BMW i8 v multistorey carpark.

[Mr Squarekins]

Hello all,

I've been drawn to a used i8 recently as my car is due for changing. However, I just can't stop thinking that it'll scrape on multistorey ramps with its long front overhang.

Plus, those doors are bound to be annoying in carparks too. The last thing I need is arriving back in an airport carpark to find that I can't get in because someone parking too close renders it impossible to open those doors.

Any owners on here with real world experience please? It would be my daily driver.

Head or heart to rule?

[C.A.R.]

Well timed thread, I got stuck behind an i8 in a multistorey car park yesterday!

It wasn't scraping anywhere that I could tell, it just couldn't manage the tight corners without doing some 3-point turns. In my eyes they would have just made some of the turns but I guess visibility might be a factor too?

[Mr Squarekins]

Thanks.

I think that as part of a test drive I'll need to try it in a multistorey then. Not your typical test drive!

I'm sure the young hotshot sales guy from BMW will be really impressed! (who cares, its my money!)

[4rephill]

Mr Squarekins said:

Thanks.

I think that as part of a test drive I'll need to try it in a multistorey then. Not your typical test drive!

I'm sure the young hotshot sales guy from BMW will be really impressed! (who cares, its my money!)

You might care should you scrape and damage the car on the test drive!

Although you would be driving on the dealership's insurance, chances are, you will be liable for a sizeable excess payment if there is any damage caused to the car

[Toltec]

4rephill said:

Mr Squarekins said:

Thanks.

I think that as part of a test drive I'll need to try it in a multistorey then. Not your typical test drive!

I'm sure the young hotshot sales guy from BMW will be really impressed! (who cares, its my money!)

You might care should you scrape and damage the car on the test drive!

Although you would be driving on the dealership's insurance, chances are, you will be liable for a sizeable excess payment if there is any damage caused to the car

Would the top down view mode help?

[LotusJas]

Yes it will scrape on steep inclines. I don't generally put mine in problematic car parks.

Getting in/out needs less space than traditional 2 seater coupe doors, so that's fine. I park mine v close to the wall in my garage and can open the door fully. Also both doors between my 2 cars will open easily and fully as parked in my garage, as both open upwards.

[Mr Squarekins]

LotusJas said:

Yes it will scrape on steep inclines. I don't generally put mine in problematic car parks.

Getting in/out needs less space than traditional 2 seater coupe doors, so that's fine. I park mine v close to the wall in my garage and can open the door fully. Also both doors between my 2 cars will open easily and fully as parked in my garage, as both open upwards.

Thanks, really helpful feedback. When the front scrapes on inclines, is it the visible front edge of the car, or more typically just underneath? I had a z4 which did scrape but it was the underside which is ok really. I just don't want to be taking paint off.

Thanks. (nice garage!).

[geeks]

LotusJas said:

Yes it will scrape on steep inclines. I don't generally put mine in problematic car parks.

Getting in/out needs less space than traditional 2 seater coupe doors, so that's fine. I park mine v close to the wall in my garage and can open the door fully. Also both doors between my 2 cars will open easily and fully as parked in my garage, as both open upwards.

What a garage, I am in love!

[LotusJas]

Mr Squarekins said:

Thanks, really helpful feedback. When the front scrapes on inclines, is it the visible front edge of the car, or more typically just underneath? I had a z4 which did scrape but it was the underside which is ok really. I just don't want to be taking paint off.

Thanks. (nice garage!).

I've only scraped a dealership car, when I was testing it and the salesman said it would be fine. It wasn't. I've been too careful with mine, and it has not scraped. "Damage" was insignificant - just the plastic flaps in front of the wheels scraped, as I was being v slow and careful. So just underneath and not visible.

For comparison, I've had far worse scraping issues with my old Lotus Exige S1 on speed bumps etc. But that was lowered.


Narrow and steep car parks are a no go for the i8 though. i8 is VERY wide, and feels it when behind the wheel.

[LotusJas]

geeks said:

What a garage, I am in love!

Thanks

Some better pics:

[geeks]

LotusJas said:

geeks said:

What a garage, I am in love!

Thanks

Some better pics:

¡Ay, caramba! lovely stuff! As a guy who will most likely never get anywhere near one, whats the 720 like? What a wonderful looking machine. Coupled with the i8 that is quite the pairing!

Sorry OP, hope you get an i8 sorted, I am hoping to be able to get a used one in a few years time!

[Terminator X]

'in hell that orange car is

TX.

[LotusJas]

geeks said:

¡Ay, caramba! lovely stuff! As a guy who will most likely never get anywhere near one, whats the 720 like? What a wonderful looking machine. Coupled with the i8 that is quite the pairing!

Thanks

I don't want to hijack an i8 thread with McLaren talk, but yes the car is utterly incredible. Far too fast to be sensible, and suspension like witchcraft. In comfort mode it rides softer than my i8 in comfort. Yet in Sport it is much stiffer....and then there is the track mode! It truly is a hypercar for supercar money.

[LotusJas]

Terminator X said:

'in hell that orange car is

TX.

Yes, definitely my favourite colour for it. It is Azores Orange, but with GTechniq ceramic applied.

[bigsi]

Hi, i use my i8 as a daily, 3 months in now.. Car parks are challenging but I am to park on the ends of rows just to make sure no one parks to close. As said elsewhere the doors don't take much space to open really. When airport parking, which i do a lot, i always aim at row ends...the extra few yards to walk reduce the risk!
Take speed bumps slowly, particularly the irritating built up ones!
A really nice daily, only other piece of advice is don't have no charge when poodling along in London traffic, not the nicest, smoothest experience!

cheers

[nav p]

LotusJas said:

Yes it will scrape on steep inclines. I don't generally put mine in problematic car parks.

Getting in/out needs less space than traditional 2 seater coupe doors, so that's fine. I park mine v close to the wall in my garage and can open the door fully. Also both doors between my 2 cars will open easily and fully as parked in my garage, as both open upwards.

Lovely garage BTW

Just some friendly advice...I also have an i8 and have been specifically told by 2 I dealers to not rely solely on the normal 3 pin plug to charge it, you need to get a dedicated fast charger as it harms the battery

[culminator]

Really, I'd not heard that before and I only use a 3 pin?

[Mr Squarekins]

Now I have mine as a daily it's getting charged either by 3 pin, ecotricity or sport mode.

Loving it as a daily driver!

[LotusJas]

nav p said:

Lovely garage BTW

Just some friendly advice...I also have an i8 and have been specifically told by 2 I dealers to not rely solely on the normal 3 pin plug to charge it, you need to get a dedicated fast charger as it harms the battery

Thanks.

But that dealer is BS'ing you. The provided charger (3 pin) will absolutely not harm the battery. No way.

I do have a dedicated fast charger too, but mostly use that for my i3.

[Luke.]

LotusJas said:

Thanks.

But that dealer is BS'ing you. The provided charger (3 pin) will absolutely not harm the battery. No way.

I do have a dedicated fast charger too, but mostly use that for my i3.

How you liking the i3? Absolutely loved ours.