BMW i8 owner's review after 5k miles
Discussion
Oh wow! Great review!
I’ve had a Porsche Macan for the last two years, and a Mercedes CLS prior to that (both diesels), and now thinking of selling the Macan and going for an i8.
I’ve always dreamt of one, and life’s too short otherwise.
Almost a year on from the OP, how is the car now? I’m really interested as to how you’ve found it long term. I’m going to declare myself really silly and just state that I’ll be buying the car and parking it on the street in front of my terraced house when not using it. I’ve got my dads old Jag S type for daily shopping and things, and I usually scoot 100 miles or so to see them at the weekends, and that’s what I’ll save this car for.
How long does the battery hold charge for, and do I *need* to charge it or does it regenerate well enough by itself with some aggressive braking? Have you had to incur the warranty for anything?
Before anyone flames me, I just want the car as I love the looks, it’s pretty iconic, and everyone who’s driven it says they would choose it over a 911. Also I think the 2014/15 models will probably be worth a bit in the future and I can’t see them dropping much below £50K in the future!
Thanks in advance for any of your thoughts!
I’ve had a Porsche Macan for the last two years, and a Mercedes CLS prior to that (both diesels), and now thinking of selling the Macan and going for an i8.
I’ve always dreamt of one, and life’s too short otherwise.
Almost a year on from the OP, how is the car now? I’m really interested as to how you’ve found it long term. I’m going to declare myself really silly and just state that I’ll be buying the car and parking it on the street in front of my terraced house when not using it. I’ve got my dads old Jag S type for daily shopping and things, and I usually scoot 100 miles or so to see them at the weekends, and that’s what I’ll save this car for.
How long does the battery hold charge for, and do I *need* to charge it or does it regenerate well enough by itself with some aggressive braking? Have you had to incur the warranty for anything?
Before anyone flames me, I just want the car as I love the looks, it’s pretty iconic, and everyone who’s driven it says they would choose it over a 911. Also I think the 2014/15 models will probably be worth a bit in the future and I can’t see them dropping much below £50K in the future!
Thanks in advance for any of your thoughts!
I've had an i8 recently on an extended loan.
I'd concur with most of the reviews on here.
However, I decided it isn't for me.
what made me decide ?
jumping back into my 991 GT3
That, and I was surprised as to how little storage it actually has.
shame, as the drive was pretty good, but just not for me.
I'd concur with most of the reviews on here.
However, I decided it isn't for me.
what made me decide ?
jumping back into my 991 GT3
That, and I was surprised as to how little storage it actually has.
shame, as the drive was pretty good, but just not for me.
red997 said:
I've had an i8 recently on an extended loan.
I'd concur with most of the reviews on here.
However, I decided it isn't for me.
what made me decide ?
jumping back into my 991 GT3
That, and I was surprised as to how little storage it actually has.
shame, as the drive was pretty good, but just not for me.
I agree the lack of storage is a bit of an issue, but I use the boot and back seats - and often the passenger seat too! The i8 is nothing like a 991 GT3, both excel in different ways, glad you were able to see which suited you best I'd concur with most of the reviews on here.
However, I decided it isn't for me.
what made me decide ?
jumping back into my 991 GT3
That, and I was surprised as to how little storage it actually has.
shame, as the drive was pretty good, but just not for me.
My local dealer has a 2015 model with 20K miles on it for £53K - I think that’s probably worth a purchase... can you guys in the know see the car falling in value much more over the next few years? I’ll factor in BMW extended warranty (being quoted £1500 per year for that or £250/month) - perhaps I can haggle 5 years additional warranty when purchasing?
The horrifying early years depreciation is likely over at 3 or 4 years, I do think some will sink into the 40s over the next few years, most likely the less-well-specced ones that are out of warranty with highish miles. The secondhand market for these is odd, and very different to the 1st purchaser who is usually a company director, taking tax advantage etc ...
Battery warranty is 8 years, so 2022 could be a watershed time for the early versions. But I think keeping up the official BMW warranty at £800 a year is a no-brainer.
Battery warranty is 8 years, so 2022 could be a watershed time for the early versions. But I think keeping up the official BMW warranty at £800 a year is a no-brainer.
johnphiladelphia said:
Oh wow! Great review!
I’ve had a Porsche Macan for the last two years, and a Mercedes CLS prior to that (both diesels), and now thinking of selling the Macan and going for an i8.
