Discussion
ETA *2021
There’s a pretty great leasing offer on in Austria at the moment for an i3 and I’m going to swap our runabout with one. I was thinking of going completely base model, but before I do that, is there something worth speccing?
The dealer recommended the heat pump for extra range. Does it make such a difference? I was disappointed to see that it doesn’t come with the nice screen as standard so I think the business packet and CarPlay is needed.
Otherwise, anything else? Thanks for your help.
There’s a pretty great leasing offer on in Austria at the moment for an i3 and I’m going to swap our runabout with one. I was thinking of going completely base model, but before I do that, is there something worth speccing?
The dealer recommended the heat pump for extra range. Does it make such a difference? I was disappointed to see that it doesn’t come with the nice screen as standard so I think the business packet and CarPlay is needed.
Otherwise, anything else? Thanks for your help.
Heat pump is rarely worth is unless you're regularly doing trips where a few percent improvement in efficiency will save you a charging stop. Lots of short trips, no need. Long trips where you'd have to charge anyway, no need.
Certainly for UK spec cars there's nothing you need IMO. Pro nav with carplay is standard now, the free wheels look fine, the free grey cloth interior is fine too. Think you get rear parking sensors standard, pay extra for front & camera.
Certainly for UK spec cars there's nothing you need IMO. Pro nav with carplay is standard now, the free wheels look fine, the free grey cloth interior is fine too. Think you get rear parking sensors standard, pay extra for front & camera.
If the aux heating is at minimal cost on a lease I'd go for it anyway, if I had to fork out north of £500 in cash I'd hesitate.
I'd've liked park assist and sunroof on mine as well as heat pump, but I didn't want to wait for manufacture so 'made-do' with available stock - ex-showroom car. Also have suite interior which is leather - I'd prefer Loft personally, with eucalyptus trim.
I've installed Hypervolt EVSE, which is an expensive luxury really. With my use I could've continued on granny charger, but it's a faff plugging it in and putting it away etc. if you don't have access to a garage.
Great car though - if your useage suits BEV you'll love it.
I'd've liked park assist and sunroof on mine as well as heat pump, but I didn't want to wait for manufacture so 'made-do' with available stock - ex-showroom car. Also have suite interior which is leather - I'd prefer Loft personally, with eucalyptus trim.
I've installed Hypervolt EVSE, which is an expensive luxury really. With my use I could've continued on granny charger, but it's a faff plugging it in and putting it away etc. if you don't have access to a garage.
Great car though - if your useage suits BEV you'll love it.
Thanks a lot. I think I’ll go heat pump as it seems to be recommended in cold climate. We have extremes of weather. It can be -18 in winter and +40 in summer so I think it would make a difference.
Unfortunately due to taxation in Austria the pro nav isn’t included. Think I’ll add that in too. Very hard to understand it all though as pro nav seems to be €2000 or so but then with the other necessary options equals €4000. Lol.
I might go sunroof too as I do like sunroofs.
Unfortunately due to taxation in Austria the pro nav isn’t included. Think I’ll add that in too. Very hard to understand it all though as pro nav seems to be €2000 or so but then with the other necessary options equals €4000. Lol.
I might go sunroof too as I do like sunroofs.
Mine is basic - just driving assistant I think.
Love it, a real hoot to drive but it is a second car, runaround. That said it's the first set of keys both of us grab.
Front parking sensor and possibly rear view camera would help but I don't miss anything else and wouldn't spec anything extra if buying new (but I am tight). But might look for extras on a well priced nearly new one.
Love it, a real hoot to drive but it is a second car, runaround. That said it's the first set of keys both of us grab.
Front parking sensor and possibly rear view camera would help but I don't miss anything else and wouldn't spec anything extra if buying new (but I am tight). But might look for extras on a well priced nearly new one.
BMW have disappointed me a great deal with the i3 - we had the 94ah rEX from new in 2017 - at the time it was the best choice with good spec at a good price compared to what else was out there.
Great fun to drive, quirky looking.
Pretty quickly other manufactures started making EVs and the little i3 just stayed basically the same. a 30 mile range bump still only put it to 160miles - which is nearer 120 miles of usable range if you want to have some fun or stay warm.
We sold ours in 2020 and bought an e-niro 4 - £100 cheaper a month, better spec, quicker and consistently returns 280 miles out of a claimed 282 maximum range.
Can't get it below 200 miles, no matter how hard you drive it or how many accessories you have on.
