I’ve had a BMW i3 for three and a half years and it has been really good, especially for local trips, but I have also done a number of long-distance journeys in it as well. A joy to drive and super-low running costs. Even working on the REX it still does 40+ mpg (why have they stopped selling the REX this year???)
But my views have changed completely after my "specialist" BMW dealer damaged a jacking point on the car last August when in for an end of warranty check.
I only discovered the damage in December and the latest estimate on getting it repaired is £6,000 – £10,000. According to BMW the car is unsafe to drive (risk of electrocution) but despite this, when I took it to another "specialist" BMW dealer for assessment, the first thing the workshop did was to jack up the car on the damaged jacking point!
I have been warned that the car could be a write-off if the detailed assessment at BMW Thorne finds more extensive damage. Apparently they have three other cars on their books with the same problem. If you consider the fact that the guilty dealer suggested cutting away part of the carbon bodywork to solve the problem, it's looking like the technology on these cars is too sophisticated for the rigours of your average garage; either that, or is it a design fault with the car and should the jacking points be mounted onto the chassis by an aluminium bracket?
I'm faced with having the car rectified on my own insurance and that will cost me thousands of pounds in increased premiums over the next few years. So much for economical to own. And it's hardly environmentally-friendly if the car is a write-off.
Has anyone else had this problem?
My advice to owners is to photograph your jacking points before it goes into a dealer and inspect them immediately afterwards, otherwise you won't be able to prove it was them
But my views have changed completely after my "specialist" BMW dealer damaged a jacking point on the car last August when in for an end of warranty check.
I only discovered the damage in December and the latest estimate on getting it repaired is £6,000 – £10,000. According to BMW the car is unsafe to drive (risk of electrocution) but despite this, when I took it to another "specialist" BMW dealer for assessment, the first thing the workshop did was to jack up the car on the damaged jacking point!
I have been warned that the car could be a write-off if the detailed assessment at BMW Thorne finds more extensive damage. Apparently they have three other cars on their books with the same problem. If you consider the fact that the guilty dealer suggested cutting away part of the carbon bodywork to solve the problem, it's looking like the technology on these cars is too sophisticated for the rigours of your average garage; either that, or is it a design fault with the car and should the jacking points be mounted onto the chassis by an aluminium bracket?
I'm faced with having the car rectified on my own insurance and that will cost me thousands of pounds in increased premiums over the next few years. So much for economical to own. And it's hardly environmentally-friendly if the car is a write-off.
Has anyone else had this problem?
My advice to owners is to photograph your jacking points before it goes into a dealer and inspect them immediately afterwards, otherwise you won't be able to prove it was them