I’ve always dreamt of one, and life’s too short otherwise.
Almost a year on from the OP, how is the car now? I’m really interested as to how you’ve found it long term. I’m going to declare myself really silly and just state that I’ll be buying the car and parking it on the street in front of my terraced house when not using it. I’ve got my dads old Jag S type for daily shopping and things, and I usually scoot 100 miles or so to see them at the weekends, and that’s what I’ll save this car for.
How long does the battery hold charge for, and do I *need* to charge it or does it regenerate well enough by itself with some aggressive braking? Have you had to incur the warranty for anything?
Before anyone flames me, I just want the car as I love the looks, it’s pretty iconic, and everyone who’s driven it says they would choose it over a 911. Also I think the 2014/15 models will probably be worth a bit in the future and I can’t see them dropping much below £50K in the future!
Thanks in advance for any of your thoughts!
Happy to give an update. I’ve now had the car for 18 months and ironically just had it back from some warranty work after a break down. The issue was that the fuel tank needs to be depressurized before filling (no idea why, but just involves pressing a button on the dash). On this occasion the tank wouldn’t depressurize, so I was about to run out of petrol and electricity. I called a friend who suggested calling BMW assist. I did and they could instantly see where I was. They pointed out there is an emergency release in the boot, but it wasn’t connected on my car! After about 1.5 hours a transporter arrived for my car and BMW booked me a taxi to take me home, delivering a very high spec X5 the following morning. Very good service.I’ve had a Porsche Macan for the last two years, and a Mercedes CLS prior to that (both diesels), and now thinking of selling the Macan and going for an i8.
I’ve always dreamt of one, and life’s too short otherwise.
Almost a year on from the OP, how is the car now? I’m really interested as to how you’ve found it long term. I’m going to declare myself really silly and just state that I’ll be buying the car and parking it on the street in front of my terraced house when not using it. I’ve got my dads old Jag S type for daily shopping and things, and I usually scoot 100 miles or so to see them at the weekends, and that’s what I’ll save this car for.
How long does the battery hold charge for, and do I *need* to charge it or does it regenerate well enough by itself with some aggressive braking? Have you had to incur the warranty for anything?
Before anyone flames me, I just want the car as I love the looks, it’s pretty iconic, and everyone who’s driven it says they would choose it over a 911. Also I think the 2014/15 models will probably be worth a bit in the future and I can’t see them dropping much below £50K in the future!
Thanks in advance for any of your thoughts!
Whilst the car was having this issue fixed I finally got around to having one of the rear lights replaced as it was full of condensation. It seems the car just needed a new data download to fix the fuel problem.
I still think the car is great, a very good multi purpose car, fun to drive and very different to anything else I’ve owned or driven. There are at least three i8s within a few miles of my house, which is quite surprising as I live in the countryside. In spite of this the car still generates a lot of interest. I agree it is a future classic -but think it will be quite a few years before we start seeing any appreciation.
I think the car works best if you are able to charge it overnight at home, I’m averaging almost exactly 50mpg in mixed driving and generally now only charging at home. Charging using a standard socket the car shows between 14-18 miles of full electric driving after an ove4night charge, which gets me halfway to the office. I tend to put it in full electric mode in town or if I’m heading home with some juice to use up!
If holding a steady speed on the motorway the electric reserve builds slowly in normal mode but quite rapidly in sport whatever the driving conditions.
It really isnt possible to accommodate an adult in the rear seats for long, even on a short run I tend to move my seat much further forward than ideal to give rear seat passengers half a chance. Ok for very occasional use but not ideal if a regular requirement in my view!
Happy to answer any other questions
I find these intriguing. I’ve seem a fair few in London but even after a few years They still look like they’ve been dropped from a film set onto the road.
What are they like if you want to, say, drive deep into France? What’s the range at a more or less constant 140km/h, how pokey are they on the motorway, and what’s the refuelling/recharging time once you’re empty?
What are they like if you want to, say, drive deep into France? What’s the range at a more or less constant 140km/h, how pokey are they on the motorway, and what’s the refuelling/recharging time once you’re empty?
300 miles range, at 140k you’ll be on the petrol motor and get 40mpg all day long. Plenty of motorway poke, really only starts to run out of puff past 200kmh, it uses the leccy motor to “boost” the little turbo engine when you put your foot down. Running at mway speeds it tries to keep the battery topped up to about 2/3rds so you always have reserves of power.
I would say it makes an excellent long-distance cruiser.
I would say it makes an excellent long-distance cruiser.
I think it’s an absolutely wonderful car - not only the looks but the vision the car embodies... which is why I want it before I life forces me to be a bit more serious.
I do have to ask this question though given you’re all of sounder mind than I (or appear to be - yeh I’ve been a lurker for the past few months as I just don’t have anything interesting to say)... is spending £50K on a 2015 i8 (manufacturer approved) a good idea?
I do have to ask this question though given you’re all of sounder mind than I (or appear to be - yeh I’ve been a lurker for the past few months as I just don’t have anything interesting to say)... is spending £50K on a 2015 i8 (manufacturer approved) a good idea?
My comments earlier in the thread should help you decide.
MrOrange said:
The horrifying early years depreciation is likely over at 3 or 4 years, I do think some will sink into the 40s over the next few years, most likely the less-well-specced ones that are out of warranty with highish miles. The secondhand market for these is odd, and very different to the 1st purchaser who is usually a company director, taking tax advantage etc ...
Battery warranty is 8 years, so 2022 could be a watershed time for the early versions. But I think keeping up the official BMW warranty at £800 a year is a no-brainer.
I think the question you might ask yourself is “what else can I buy for £50k that does it for me”, esp as it’s a pretty unique car in a niche of one.Battery warranty is 8 years, so 2022 could be a watershed time for the early versions. But I think keeping up the official BMW warranty at £800 a year is a no-brainer.
I think it would be a very good idea and with hindsight a much better plan than me buying mine new and not qualifying for tax relief! I would just recommend that you take out a BMW extended warranty - if you buy from them I think you'll get a minimum of a year's warranty anyway. Even though the value of the car has halved, the repair costs haven't... Mine has generally been very reliable, but I know others have had issues and with all that technology it may be pricey to repair. Let us know if you go for it 
johnphiladelphia said:
I think it’s an absolutely wonderful car - not only the looks but the vision the car embodies... which is why I want it before I life forces me to be a bit more serious.
I do have to ask this question though given you’re all of sounder mind than I (or appear to be - yeh I’ve been a lurker for the past few months as I just don’t have anything interesting to say)... is spending £50K on a 2015 i8 (manufacturer approved) a good idea?
Of course it is. It won't depreciate much from there and will cost buttons to run. I do have to ask this question though given you’re all of sounder mind than I (or appear to be - yeh I’ve been a lurker for the past few months as I just don’t have anything interesting to say)... is spending £50K on a 2015 i8 (manufacturer approved) a good idea?
Go for it!
It's a stunning car, highly capable and more future proof than most high performance cars. Had mine a year and loved every drive. I sold my 250bhp Caterham to get it and don't regret it for a second.
Don't forget that 2015 cars are VED exempt too, so that helps out with overall running costs if that's a concern. I've averaged 50 MPG plus since I got mine and apart from the well known fuel cap issue, I've not had any problems.
I'm sensing a lot more interest in these cars now and don't foresee them falling much below £50k .
It's a stunning car, highly capable and more future proof than most high performance cars. Had mine a year and loved every drive. I sold my 250bhp Caterham to get it and don't regret it for a second.
Don't forget that 2015 cars are VED exempt too, so that helps out with overall running costs if that's a concern. I've averaged 50 MPG plus since I got mine and apart from the well known fuel cap issue, I've not had any problems.
I'm sensing a lot more interest in these cars now and don't foresee them falling much below £50k .
culminator said:
Go for it!
It's a stunning car, highly capable and more future proof than most high performance cars. Had mine a year and loved every drive. I sold my 250bhp Caterham to get it and don't regret it for a second.
Don't forget that 2015 cars are VED exempt too, so that helps out with overall running costs if that's a concern. I've averaged 50 MPG plus since I got mine and apart from the well known fuel cap issue, I've not had any problems.
I'm sensing a lot more interest in these cars now and don't foresee them falling much below £50k .
Out of interest, I'm averaging 50mpg too and have just had the fuel cap issue too - assuming you mean it refusing to open? I don't understand why it needs to depressurize, can anyone explain? In case it happens to anyone else, there is an emergency release under a panel in the boot on the right hand side - although mine wasn't connected! If any existing owners have yet to have the issue I would recommend contacting BMW and asking for a download which is what it took to fix mine... (a 2017 Protonic dark grey if interested!) It's a stunning car, highly capable and more future proof than most high performance cars. Had mine a year and loved every drive. I sold my 250bhp Caterham to get it and don't regret it for a second.
Don't forget that 2015 cars are VED exempt too, so that helps out with overall running costs if that's a concern. I've averaged 50 MPG plus since I got mine and apart from the well known fuel cap issue, I've not had any problems.
I'm sensing a lot more interest in these cars now and don't foresee them falling much below £50k .
I was under the impression the car had to equalise pressure due to the high voltages? I was reading around a few years ago when the car was just a pipe dream! I may be completely wrong though as I’ve only ever touched an i8 in passing, at a Waitrose car park near my parent’s.
Thank you for the positive reinforcements! I am a bit nervous going for the i8 because it’s not the most practical thing after having a Macan, but you’re all so happy with it, and I want to be this happy too (in the absence of anything more meaningful in my life).
Does anyone know if parking cameras come as standard btw? This is one thing I CANNOT do without! Any other optional extras that are a must? And finally, anyway to retrofit CarPlay?
My hunt for one begins in earnest! Oh, also need to sell my Macan too...
Thank you for the positive reinforcements! I am a bit nervous going for the i8 because it’s not the most practical thing after having a Macan, but you’re all so happy with it, and I want to be this happy too (in the absence of anything more meaningful in my life).
Does anyone know if parking cameras come as standard btw? This is one thing I CANNOT do without! Any other optional extras that are a must? And finally, anyway to retrofit CarPlay?
My hunt for one begins in earnest! Oh, also need to sell my Macan too...
johnphiladelphia said:
I was under the impression the car had to equalise pressure due to the high voltages? I was reading around a few years ago when the car was just a pipe dream! I may be completely wrong though as I’ve only ever touched an i8 in passing, at a Waitrose car park near my parent’s.
Thank you for the positive reinforcements! I am a bit nervous going for the i8 because it’s not the most practical thing after having a Macan, but you’re all so happy with it, and I want to be this happy too (in the absence of anything more meaningful in my life).
Does anyone know if parking cameras come as standard btw? This is one thing I CANNOT do without! Any other optional extras that are a must? And finally, anyway to retrofit CarPlay?
My hunt for one begins in earnest! Oh, also need to sell my Macan too...
Really? A used car is all you've got to be happy about? Thank you for the positive reinforcements! I am a bit nervous going for the i8 because it’s not the most practical thing after having a Macan, but you’re all so happy with it, and I want to be this happy too (in the absence of anything more meaningful in my life).
Does anyone know if parking cameras come as standard btw? This is one thing I CANNOT do without! Any other optional extras that are a must? And finally, anyway to retrofit CarPlay?
My hunt for one begins in earnest! Oh, also need to sell my Macan too...
REALIST123 said:
johnphiladelphia said:
I was under the impression the car had to equalise pressure due to the high voltages? I was reading around a few years ago when the car was just a pipe dream! I may be completely wrong though as I’ve only ever touched an i8 in passing, at a Waitrose car park near my parent’s.
Thank you for the positive reinforcements! I am a bit nervous going for the i8 because it’s not the most practical thing after having a Macan, but you’re all so happy with it, and I want to be this happy too (in the absence of anything more meaningful in my life).
Does anyone know if parking cameras come as standard btw? This is one thing I CANNOT do without! Any other optional extras that are a must? And finally, anyway to retrofit CarPlay?
My hunt for one begins in earnest! Oh, also need to sell my Macan too...
Really? A used car is all you've got to be happy about? Thank you for the positive reinforcements! I am a bit nervous going for the i8 because it’s not the most practical thing after having a Macan, but you’re all so happy with it, and I want to be this happy too (in the absence of anything more meaningful in my life).
Does anyone know if parking cameras come as standard btw? This is one thing I CANNOT do without! Any other optional extras that are a must? And finally, anyway to retrofit CarPlay?
My hunt for one begins in earnest! Oh, also need to sell my Macan too...
Dragging this back into view...
I've been doing a bit of research on these and was wondering what experience with insurance is like. I did the usual check and they come out at over double what a 911 or any other performance car would.
Aha, adding a tracker drops it over £400, makes no difference on a 911 though.
I've been doing a bit of research on these and was wondering what experience with insurance is like. I did the usual check and they come out at over double what a 911 or any other performance car would.
Aha, adding a tracker drops it over £400, makes no difference on a 911 though.
Edited by Toltec on Wednesday 23 January 14:43
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