Potential Buyer with a few simple questions :)

[Tony Smith]

Hello, I'm seriously considering an I3 as my next car purchase and just had a few questions about the car and ownership, and what better people to ask than current owners . I'd be looking at getting a fairly used REX at about the £10-12k price point
So in no particular order
1) What sort of affect does age and mileage have on the range available.
2) Has anybody yet had battery failure issues on older cars?
3) What are the most common faults and problems I should be checking for?
4) Are there any particular models to avoid or you would recommend?
5) Anything random you think it would be useful to know good or bad?

Many thanks for taking the time to reply

 

[EvanstonI3]

1) some. mostly on the 60ah models at this point
2) Yes, but only in respect to degrading below 70% for warranty replacement. Actual "failure" is very rare.
3) 12v battery is the most common source of failure/issues. Plan to change it out. The car gives you little to no warning in advance
4) buy the newest model you can afford
5) I've found the best way to cook Flank Steak is to Sous Vide for a few hrs at 135F, then sear on the grill or in a cast iron pan

 

[Tony Smith]

1) some. mostly on the 60ah models at this point
2) Yes, but only in respect to degrading below 70% for warranty replacement. Actual "failure" is very rare.
3) 12v battery is the most common source of failure/issues. Plan to change it out. The car gives you little to no warning in advance
4) buy the newest model you can afford
5) I've found the best way to cook Flank Steak is to Sous Vide for a few hrs at 135F, then sear on the grill or in a cast iron pan

I'll take that on board with the flank steak, although I'm a ribeye man myself . When you say some what sort of percentage are we talking?

 

[Marscar]

There will be others along shortly I'm sure, with all the established wisdoms, so I thought I'd pitch in something specific ... bearing in mind that we're very happy with our one year and 12,000 mixed miles with a 2018 94ah REX ... If you're expecting to be regularly finding yourself in a car park with two or three passengers, buy something else!
The reverse opening rear doors, that require the respective front door to be open, make this situation almost impossible. It's funny the first few times but that wears thin pretty quick.
Apart from that,
I personally think the REX is a good idea on balance ("flexibility" vs higher weight, road tax, £/mile, maintenance cost etc) ... but I might change my tune if it goes wrong.

Tyres wear fast, and the standard Ecopias are not your best bet.

Brakes will wear less but are more likely to corrode through lack of use.

Do some homework on how to check the battery maximum capacity read out.
It's not a fixed figure because there are variables that will affect it, but at least if you get a low read out you know the HV is not going to last you as long.

Avoid the 60ah battery.

Think about whether you really need the i3"s" .... The standard i3 is pretty nippy as it is, and we haven't found it to be as "jittery" as some.

Watch out for sloshing water in the sills ... It's fairly easy to lock the car and accidentally part-open a window at the same time.
Previous owners might have had "fat thumb syndrome".

 

[Tony Smith]

There will be others along shortly I'm sure, with all the established wisdoms, so I thought I'd pitch in something specific ... bearing in mind that we're very happy with our one year and 12,000 mixed miles with a 2018 94ah REX ... If you're expecting to be regularly finding yourself in a car park with two or three passengers, buy something else!
The reverse opening rear doors, that require the respective front door to be open, make this situation almost impossible. It's funny the first few times but that wears thin pretty quick.
Apart from that,
I personally think the REX is a good idea on balance ("flexibility" vs higher weight, road tax, £/mile, maintenance cost etc) ... but I might change my tune if it goes wrong.

Tyres wear fast, and the standard Ecopias are not your best bet.

Brakes will wear less but are more likely to corrode through lack of use.

Do some homework on how to check the battery maximum capacity read out.
It's not a fixed figure because there are variables that will affect it, but at least if you get a low read out you know the HV is not going to last you as long.

Avoid the 60ah battery.

Think about whether you really need the i3"s" .... The standard i3 is pretty nippy as it is, and we haven't found it to be as "jittery" as some.

Watch out for sloshing water in the sills ... It's fairly easy to lock the car and accidentally part-open a window at the same time.
Previous owners might have had "fat thumb syndrome".

It's interesting you say about water in the sills as our old 1 Series did that and Z4s were renowned for it. I want the REX because the charging infrastructure in the UK is poor and I only want to charge at home.

 

[Marscar]

It's interesting you say about water in the sills as our old 1 Series did that and Z4s were renowned for it. I want the REX because the charging infrastructure in the UK is poor and I only want to charge at home.

... Just like us: in the UK, home charge easy, away charge seldom necessary.
Whereabouts are you? We are near Stroud, Glos.

