Loose the Ashtrays and Install a Second-tone HORN.

[user 1096]

I don't know the cost of the i3 specially-designed ashtrays, but I do know that standard single horn sounds really cheap. How about losing the fancy ashtrays and installing a second-tone horn that makes it sound like a BMW rather than a tired Yugo?

 

[MikeS]

It has ashtrays!? Who wants to smoke in a car these days?

 

[jackt]

EU models don't have ashtrays - available as extra "Smokers Pack"

 

[jadnashuanh]

The ashtray is a cup shaped thing that fits into one of the cup holders. Mine's sitting on the shelf in the garage, and will probably never be used. A way overpriced piece of plastic! Never saw the allure of smoking, and glad peer pressure never was great enough to get hooked...I feel sorry for those that did.

 

[stumbledotcom]

I believe the smoker's package is standard on US vehicles. I've converted my ashtray into a napkin and coffee spill stick (the long green ones that some Starbucks locations have) holder.

 

[user 1096]

I believe the smoker's package is standard on US vehicles. I've converted my ashtray into a napkin and coffee spill stick (the long green ones that some Starbucks locations have) holder.

Standard in US is correct.....why? All the smokers are in Europe.

I stand my sunglasses up inside of mine.

 

[tiburonh]

I don't know the cost of the i3 specially-designed ashtrays, but I do know that standard single horn sounds really cheap. How about losing the fancy ashtrays and installing a second-tone horn that makes it sound like a BMW rather than a tired Yugo?

Totally agree about the silly ashtray, but I find the silly horn actually to be a good thing. It is so odd sounding that it gets people to pay more attention to it than they do to a more normal horn

 

[ironsia]

I'd like a nice bicycle bell sound (driver controlled) for politely and safely manoeuvring in areas crowded with pedestrians (where legal of course).

 

[user 1096]

I'd like a nice bicycle bell sound (driver controlled) for politely and safely manoeuvring in areas crowded with pedestrians (where legal of course).

Yeah, like mid-town Manhattan or Hong Kong...lol :lol:

 

[nowtta60]

I'd like a nice bicycle bell sound (driver controlled) for politely and safely manoeuvring in areas crowded with pedestrians (where legal of course).

That's no good - people would be looking around for a bicycle and then get run over by an i3.

You want either a bugsy malone 1930's "arroooga" horn or the similarly comical "huh-ha-huh-ha-huh-ha" horn.

Or any of the pod racer sounds from Star Wars Episode 1 so that the aural clue leads them to looks for a some kind of futuristic vehicle. Although Sebulba's pod wouldn't link aurally to a car either - they'd be looking for a Truck - and get hit by an i3.

Last option is to hire someone to walk in front of the car waving a flag. But that won't work for blind people. So they'd also have to shout "EV Coming thru".

 

[GranTourer]

Second week with my i3 and just got around to washing what I thought was a small thermos. So bummed to find out it's an ashtray.

Agreed on the horn not being all it can be.

 

[Surge]

I honk frequently (at least once per trip),
And found the std horn fine.
You can always upgrade to a 100 dB airhorn I suppose!

 

[DAZ]

Totally agree about the silly ashtray, but I find the silly horn actually to be a good thing. It is so odd sounding that it gets people to pay more attention to it than they do to a more normal horn

I agree, and wouldn't spend any money to modify/replace a factory horn.

 

[Boatguy]

I'd like to suggest a variation on this idea. Loosing the ashtray is fine with me, my salesman actually told me it was a coffee cup when he did his delivery introduction!

In any case, what I'd like is two horns, one for cars that is perhaps more "full bodied" that the current horn, and a second one for pedestrians. The i3 is silent and coming up behind pedestrians it seems rude to use the "car" horn. I'd like something like an old bicycle bell, not enough to make people jump, but enough to get their attention, so that they will step aside.

 

[DeafSoundGuy]

I use the main cup holder for my phone. My Samsung fits perfect into it. Then I clipped that one that came below the armrest onto the outside mounting ring for my water bottle, which for the first week became my gear shift knob until I finally go used to the i3 steering wheel shifter. I wanted to get another one so that it would give me a nice troika of cup holders, but I was quoted $87 for another cupholder! DOH!

 

[jadnashuanh]

In some markets, BMW sells a pedestrian warning option - below a certain speed, it's essentially a noise maker to warn pedestrians. They did not see fit to offer that for the US market, but the parts exist. I do not know how much it may cost, or how hard it would be to retrofit (even if the dealers could do it - often, they can't get parts that aren't officially released in a country), or what it might cost installed. It doesn't seem to be a very expensive factory option, but installed there verses later, the price on both the parts and labor could be significant. It is tied into the computer so that it knows when to turn on and off, so it's more than just a simple plug in (unless, if you're really lucky, the computer recognizes it's there on the computer buss). IOW, at least in some places, there is a factory solution to the pedestrian warning (but not the horn!).

To save weight, the wiring harness plugs probably do not exist in the USA wiring harnesses, so integrating it may also mean changing a major portion of the wiring...a formidable endeavor!