BMW i3: How to Avoid a £3.5k Bill When Buying Used

BMW i3s are becoming very popular on the second-hand market. Having sold over 300, we know the common problems and ensure these get sorted before sale.
In this video, Arthur will show you around our latest purchase - a 2015 60Ah REx which could easily have drained its new owner of £3,529 in unexpected bills!
CHAPTERS:
00:00 Introduction
02:16 Exterior
10:17 Interior
12:57 Mechanicals
16:37 Finished Article

[@6mdm]

Your code of ethics is astonishing and makes the world a better place. We need more like you on our planet.

[@runactive2262]

Bought mine from you in June 2020, and have to say I'm extremely happy. You certainly have great customer service, and 15,000 miles later the car has not missed a beat. Testimony to how well prepped and the quality of the cars you sell. Great video by the way.

[@XcaliburReborn]

Been considering an second hand i3 as a cheap entry point into EVs considering VW e-ups are still being sold second hand for 24k which is ridiculous. Came across this video by chance but it’s fantastic to see some dealers do care about the quality of cars they sell.

[@dudeopinion9964]

I wish I lived in the UK just to buy from you.

[@rachelblack3816]

Living in the States, it's unlikely that I'll ever be a customer at your establishment, but all the same I am very impressed with your business ethic and commitment to the customer! When I go to buy my (used) i3 I will certainly be comparing that dealership with yours, which means that my dealership will have a very hight bar to hurdle! Well done my friends, you have a new subscriber. Please continue your outstanding work, and all the best to you.

[@Rick_Retired]

Agree wholeheartedly Rachel, although I already have my showroom 2017 BEV. I hope when the time comes that my local dealer is as conscientious and ethical as shown here. Great alerts for both buyers and owners. 🚙

[@kwenger7088]

Best buying a used i3 video ever! And a good resource for us current i3 owners. Who know common issues that can arise. Looking forward to more i3 videos🙂

[@Skyking6976]

Best video I’ve seen on buying a used i3…bar none. Was close on a ‘16 REX but the dealer sent it to BMW first and the salesman said it needed $3,000 in repairs…and it would be at least 2 weeks. No doubt it went to the auction.

[@carmiecat]

Thank you SO much for this video! I have been dreaming of owning an I3, but didn’t know what to look for on a used one until watching this video. Now that I know, I have looked at several and was able to find one that was kept in great condition! I am so happy and excited! Thank you for your videos! I look forward to seeing more!

[@airspike1]

What a well considered video, having purchased an i3 privately at the beginning of the year, I quite agree with the sentiments. Although very happy with my i3 I have so far bought a new 'brick' charger, along with 4 new tyres. Still to source some (matching!) touch up, and a few other niggle bits. Having said that I simply love the car (which I bought in the hope my wife would like it and use for her small commute every day - but I like it so much she rarely gets a look in!). Wish that you were nearer to us as your attention to detail certainly inspires.

[@genuine74boomer]

Really informative - I will be buying my i3 from Wisely as I have zero appetite for doing all these prep items myself after purchase! The level of care you take is very impressive.

[@anidiotinaracingcar4874]

Thanks you for being so transparent. If I lived in the UK, I would definitely buy an i3 from you

[@fred_e]

Thanks for helping the public to spot points of interest on used i3s

[@plagus1987]

thanks for this going to look at an i3 this week, I know now what to look out for cheers.

[@richardpiper4828]

Great video Arthur and a cautionary tale of the pitfalls of buying privately or from a dealer that doesn’t understand the i3 and what to look for. It is easy to be penny wise and pound foolish especially as the customer of BMW parts can quickly mount up.

[@FranklySpeaking73]

Thanks for the smashingly good video and valuable information and insights!

[@xfer43]

Wish you guys shipped to the states! I love the fact that you all are thorough, ethical, and meticulous!

[@nordia1976]

Very nice work; I wish all car dealerships were as good as this!

[@TobyMichaelPortableTechReview]

I’m purchasing my 3rd i3 and this video is spot on!

[@rodriguezahr]

Beautiful work. Wish I got a dealer like yours in my country.

[@trevorwylie7183]

brill video awaiting delivery of my new i3s all good info for the future thanks.

[@cadriver2570]

Fantastic information. Thank you!

[@rooroo1982]

I’ll certainly be visiting you to get a second hand one if I get one in the future, I love the thorough no expense spared prep of the cars

[@wobby1516]

Good to see there are reputable dealers out there, if I were buying I’d definitely head your way.

[@michaeldgab999]

What a refreshing video by some good people. On the market to buy one for my sister and this is so helpful. Tks

[@trick700]

We are new to i3. Picked up a 71 plate ex-demo from main dealer - cup holder missing 😡 Great car though, totally new driving experience. Thank you for vlogs, they’re really helping 😎👍

[@davidherron2391]

Great video Arthur (from a T2T friend!)

[@davidbriggs7123]

A really good video, thanks for making it, 👍

[@HarryLivestream]

Excellent video and attitude indeed!

[@dc4460]

Great advice, great video

[@fmulleady]

Wow, what a video & thoroughly professional dealer!

[@Gnomecannibal]

Loved this video. 12:15 is great

[@telefan2]

You give the motor industry a good name 👏👏👏

[@muddy250]

Excellent video, great insights into an ethical dealership! Refreshing change.

[@itsfahys]

Excellent Video, and great to see the length you go to to sell a used car in good working condition.

[@matthewl1352]

Love these videos!!

[@SeanPowell]

Really informative little video. I see loads of these niggles pop up on the i3 UK Facebook page, and you guys are always top of the list for expert knowledge and used i3 recommendations.

[@nortypj]

First class video 👍🏼

[@RobS32]

Brilliant Vid! Thanks 👍

[@jean-louislonne7033]

Hello, I'm looking for a used I3. Disappointed to learn some parts wear badly, maybe wet weather in UK., lack of good maintenance, rough previous owner, OR some cheap choices from BMW at the start. I'm in Portugal, left side drive, otherwise I would buy my car from yourselves, a flight to UK would be well worth it! As is, after watching your video, leaning towards a dealer purchase in Germany. Per my experience; their dealers and owners take good care. You guys are a credit to a mis-aligned profession. Thanks again.

[@rogerhudson9732]

The Rex silencer shows how UK salted roads in winter corrode cars. Compare with the silencer on a US Arizona example (KZbin).

[@leewaggers4733]

Great video, thanks very much 👍

[@leswall3061]

Really good video and great shared information

[@decimal1815]

Interesting video - more dealers should be as open as this about their costs to prevent people like me having a moan about their prices! You've made me think twice about buying from a private seller now..

[@foolcellsorryfuelcellmirag4835]

Nice to do one for the leaf especially early models👍

[@markoneill2819]

Excellent review

[@keepyoukompani]

This was great!

[@subevo35]

Great content thanks.

[@RichardABW]

12:15 Not only cheaper and less wasteful, your replacement LED's will probably be more reliable! I had an e39 from when it was 9 years old. Dashboard pixels were half not working when I picked it up. Got a guy in Southampton to fix the ribbon connection (1hrs work), and it then continued to work like new when I sold it 11 years later. I'm picking up my first i3 (66 plate) at the weekend from a dealer, your videos have been very helpful. Wish me luck!

[@cillablakey9511]

BRILLIANT

[@TheGolfdaily]

Very professional.

[@happysporran]

The i3 is on my radar, and although you're not exactly local to Cheshire, Wisely is a dealership I'll actively seek. Very impressed!

[@wiselyauto]

We do offer delivery at 50p/mile... 😉

[@dantheman1337]

I'd take the discount and do ( or not do) that stuff myself because money is tight. But great video, thank you very much.

[@jessrussell4326]

Great video

[@highlanderes]

Awesome.

[@TomPattison]

This is great! We're looking for an i3 as a second car, seems like you're the guys in the know 👍🏻

[@DannyThompson54]

Wiseley are the absolute best for i3/i3S. I had an i3S from them a while back and you'd be hard pressed to imagine it was a used car.

[@uknick]

I have the issue with the fuel filler cap! It’s inconsistent but you never know if it’s going to stick or not! You mention recoding - how might we do this without visiting a BMW dealer or indeed if you are out of reach? Also my cruise control rubber button is split how easy is it to replace? Thanks for your great videos…. Cheers Nick

[@vincentpiombo]

Great video! What do you see happening with the roofs? I’ve seen the roofs fade, is there a way to fix these? How much would it cost?

[@marklola12]

Great video, i plan on getting a used i3 maybe a 94ah one with rex still Have kease a 500e which goes back feb and think im better off buying a used i3

[@mollyfilms]

I bought my i3 as an assured BMW from a main dealer.. the issues were enormous to sort out. They are a bent dealer but a huge one. Never again will I pay decent money to a main dealer again. The actual i3 is a fantastic car though, and for me the it has the best of all worlds with the Rex.

[@MickBearlissimo]

Wow, great first video, very informative. I need to purchase some new boots for my 67 plate BEV but can't decide between the various manufactures, any tips please?

[@wiselyauto]

We are actually working on a comprehensive comparison, including the new Michelins! Will publish soon…

[@symlexbrn5396]

These are real issues people easily overlook and that's very costly.

[@mannycrodrigues]

Just came across your channel yesterday. I have owned my 2015 rex model for 2 years and have put 30k miles on the vehicle. It currently has 55k miles. I would be very interested in any information you can provide on how to repair the flickering A/C light as that is one of the issues I am having right now. A video on the repair would be amazing ( i wish ) but even just a part number for the replacement l.e.d used would be so helpful. Thanks for making these videos and sharing your knowledge.

[@wiselyauto]

We outsource this to an electronics specialist who spent a long time researching/trialing different diodes etc, as such we don't have the exact details unfortunately. Sorry.

[@Upperton]

@@wiselyauto are you able to provide their details so anybody else can approach them for a quote to fix the flickering leds?

[@Michael-4]

This is a good example of how to sell.

[@RodLittle]

Thanks, great tips, if the cabin heater is not blowing hot, do you have any tips/advice how to narrow down what parts may need replacing?

[@timsmith5339]

I am thinking that an I3 will be my next EV. I have been trying to find out if any of the wheel options are better for efficiency. The 'dolly' whees you had on this car while its regular wheels were being restored look like they might be more aerodynamic than the originals, would this be the case? Great video, if I don't come to you for my i3 it will only be because you are quite a jaunt from me in Shropshire, it could be worth the effort though, so maybe I will.

[@cadriver2570]

How hard would it be to swap a lodge interior with a tera?

[@norwegianzound]

I see there is a £1.5k premium buying from you guys vs buying private. Hope all those checks are worth it. You seem like good guys/apples!

[@Wheels-Wheels-Wheels]

Judging by the checks & work they do prior to selling a vehicle I say the "premium" is well worth paying. Almost a bargain when compared to buying privately then getting a franchised dealer to sort it out.

[@EliotHochberg]

I’ve read about battery cooling systems having some kind of filter that, if not addressed, can brick the battery on an i3. Have you seen this and can you explain it?

[@douliss1]

Motor mounts in earlier I3 are no longer available which means you have to replace the motor mount brackets and that is a $5500 cost.

[@andrewmurphy3637]

Great Video. Again, wish you were closer to me (Leeds). Do you recommend any extended warranty covers? Mines just about to run out end of October. So far, no issue at all. Thanks

[@wiselyauto]

We hope to cover the topic of warranties in a future video, but put simply - there are no 3rd party (and so ultimately profit-orientated) warranties which we can recommend because, by their very nature, they are geared towards retaining money rather than paying it out.

[@infofrequency4709]

Can you tell what bulb it is inside the A/C control panel and possibly where I can get it? I have an i3 and want to replace the bulbs but would like to have all the parts needed before I take it all apart.

[@NurSLICMA]

Hi Did you fix the HVAC LEDs in house or send it away for refurbishment?

[@ColinWatters]

Elsewhere I heard the AC is linked to the battery cooling ? So perhaps more important to fix than on other cars? Is that right?

[@CandycaneBeyond]

What kind of wax do you recommend for the i3?

[@Devou1s]

We are considering a used 60Ah / 105K miles from 2015 for 9 grand. Paint looks great, full service history, /w Pro nav, Comfort pack and electric glass roof. Tho it's very tempting with a 2019 120Ah i3s, 45K miles - 23.500 GBP. Also /w Pro nav and full black colour. What would you do?! *Edit: I don't live in the UK, converted the prices to GBP.

[@johnnyzee383]

Just wondering if you could reply...I have bought 2 BMW i3's one for my wife and one for me (My third)..Mine is a 2015 with 72000 km and my wife's is a 2014 with 62000. I have read some reports that the AC compressor can fail leaving debris through the tubing requiring the removal of all of those components at a very hefty price. Im wondering is this a rare failure and if it is a failure than can occur in older i3's did BMW supersede the part with an improved one?..Thanks

[@tonywth]

@08:59 May I know if this rubber trim is broken because the windscreen has been replaced, will it lead to water leaking into the car on rainy days?

[@kekicjovan]

Do you have LHD I3???

[@VitaminDJ-qt7cj]

You mention around the 12:00 mark that the LEDs in the HVAC panel can be replaced. Can you share a source for obtaining these LEDs? (I'm in the USA, if that matters). I'm fairly good with soldering, so I think I could do it myself, but I don't know the type of LED I need.

[@wiselyauto]

Unfortunately we outsource this job so don't have any particular details we can share with you

[@sloppyjoe7266]

How often do motors and the AC compressors blow up? some people are really adamant about going for 2019+ ?

[@newbeginnings8566]

Not in the UK but if I was I would be straight down to buy from you.. It's clear that you get the car back in A1 shape... Only thing you didn't touch on was a diagnostic of the battery health of a used battery.. (ie). What % of the original KWH is left?

[@wiselyauto]

Getting an accurate value for battery degradation on the i3 cannot be easily summarised in a single comment but it's a question we hear often, so will definitely try to cover it in depth in the future!

[@UpmaxGaming]

Hello, i have recently gotten very interested in buying a BMW i3 in no small part thanks to your videos and i wanted to ask - is there any issues to look for specifically in an I3s as opposed to an I3? I wasn't originally looking for an s but due to circumstances might end up easier or cheaper for me to get an s with high mileage than an older lower mileage normal one. Also how susceptible is it in real life to cobbled or lower quality roads seeing as i will be mostly driving it in Prague? :D

[@PKpopdU]

I was a little surprised the SoH of the battery wasn’t addressed? I’m sure you guys check that as a battery cost nearly the price of the car. Any advice is appreciated.

[@wiselyauto]

SoH is quite a complicated topic on the BMW i3's and we are planning to make a dedicated video going into more detail on it. Here is our experience with battery degradation on these cars: kzbin.info/www/bejne/fWakl4OLptuXfMk

[@paulchapman6739]

How do you check for impending motor or gearbox bearing failure?

[@wiselyauto]

Hi Paul. Similarly to those selling ICE cars, generally we would only delve deeper if there was cause for concern. That would be in the form of whining noises / clunking during road testing or unexpected error codes logged. Generally the motor and e-trans are very robust units with failures few and far between. We recognise any mechanical item can suffer sudden failure though, and so both are covered by our in-house warranty :)

[@carlosguzman-md2mt]

You can trust a ef delta pro

[@MrDisplaypilot]

Really like and enjoy this channel. I am considering a purchase of an I3 because of your channel. Do you provide an inspection service and cost, I have found a potential purchase and have a 7 day return opportunity. I would not hesitate to use you guys for future work or purchase. Best regards JD

[@wiselyauto]

Hi Jonathan! Thanks for the kind words. We offer a pre/post purchase inspection for £113.40 inc vat and this takes about 1 hour... that said, we would obviously much rather simply supply you an i3 on which you know everything has been prepared to the highest standards, there won't be any surprises, and it will be backed by our 6 month i3-focused (extendable) warranty. Would this be an option? We have 15 in stock to choose from currently!

[@MrDisplaypilot]

@@wiselyauto Great reply clearly a class act. Will take a look at your stock and hopefully speak at some point.

[@limacom]

Thanks for video

[@josebellvis8892]

Good video. Don't you know the condition of the car before buying it?

[@wiselyauto]

We get a basic idea of the car's condition but much gets missed and/or overlooked. We will spend about an hour looking over each purchase cosmetically and mechanically (plus road test time), whereas the auction probably spend 1-2 minutes per car when forming their appraisal :(

[@simonreeves2017]

So pleased I chose a battery only i3 - so many issues with the REx model, all for a feature most i3 owners never need!

[@lucadotti2928]

My partner and I are considering getting an i3. We are pretty certain we want one, but we drive about 25mi to work. I was hoping to find a REx model, but after seeing this, I may have changed my mind. Do you feel that 50mi to and from work would be too much?

[@simonreeves2017]

@@lucadotti2928 Hi Luca, a lot depends if you can charge at home, and which version of the i3 you can get. I got the 120Ah battery only version of the i3 in September 2019. I commute from Oxford to Didcot for work, about 38 miles a day. The i3 has saved me a fortune in petrol and been a joy to drive. In summer I get a range of about 180 miles between 95% to 20% charge, in the Winter about 130 miles. I drive fairly gently and have quite a lot of stop-start traffic to deal with. This is ideal for an electric car, so much less stress and frustration than my old petrol Mercedes in traffic, and being able to pre-heat the car on frosty mornings is a wonderful luxury as I watch my neighbours scraping their windscreens as I get into my toasty i3 all defrosted and warm.

[@simonreeves2017]

@JMO - hi JMO, I’m still very happy with my i3, it now has more miles than our Audi A3 TFSI, we choose the i3 for any journey within range, it’s smooth, quiet, quick and great to drive, not to mention the cost savings, which at the moment are huge. Here in the U.K. petrol is nearly 2ukp a litre at present. I can charge the i3 overnight on cheap rate for about 1.3ukp which gives me 160 miles in the summer, about 130 miles in the winter.

[@ProDigit80]

In usa a Rex is pretty much the only version you want to get. The non-Rex models don't even have enough range for traveling between home and the job. In fact, the standard bmw setting of the Rex turning on when the battery is nearly empty, often is overridden to get an additional 50-100 miles range, mostly for people driving on the highways.

[@DanielRam814]

I just purchased a used i3 and it has the HVAC flickering lights. Is it simply just a faulty led light? It doesn't really bother me much anymore

[@wiselyauto]

That's correct, the functions are all still available (and unaffected) - it is just the LEDs which indicate whether the respective functions are active which fail. If you just purchased the car perhaps take this up with your dealer?

[@YTesting]

How unfortunate with the Brexit, otherwise I would have purchased from you directly!

[@tv175s3]

I heard story of extremly expensive AC repairs, which holds me from buying. Can you share you're experience with it?

[@wiselyauto]

In the case of this particular car, unfortunately it needed both a new condenser AND a new compressor so the bill we were hoping would come in at circa £400+vat ended up being £2,300+vat... but the video was edited by then so we left it as it is. As such, we wouldn't disagree that AC repairs can be expensive, though no more expensive (or likely to fail) than in any other modern BMW. Buy one well prepared or with a good warranty and there should be nothing to worry about.

[@RichardABW]

Is it correct that the aircon is connected to battery cooling? Therefore very important to have working.

[@wiselyauto]

Yes, it is. 👍

[@Donato77777]

I have I3 Rex 2016 air con stoped blowing cold air took car to main BMW dealer After week still can’t figure out what’s causing the issue checked all the air con parts apparently all working but something is shutting down compressor now BMW Uk requested data from the car maybe some had similar issue ?

[@wiselyauto]

Is the heater still working? If not, there is a master fuse inside the EME which may have blown

[@jameswhitbread7173]

Have you ever sold N i3 to a driving school did you fit dual controls. Thanks

[@wiselyauto]

We did sell a few to driving instructors but they had to get dual controls fitted themselves, as it's not a service we offer.

[@jean-louislonne7033]

I used to have an Audi A2, wonderful car; but the tires were also not standard. Once, the tire dealer told me I can fitslightly wider tires, more easily available and cheaper. I ran them 60,000 kms, nothing happened. Is this something to look into?

[@rp9674]

I don't think this would work for BMW i3 it's such an extreme tire size I don't think there's anything close to it. A lot of videos of recommended Tire Rack, I found the cheapest to be a tire store, it was either Costco or America's Tire (California) about $200 per tire

[@wiselyauto]

Exactly as R P has said. Plus now there are quite a few options to choose from for the i3 (Bridgestone, Continental, Michelin) at reasonable prices, so no need to resort to alternative solutions.

[@cheveredj8435]

@@wiselyauto I think you can get nankang aswell but I prefer Michelin or continental👍

[@deeksdotum9334]

@@wiselyauto how many miles are i3 tires expected to get before they need changed?

[@tomarmstrong1281]

Can't see how this organisation would ever fail.

[@davidorama6690]

Love the i3 shame they’re as rare as hens teeth in Australia

[@erichancock4618]

I didn't see anything about the battery life, which would seem to be the biggest potential concern?

[@wiselyauto]

We made a separate video covering battery health of old / high-mileage i3's, but to put a long story short, we have not had a single HV battery problem as of yet (out of the over 350 i3's sold): kzbin.info/www/bejne/fWakl4OLptuXfMk

[@erichancock4618]

@@wiselyauto good to hear, thanks!

[@lightscameraactionletstryt5132]

I find it shocking that there are so many things wrong with a car that isn’t really that old, did it come with a full service history? If only all secondhand cars were prepared for resale in this way.

[@carlosgarcialalicata]

Would you mind moving to Switzerland so i can buy a car from you? Please!