BMW i8 owner's review after 5k miles
Discussion
Toltec said:
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 think the amount I pay is roughly equivalent to my other performance cars - it has got a Tracker, but then most £100k plus new cars need one in my experience. Seems to have very low running costs compared to equivalent cars too, so this would certainly help offset any slightly higher insurance. Over my first 10k miles in an i8 I averaged 50mpg. Over the winter months I'm down to 45mpg, probably due to heated seats etc...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
I still think its a great car by the way!
notax said:
I think the amount I pay is roughly equivalent to my other performance cars - it has got a Tracker, but then most £100k plus new cars need one in my experience. Seems to have very low running costs compared to equivalent cars too, so this would certainly help offset any slightly higher insurance. Over my first 10k miles in an i8 I averaged 50mpg. Over the winter months I'm down to 45mpg, probably due to heated seats etc...
I still think its a great car by the way!
Thanks for the quick reply. While it may not be quite as driver focused as a 911 it does appeal in other ways. When other people bought small fwd hatches for commuting and work mileage I went for a Smart Roadster. It helps that when we saw an i8 parked up the other day my wife said she liked it more than a 911.I still think its a great car by the way!
I am also tempted by one of these. Currently have a BMW M240 and its been a great for 2 years but fancy a change.
i wouldn't be able to charge an i8 at home but that doesn't sound like a problem given the "self-charging" in sport mode. Would this cause any battery issues not being plugged in?
Interesting to see the roadsters are available second hand from £90k.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
i wouldn't be able to charge an i8 at home but that doesn't sound like a problem given the "self-charging" in sport mode. Would this cause any battery issues not being plugged in?
Interesting to see the roadsters are available second hand from £90k.
https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201...
I've been running an i8 Roadster for a couple of days now and must say it's quite a thing. As a middle aged chap, with a dodgy left leg and built for speed not comfort, getting in and out was hilarious for anyone walking past. Much easier with the roof off admittedly but still.... 
Once I had worked out how to drive the thing. (please bear in mind I consider my E46M3 to be 'modern') I hit the road. My first thought was how small it seemed, despite it's actual size and how easy it was to drive. The handling was pretty impressive too! I probably managed 2 miles in comfort mode but as soon as I hit dual carriageway it was a case of 'sport mode and nail it!'. The surge of torque was immediate and it just felt totally unfussed gathering pace so quickly. The only real negative was the noise it made. Actually that should be the noise it didn't make! Now there was a hint of a burble but I'm assuming that was piped in via the stereo? Either way, it was a bit disappointing for me.
As someone who really doesn't do modern cars. (I've run 02's, E21 & E30 for the past 30 years) I liked it way more than I had expected. I loved it's back end aesthetics and it was a very easy car to drive quickly when the mood took me. That said, it was more than happy dawdling around Truro and Sainsbury's car park. (I did get some abuse for parking in the disabled bay though, despite having a blue badge) If it were easier for me to get in/out of, I could easily live with it as a daily but (for me and not meaning to offend any owners) it just didn't feel as special as I would have hoped. The tech' is certainly impressive but the interior in my M3 feels more special and the soundtrack is also miles ahead. It's great that BMW were brave enough to make a car like this though and I get why it might not have a screaming straight six or V10 in the back. It would be a belter of a thing if it did though. I think it's more I just prefer more analogue cars? It'd have to be an M1 for me.
Once I had worked out how to drive the thing. (please bear in mind I consider my E46M3 to be 'modern') I hit the road. My first thought was how small it seemed, despite it's actual size and how easy it was to drive. The handling was pretty impressive too! I probably managed 2 miles in comfort mode but as soon as I hit dual carriageway it was a case of 'sport mode and nail it!'. The surge of torque was immediate and it just felt totally unfussed gathering pace so quickly. The only real negative was the noise it made. Actually that should be the noise it didn't make! Now there was a hint of a burble but I'm assuming that was piped in via the stereo? Either way, it was a bit disappointing for me.
As someone who really doesn't do modern cars. (I've run 02's, E21 & E30 for the past 30 years) I liked it way more than I had expected. I loved it's back end aesthetics and it was a very easy car to drive quickly when the mood took me. That said, it was more than happy dawdling around Truro and Sainsbury's car park. (I did get some abuse for parking in the disabled bay though, despite having a blue badge) If it were easier for me to get in/out of, I could easily live with it as a daily but (for me and not meaning to offend any owners) it just didn't feel as special as I would have hoped. The tech' is certainly impressive but the interior in my M3 feels more special and the soundtrack is also miles ahead. It's great that BMW were brave enough to make a car like this though and I get why it might not have a screaming straight six or V10 in the back. It would be a belter of a thing if it did though. I think it's more I just prefer more analogue cars? It'd have to be an M1 for me.
Coming up to a years ownership and really love mine to bits. Servicing cost aren’t the best for a car with a 3cyl mini engine without the 5 year free service package. The 35Kmile service is £1K+ as they replace the sparkpugs (Oooo…all 3) some belts and the door springs (although didn’t need them changed). Certainly where I am, there are no independents you can trust, so your kinda forced to go to BMW. Likewise it’s not sensible to run without a warranty so that’s another £1K. But hey, no road tax(2015 reg) and 65mpg.