Shame on you BMW, you were onto a winner until you stopped developing it.
Great fun to drive, quirky looking.
Pretty quickly other manufactures started making EVs and the little i3 just stayed basically the same. a 30 mile range bump still only put it to 160miles - which is nearer 120 miles of usable range if you want to have some fun or stay warm.
We sold ours in 2020 and bought an e-niro 4 - £100 cheaper a month, better spec, quicker and consistently returns 280 miles out of a claimed 282 maximum range.
Can't get it below 200 miles, no matter how hard you drive it or how many accessories you have on.
Shame on you BMW, you were onto a winner until you stopped developing it.
What you say may be true, but it was still leagues ahead of most of the competition until very recently - and in some ways still is.
Most of the new breed are large SUV/family cars, the small city cars still only have similar range and are typically not as good to drive.
If 150 miles is enough (and you can justify the higher price) then it's still a great option.
Most of the new breed are large SUV/family cars, the small city cars still only have similar range and are typically not as good to drive.
If 150 miles is enough (and you can justify the higher price) then it's still a great option.
LordGrover said:
What you say may be true, but it was still leagues ahead of most of the competition until very recently - and in some ways still is.
Most of the new breed are large SUV/family cars, the small city cars still only have similar range and are typically not as good to drive.
If 150 miles is enough (and you can justify the higher price) then it's still a great option.
agreed - but for our particular situation, a 40 mile daily commute, it suits that the car only needs to be charged once a week. This means we can eventually give it a solar charge over saturday / sunday and be even more smug lolMost of the new breed are large SUV/family cars, the small city cars still only have similar range and are typically not as good to drive.
If 150 miles is enough (and you can justify the higher price) then it's still a great option.
I like the fact that it’s quirky and the range is plenty for us. I do around 800-1000km/month taking the kids to school, shopping, and occasionally going to the office etc. We have a wall charger. I went for a test drive today and find the interior finish more minimalist than the Niro and more spacious. Each to their own though.
Should be a great car I think.
I’m going with standard exterior, heat pump, comfort packet, smartphone integration, pro nav (have to add that extra here). The first offer before I’ve negotiated it is in at €240/month. Deposit is the €3600 e-mobility bonus from the state. It’s running over my business so zero BIK or anything else tax wise to pay.
Nice upgrade from our 10 year old polo, which ridiculously is now on sale.
Should be a great car I think.
I’m going with standard exterior, heat pump, comfort packet, smartphone integration, pro nav (have to add that extra here). The first offer before I’ve negotiated it is in at €240/month. Deposit is the €3600 e-mobility bonus from the state. It’s running over my business so zero BIK or anything else tax wise to pay.
Nice upgrade from our 10 year old polo, which ridiculously is now on sale.
Pixelpeep 135 said:
Shame on you BMW, you were onto a winner until you stopped developing it.
That's kind of true, but I don't see the i3 as a long term model for them. It was kind of a toe in the water / development model for the more mainstream models to go EV really, now that they have they're probably just running it out. I do really like them though and it was ahead of it's time enough that it's still decent now with minor upgrades.Pixelpeep 135 said:
BMW have disappointed me a great deal with the i3 - we had the 94ah rEX from new in 2017 - at the time it was the best choice with good spec at a good price compared to what else was out there.
Great fun to drive, quirky looking.
Pretty quickly other manufactures started making EVs and the little i3 just stayed basically the same. a 30 mile range bump still only put it to 160miles - which is nearer 120 miles of usable range if you want to have some fun or stay warm.
We sold ours in 2020 and bought an e-niro 4 - £100 cheaper a month, better spec, quicker and consistently returns 280 miles out of a claimed 282 maximum range.
Can't get it below 200 miles, no matter how hard you drive it or how many accessories you have on.
Shame on you BMW, you were onto a winner until you stopped developing it.
Never less than 140. Never more than 185 in my 120Ah. And since I only do a max of 70 miles a day - on local roads - it’sGreat fun to drive, quirky looking.
Pretty quickly other manufactures started making EVs and the little i3 just stayed basically the same. a 30 mile range bump still only put it to 160miles - which is nearer 120 miles of usable range if you want to have some fun or stay warm.
We sold ours in 2020 and bought an e-niro 4 - £100 cheaper a month, better spec, quicker and consistently returns 280 miles out of a claimed 282 maximum range.