 

[jtheires]

Hello, I'm seriously considering an I3 as my next car purchase and just had a few questions about the car and ownership, and what better people to ask than current owners . I'd be looking at getting a fairly used REX at about the £10-12k price point
So in no particular order
1) What sort of affect does age and mileage have on the range available.
2) Has anybody yet had battery failure issues on older cars?
3) What are the most common faults and problems I should be checking for?
4) Are there any particular models to avoid or you would recommend?
5) Anything random you think it would be useful to know good or bad?

Many thanks for taking the time to reply

1) I have noticed a slight range reduction in my 2019 model (and prior 2016 model) over time, but not serious.
2) No high-voltage battery failure, but a 12v battery fail caused all kinds of error messages and momentary confusion.
3) Only ongoing problem I have had is with tires. They are somewhat susceptible to damage/flats, and due to their narrow width, are sometimes deemed "unrepairable" by local tire shops. Note: mom/pop garages can apply "plug" repair at very low cost that has saved me from buying new tires. Also: I made a wise decision years ago to carry a spare tire/wheel/jack (not included by OEM) at all times, and have used it more than once.
4) Unknown to me.
5) I prefer the REX models, as the additional range comes in handy for medium/long distance travel. Note: I primarily drive my i3 to local/regional destinations - a gas car is used for longer distances.
Hope my comments are useful to you.

 

[Kentbauman]

Our 2015 Rex had a battery replacement just before the warranty expired in 2023. On a whim, I paid BMW for a battery test a month before the warranty expired, and the result was a free $25,000 dealer replacement. I would suggest only considering I3s still inside of the 8 year warranty and requiring a battery test before you buy, unless they have receipts for a replacement that was done within the last few years.

 

[martinj]

hello Tony. I have a 2017 i3Rex. It has been reliable since I got it 3 years ago, but low mileage (22 k altogether). It’s a very quick and efficient little thing and I can’t imagine why one would go for the ‘s’ model. I have never needed the Rex. I sometimes use it for fun, but it’s value is psychological. The battery still has the original range as far as I can see. The curious doors are ok in practice and are sometimes useful. tight spots in car parks require some wriggling. I have only ever charged at home with 7 kw charger. The tyres are now Michelin primacy which are softer and quieter than the bridgestone originals. the suspension is on the hard side of normal but not a problem. The i3 has classic appeal and looks right inside and out. The functional materials are appealing and rather German in character.

 

[user 10067]

Warning: opinionated European here

I chose to go fully electric with a 21 plate i3s. For me buying a REX version would be worse value and worse range than just buying a Prius…

 

[BL5]

Hello, I'm seriously considering an I3 as my next car purchase and just had a few questions about the car and ownership, and what better people to ask than current owners . I'd be looking at getting a fairly used REX at about the £10-12k price point
So in no particular order

1) What sort of affect does age and mileage have on the range available.
Since BMW locks out a portion of your battery, you don’t have to manage how much to charge your EV (typical 20-80% rule). With that logic, there is not widespread reported massive battery range loss. BMW’s logic seems to help longevity of battery health. The 60aH models seem to degrade more quickly. My 2017 REx still gets 100+ mi of gentle driving after 80k and hasn’t changed much in the 3yrs and 60k I’ve put on the odometer.
2) Has anybody yet had battery failure issues on older cars?
The 60aH models have had some warranty replacements under their 8yr warranty for battery degradation. Seems less common on 94aH and 120aH models so far.
3) What are the most common faults and problems I should be checking for?
12V batteries live around 60 months. Replace it! They give no warning when they’re about to die. Tires last 20-25k, we have no tire options in N. America outside of OEM Bridgestone Ecopias.
4) Are there any particular models to avoid or you would recommend?
My rule #1 - Avoid first year production vehicles! They typically take 3 model years to work out all the bugs. I’d be looking at a 2017+. In USA 2014-2016 (may of been fixed in 2016) have expensive exploding AC line issues and weak motor mounts for REx option. Notice these are also for 60aH models (N. America). Might be different across the pond.
5) Anything random you think it would be useful to know good or bad?
Do you have Level 2 charging at home? To REx or not REx, that is the question. For my use case REx is king. I wouldn‘t bought two i3s (2015 is sold) if I could not code the HSOC. This site is a great resource for i3 information. These are quickly little cars, great in the city, never worry about a door ding . They’re not the best road trippers or comfortable ride but get a lot of looks.

 

[JimBmwi3s]

What is a 21 plate

 

[JamesInLondon]

What is a 21 plate

In the UK licence plates have the year the car was originally sold as part of the identification, so its an easy way to refer to a car's age.