Mine felt even faster on its 3 new sparks! (which made up for spending the next 2 weeks trying to re-find your driving position after some BMW oik moved it)
Mine felt even faster on its 3 new sparks! (which made up for spending the next 2 weeks trying to re-find your driving position after some BMW oik moved it)
Hi all
two weeks in to a 2015 from a main dealer...the story so far!
- I am 6'5" but once practiced a few times the entry/exit is ok
- yes the lack of storage is mildly irritating but its no biggie
- i commute 25m each way, motorway, country lanes and a bit of London. getting around 48mpg
- into sport mode and its a good crack! had a 996 turbo a while back and the i8 isnt in that league but darn close!
- sport mode in traffic is horrid and to be avoided!
- booked in for a warranty sensor replacement already on the coolant level sensor..bad luck? lets hope so!
Really liking the experience though and recommend taking the plunge!!
cheers
two weeks in to a 2015 from a main dealer...the story so far!
- I am 6'5" but once practiced a few times the entry/exit is ok
- yes the lack of storage is mildly irritating but its no biggie
- i commute 25m each way, motorway, country lanes and a bit of London. getting around 48mpg
- into sport mode and its a good crack! had a 996 turbo a while back and the i8 isnt in that league but darn close!
- sport mode in traffic is horrid and to be avoided!
- booked in for a warranty sensor replacement already on the coolant level sensor..bad luck? lets hope so!
Really liking the experience though and recommend taking the plunge!!
cheers
I just bought a nearly new 2018 plate i8 after an extended 4 day test drive in 2017 up the NC500 and Applecross.
Aside from its obvious lack of utility as a camping vehicle, I find the real world acceleration way beyond the 0-60 figure that suggests quick. It truly is rapid with massive toque which doesn't disappear. It actually remind me of the 991 Turbo I test drove a few weeks ago, not quite as fast but just as exhilarating to drive.
Efficiency wise (not really why I bought the i8) I've seen 79mpg on my 15 mile work commute, mixed motorway and heavy town traffic, to 31mpg when making progress in sport mode.
If you don't like attention though don't get it, everybody stares, but in a good way and it really is a conversation starter. The 911 suffers from a different type of attention, so I prefer the BMW for that reason.
As a daily driver, it's fine, just little storage but enough for most purposes.
Kids fit in the back fine, adults no. Tech wise, it's good enough, not up with the latest in car entertainment but absolutely fine.
I prefer BMW dealers to Porsche dealers for service, so for me, it's a great car.
Those who complain about performance just don't understand that its electric, so the sheer torque and overtaking ability is insane.
I came from my second Focus RS Mk3 and a 997 C4S. I prefer this hands down to both. It's an amazing car.
Aside from its obvious lack of utility as a camping vehicle, I find the real world acceleration way beyond the 0-60 figure that suggests quick. It truly is rapid with massive toque which doesn't disappear. It actually remind me of the 991 Turbo I test drove a few weeks ago, not quite as fast but just as exhilarating to drive.
Efficiency wise (not really why I bought the i8) I've seen 79mpg on my 15 mile work commute, mixed motorway and heavy town traffic, to 31mpg when making progress in sport mode.
If you don't like attention though don't get it, everybody stares, but in a good way and it really is a conversation starter. The 911 suffers from a different type of attention, so I prefer the BMW for that reason.
As a daily driver, it's fine, just little storage but enough for most purposes.
Kids fit in the back fine, adults no. Tech wise, it's good enough, not up with the latest in car entertainment but absolutely fine.
I prefer BMW dealers to Porsche dealers for service, so for me, it's a great car.
Those who complain about performance just don't understand that its electric, so the sheer torque and overtaking ability is insane.
I came from my second Focus RS Mk3 and a 997 C4S. I prefer this hands down to both. It's an amazing car.
tomder56 said:
Hi there. My name is Tom. I purchased a 2018 i8
a few days ago and really love it! So nicely finished and so stylish. When in “Sport” mode using paddle shift (manual), how do you go into
auto sport mode when on the move?
Thanks so much
Tom.
Hold down the RH paddle for a few secondsa few days ago and really love it! So nicely finished and so stylish. When in “Sport” mode using paddle shift (manual), how do you go into
auto sport mode when on the move?
Thanks so much
Tom.
Hi all,
I've read all the comments of this post, and still is worried about a few things:
1. Getting in and out of the car in tight parking spaces
I saw the picture someone posted about the door of i8 opened next to a car. How wide a space do we need to leave before opening the door? I live in a city and the parking spaces in most areas are usually quite narrow (My friend damaged his car when trying to readjust his Land Cruiser in between 2 small cars). And do the doors hold up easily? Do they drop if I parked at a slope? I saw someone mentioning that they had to get the door spring replaced. How often does that happen for i8?
2. Visibility
My car is a sedan and I haven't actually ever owned a supercar yet. I heard that the visibility is poor. I live in a place where there are smaller roads and turns. Will it be OK after I get used to the car? Is there any way to improve visibility?
3. Maintenance fees
Just how much do I expect to pay per year for maintaining an i8.. Need some opinions before I consider buying..
Thanks for reading my comment! I know it is a long one but I'm just trying to summarise my doubts.
I've read all the comments of this post, and still is worried about a few things:
1. Getting in and out of the car in tight parking spaces
I saw the picture someone posted about the door of i8 opened next to a car. How wide a space do we need to leave before opening the door? I live in a city and the parking spaces in most areas are usually quite narrow (My friend damaged his car when trying to readjust his Land Cruiser in between 2 small cars). And do the doors hold up easily? Do they drop if I parked at a slope? I saw someone mentioning that they had to get the door spring replaced. How often does that happen for i8?
2. Visibility
My car is a sedan and I haven't actually ever owned a supercar yet. I heard that the visibility is poor. I live in a place where there are smaller roads and turns. Will it be OK after I get used to the car? Is there any way to improve visibility?
3. Maintenance fees
Just how much do I expect to pay per year for maintaining an i8.. Need some opinions before I consider buying..
Thanks for reading my comment! I know it is a long one but I'm just trying to summarise my doubts.
1. Getting in and out of the car in tight parking spaces
Very rarely an issue. Takes about the same space as a normal door. Just remember the widest point is higher so look out for car mirrors, windows etc rather than doors. Even if door cannot be opened fully still fairly easy to get in, unless you're large and not that agile. Gas Struts are a serviceable item every 2 years although they may not need it. At the first sign of the door not opening fully you can do them yourself. 10 mins, £80 per side.
2. Visibility
Fine compared to other similar cars. Wouldn't call it a supercar by any means. Closer to R8, GTR territory. Wife has 360 cams on hers which helps with parking. Car is not same width front and back so easy to park on the p#ss at first - or curb alloys
3. Maintenance fees
Peanuts, cheapest car we run. You're paying for a service on 3cyl 1500cc engine. Warranty and insurance are the biggest cost so factor that in when you buy. Repairs can be expensive. CFRP and high voltage work esp.
Out of all the BMWs we've owned inc. most of the M cars, the i8 is the most fun
Very rarely an issue. Takes about the same space as a normal door. Just remember the widest point is higher so look out for car mirrors, windows etc rather than doors. Even if door cannot be opened fully still fairly easy to get in, unless you're large and not that agile. Gas Struts are a serviceable item every 2 years although they may not need it. At the first sign of the door not opening fully you can do them yourself. 10 mins, £80 per side.
2. Visibility
Fine compared to other similar cars. Wouldn't call it a supercar by any means. Closer to R8, GTR territory. Wife has 360 cams on hers which helps with parking. Car is not same width front and back so easy to park on the p#ss at first - or curb alloys
3. Maintenance fees
Peanuts, cheapest car we run. You're paying for a service on 3cyl 1500cc engine. Warranty and insurance are the biggest cost so factor that in when you buy. Repairs can be expensive. CFRP and high voltage work esp.
Out of all the BMWs we've owned inc. most of the M cars, the i8 is the most fun
I waved goodbye to my i8 just before lockdown and had a deposit on an i8 roadster - thanks to Covid I decided to lose the deposit and the car...
Photo above thanks to the very talented Andrew Whyte.
I agree with all the points Pioneer makes, I only had to crawl into the car once thanks to someone blocking me in - not bad in 30k miles. As he mentions, you do have to be careful of 4x4 mirrors which can catch the door. My struts didn’t need replacing in 3 years, worked perfectly. Incredibly cheap to run too, both fuel economy and servicing. Only issue I had was a sticking fuel cap, BMW assist were very good.
I have very happy memories of mine and every passenger was gobsmacked by its turn of speed, it could be pedalled very, very fast. I intended to buy an M3 or M6 when BMW invited me to drive the i8 and in my view it was superior to both as a fun daily driver.
Btw, great youtube channel here for all i8 owners. Pat is a legend and has saved me £££s already
https://www.youtube.com/c/PatsGarageOnline/videos
https://www.youtube.com/c/PatsGarageOnline/videos
spaceship said:
Does anyone know what the differences are between the powertrain in the i8 and the one in the 225xe? Just curious as they are both 1.5 3-cylinder with battery packs.
The i8 is a parallel hybrid - the electric motor powers the front axle, the petrol engine the rear and there’s no centre diff despite effectively being awd when both are running. Looking at the 225xe it looks like a series hybrid with the electric motor inline with the engine, both driving the front wheels. The states of tune are also very different. spaceship said:
Does anyone know what the differences are between the powertrain in the i8 and the one in the 225xe? Just curious as they are both 1.5 3-cylinder with battery packs.
Not very much, actually. Both use a 3 cyl motor to drive one end of the vehicle and an electric motor to power the other, albeit swapped front for back. The i8 drivetrain is in a higher state of tune, but the XE is no slouch, its the same formula as the Mini Countryman.Edited by MrOrange on Friday 27th November 13:35
A couples more photos of my i8 for Mr Orange, photos taken by Andrew Whyte who is happy to take stunning photos of any car in central southern UK, his speciality is to shoot in the dead of night, the results are stunning. He has photographed many of my cars and his charges are very reasonable...
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