Used BMW i3 Buyers Guide | Expert Interview

In this episode, AutoEV discusses what to look out for when buying an electric car, differences with the buying experience and what to check for when purchasing your electric car, whether it is your first EV or not.
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Thanks to Alex and BMW Chandlers Worthing for collaborating on this video. The BMW i3 used in this video is currently for sale on their website along with a selection of many more used EVs:
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[@BasicPlanet]

Well I love the car but thir review was massively spoiled by the BMW expert: 1. the car shown is NOT an i3s, its a normal i3. 2. Recalls: There was a massive recall regarding eletric engine assembly, the bolts had to be changed, 3. Specwise: By far the most unreliable device in the BMW i3 line is the REX enginge, DO NOT GET IT 4. Techwise: There is a lot of things that can easily get with nearly no extra money involved: Get the heated seats, get the heatpump, get the rear view camera, get the bigger navigational module, I would strongly recommend to get a car with airplay support to be up to date with maps via phone in the future, STRONGLY recommend the adaptive LED headlights, honestly in our case: just aim for the highest spec possible, these cars are out there and cost nearly nothing extra. Pro Tip: If you drive a lot on the motorways, do not get the sunroof, because at higher speeds it creates wind noises. 5. What to look out for, when you are about to buy used car: Check the service history and make sure its done properly to not get into problems in warranty case with BMW, check the drive shafts for play and check if they loose grease, check all parking sensors as they get easily damage in small parking misshaps, check the position and picture of the rear view camera´for the same reason, check that the AC is properly cold, faulty AC condensors are very common and can cost 700 €, check that both mirrors are folding smoothly, its a 800€ problem if they dont. To round it up: It is a great car and there are plenty cars out there to choose from. If you see any problem with a car, just go away, there is more to choose from. My personal recommendation is the 120 Ah "none s" (for parking pilot and tire options), black interiour, full specs without the sunroof. These cars are now coming out of 2 year leases, find one, get one. Great car.

[@mmetti]

I think when discussing the BMW i3 it should be mentioned what the car was built for. It is not a vehicle for long distance driving, although with careful planning it can be done. This is an urban car by design and intent. It has one of the best turning radius of all vehicles, it parks itself, it's running cost is extremely low, and finally the quality is fantastic. The car was designed from the ground up, not an alteration to any existing combustion vehicle and the use of carbon fiber works well for safety and providing light weight. What sold me the most was how fun it is to drive! It has so many features that most sales people don't know about, like holding the lock button down will retract the side mirrors and roll up the windows (all of them). The software is really helpful in saving destinations, giving directions and updating when the next maintenance is needed. (although it would be rare to need any mechanical maintenance) You can download the i3 app and allows you to start the car's heating or air conditioning before you enter. On the con side, the tires wear quickly (about 20K miles) and cost about $700 to replace, and the back passenger doors take some getting use to. Although this car is more of a two person vehicle.

[@AutoEV]

Its still Bryan's EV of choice.

[@msmit150]

Eh...……….the model shown is NOT an i3s as the BMW i3 sales expert says LOL! The s has 20" wheels and extended wheel arches in black!

[@simonreeves2017]

mike smith - typical salesman, knows nothing of value.

[@newbeginnings8566]

Front suspension gaiters were a known issue.. Rex models had various issues such as filler cap not opening, the Rex not charging the battery.. The climate control had a few issues.. There was a major recall on the airbags not functioning on a roll over crash... Okay all vehicles have issues and the i3 is no exception.. But it is generally very reliable but not infallible nevertheless... Next for the size the tyres are very expensive and there are only 2 or 3 manufacturers - so yes expect to pay between 120 and 150 a tyre - the rear tyres are a different size to the front ones.. Expensive tyres for what is a small vehicle...

[@vulcan5950]

The so called "BMW EXPERT" has no clue what BMW he is looking at just because it has the sporty colour combination that you find on most bmw i3S's, doesn't make it an S model, as the S model has extended wheel arches, better looking front bumper, and wider wheels.🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@mobilrz]

Some words of warning. The front suspension gaiters, then your lucky to get 2 years out of them. There was a recall on the fuel pressure sensor on REx models, the motor mounts, and now something to do with a charging sensor. If the REx fails for any reason, it's unlikely to be the motor, or the pump but a fuel pump relay which costs pennies. BMW technicians follow the mantra and replace parts until they fix the problem, which starts to make owning an electric car a very expensive proposition outside the 3 year warranty.

[@fred_e]

Pin this comment at the top, please. They raise some very valid concerns that the expert failed to mention.

[@fred_e]

I was pretty certain there is a common issue with the fuel door failing to open and the rex failing to engage.

[@no-oneman.4140]

Hardly an impartial interview. There are plenty of well informed people who could give an unbiased opinion on what to look out for rather than a BMW salesman looking for a wedding.

[@AutoEV]

Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment. I should make it clear that it wasn't intended to be impartial. For the best advice on buying a used BMW, we specifically chose to use a BMW dealer. We appreciate that there were some inaccuracies, however, we still wanted to feature a BMW Approved used car.

[@phweakwilled]

Salesman not very interested in Selling the i3. Is more concerned about mis-selling it.

[@ksks4205]

Firstly thank you for the video. As an owner of the i3 I have to say the car looks and drive nicely, definitely a city car. They still make the rex option but only on the US and Japan. My car has the 20" wheels and they are run flat tyres and not cheap. My car has all the options possible specially the safety options however blindspot doesnt come as an option in was told that's due to the sensors interfering with the car battery. Car makes weird squeaking noise when u let it roll and hit the break suddenly to a full stop. I noticed the car performance (acceleration) will drop when it's over 40 degree out there ... overall I love it bit definitely not worth the full price from the dealership. Maybe a used one with good price and condition is the way to go. Looking forward to owning i4 in the near future

[@richardpiper4828]

I don’t think Alex did a very good job in selling the i3. He didn’t say that the i3 is actually really well equipped so rather than options being a personal preference they aren’t really necessary. The sat nav system is BMW’s big screen professional system, the car comes with alloys, LED headlights, parking sensors and heated seats amongst other desirable features. Even the popular white exterior colour is no additional cost. Personally the only options I would suggest are the blue seats belts if you opt for the standard interior trim and the reversing camera. When buying both new and used you need to check that the list price including on the road charges but excluding the £3500 Govt grant does not exceed £40,000 otherwise you will pay a VED surcharge of £310 for years 2-6. It is very easy to spec the i3s above £40,000 and a lot of the revised standard cars with the Rex option, which cost an additional £2,800, will have crossed the £40,000 point.

[@AutoEV]

We agree, it is very easy to get carried away on the spec of the i3. Our road test car in our 2020 i3S video breached the £40k bracket.

[@David-bl1bt]

@richard Piper.... Do you fancy a job? Clearly you know what you are talking about and are able to promote the i3 factually and effectively in a couple of paragraphs, which the BMW EV "expert" fails to achieve in the 12 minutes I wasted watching his hopeless performance not being able to provide any tangible direction or help for prospective i3 purchasers. It's little wonder there is a reluctance of transition into electric vehicles with "experts" such as this attempting to promote them. Anyone looking to purchase one would be wise to avoid this dealership .... although to be honest, I haven't been in any BMW dealership where the so called " experts" can provide any factual or helpful information whatsoever. I would recommend research by talking to several owners like Richard would be the best option.

[@richardpiper4828]

David, I’m afraid this guy’s performance is all too representative of poor product knowledge and sales enthusiasm when it comes not just selling BMW’s but at other manufacturers dealerships. To be honest this lack of professionalism seems to prevail at all too many retailers whatever you see buying. Too many kids employed on minimum wage with no training or wise boys who will bluff their way through to get a sale. I’m afraid whatever you buy you need to do your research and homework. Buying an EV requires much more care than buying an ICE. Unfortunately it is my experience that most franchise dealers have very little interest in selling EVs because their margins are probably smaller and they will not see much return business through their service departments. I bought my first i3 from BMW Park Lane, who have a separate i showroom, after I gave up on three nearer dealerships - one of whom ordered the car in the wrong specification and didn’t tell me when it went into build status by which time it was too late to change. Accepted cancellation of order but added 3 months to delivery wait! Ordered my second i3 through a recommended dealership who had several demonstrators and large used i3 stock so knew their stuff.

[@fred_e]

is rear seat climate control (or venting at all) as standard or is that an option?

[@richardpiper4828]

@@fred_e no vents or separate air conditioning in the rear of the i3 nor is it available. I don’t think this is too big an issue as the cabin is quite tall so air will circulate from the airy front area. You should however note that the windows in the rear suicide doors have fixed glazing. Could option sunroof if want more ventilation.

[@gps1539]

'Expert?' claims no major recalls. Hmm, the plastic motor mounts on 2014 models should be replaced.

[@ashole2424]

Really difficult to hear the questions given the echo.

[@AutoEV]

Ash .S agreed, the sound quality in the room we filmed wasn't brilliant, and we only had one clip-on mic and one boom mic, which didn't seem to play ball. Lesson learned though, and our next used car guide will be better.

[@ashole2424]

@@AutoEV still helpful regardless!

[@twiggacott]

You asked all the questions I would have asked. Seriously looking for a 2016 - 2017 REX i3

[@AutoEV]

Then take a look at autoev.co.uk and you will find our used EV locator on there. Lots of i3's for sale.

[@autoapex1641]

I would advise to purchase a 2018 model with the facelift as they will hold their money the best for resale as it will be the last facelift for the i3. If you can afford spending a little extra.

[@twiggacott]

@@autoapex1641 My budget doesn't go that far. A 94AH REX prior to April 2017 when the tax hike went from £0 to £135 is my target. Lockdown gives plenty chances to evaluate things

[@autoapex1641]

@@twiggacott Fair enough, good luck with your search.👍 Hopefully you find the right car.

[@carbon7000]

@@twiggacott Did you buy one? I'm looking at the same criteria.

[@rosemariecusack8441]

I own a 60 AMP i3 and I have never gotten 85 miles of range out of the battery. I usually only get 60 miles on ECO pro and the tyres are expensive.

[@mannienicholas3693]

rosemarie cusack how much are the tires?

[@xiaowei1]

@@mannienicholas3693 I have had to change the tires on my I3 once, at about 70,000km (They REALLY needed changing!). it cost from memory around $285 (AU) per tire here in Australia and there was no choice as to the brand. I have had issues with my I3 including driver seatbelt sensor not working, and the air conditioner failed and needed replacing (warranty covered it). other than that, the I3 is really good, fun to drive, quick of the mark, and i am very happy with it. BMW were quite helpful when i needed to have the car fixed for the air conditioner unit, but it was annoying and apparently a known issue. you cannot drive the car without it, as the battery relies on the aircon unit to keep it cool (or so i was told). I have also had to replace the 12 volt battery, which was also a pain, as they are not the standard type 12v battery and had to be ordered in. perhaps you won't have such difficulties like that in Europe as the i3 is a bit more common over there. my range is about 110km on average.

[@carbon7000]

@@mannienicholas3693 £107 a tyre in UK

[@RB-lt8kt]

Kenz you forgot about the open cast mining for Lithium which is not very "Climate friendly". Bit like wind turbines that take years to cancel out the carbon used to make them but I agree a step in the right direction.THE ONLY OPTION you really need is the HEAT PUMP at £560 (approx.) otherwise your battery will be hammered in cold weather heating the inside of your car and reduce the range dramatically. Why isn't this fitted as standard BMW? Rear door design is also really bad and limiting, possibly a two door design would have been better?

[@ZCT808]

What YOU seem to forget is that the ICE has been around over 100 years. Conversely, if you ignore the early electric cars that were all but killed off in a deliberate power move by the fossil fuel industry, EVs have only been mainstream for less than a decade. Some might say they are still a fair bit away from being mainstream. So they may have all manner of issues such as range and the technology used in the batteries, but technology is advancing at a very rapid pace. Even in this EV in less than six years they have more than doubled the effective range and improved performance. We may be on lithium today, but as more and more people make the switch, batteries will continue to evolve, and the materials used will continue to improve as well. You can see that even in the evolution of cell phones in the past 20 years. Fact is, ICE cars are still an environmental disaster after all these years, and are in every way an unsustainable proposition long term. Which is why more and more car manufacturers are moving towards electric. With many publicly stating plans to be all or mostly electric in years to come. So rather than nitpicking today's battery technology, we should be applauding BMW for this amazing car design, absolute used car bargain, AND their commitment to show that a car can be made which is 95% recyclable.

[@RB-lt8kt]

Not forgotten but where will we get all the Lithium from? Not enough on the planet and its open cast mined so lots of CO2. If America isn't on board or India or china forget what we do in Europe as it won't make any difference. Car manufacturer's are building more economical cars because they have to. Lean burn engines were much better but stopped because of lead pollution. we either need to massively change commuting availability which will take years so the only option is to tax car use which will hit the less well off. Why hit the motorist when coal is still fuel for Germany and lots of eastern Europe countries ????Because the car is the easy target and electric cars will be expensive plus limited life span due to battery life. Manufacturers are not stopping developing petrol and diesel engines so I can't see electric cars taking over for decades. I wanted an electric car but wouldn't touch a Tesla as they go wrong all the time.We can't win so taxation is the only way.

[@rokko_fable]

2 doors is much more limiting than 4. I'm addition, the suicide doors with no pillar give easier access than standard 4 doors. I had a Honda Element with the same door configuration and it was amazing.

[@DarkstarDarth]

It’s not really what your budget is, it’s how much depreciation are you willing to swallow purchasing a new beemer.

[@bensroka1210]

The “i specialist” is like a British Ed Bolian. It’s really weird how similar they are

[@dscarty]

Pretty amateurish sound production, microphones would have cured.

[@AutoEV]

We have new mics now, so all sorted for the future. Thank you for watching.

[@dscarty]

Good on you. The rest of your production was very good!

[@mobilrz]

Why does Alex look like he was on route to a wedding?

[@seamack3]

Video needs to be renamed - this is definitely not an interview with an 'Expert' despite the salesman's dress. i3 S he claims... LOL!

[@johnnyzee383]

An expert eh?...

[@aaronritzenthaler]

Jesus, wear a microphone as well! Sounds like you’re doing a video in a cave!

[@AutoEV]

Hi Aaron. Yes, we know. At the time we just had the one microphone with us, so it was very difficult to get the sound balanced. Thank you for watching and taking the time to comment though, we do appreciate it.

[@cedarcanoe]

Typical overdressed salesman. It will be shocking to see his outfit during after-work hours.

[@dkphill]

Bias review