Extended test drive and...Did you know?

Hi, new here, just wanted to drop in and thank everyone for the information they have shared. I am on an extended test drive right now and wanted to share my thoughts and discoveries. I have owned a 2010 model Prius for 6 years and I really want an all electric. I also want to step in into a bit more luxury but Telsa S is out of reach. My local dealer has allowed me to have the i3 (2014 Giga with Parking package and 20" wheels) for a few days and here are my thoughts.

• $43K is sticker shock before considering any rebates, and the recent resell post is offputting
• i3 is not not much "nicer" with the exposed plant fiber compared to the pattern printed plastic I'm used to
• I like the ride versus the Prius, and I love the acceleration (EV grin). I also find the hypermiling I've learned on my Prius (it reports I am at 58.2mpg for the last 352mi) applies to the i3 (feather the accelerator around mid to let it coast) and I've seen 4.1mi/kWh on the display. I love the quiet (my favorite time in the Prius is when it's in EV mode but that drops out at 25mph and won't allow it if the catalytic converter is cold).
• L1 charging works fine and 83 miles is more than enough for my uses since we have an ICE care too
• I can roll down the windows in the Prius, the i3 is filled with wind noise so i leave the windows up
• On new pavement, low speed, corning I can listen for the infamous "whoop-whoop" sound, but it's nothing and sounds a bit spacey. Maybe it get's worse with tire wear, but it's not a concern for me.

Things I learned and have not seen mentioned:

• The memory buttons aren't just for radio stations, you can save things like Nav screen settings, external media (USB) view, the eDrive views like consumption and Eco pro analysis. Also, if you place your finger on a memory button and do not press, it will display what you have assigned to that key. You can't store the backup camera feed though.
• If you start the car and get out with the key in your pocket. the i3 will make you touch the fob to the steering column to resume. I was showing a buddy and this happened.

I'm still on the financial fence. On one hand I want all EV driving and on the other I have a perfectly functional (only 32K miles on the Prius) hybrid with many years of service left. I think I have learned the car pretty well and am not bothered by plugging it up each night (L1). I've even come to like its quirky design. I think it really comes down to owning the future now, or waiting a year or two before hopping on the bandwagon. I've never leased so maybe I need to consider that too. Much to mull over.

-Jay

An EV is still a depreciating asset, if your worried about ROI, your looking into the i3 for the wrong reasons, keep the car you have now.

I'm betting against BMW with my lease, have you seen recent headlines of Nissan offering Leaf Lessee's $5k off their residual to keep their Leaf? I also read a post by someone that was somehow able to see what his Leaf sold for at auction after turning it back in, his residual was $18k, it sold for $9k at auction. My residual is $35k and hopefully with the Bolt and Model III coming to market the car will be offered to me at a major discount. I'm hoping for $15k off. Its aggressive, it might be a bit unreasonable, but I will most likely even buy it if I'm offered it for $25k. After incentives and not paying MSRP at purchase I hope to have bought a $55,850 REx (every option) for $32-$37k and I live in a state with NO local or state incentives.

Good luck!

imolazhp said:

An EV is still a depreciating asset, if your worried about ROI, your looking into the i3 for the wrong reasons, keep the car you have now.

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I edited my post to remove ROI, that was a poor choice of words. After some calculations I now have a price and a percentage off MSRP I find accepable. Next step is to turn in the car and discuss the deal. Well post an update of any progress.

that article is pure conjecture. I wouldn't place too much faith in the details.. it's guesses, which we all can do.

JayC said:

[*] If you start the car and get out with the key in your pocket. the i3 will make you touch the fob to the steering column to resume. I was showing a buddy and this happened.[/list]
-Jay

Click to expand...

Strange, mine does not….

MikeS said:

JayC said:

[*] If you start the car and get out with the key in your pocket. the i3 will make you touch the fob to the steering column to resume. I was showing a buddy and this happened.[/list]
-Jay

Click to expand...

Strange, mine does not….

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I've never needed to do this either.

I have, there is even a symbol on the column where to hold it up to.

imolazhp said:

I have, there is even a symbol on the column where to hold it up to.

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That's there for other reasons, though. I've never heard of needing to hold the key up there just because you removed the key from the car while it was on - and I do this all the time.

That spot on the column is for when the fob's battery is too low to be detected. If you put the fob there, you should still be able to start the car. If it was that low, you probably needed to use the key to open the door as well. If I were to guess, the car detected that the key went out of range, and thinks the battery may be dead, thus the display. Just press the brakes and hit start, and it will all be good again.

i3atl said:

imolazhp said:

I have, there is even a symbol on the column where to hold it up to.

Click to expand...

That's there for other reasons, though. I've never heard of needing to hold the key up there just because you removed the key from the car while it was on - and I do this all the time.

Click to expand...

I'm not arguing the reasons for the symbol being there I'm just saying that I've had my car ask me to do the same as OP said his extended test drive car asked him to do. I think it even said something like weak signal detected or something like that. I put the fob up to the symbol and went about my way.

I have entered and exited the car many times without this happening too, but it did happen once.

If you start the car and get out with the key in your pocket. the i3 will make you touch the fob to the steering column to resume. I was showing a buddy and this happened

Click to expand...

Never happened to me. Multiple egress and ingress. Never happened, never occurred.

Follow up ,.... on review of the manual.

This only happens if the battery is going dead and a re connect is necessary.

If is a failsafe for a failing battery.

Here is what led up to the error message.

• I put the car into accessory mode by pushing Start with my foot off the brake
• I got out of the car with the fob in my pocket and walked around to the passenger side where my buddy was sitting with the door open
• His daughter got in the driver's seat and I told her to press the brake then press Start
• The warning (and I'm going from memory) said something to the effect that the key was not detected, touch it to the steering column
• I passed the fob to my friend who touched it to the column (there is an icon on the right hand side) and the car entered the Ready state

Just sharing my experience.

Due to the recent rebate announcement in Tennessee, I will be waiting until after June 15th to purchase any EV. They are saying $2500 for a BEV (or $10K in total incentives) and $1500 for a PHEV. I presented my offer to the dealer so the ball is in their court.

-Jay

Jay, once the fob was back inside of the vehicle (it won't allow the car to start with it outside), if she had just pressed the brake and then start, it would have started fine (at least from my experience). That whole operation is to keep you from being stranded if the fob's battery is not strong enough to provide the proper interlock signal, and it will not do that when outside of the vehicle.