Can't get it below 200 miles, no matter how hard you drive it or how many accessories you have on.
Shame on you BMW, you were onto a winner until you stopped developing it.
far more than I need. I have never used a public charger and, embarrassingly, don’t even have one at home. Just a granny charge overnight twice a week.
For long fast trips it’s into the ICE for me. Smug b
d that I am 
Discombobulate said:
Pixelpeep 135 said:
BMW have disappointed me a great deal with the i3 - we had the 94ah rEX from new in 2017 - at the time it was the best choice with good spec at a good price compared to what else was out there.
Great fun to drive, quirky looking.
Pretty quickly other manufactures started making EVs and the little i3 just stayed basically the same. a 30 mile range bump still only put it to 160miles - which is nearer 120 miles of usable range if you want to have some fun or stay warm.
We sold ours in 2020 and bought an e-niro 4 - £100 cheaper a month, better spec, quicker and consistently returns 280 miles out of a claimed 282 maximum range.
Can't get it below 200 miles, no matter how hard you drive it or how many accessories you have on.
Shame on you BMW, you were onto a winner until you stopped developing it.
Never less than 140. Never more than 185 in my 120Ah. And since I only do a max of 70 miles a day - on local roads - it’sGreat fun to drive, quirky looking.
Pretty quickly other manufactures started making EVs and the little i3 just stayed basically the same. a 30 mile range bump still only put it to 160miles - which is nearer 120 miles of usable range if you want to have some fun or stay warm.
We sold ours in 2020 and bought an e-niro 4 - £100 cheaper a month, better spec, quicker and consistently returns 280 miles out of a claimed 282 maximum range.
Can't get it below 200 miles, no matter how hard you drive it or how many accessories you have on.
Shame on you BMW, you were onto a winner until you stopped developing it.
far more than I need. I have never used a public charger and, embarrassingly, don’t even have one at home. Just a granny charge overnight twice a week.
For long fast trips it’s into the ICE for me. Smug b
d that I am I understand BMW will stop making the i3 in 2023 or 2024 and it won't be directly replaced now they have the i4 / ix etc. None of the newer BMW EV's hold any interest for me - too big and frankly, too dull. Just an electric powered overweight conventional car. I'm planning on keeping my i3s for a long long time.
bulldong said:
I assume it’s pence to charge it?
The wife has an i3 94Ah (33Kw/h battery capacity), to fully charge on our overnight rate of 5p / Kw cost £1.50 and that gives 120 miles range.The later 120Ah version is 42Kw/h capacity, so about a one third more to charge vs a one third increase in range, so c£2 for 180 miles
Edited by wobert on Friday 20th August 09:55
The standard car in Austria doesn’t come with carplay, or any of the other things that the uk version comes with. It’s due to taxation which means the base model if they included all those niceties would cost more than €50,000 and therefore be subject to the luxury vehicle tax. Anyway, I’ve got the price to €38,900 and the leasing interest rate is 0.77%. The RRP is €47,000 or so.
I pay a deposit of €3600 but get that back from the state so effectively no deposit and €240/month with all the nice bits on it. I’m having a final negotiation with them on Monday, but it’s a good deal as it stands.
ETA the €47,000 is already cheaper than it would be because they seem to be stopping these in 2021.
I pay a deposit of €3600 but get that back from the state so effectively no deposit and €240/month with all the nice bits on it. I’m having a final negotiation with them on Monday, but it’s a good deal as it stands.
ETA the €47,000 is already cheaper than it would be because they seem to be stopping these in 2021.
Edited by anonymous-user on Friday 20th August 18:26
I’ve just bit the bullet and signed up for an i3 120ah and am taking the 435i to WBAC tomorrow where I hope to get back what I paid Barons BMW for it 6 months ago. 
I seemed to have got my timing right for a change as I happened to speak to a dealer who was about to register 3 cars prior to the new reg coming out. Net result is I’ve got a metallic blue i3 120ah with the i3 Pro Pack and public charging cable effectively brand new (10 miles only and not yet registered) for under £26k.
Looking forward to picking it up next week!!
I seemed to have got my timing right for a change as I happened to speak to a dealer who was about to register 3 cars prior to the new reg coming out. Net result is I’ve got a metallic blue i3 120ah with the i3 Pro Pack and public charging cable effectively brand new (10 miles only and not yet registered) for under £26k.
Looking forward to picking it up next week!!
Gassing Station | EV and Alternative Fuels | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff