Keeping BMW i3-REx, replacing Prius Prime with Model 3

Hi,

Well I find it easy to switch from an investor to a customer. The $3,750 tax credit is good through the end of June so the key is to place the order with enough lead time to get the car by then. The tax credit applies to the 2019 taxes filed in 2020.

I ran the configuration tool:

• $39,500
• blue paint
• dynamic cruise control and lane keeping (original autopilot)

Placed my order at 7:33 PM (CST). Put the $2,500 deposit on the lowest rate card. WOOOPEEEE!

We have a 2017 Prius Prime and BMW i3-REx. The Prime will go to a new home since it has the least depreciation and weakest EV. Although the Prime has a better, radar based, dynamic cruise control and emergency braking over the BMW i3-REx, it is not enough compared to the BMW which is fun to drive. The Tesla autopilot will more than make up for the Prius Prime.

Bob Wilson

Wow! Congratulations, Bob!

I'm sort of surprised because I felt that you almost gave up on your i3 when you bought your most recent Prius. Makes sense to sell the Prius due to its lesser depreciation. Also, your i3, being a hatchback, is probably a more practical stable mate to a Model 3 sedan.

I hope for your sake and that of EV's in general that your Model 3 will prove to be a reliable car and that Tesla can push through its financial challenges.

It wasn't 'give up' on the i3 because I realized the motor mount bolt was an infantile problem. Rather it was the driver assistance that I insist every car have:

• dynamic cruise control - the car must maintain a safe following distance without or a minimum of driver intervention.
• automatic emergency braking - react faster than a human to a sudden, accident risk.
• lane keeping or assist - don't let the car wander into a bad place

The i3 has at least the first two, not perfect because they are optically based. But head and shoulders above cars that do not.

Bob Wilson

Please double check.
I thought he $3,750 tax credit is good through 1 quarter only.
Which one did you order. I think the 37K is the best value

EVMan said:

Please double check.
I thought he $3,750 tax credit is good through 1 quarter only.

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I'm sure it is half a year for each step. But it is a minor part of my purchase decision. It only has an effect in 2020 with refunds. I have to first buy the car and that is today's money.

EVMan said:

Which one did you order. I think the 37K is the best value

Click to expand...

The 37K model has a lot of cabin features and only a marginal, 20 mi, increase in performance. I'm used to manual seat and steering adjustments and I don't need a fancy sound system. I'm one of those guys whose eclectic music can sometimes sound like something is wrong with the car. For example, I still 'ear diagnose' the cars around me at a stop light.

Bob Wilson

So Bob, what is the date estimate of the delivery for this car ?

BTW The sound system in premium package is very well balanced . its audiophile quality and is a pleasure to listen too...everytime.
I tend to listen at very high volume with 0 degradation. Feels like DTS theater. I approve of it!

EVMan said:

So Bob, what is the date estimate of the delivery for this car ?

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When I ordered, it was estimated to be 2-4 weeks. More recently, those numbers nearly doubled BUT I put my order in Thursday, April 28, ~7:30 PM (CST). I would have put the order in sooner but I was taking a nap (you snooze you lose.) Regardless, I've finished all the paper work I can do without a VIN. The ball is in Tesla's court.

EVMan said:

BTW The sound system in premium package is very well balanced . its audiophile quality and is a pleasure to listen too...everytime.
I tend to listen at very high volume with 0 degradation. Feels like DTS theater. I approve of it!

Click to expand...

Thanks but the extra $3k makes it a little pricy for me. I'd buy the upgrade to the navigation-Autopilot first.

Bob Wilson

Congrats, Bob!

I've never gotten to the point in their configurator to see the fees beyond the destination fee. I'm cracking up over the $7 tire fee! It is such a small amount next to the car price, it almost makes it seem like it's an option-- "oh, you'd like to splurge and get your model 3 WITH tires? Well not everybody does, but we can certainly accommodate that!" :lol:

And then since it is a fee, it's funny that 7 isn't evenly divisible by 4!
"What do you think the fee should be per tire?"
"Oh I don't know, a buck or two?"
"... hmm.. two seems a bit steep-- how about $1.74981?"
"maybe we could just round it to $1.75?"
"perfect"

Anyway hope the model 3 works out well for you. Blue is one of the better colors for that car!

Arrived home close to 5:00 PM after:

• Wife enjoyed trip with the smallest dog while the other two were in the 'doggy groomers'
• Delivery team worked fine but I got a panicked call 'Do you have the check?'. Confirmed they found it later and it is deposited.

Still not available from the EPA web site.


Financed $21,905 for a Standard Range Plus Model 3 versus the online ordered Standard Range Model 3, $23,000 with a $142.25 paid back later from Tesla. I had a conference call with the Tesla Store sales and my banker (who like me found their order sheet hard to understand.) We figured out that $21,905 would fully cover the purchase price so that is what I financed and the bank gave me a check to deliver at the Tesla Store in Brentwood TN (suburb of Nashville.)


My wife's folding wheel chair fits in the trunk with space to spare. This means I won't need a 2" receiver hitch any time soon.

• First charge session - the car set limit is 32 A because the "+" is grayed out.
• Full charge showed 240 miles - exactly as expected.
• Around 1:30 AM 'turnpike trots' and we ran out of Imodium. Quick trip to all night, WalMart and we're set.
• Set the battery charge limit but there are no metrics, just a graphic without numbers. Will have to measure.
• 3:00-4:30 AM - mystery charge session, software update?

Am planning a trip to Tunica MS for Model 3, RV camping:

• RV camping allows us to bring all of Holly's dogs. Hotels charge more and only for one dog.
• Trip will visit three SuperChargers for cost and practice.
• Testing "dog mode" as camping mode.

When I handed over the check, I briefly thought about taking a photo of the event ... ad hoc receipt. Later at a bar I got a call, 'Did you take the check?' They'd mislaid the check. The Model 3 had what was expected but when I called the next morning, 'we found the check and it is deposited.' <GRINS>

Bob Wilson

ps. It is not my practice to pester non-Model 3 forums with SPAM posts. I'll answer questions but I'm not here to pester folks since we are keeping our BMW i3-REx, the backup.

Excellent decision! I envy you.
What was Tesla offering on i3?

i3Houston said:

Excellent decision! I envy you.
What was Tesla offering on i3?

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I don't know as I traded in the Prius Prime. The BMW i3-REx is a better PHEV and I'm keeping it.

Bob Wilson

Absolutely! i3+rex is a keeper.