 

[SSi3]

Since you're in the UK, check out Wisely Automotives videos on i3 issues/fixes, lots of great info!
https://www.youtube.com/@wiselyauto

 

[CaryInVictoria]

We a 2016 REX and had a 2015 BEV, both with 19" wheels, top (leather) trim and bought used with low mileage. The BEV (my car) came with 20" wheels. I preferred the REX's ride so much that I swapped out the wheels for 19" ones. I had only one problem with the BEV: a sensor failed. The BMW dealer charged $1,500 Cdn, mostly for diagnosing the problem! My wife had just one problem: the driver's door handle broke. Believe it or not, the dealer charged us $2,000 to fix that! The take-away: avoid out-of-warranty service BMW if at all possible. We had little choice (except for brake fluid changes--which are certainly not needed every two years--and the REX's oil changes), but there are now options in larger cities.

The 60aH batteries provided plenty of range for us--even in winter, when it could drop to 80 kms.---but we live in a smaller city and don't do road trips. The only times my wife's range extender comes on is to get some exercise for a few minutes, which occurs every couple of months.

I've concluded that drive battery replacements must be extremely rare, as I had not heard of a single failure before reading this thread. If they were widespread I would have heard about many replacements.

 

[rougeetnoir]

I have a 2019 i3S now with 31k. The only issue I had was the death of the 12 volt battery after 3 years. So watch this carefully and replace it if you even think it might be old. It will brick the car with no warning. I am noticing a reduction in miles in the tank now in cold weather that is great than last year and year before. In warmish weather it would come off the charger with 187 but this is now about 170 and in cold weather as low as 145. I have tried out the rex and think I could take a trip with it and a large gas can. But having to stop every 60 miles or so might get old. I have two sets of wheels. One is the stock 20 inch and I put on a set of Bridgestone Blizzak each December on 19 inch wheels. I get about 30 k on the rear tires, and am still going strong on the front. I carry a compact spare, a jack and tools in the car as well as a plank to put under the sill if I have to jack it up. No other problems though the windows sometimes mysteriously drop. Maybe something bumbing some part of the key fob. I have avoided any contact with the dealer except for the warranted stuff.

 

[iCJ]

1) The more miles it has done the more of the battery has been used, but like everything some folks have done high mileage and have minimal battery degradation, some have done low miles and the battery dropped significantly. Then there is everything in between that
2) I don't know any personally but search here you might find some
3) Depends on the year, I have 2017 the gets the random power steering thing. Some with the rex get odd drivetrain errors.
4) Get the newest year you can afford
5) Get one with the Harmon Kardon upgrade, that is my biggest knock on my i3, the speakers are sad.

 

[Muddas]

Hello, I'm seriously considering an I3 as my next car purchase and just had a few questions about the car and ownership, and what better people to ask than current owners . I'd be looking at getting a fairly used REX at about the £10-12k price point
So in no particular order
1) What sort of affect does age and mileage have on the range available.
2) Has anybody yet had battery failure issues on older cars?
3) What are the most common faults and problems I should be checking for?
4) Are there any particular models to avoid or you would recommend?
5) Anything random you think it would be useful to know good or bad?

Many thanks for taking the time to reply

Hi
We have 2018 full electric. Summer range is about 140 miles and winter range drops to about 90 miles all of which are affected by sticking on aircon, radio. Heated seats etc.
But we only ever charge at home. And use the car for everything when it’s not a long journey (100 mile plus) as we have something else to do that.

It’s a brilliant city car, very quick off the mark. I love using it.

The rear doors are interesting/a faff. If you’ve got a family of 3 or more then I would be tempted to get something else despite me loving the car.

Our car has never gone wrong. Tyres (Ecopias) lasted 20k plus. We’ve had it three years.

The seating position and ride height is excellent.

Boot space is limited, but back seats drop and then there’s plenty.

 

[robthebold]

Question 5:

The sunroof option really isn't as cool as I thought it would be. The twin skylight thing looks neat, and that's why I got it, but I wouldn't do it a second time. Particularly if one is bald, it's cold in the winter and -- at latitudes that probably don't apply to the OP -- lets too much sun through with the screen closed in the Summer.

A standard (US) bale of straw fits perfectly in the trunk without folding the seats or removing the cover panel.

Also that hook-attachment-thing on a Swiss Army Knife that I never figured out a use for makes pulling the bale out by the baling wire much easier on the fingers.

 

[alohart]

3) Depends on the year, I have 2017 the gets the random power steering thing.

BMW will fix your random steering problem at no cost if your i3 has been driven less than 120,000 miles, is less than 10 years old, and is a U.S. i3. For details, see BMW Service Information Bulletin SIB 32 11 19 STEERING ASSISTANCE SPORADIC REDUCTION: EPS SOFTWARE UPDATE EXT LTD WTY COVERAGE.