lencap
Active member
Greetings - My two year i3 ReX lease ended, and my car is back in BMW's possession. During my lease I put about 12,500 miles on the car. I live in a temperate climate and my EV range varied considerably based on temperature. Despite BMW's 71 mile estimated range my real mileage was 50-55 in cooler weather, and a bit better than advertised in mid 70 degree spring/fall weather.
I had several "check engine" warnings resulting is replacing various components over my lease. The BMW OBC also didn't like my charger (Clipper Creek) and often threw various codes that needed to be cleared. My charger was installed by a licensed electrician and was done accord to manufacturer's recommendations.
What I liked: (1) EV propulsion is wonderful - high torque, instant response; (2) low running costs - aside from covered warranty items, EV costs were minimal ($20-25/month typical) partly subsidized by my town that provided lots of free charging stations; (3) the "Zen" of the car - it was always an inviting place, well designed, open and airy.
Things I didn't really like: (1) Tire wear - it's a known problem, but having a set of tires wear out in 12,000 miles is not reasonable; (2) constant "warnings" - lots of unscheduled trips to the dealership; (3) very limited range - the ReX is almost mandatory, at least for my 2014 year version; (4) repeated issues with ReX - most of the unscheduled repairs were related to various ReX issues.
In the end BMW worked with me to address the issues, and was very accommodating regarding lease end charges and fees, but as much as I'd like another i3, the infrastructure isn't very conducive to any extended driving. Charging takes too long, and with the growing use of EVs local charging stations are not always available. Cold weather mileage shortfall is extreme - adding to the problem.
Before leasing the i3 I leased a Leaf - the BMW is a far better car than my original Leaf, but I've not driven the newer extended range Leaf. I consider the Tesla before leasing the i3 and I'm glad I got the i3. My i3 was my "work/city" car - and 95% of the time I was in it alone. The Tesla would have been overkill for daily use, and more importantly, even with a 275 mile range it wasn't a car that I could use to visit friends and relatives 500 miles from home.
If I had it to do again, I'd choose the i3 again, but wonder if it was really a better choice than my Prius - which I had before leasing either the Leaf or the i3. I believe in EV power and was glad to support BMW, but from an efficient use of my personal funds, the i3 is hard to justify. Luckily I leased the car, but if I bought it the resale hit would have paid for my Prius fully and then some.
If you're undecided about the i3 take a chance on it, but I'd strongly suggest a lease unless you live in a state with strong subsidies and you intend to get an extended warranty. I was shown some of the warranty bills for servicing my i3, and I'm glad that BMW picked up the tab. Also, tire wear is a factor to consider. A set of tires mounted and balanced from your dealer can reach nearly $1,000 (sensors included if needed). You may have to get a new set every year - that certainly was unexpected for me.
All in all, a B+ to BMW for the effort, C+ for the service issues. I'd buy one again perhaps, but not right now.
I had several "check engine" warnings resulting is replacing various components over my lease. The BMW OBC also didn't like my charger (Clipper Creek) and often threw various codes that needed to be cleared. My charger was installed by a licensed electrician and was done accord to manufacturer's recommendations.
What I liked: (1) EV propulsion is wonderful - high torque, instant response; (2) low running costs - aside from covered warranty items, EV costs were minimal ($20-25/month typical) partly subsidized by my town that provided lots of free charging stations; (3) the "Zen" of the car - it was always an inviting place, well designed, open and airy.
Things I didn't really like: (1) Tire wear - it's a known problem, but having a set of tires wear out in 12,000 miles is not reasonable; (2) constant "warnings" - lots of unscheduled trips to the dealership; (3) very limited range - the ReX is almost mandatory, at least for my 2014 year version; (4) repeated issues with ReX - most of the unscheduled repairs were related to various ReX issues.
In the end BMW worked with me to address the issues, and was very accommodating regarding lease end charges and fees, but as much as I'd like another i3, the infrastructure isn't very conducive to any extended driving. Charging takes too long, and with the growing use of EVs local charging stations are not always available. Cold weather mileage shortfall is extreme - adding to the problem.
Before leasing the i3 I leased a Leaf - the BMW is a far better car than my original Leaf, but I've not driven the newer extended range Leaf. I consider the Tesla before leasing the i3 and I'm glad I got the i3. My i3 was my "work/city" car - and 95% of the time I was in it alone. The Tesla would have been overkill for daily use, and more importantly, even with a 275 mile range it wasn't a car that I could use to visit friends and relatives 500 miles from home.
If I had it to do again, I'd choose the i3 again, but wonder if it was really a better choice than my Prius - which I had before leasing either the Leaf or the i3. I believe in EV power and was glad to support BMW, but from an efficient use of my personal funds, the i3 is hard to justify. Luckily I leased the car, but if I bought it the resale hit would have paid for my Prius fully and then some.
If you're undecided about the i3 take a chance on it, but I'd strongly suggest a lease unless you live in a state with strong subsidies and you intend to get an extended warranty. I was shown some of the warranty bills for servicing my i3, and I'm glad that BMW picked up the tab. Also, tire wear is a factor to consider. A set of tires mounted and balanced from your dealer can reach nearly $1,000 (sensors included if needed). You may have to get a new set every year - that certainly was unexpected for me.
All in all, a B+ to BMW for the effort, C+ for the service issues. I'd buy one again perhaps, but not right now.
