-speed is nice to drive. The flappy paddles were a gimmick. The electric motor helping smooth out use it's got some of the niceities of a BEV.
The boot was horrifically small. Charging it is very slow so felt guilty plugging into public points when people could get 7.6/11/22kW instead of my 3.7kWh rate.
Charging system failed and had to be replaced. The pressurised fuel tank had constant problems and 3 months before it went back they replaced a lot of the fuel system, spilling fuel in the cabin which caused my interior to smell of fuel for weeks. Alternator was replaced iirc, as was the PAS.
It rode ok. the sport front seats felt too narrow and gave me a lot of hip pain.
Didn't have any other issues mechanically.
Can't see it being cheap either if you have any problems with the drivetrain. Have you seen how complex the motor bolted to the gearbox is?
Meanwhile, 27 months into being an i3 driver and racked up 40k miles ... it's a lot nicer. the cabin is far more light and feels less like I'm in a tank. The throttle response is awesome and the fact that it costs about 0.5p/mile in energy is pretty nice for personal mileage. Whenever I use to go to a hotel for company business I made sure I had destination charging somewhere.
Also managed to do 400 miles in it the other Sunday. Not on a single charge though.
Did get home from a night karting once when the M3 was shut with 0.5% battery left Range anxiety is more like range excitement.
As a previous F30 user who has progressed on to G20 and is also an i3 user (wifey’s) I’d say that’s a fair summary….I'd say really don't go for a 330e of that age. It's a compromised vehicle, brought out by the design brief of lowering sold fleet emissions and BIK buyers. I can't see how the ROI can be justified, either fiscally or for joy / satisfaction.
Checked mine with the DVLA, returned it March 2019... it's still sat without an MOT and so it hasn't done a mile I think since it went back. I imagine a really big loss for the lease company there.
I did 52k in 2 years, averaged about 48mpg, with a Rolec plugging it in overnight. My standard commute is 78 miles with a mix of A-road and motorway.
Yes the ZF 8-speed is nice to drive. The flappy paddles were a gimmick. The electric motor helping smooth out use it's got some of the niceities of a BEV.
The boot was horrifically small. Charging it is very slow so felt guilty plugging into public points when people could get 7.6/11/22kW instead of my 3.7kWh rate.
Charging system failed and had to be replaced. The pressurised fuel tank had constant problems and 3 months before it went back they replaced a lot of the fuel system, spilling fuel in the cabin which caused my interior to smell of fuel for weeks. Alternator was replaced iirc, as was the PAS.
It rode ok. the sport front seats felt too narrow and gave me a lot of hip pain.
Didn't have any other issues mechanically.
Can't see it being cheap either if you have any problems with the drivetrain. Have you seen how complex the motor bolted to the gearbox is?
Meanwhile, 27 months into being an i3 driver and racked up 40k miles ... it's a lot nicer. the cabin is far more light and feels less like I'm in a tank. The throttle response is awesome and the fact that it costs about 0.5p/mile in energy is pretty nice for personal mileage. Whenever I use to go to a hotel for company business I made sure I had destination charging somewhere.
Also managed to do 400 miles in it the other Sunday. Not on a single charge though.
Did get home from a night karting once when the M3 was shut with 0.5% battery left
Range anxiety is more like range excitement.Gassing Station | EV and Alternative Fuels | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff