BMW i3 Long Term Review - Drive Green Used EV Car Specialist

[@adobevista2789]

As an i3 driver, I appreciate what you’ve said about the i3. It isn’t my only car but it’s the vehicle I use for getting around town as it’s small enough to park conveniently and interesting enough to catch myself looking back at it to appreciate it every time I walk away from it in a parking space. You have a nice demeanor and I enjoyed the quality of this production. Well done for you and anyone else involved in this production and review. Thank you.

[@richardemslie4721]

I also have an i3 with Range Extender and also love the car but primarily use it for local trips. It is more of a city car and not suitable for very rough roads. Great video but perhaps could have mentioned that the front wheels are different width to back wheels and locally no tyre shops have them in stock and need to order them. I have one spare of each at home just in case. The low profile tyres are perhaps more at risk from potholes and to save weight the car the car doesn’t have spare wheels. Instead it has a pump and some tyre fix liquid to allow you to get to a garage with a normal puncture. However this is no use if the side walls are ripped by a pothole and then you have to get BmW to collect you. Aside from this the car is so cleverly designed. Great fun to drive and the acceleration is amazing. I think it was a mistake for them to drop the range extender version in later cars as this means you have no worries about running out of electric power. On a long trip you do have to fill up with petrol quite frequently as the petrol tank only takes 9 litres. Most practical If you have another vehicle for very long or off-road trips.

[@tonym9635]

I think this is one of the best reviews, your very patience demeanor and detailed review is what i've been looking for. I will purchase a i3 in the next coming months, this review really helped. Thank you.

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you for the very kind words. As with our dealership, we decided to approach our videos slightly differently and covering what we thought was important when choosing an EV. Please do let us know if we can help you when you are ready to purchase an i3, we often have a good number of them in stock and would be very happy to show you around them and assist however we can.

[@Rick_Retired]

I have had my “Litl’ Blue” 2017 BMW i3 BEV 33Kw 94Ah since 01/25/2021. I bought it in showroom condition from an original owner with 24k on the odometer. I’m 75, drive it about 30-100 miles a month mostly to pick up online ordered groceries and to visit the VA clinic. I use a 240V, 16A (3.84Kw) Level 2 charger in my carport routed inside as an alternate to my dryer outlet. I get 13.5 miles per hour of charging and at home my FPL electric cost is $0.031 per Mile. If there is a more perfect EV out there, I simply don’t want it. I don’t need more range, acceleration, styling, features, reliability, comfort, handling, or value. Litl Blue is obviously my Forever Car. Paid $16,500 but was offered $24,000 by Edmunds 3 months ago which tickled my worn out ego.

[@cotswoldseeker5609]

I rarely ever comment on videos, but I felt prompted to do so by this really excellent review! All the information that I needed was included, in a calm and friendly way. Superb! Thank you :)

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you for the very kind words, so great to hear people are finding our videos helpful 🙂

[@HonJazzz]

Thank you for making this wonderful, thoughtful, and informative review. Keep up the great work!

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you for you very kind words and we have more coming, including a video on the I3S 🙂

[@Sagadiniz]

I was watching the video and thinking you had at least 100k subs, this channel is a hidden gem that deserves way more subscribers! The quality is brilliant!

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you so much for the kind words! We are actually very new but we appreciate everyones support! Be sure to subscribe and if you want to help spread the word we would be hugely grateful 😉🙂

[@uniqueforeveri3s22]

Brilliant review your emotional attachment to this special car is evident while also not being at all gushy, but sensibly presented. I got a 2018 i3S rex 94Ah just a month before lockdown in Feb 2020 - not exactly a cheap decision coming from a paid for Mini Cooper ICE, and yes I get hit with Lux tax.. but it's so worth it, even with hindsight I would not change the decision I made back then. A year and a half on and 12k miles (would have been more if not for lockdown) I am still totally in awe of how brilliant this car is and how privileged I feel to be able to own and drive one. Some people don't "get" it, but those who do fall in love. Even now with so many more newer EV's on the market I still don't know what I'd swap my i3S for - there's still nothing in the size bracket that would tempt me out of it for driving experience but also practicality- some others are either or (like the mini electric) and other good EVs are just too big or no where near as "special". It's going to be with me for a while I feel.

[@DriveGreen]

Very good choice and while a shame on the luxury car tax, in the grand scheme of things it seems to be a very small price to pay for the joy you share with this incredible car. Wishing you many more happy years with the I3 and thank you for dropping by 🙂

[@loonymoon1]

@@DriveGreen Yes I got it just before they unexpectedly dropped Lux tax on BEV, and I didnt' see that coming.. however given my wish for 160 mile range in the winter the BEV would have struggled in the winter where the REx can always manage it (albeit not fully driving green) and that was only an emergency requirement, I still charge like a BEV but it does allow me not to stress and just let the Rex take the strain once in a while (instead of maintenance cycles). I factored the lux tax into the purchase cost which was a lot less than the 120 BEV with all the options my 94 Rex has.. as I said,even though they moved the goalposts after I purchased I'd still make the same choice. I WISH they'd bring out a 50+kWh BEV i3S... as THAT is what I'd swap the Rex for eventualy when some used ones become available!

[@egilandersen1844]

Nice review...love this car. Had 3 of them my last is with 120 amp. The design is still looking fresh after 7 year on the market.

[@DriveGreen]

Have to agree! They were so futuristic at launch and still look extremely modern to this day!

[@stephenjwprior6358]

Nice to Hear that 👍

[@edsilvester]

I've had the REX for years. I very rarely use the REX but when I do, I'm grateful for it. The huge majority of my miles are local and short. The lack of range equates to a lack of weight so the efficiency is good and the handling is fantastic. I have off road charging and charge about every two days.

[@DriveGreen]

It is a great option for many people and the rex does help overcome that range anxiety many face.

[@trevoreverest9523]

I own an i3s and you are spot on with your comments about it. It is a driver's car that is so fun to use even at low speeds in town. Only downside for me is a rather hard ride on the 20 inch wheels.

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you Trevor, and very happy to hear you are enjoying your i3 🙂

[@lauriemiles1842]

The i3s has a much firmer ride than the i3 - I've driven both, and owned an i3 for 13 months (I love it!). The handling is more sporty in the i3s, so if that's more important, go for the i3s. However, I think most people will be better served with the i3, which still has great performance.

[@DriveGreen]

@@lauriemiles1842 thanks for the extra insight Laurie, it is a very valid point.

[@humamalik1517]

Really good review, you should definitely have way more subs

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you Huma, we have only just started posting more review type content so hoping the channel will start to grow 🙂

[@Dwebber919]

Great Video. The footage of the car is great. Thanks

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you, really appreciate the kind feedback 🙂

[@willwong1234]

I've got a 2014 i3 and am loving it. The limited range, especially compared with newer EVs, shouldn't be much of a bother as I have two more gasoline SUVs in my garage so I use my i3 90% of the time for commuting to work and in-and-around town shopping.

[@DriveGreen]

Great to hear it can handle majority of your needs 🙂

[@willwong1234]

@@DriveGreen Not only it can handle the majority of my needs, the i3 is significantly lighter than even the Tesla Model 3 so I don't feel like needlessly hauling extra load around when all I need is a light and yet safe vehicle that is capable of taking a 200-pounder from point A to point B most of the time😃

[@LooseyGooseyGander5]

I've had a range extender version for 2 years now best car I've ever owned or driven, absolutely love getting in and driving it even after 2 years, I do about 8000 miles a year so it's perfect for me.

[@DriveGreen]

Fantastic to hear and great to see you doing some proper miles with it! How often do you find yourself using the range extender out of interest?

[@mdougf]

Sick man! Great to hear. I’m gonna get one soon. Pumped!

[@selias72sa88]

Love your reviews! Your voice is so calm and friendly! It is like I do yoga but thinking about cars :-) Cars are yoga for me :-) And your reviews are so informative and great. I feel like I have droven the car after your review. I love this car. After this review I want to buy one. Thank you! Great work!

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you for the kind words 🙂

[@JoshKemponcars]

Great video Richard, I’ve driven past your garage many times but never stopped. Maybe some day I’ll call in.

[@DriveGreen]

Thanks Josh!

[@francesfzk]

Great review about the i3!🤩 I bought my i3 6 months ago, best decision I made! It suits my lifestyle perfectly 👌. I'm always learning something interesting and new about my car, especially some of the hidden features. It's a unique car for a very unique person 😉.

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you Frances! Great to hear you are loving your i3 too, they are brilliant 🙂

[@stephenjwprior6358]

Great Video Thank you - Today my BMW i3 failed to start just the car battery in the bonnet and i can't wait for driving it (brought second hand from dealer) Should be ok with warranty lol

[@standupmoto]

Beautifully presented general introduction and look at a special little car, thank you.

[@plightn]

Can you imagine an i3 with the new solid state battery tech? It's my favorite car of all time. The REX is the perfect solution, just need to make the gas tank larger. Great review! One Idea I had was to make a drop in gas tank into the frunk for long trips for the REX.

[@DriveGreen]

One thing we have seen is many going for the rex to ease anxiety, but later on realising they don’t use/need it! They end up with that extra unnecessary weight as a result. We would definitely advise everyone to do their homework and work out if they really need a rex! Thanks for watching and commenting guys 🙂

[@MrBirgerB]

Complexity is the major drawback of the REX, not the weight or price. Wouldn't want the hassle of changing plugs, oil etc.

[@plightn]

@@MrBirgerB I agree there is some complexity with the REX, but it is a back up so you really aren't putting that many miles on that engine. It's also running as a generator that isn't driving the wheels or transmission so the strain on it is very light.

[@xijinpingpong4426]

Because the i3 was kind of an experimental car for BMW, they should maybe risk another experiment by making the range extenter a hydrogen fuel cell in future models. There are some Renault cars that can achieve 300 km additional range by just using a small 10kW hydrogen fuel cell as a range extender.

[@plightn]

@@xijinpingpong4426 I do like that idea however the availability of hydrogen in the US is practically none at the moment. Now if they could make an engine that can run on gas or hydrogen that would be awesome.

[@CleberCassol]

Such an excellent review! You explain things in a very nice manner. I have solar panels at home and I'm really wondering abount exchanging one of my cars for an electric model. Your review took all my worries away. Thank you very much.

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you for the kind words! Be sure to give our team a call if you want to pop down and test drive one of the cars.

[@AllenManor]

We've had a 2014 REX for 4 years now. It's been a very good car. Did have a repair to the REX engine that thankfully was covered under warranty. Out of warranty now so a bit concerned about repair costs due to it being a BMW but so far so good. This car's Achilles Heel are the tires though. Only one manufacturer makes them, they cannot be rotated, they don't last terribly long (20-25K max), no tire centers carry them in stock (at least here in the USA) so it's always a 2-3 day process to replace one. And heaven help you if you get a flat -- there's no spare and tow truck operators are afraid to jack it up due to the carbon fiber frame. So, every time we've had a flat, the car has to be transported via flatbed. It's quite frustrating. But otherwise a pleasure to own and drive. Having said that, we will probably be selling it in the near future so we can have a car with greater range and standard tires so we can use it for more than metro driving.

[@DriveGreen]

Great to hear your mostly positive experience Allen. The tyres are a slightly odd size but touch wood we haven’t had too much issue getting hold of them in the UK. Have you thought about which car to replace it with?

[@AllenManor]

@@DriveGreen We are considering a car which is only just hitting the market -- the (Ford) Mustang Mach-E.

[@nitramluap]

The biggest tragedy is there is no natural successor evolved from the i3 in BMW's plans... they're just producing 'standard' cars with electric drive trains. I mean, why don't they make a pure EV variant of the i8 - that would be brilliant.

[@DriveGreen]

That would be incredible for sure!

[@loonymoon1]

Totally agree.. I wish there was a new i3 in the pipeline, or even just another battery increment would be great. However I think the tooling for the CFRP at the factory in Leipzig is coming to the end of it's lifecycle and it's clear that BMW have no intention to replace the i3... which is VERY sad.. :( It will likely be my first and last BMW. Eventually I may go back to MINI, but now have my eye on Kia/Hyundai hoping they do a small version of the EV6 or Ioniq 5

[@idparkinson]

I love my i3. I got an ex demo 120ah model in red, with loft interior, heat pump, privacy glass for £26k. It had 157 miles on the clock. Such a great car and a great deal

[@DriveGreen]

Congratulations on the i3!

[@riobautista4924]

Questions mate . About maintenance .. how often do you recommend. .. thanks

[@idparkinson]

@@riobautista4924 the car tells you when maintenance is required based on use. It is approx every 2 years

[@jerryodell]

I love my i3! I am on my 2nd one, this time a 2018 BEV. I am very disappointed that BMW has decided to stop production of the i3. My attention is now on Canoo as my next vehicle. One of the cofounders of Canoo was Ulrich Kranz, a developer of the i3.

[@mikeevans1594]

Really enjoyed this review, exceptional quality

[@zen_light]

Innovative new paradigm automotive technology the BMW i3. Great video.

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you 🙏

[@peterszczesiak6025]

We have the Rex with 94AH battery everything on the review is what we have found with our I3. It's easily the best car I have owned, it should last forever as rust isn't an issue. We have used the Rex once in anger glad we had it as backup but only needed it because it was the fuel shortage weeks and a number of charging points had been vandalised! I service the car myself its easy and rewarding and also shows how much thought went into its design. It makes me smile when you effortlessly leave boy racers for dead my other half also occasionally does it after telling me off! I have found the average is 4.2 miles per kWh this is winter summer combined, it better than most of the rest which must be embarrassing for some car makers. I was going to buy a model S but it wouldn't fit in Jaynes parking space so the I3 was chosen, I am very happy with the choice

[@DriveGreen]

Thanks for sharing your ownership experience and great to hear you are loving it!

[@davidobrien1489]

I bought one from drive green and I fully concur with pretty much all he says. Mine is 94ah model and fab to drive with better than stated range. And I’ve left some fairly fast cars for dead at the lights. As this is the only company I’ve dealt with I can’t compare but the service I got was first rate.

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you for the kind words David, very glad to hear you are enjoying the car 🙂

[@davidrose462]

I am fortunate to have and have had some lovely cars. Nevertheless every time I drive the i3 it still gives me great pleasure . Is so quiet and silky smooth. What a car !😊

[@tiktak132]

Apple care play is possible in all models, if you’re willing to get your hands a little dirty. I’ve installed it on my 2016.

[@peterparker9997]

Good informative video.

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you Peter!

[@stenly311]

Very well made car review vid, well-done guys

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you 🙏

[@acvelo5963]

nice review. I love my 2017 i3 Rex.

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you for watching and great choice of car! Be sure to subscribe for more i3 content in the future 🙂

[@garrycroft4215]

Hi, I've just found and subscribed to your channel. Great review with only one error, a good one. I bought an i3s in December and absolutely love it. Oh the one error in your great presentation? It definitely does have Apple Car Play but not Android Auto. So after never having an iPhone I just had to go out and buy one for my car. So now I have all the apps, Waze, Spotify etc. Siri reads and, writes my messages from texts, mail, telegram you name it. Another thing very worth mentioning is the connected drive app irrespective of Android or Apple to control pre-heating / cooling even if not plugged in (not even a Tesla can do that) also send destinations to the sat-nav from anywhere.

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you Garry 🙂

[@nitramluap]

The i3 technically has a wonderful VARIABLE regenerative braking system, controlled by how much you lift your foot from the accelerator. Lift a little, gentle 'braking'... lift fully and you get maximum regeneration equivalent to a sensible traditional braking deceleration. Also, when the 'regeneration indicator' reaches the 'H' in the word 'CHARGE', the brake lights come on too.

[@DriveGreen]

Very good point! And nice tip on when the brake light shows!

[@salokin1]

A pleasant review to watch and convinced the wife! (Shame about the couple of slips giving battery capacity in kilowatts.)

[@eauto9152]

The I3 is a great car, very nice. 👍🏼

[@DriveGreen]

We couldn’t agree more, thanks for watching!

[@mollyfilms]

Had the Rex version for the last 4 years and now out over 100k on the clock. For me it the best car I’ve ever owned and I’ve owned more expensive cars in the past. I have had pure EV with no Rex and tbh the Rex just is the best option, you just don’t get any anxiety. It’s very very good on long runs and not just an around town car like some use it for. It’s very comfortable and very airy unlike larger Evs can be. As I mentioned my car had done well over 100k and I would be now expecting some battery loss.. mine is usually charged at home so I do avoid DC fast charging on the roads. The battery is still showing the exact same as it did from new. Either that’s a mistake in the software or it’s doing incredibly well. I’ve not noticed any reduced miles whatsoever though so trust that the battery is good.

[@jhonmenezes4120]

great video : thanks for the update

[@freedomm]

That's it. I'm getting one.

[@LooseyGooseyGander5]

Seriously get one, superb car, trust me.

[@DriveGreen]

Great choice! Be sure to take a look at our website as we have a fair few i3’s in stock at the moment 👍🏻

[@fastfreddiefire]

Nice Review. I am enjoying my I3.

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you and we are glad you are enjoying it! Fantastic cars 🙂

[@subtitles1492]

subbed. 2019 i3 + 2020 i3s here, both very recommended.

[@DriveGreen]

Good choice, we will be doing a little video on the differences between the i3 and i3s soon 🙂

[@subtitles1492]

cool beans! I’m looking forward to much more, I like your video style and taste (obviously). 🙂

[@mellowmiles-r5o]

Which do you prefer? I hear the I3 is a bit nervous handling and he i3s sort of solves that? Is the extra hard ride worth the upgrade? Thanks

[@subtitles1492]

the i3s has a “harder” suspension and wider summer tires, especially in the back, so it feels slightly more stable on beaten highways and in cross wind. But to me the difference is marginal. also, the difference in speed and acceleration between the two can be felt, but it’s a close game. Both are well behaved and sporty machines. And leaving those noisy stinking fossil burning wannabe sports cars behind at the red light doesn’t seem to get old, but that’s another story. 😀

[@mellowmiles-r5o]

@@subtitles1492 thanks

[@sevesellors2831]

Great review lovely car enjoyed going out in a friends model. It’s quirky ,different.

[@DriveGreen]

Thanks Seve, great to hear you enjoy the car!

[@pierrearthur5428]

Hi, excellent review....Beware people before watching this.... it made me want to test an i3s....and now I own one and worse....my Bentley is now for sale. I enjoyed the ride, nippiness and overall silent and effortless waftability of the car so much It made my Bentley looks like a dinosaur from an age past. I hated the image of the Bentley but loved its effortless waft ability and silence. I found much the same in the i3s (ok, the ride isn’t as smooth), allowing me to be moved safely and silently from à to b without the wallet on wheels image. I sometimes get friendly thumbs up in the i3s where I used to get agressive disapproving looks and the odd mini-skirted « lady » waving at me. It makes me feel younger and a bit more in tune with the escalating environment concerns of the younger generation. It’s not everyone’s solution but if you have no kids to shuttle and another car for driving long distance it’s perfect. Yes it’s pricey but that is because of the unique, eco-conscious way it is built, because there are only about 200k of them worldwide and by the way they can be had as used car for a fraction of the original cost whilst still looking new. The alu subframe, CFRP « carbon »passenger cell and « plastic » outer panels mean it’s built like a tank without the weight of a tank, it’ll last forever. Yes the autonomy is limited, but a 100kwh battery would make it heavier, less fun and definitely less efficient for the odd trip that is bigger than 150 miles. If, as already prototyped a new gen provides 100kwh battery in the same enveloppe and for around the same weight I will upgrade the battery pack no matter what it cost.

[@DriveGreen]

Thanks for watching and sharing your experience Pierre! Glad to hear you are loving your I3S, be sure to check our recent review on the I3S 🙂

[@cgmtv]

Great review! Thanks

[@DriveGreen]

Thanks for watching 🙂

[@chrishewson40]

Im currently in the process of getting one, a 2020 i3 120, what is the average range like and how do you set up the charging point at home? We are part exchanging our RaV hybrid for one and would the i3 live up to the daily commutes, motorways etc

[@mamadouaziza2536]

Thanks for the upload

[@DriveGreen]

Our pleasure, thanks for watching 🙂

[@lamar326gaskins]

Great review!

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you Lamar!

[@robertpryor7225]

My 1st gen rex is great, good to get dealer warranty, i worry about long term maintenance. I saw one with the back doors wrapped gray/black, it looked great!

[@DriveGreen]

Glad to hear you are enjoying your i3 🙂 We’ve seen a few i3s lightly customised recently too!

[@chatde4277]

very intelligent review!

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you for your kind words!

[@chrishyde1216]

Excellent review. I borrowed one from BMW for a day and, as you say, driving one leaves you wanting one. However, are they reliable and a low risk used purchase?

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you for the kind words, EVs are traditionally much more reliable than ICE cars with much less to potentially go wrong. With longer warranties on the batteries etc, which is still a new-ish technology, it certainly helps give ample peace of mind. We also give a free warranty and have options to extend this to a term that you feel more comfortable with 🙂

[@AliWade1971]

Great video

[@DriveGreen]

Thank you 😊

[@TheClanduncan]

I purchased my i3Rex just shy of two years ago. I wouldn't go back to an ICE car now, as I love the nimblenbess of my car. Personally I get 100-130 (+ 70-100 rex) range on it from winter/summer. Averaging about 4.4-4.5 miles per kw/hr.

[@phenex551]

Great! What year and battery?

[@RoadhogRNA]

Great Vid thank you!

[@DriveGreen]

Pleasure, thank you for watching 🙂

[@dyotoorion1835]

Fantastic review. Thanks a bunch! :-)

[@DriveGreen]

Thanks for watching and for your kind words ☺️

[@dyotoorion1835]

@@DriveGreen Cheers! xD

[@markthomasson5077]

You did not mention all important charge times

[@daiwhite]

Great video I got my Leaf from you guys a few years ago! With the i3, Is there ISO fix in the front?

[@DriveGreen]

Hi David, Hope youre still enjoying the Leaf! No, the i3 only has ISO FIX in the rear two seats. Hope that helps.

[@freedomm]

I want to buy one even though it's being discontinued. Will it continue to be available after production stops in July 2022? Will support and service be a challenge? Will spare parts be impossible to find?

[@jpsalis]

I think it's a neat car, but I can't get over the lack of part availability. Of course maintenance is lower than a normal car, but that's just not something I can buy into. The price when bought used is very good, I can't deny that.

[@DriveGreen]

As more are sold and used I guess part availability and the like will also increase. As you say with them rarely needing parts etc there isn’t so much demand to encourage supply. It will be interesting to see how the landscape adapts over the coming years. Thanks for watching 🙂

[@jpsalis]

@@DriveGreen that's true, I'm speaking more of easy access to those parts than anything else though, idk how true that may be

[@kead6636]

Really interested in a used one but mainly for weekend groceries and trips. Looking at the 94 ah one. Thoughts? And do you happen to know if I can find out soh from the car itself or need a garage?

[@ltkwok]

2017 Rex (with max range) can be had for US$16k in the US.

[@DriveGreen]

Very well priced 🙂

[@joshuamiller1132]

I'm in the market for an EV next year and love this car, but I'm a little nervous about the maintenance costs- partly because it's a BMW & partly because wow those are some thin tires.

[@DriveGreen]

Hi Josh, I would give our team a call if you are seriously considering one. We’d love to run through some of your reservations and hopefully help put your mind at ease 🙂

[@SonofSilas]

I have always loved these, great to drive, really nice interior, but I just need more range.

[@DriveGreen]

The range extender model potentially an option for you?

[@michaelkimmer362]

Missed the fast charging option Ccs1 and ccs2 dc or ac

[@AndrewNC22]

Lovely little car no matter the year.

[@DriveGreen]

Couldn’t agree more!

[@ShaneP]

Can you tell us where you purchased those tires? I can't seem to find any available.

[@DriveGreen]

These come with the car, we use a local garage who order them in for us when we do need them. I believe they are usually available on the black circles website too. Hope this helps!

[@ShaneP]

@@DriveGreen Thank you!

[@uncletom25]

I3 can be charged with ac and DC ? How is the range for 100% full battery?

[@fraso2000]

From my point of view, the i3 is already a classic!

[@DriveGreen]

Certainly going to be a modern classic we think 🙂

[@TheThomas888]

I wish the later i3 rear suicide doors awkward and not enough space in tight space parking, changed to sliding doors instead, a change to attract more buyers, probably the only reason holding back my purchase decision.

[@henrywycislo9454]

BMW stopped selling the i3 in USA. I am driving my 2nd i3. Most wheelchair accessible car for a paraplegic. I hope BMW brings the i3 back to USA.

[@jamesw2585]

Do you know how long the original battery last? How many miles or years? Thank you ~

[@DriveGreen]

Hi Jimmy, we still see very early i3s running without any issues with the battery 👍🏻

[@kevinn1158]

This car should have a long version. Add 60cm to the length, make it have normal rear doors & a much longer range and it would be interesting....oh wait, I just described the Ioniq 5

[@DriveGreen]

😂 We shall undoubtedly do a video on that in the near future 🙂

[@relaxationhub5229]

I rather my Tesla underestimate the range vs over estimating it. I feel for ever mile on display, I’ll have at least 0.8miles at moderate efficiency. Where I get anxiety is when the ratio is 0.5 miles for every 1 mile of range. Small trips less then 3 miles will take 6 miles of range when I’m flooring it.

[@billyblackburn6600]

I need to do it.....

[@DriveGreen]

🙂

[@mtumasz]

Apple Car Play is not standard but I did not mind paying £250 to get it. I bought it, actually unlocked it over the internet, after buying an ex-demo car that did not have it.

[@DriveGreen]

Ahh nice, where did you get that done if you don’t mind our asking?!

[@fredturk6447]

The problems with the i3 are: tyres too narrow (also wear out faster) and in combination with the suspension cause a jiggly swaying motion in the standard model; should have electric operated seats; rear opening doors requiring the front door to open first not a good idea. Also a failure to release autopilot features and update to improve self steering capabilities. The i3s does a better job with wider tyres but does not do self parking (not a disaster) but then presumably cannot do lane keeping even if that option was better developed on the i3. BMW should have made the vehicle slightly wider to accommodate slightly wider tyres instead of doing the wheel arch thing on the i3s. I think BMW should have done a more major update on the i3 to improve the handling, allow the rear doors to open independent of the front doors and widen the body to accommodate wider tyres. I looked seriously at purchasing an i3 but the ride, very narrow tyres and suicide doors and lack of lane keeping/self steering put me off buying one in the end.

[@DriveGreen]

Some good points raised, what did you go for instead?

[@fredturk6447]

@@DriveGreen I purchased a second hand Toyota Corolla hatch as a stop gap measure. I am considering a Tesla model 3 but I want an around town car and I think it might be too big.. The VW id3 might be the car I eventually purchase. Thanks for your review. I did really agonise over buying a BMW i3 because it fitted the town car size and was nippy and great to manoeuvre. PS also the non opening rear windows seemed another design mistake.

[@kb8570]

The i3 was simply a compliance car so BMW did not get fined for only making gas/oil cars. BMW never wanted the i3 to sell well. Tesla forced the entire industry to change.

[@mikecoleman7097]

Slight correction you’ve been able to use a touchscreen with gloves for about five years now.

[@DriveGreen]

I guess it depends on the car and screen but yes technology is forever making huge strides! Thanks for watching and pointing it out :)

[@chubbybrown4real]

Reminds me of an audi a2

[@DriveGreen]

I can sort of see what you mean, but I think it pulls it off much better!

[@keithwalker6892]

I would like one as a fun car but think the design is really very poor.

[@kyliefan7]

You Say aesthetically different I Say Butt Ugly “Let’s Call the Whole Thing Off!!!” Hope you get my song humor!

[@DriveGreen]

😂😂

[@mitn1690]

Proprietary, fragile, expensive tires. There go your gas savings. Repairs are grossly expensive because of the exotic materials.

[@rkaveti]

I have owned so many electric cars and I would rate this as the worst car. I had a 2015 BEV. My issues are - rear wheel drive making it horrible as rear wheel will try to lock and skid. The range in winters goes down literally to 80 miles. The car feels very unstable at higher speeds. These super thin tires are very unstable. The parts are super expensive. If you get a scratch, you are truly screwed. The panels cannot be painted and this will cost you around 4000 dollars. And then it is super expensive. Terrible car and sales show that. Now I have Tesla and I love it.

[@phenex551]

Any idea why the panels cannot be painted? Thanks.

[@rkaveti]

@@phenex551 because it is fiber glass. Normal paint does not work. All the environmental BS makes this car untenable.

[@ade1963]

I love everything about this car except ... it's looks - it's pug ugly