We Just Bought The Most Underappreciated And MISUNDERSTOOD Car Of The Last Decade!

[@AlphaPepper]

Nice job Tommy. Really liked this video.

[@donwarner6925]

Jose Chavez Eat shit and make your own videos.

[@donwarner6925]

@nick n That’s does

[@donwarner6925]

@nick n very proud of you

[@gaming-zombie1392]

Yes, he doing a Great Job with this vid...

[@brianaustin1328]

Tommy has to be one of the best vehicle reviewers on KZbin. Great camera presence, excellent delivery of facts, and he speaks as if talking to a friend. Kudos Tommy!

[@TFLcar]

Thanks for the kind words, much appreciated Brian!! -Tommy

[@Jose.Chavez]

I think exactly the opposite but I just skip over his appearances

[@skylerroxasmidoriyatardisp2882]

you forgot to mention he is very attractive

[@brianaustin1328]

@@skylerroxasmidoriyatardisp2882 In a Clark Kent kinda way?

[@skylerroxasmidoriyatardisp2882]

@@brianaustin1328 Nah. He's actually my kind of type

[@Amanda-dv5nh]

I love Tommy's reviews, he talks with so much passion for cars and is able to make even me feel fondness for cars I never thought to even look twice at. Great job!!

[@spacegreycoralred]

Tommy, you can “Code” the car to give you the full 2.5 gallons of fuel and it also allows you to activate the REX manually at 74% State of charge.

[@vadim9342]

Fun fact: The i3 and the i8 are body on frame. Let's give them a lift kit 💪

[@JuiceBoxScott]

There is a video of an old rally driver doing some light dirt rally stuff in an i3. Not amazing stuff, but pretty cool to watch.

[@LouisSubearth]

The i8 is unibody. Only the i3 is body on frame

[@amerrr3368]

Lmao that would be ridiculous

[@campkira]

RANGE are shit.. if you hit something ... nightmare to fix... it just a toy....

[@BilalHussain-gc2sf]

What!!!

[@JuiceBoxScott]

Love my i3. I wasn't planning on buying, but test drove it and completely fell in love with this car. I also recently took two guys that are both a few inches over 6 foot and they sat one in front of the other with no problems or space issues.

[@freibier]

Fun fact: the fuel tank for the range extender has the same size for the European and the US version of the i3, but it is "software limited" to a lower capacity in the US to make the car qualify as a battery electric vehicle with range extender (one requirement for that is that the car has a higher electric only range than gasoline range). So, even though the tank is the same size, the US version has a lower overall range.

[@glenf4115]

Using the Bimmercode smartphone app and an OBDLink MX+ Bluetooth adapter you can code this in about 10 minutes. First thing I did when I picked up my used 2014 i3 as I had to take a road trip using most of the battery and then all of the rex to get it home. Issues so far were the white locking pin on the fast charge port ($200 part) and the fuel pressure sensor fails if you fill it with ethanol-blended gas. There is a service bulletin on the pressure sensor to replace it for free but that is only in the USA.

[@jdear97]

The limitation was removed once the battery size increased in the 2017 model.

[@xijinpingpong4426]

They should make a modern version of the i3 REX with a small hydrogen fuel cell in the front and a gas cylinder where the engine was. It would probably not sell very well (like all i3s), but it would be really cool and a fuelcell would be more environment friendly than a gasoline engine.

[@Frank71]

Carbon-fiber. Rear engine. Coup-like. Strong acceleration. 18-19in rims. Exotic car at an economy car price.

[@mtumasz]

I got 2018 model - loving it. Great deals on mid size battery ones with almost no milage

[@s2korpionic]

The looks though, it's ugly. Silhouette, it's good. But the face and ass? Ugly.

[@claycrawford9009]

@@mtumasz I have a 2017 and love it

[@thatpersonsmusic]

@@s2korpionic in your opinion

[@chandra11116]

@@s2korpionic i hav a 2017. i actually like the face part. ass part, i hav to agree with u

[@tom_hoots]

Very interesting car. We don't need another ten thousand reviews of the same-old popular cars -- how much more fun it is to learn about something completely different. Well done as always, Tommy.

[@prestontiegs5022]

I rented an i3 on Turo a few years back. I was shocked by how good it was to drive, and how comfortable the interior is.

[@LukeEdward]

Probably the most reliable modern BMW made.

[@joecool9739]

Thats not saying much

[@gregpavitt309]

The depreciation alone should tell you something... Endless money pits

[@noobeenaut]

@Daniel Solis Rodriguez What?!?! 😂😂

[@oscara.9265]

Nope!

[@gregpavitt309]

@Daniel Solis Rodriguez kzbin.info/www/bejne/lYiuqZSDh7GIoJo

[@BrandonKipp]

I think you guys will be surprised with the i3’s capabilities. I just bought a 2015 REx as my first car and have already taken it on several 600+ mile road trips, and one road trip from sea level up to over 9,000 ft. of elevation. When you code the Hold SOC for the REx, you can go almost anywhere if you don’t mind stopping for gas every 80 miles (or 40 as I have found when climbing mountains)!

[@BrandonKipp]

John Edwards I recently bought my i3 used with only 17,600 miles on it. I checked the battery health meter a few weeks ago and it said the usable capacity was 17.5 kWh, so that would equate to ~7% degradation. I wish that BMW would have allowed i3 owners to choose a charge limit, because I can guarantee that the previous owners of this i3 didn't need to charge to 100% SOC every day since they only put 17,600 miles on it in 5 years. I am guessing that this i3 was kept at 100% SOC (~92% actual SOC) for extended periods of time and only charged with the Occasional Use Cable (OUC), since the cable appears to be very dirty most likely from being outside for extended periods of time, as it may have been the only cable they used. I would guess that this i3 would have only had ~4% degradation if it was charged 50% SOC, as that would have been possible with the low mileage it was driven. If I don’t have to drive the car very far, I will manually unplug it at around 80% since I don’t need it to charge to 100%. I charge it to 100% and leave it there overnight once a month to balance the cells. So in other words, lower mileage 60 Ah i3’s usually will have batteries in decent condition, but I have seen some with 20-30% degradation in hot climates, since the active thermal management doesn’t run when the car is unplugged and powered off. In this scenario, the battery could overheat if it’s extremely hot outside, and then it would degrade rapidly. It’s definitely important to check the condition of the battery before you buy!

[@michaelmalmstein9698]

Up front, we don't put an ashtray but 2 additional cup holders which you can buy online or from bmw. Nobody ever touches on the coolest part, when you park you can select "activate climate control" when it pops up on the screen. Keeps the car warm/cool for 15 minutes while you run into the store. Not to mention the app access for climatize or charge status. Also offers level 2 charger.

[@johntyson]

Come on, Tommy. Not much of a looker? Someday they’ll remake the Buddy Holly biopic and your ship will have come in, my friend.

[@davidnaccaratoii5370]

AMEN..TOMMY IZ THE MAAN FOR THE ROLE!!!!!

[@amberematos]

He totally could pass for Buddy Holly!

[@PaulTC97]

Its a very reliable car! It can do 250.000miles+ with no issues. A frequent minor issue is the door handles going loose.

[@martinfleigel7527]

door handles can be tightened easily.check utube

[@hawedehre]

Interesting. I have not heard of door handle problems yet. Let's hope I don't get these.

[@kimoandrews5802]

That motorcycle engine is not reliable.

[@chandra11116]

@@kimoandrews5802 one of the newest engines of bmw. just curious, do u hav any reference to reliability issues? i want to stay prepared

[@kirbycairo]

I actually like the exterior design, it reminds me of what I imagined futuristic cars would be when I was young.

[@Tully3674]

Neighbor leased an i3. Liked it so much she leased another when the first lease expired. She used it for daily commutes (50 miles/day). Wasn't (psychologically) comfortable going on long highway drives.

[@shekharmoona544]

I always liked the i3. Except the tires are a maintenance cost nightmare. Other reviewers have stated it's probably BMW's most reliable modern vehicle.

[@stephendee7839]

Might be a reliable BMW but an out of warranty Chrysler would probably be more reliable.

[@LyuLefterov]

@Shekhar Moona, the tire is widely available and doesn't cost a crazy amount. In fact it's one of the least expensive tires in 19 and 20 inch size diameter. I own one, so I actually know what it costs.

[@shekharmoona544]

@@LyuLefterov I still think they are expensive compared to passenger car tires with a wider area.

[@stephendee7839]

@@LyuLefterov I just looked up the stock i3 tire size and discovered that BMW put different tire sizes on the front and rear! Yes, I concur that the price of these tires isn't crazy today. But as soon as this car goes out of production, there's going to be very low demand for the tires and they're going to get become expensive overnight and then, in a few years, you won't be able to buy the tire size at all.

[@jdear97]

I bought mine with 42000 miles on it, changed the rear tires at 25000 miles and the front set after 35000 miles, brakes are original and one oil change on the backup generator that is used pretty infrequently.

[@dgdw]

We still have our 2014 i3 BEV with premium navigation . This gets driven daily in Chicago. Ours was a dealer leftover we picked up in 2016. So discounted at the dealer but still selling as new. Then we still qualified for the 7,500 federal rebate and my employer gave a 4,000 bonus for buying an EV. This ended up costing us 17k so I’m really glad to see yours which is missing a couple of features ours had was 12,500. :) I should add ours was cheap because it was optioned weird. Few wanted the MEGA trim and they added premium navigation. I see a bunch of the Giga and Tera trims .... mega (the lowest) nope. Pro tip .... this car NEEDS winter tires. The all seasons are not great at all in snow.

[@Pipsicle330]

Totally agree. Great car and very overlooked/underrated. BMW fans sadly are very tunnel visioned and don’t appreciate a lot of the others cars in the range that don’t wear M badges.

[@Pipsicle330]

Cole Spolaric Good to know you’ve self assigned yourself to speak for “most people”. I think it looks great, so modern even after all these years.

[@claycrawford9009]

@@Pipsicle330 I love how they look. They drive amazing too. I’ve driven one for about 2 years as a daily

[@claycrawford9009]

@@Pipsicle330 also I drive an M3 so your statement about over looking anything without an M badge is false because I know 5 or 6 guys on forums who also daily I3’s and save the M’s for the weekend

[@jamesadamson3016]

Picked up an off lease 2017 i3REX 18 months ago for $27K with only 2700 miles on the clock. ( former police car ) Great second car, running at 4.5 miles per KWH, range 140 on electric in “eco pro”. Here in Massachusetts with electricity at 22.5 cents per KWH, fuel runs about 5 cents a mile.

[@jamesadamson3016]

John Edwards , during the summer I make a 160 mile trip from suburban Boston down to the Connecticut coast. I charge up to 98% and fill the gas tank. Typically the car gives me a range of 146 on the battery, I run it to 140 then the gas motor kicks in automatically when there is 6 miles left on the battery, the last 20 miles I run the REX. Majority is highway miles, Mass Pike, I-84, to Route 15. The trick is to set the cruise control at 60, if I run it at 65 mph the range will drop. Additionally the car is running at 4.5 miles per kWh which is pretty good. The AC may knock 2 or 3 miles off the total range but usually I don’t use it. Also I’m by myself and have minimal luggage. I have done this run several times this summer and always get a similar result within a couple of miles. That said, running the same trip in the winter will most probably result in lower range, but we close the beach cottage in the winter so I haven’t done a winter trip. I’ve only had the car for 18 months and last winter here in Mass was pretty mild. I avoid using the heater, primarily the heated seats and a pair of gloves. This is the second generation battery and I’ve been impressed on what you can achieve if you don’t hoon about. Really enjoyed the car so far, only complaint is that the tires are only good for 20K apparently.

[@jasonhatfield4747]

I've been driving an i3 for over 3 years now (full electric version) over 50k miles on it. It's hands down the best car I've ever owned. It's a shame they are so under appreciated because they really are great cars. And they are surprisingly fun to drive. They aren't "Tesla fast," but I've surprised quite a few other cars at intersections. I was going to trade mine in for a Model Y, but the ridiculously low price they quoted me made me want to keep it for the long haul. I plan on driving it into the ground. I'm really excited to see how long it will last me. And I can get 130-145 miles per charge during good weather months. It drops down to around 110 or so in the winter. Plenty of range for most people's purposes. It is not a cross country car, but that's not why I bought it. For those of you who buy one of these used now...you're getting one of the best bargains of all time IMO.

[@StellarBlue1]

With only 21K mileage and stil under warranty for two years, $12,000 dollars is a win-win situation in my opinion. Quite a nice buy...

[@MrJav69]

The little pizza cutter tires are so funny 😂

[@legerdemain]

It was really clever though. BMW wanted handling and efficiency. For the efficiency, you want a narrow tire for less wind resistance, but for handling, you normally want a wide tire for contact patch. BMW went with a very large outer diameter so a sizable (if long and skinny) contact patch could be maintained, while going with a narrow tire for reduced wind resistance. Sadly, they're the only ones who went this way, so, yeah, these aren't cheap tires. Last I looked, you could get a summer tire, a winter tire and an all season, and at least one aftermarket company was making some nice looking wheels.

[@stephendee7839]

@@legerdemain Larger tires increase tire longevity and increase rotational momentum in the tires. They're terrible for handling, but the i3 isn't exactly a driver's car.

[@stephendee7839]

@John Edwards Yeah, sure it is. " Those thin tyres are designed more with low rolling resistance in mind than lateral grip as well so it's all too easy to overcome their hold on the road - especially in the wet." www.evo.co.uk/bmw/i3/ride-and-handling

[@stephendee7839]

@John Edwards I priced the tires in the $150 each range a week ago! They're not cheap, but they're priced in line with other tires of that rim size.

[@stephendee7839]

@John Edwards You claimed it handled just like a 3-series. It doesn't handle like a 3-series; it handles like your mom's Yaris. I'm quite sure it's great for getting groceries in the rain.

[@97I30T]

I wouldn’t mind the i3 if it wasn’t so hideous. I can’t get over the fact that it looks like a washing machine.

[@aussie2uGA]

BMW never wanted this to compete with their main offerings. It was designed only as a compliance car

[@TheGecko213]

Aussie2u True . BMW has to produce some fuel efficient models to compensate for their gas guzzlers and comply with CAFE

[@TFLcar]

Aussie2u Not quite. Compliance cars are converted ICE cars typically sold ONLY in California. Think 500e, or Spark EV.. The i3 was a stupid expensive car for BMW to develop and was a ground up EV sharing its platform with no other model and sold world wide.

[@moisescastillo217]

@@TFLcar and even the tesla model 3 is like 10k$ to 15k$ cheaper than the i3

[@TFLcar]

Moises Castillo New the model 3 is a far better deal. But good luck finding a used one for anywhere near $12K!

[@nelson1525]

Leased a 2015 for 30 months...so glad when it was over. Many, as in MANY electrical problems. Rear camera quit, no one in the USA had one in stock. 1 month ftom Germany and then after the replacement had to take back for repairs. The whole radio/hvac quit...just died. Couldn't open the gas door and after the fix there was a safety recall where the gas line was rubbed against by something internal that could cause a fire. Rear tires replaced at 14k miles. Pizza cutter tires mean jittery handling...drove the "S" version with slightly wider tires was no better. Battery replaced in year one. Roomy, quiet, quick...plastic doors don't dent. Regenerative braking was quick to add miles but parked for a few hours and return to leave and I'd lose 4-5 miles! Car listed at $55k...not worth it. Good luck with a used one. Was 2nd BMW and my last. Have been driving a 2015 Spark EV for 2 years with ZERO issues and with 373 pound feet of torque it is so much quicker and handles great. For the same mileage at half the retail price it's a no brainer. Ego over no problems...pick one.

[@vinuezaer]

I've always liked them. Specially when they have the wood dash tat looks like a surfboard. Never thought I would be able to afford one.

[@JohnWasser]

I looked at the i3 this spring when my Mini Cooper S hit 17 years old. They were at the top of a list of the best electric vehicles to buy used. I test-drove one and decided I liked it. The 2017 models were available as Certified Pre-Owned so I bought a Protonic (sp?) Blue one with Range Extender and Parking Assist. I’m happy with it.

[@michaewh]

Excellent! I just bought a ‘17 BEV and love it! I also have a Samurai, a Miata and a Cayman. I got the all electric version for daily driving as I’m very close to work and all of the other rides are for weekend outings and road trips. The i3 is GREAT as a city car. If commute far or only can drive one car, there are other options...

[@anthonymrskipt9252]

My buddy has an i3 and I’ve been favorably impressed by it. Surprisingly fast and the front is quite comfortable. Definitely a European-style city car, which is probably part of it’s issue here, but he also bought his used and very cheap and seems to love his. I wouldn’t say that the back seat is very adult-friendly, but it was no unpleasant for short trips. Never hit the range extender when I was in the car with him, but I’m sure having that would eliminate range anxiety.

[@raffiecolet862]

I bought my 2014 i3 CPO almost 3 years ago and so far I’ve added over 35k miles and it’s still as good as new! I paid $14.5k out the door in 2017... between the first year of free charging and the relatively low cost of electricity I’ve saved close to $3k in fuel costs plus maintenance savings. The only thing I’ve spent on is new tires & wiper blades.

[@skywalker2852]

It will be interesting to see how this fares against the other Electric's in your stable.

[@danielstefanovic2604]

Much better then the smart electric atleast

[@skywalker2852]

@John Edwards I'll look for that but looking for head-to-head comparisons, like with the Smart fortwo, the Model Y, and other EVs they may get for evaluation while they own this.

[@richardbeyer9290]

I bought a ‘15 used i3 about 1.5 years ago for every reason you explained. I wanted a Tesla but was waiting for the rumored Y at the time. Paid 21k and it is still under manufacture and warranty until next year. I then plan to buy a Tesla Model Y when all the manufacturing issues are fully resolved and I start driving to work again 🤞.

[@jdear97]

My story exactly...

[@DavidSmith-lo7wf]

Was looking at these for a moment. Then remembered dealing with the clam doors in a previous Honda element... And said "no, not again!" The looks don't bother me that much, but those doors are a deal breaker

[@robertpryor7225]

They're cool & a pain in the A. Watch your head on the bump in the center, watch your leg on the edge of the back door.

[@martinfleigel7527]

Ps have same year with Rex ,have 40000plus miles,interior perfect,no battery degradation. Tires are not as bad as expected- excellent in rain,decent wear,over 20k miles ,still good shape (Bridgestone).

[@key2adventure]

I love the design of the car. And has driven it for years now. It’s the most reliable car I have owned.

[@xm3ntal620]

Do you have the all electric or rex?

[@key2adventure]

@@xm3ntal620 I have the rex version, and have sometimes used it to drive around 300 km (app. 200 miles) in one trip. In everyday use we don't use the extender as my wifes, the daily user of the car, commute distance is only 20 miles. But on trips to family in more distant areas the rex is a nice feature of the car.

[@xm3ntal620]

@John Edwards are you positive? From what I'm reading you can code them to hold charge at 75 percent and use the rex to drive around on essentially never using up the electricity if desired.

[@xm3ntal620]

@John Edwards thanks for the clarification. Are there any reliability issues with the rex i3s? I'm in the market for one

[@eddiecoltrane6719]

Had my used 2014 for about 3 years now. Got it at 11000 miles for 19000$. Now it has about 58000 miles. Bought a new set of tires and need another set already. Can’t rotate those tires because they’re different sizes front and rear. I have had to have it worked on a couple times. First, it’s called an EME module in the back. It cost 3 grand to fix!!! Mostly labor. Luckily, it was still under warranty. They say the modules burns out when you use the REX alot. But, I rarely used it so idk. If you don’t use the REX often it’ll make you eventually just to keep the oil circulating I guess. Another thing is, when you’re out of warranty and need an update, that’ll cost 300$, each time!! I also had to get the 20V battery replaced which costed 500$!! For a regular car battery! So that trip to the shop was nearly 1000$ just for a regular car battery and an update. Which they just plug into a computer and wait🤷‍♂️. Tesla had FREE OTA updates, but there cars are a bit high. Overall, I’m satisfied with it so far. Just hate that when THERE software there’s m throws these faults, a total update needs to be done and costs 300 bucks each time! Something that I’m sure people don’t take into account when they’re buying one of these. I didn’t. But you live and you learn. My next one, I’ll definitely be asking more questions.

[@SirPandaEsq]

These are amazing cars. I HAD to own one when I decided to go electric. Some cool things, the radio presets can be set to ANY function. I have mine set to turn on the generator, check tire pressure, connect bluetooth, and a few radio stations. Also the nifty 12V charger on the underside of the dash. I've had mine for a two years so far and I'll never go back to gas

[@WXWXWXWXWXWXW]

I recently bought one specifically because of the crazy amazingly advanced car you get for so little money. Yay for huge depreciation! I got a better deal that Tommy but I live in California where there are many more of these. Mine was a 2014 REX at $12900, but I also got Automatic Cruise Control, the automatic parallel park feature, 20 inch wheels, Harmon Kardon stereo (with amazing bass), the larger center display screen, and the commonly referred to as "Swedish living room" type upholstery. Glad to see someone else has caught on. Also, in my opinion, if you buy one of these with the darker paint color, they look better. I've always liked the look, but I can understand if you don't.

[@107uptown]

As a commuter car I’ve always loved the i3. Funky looks, recycled materials, etc. This is the best review I’ve seen on it. Great work!

[@jeffruebens8355]

I might wait 4 years and buy a used all-electric Mini Cooper with the new price starting at 30 thousand US. It looks a lot better and handles well, with a good 0 to 60 mph time. The 2 back seats do not have much legroom, and the improved cornering makes it ride rougher on bumpy roads. The range is only about 110 miles, not good for taking long trips, so you either do fewer long trips and save money, or use another travel option.

[@nicholassmith7048]

BMW engineers: look at our electric car with no central tunnel, providing a lot of space. BMW ergonomists: amazing, we can utilize that space for thoughtful storage. BMW engineers: No! And you can only put one front cup holder for the two front occupants!

[@GTI_CHHA]

Actually you can put 2 cup holders, the 2nd one is optional and is attached just in front of the first one (you can notice the 3 holes).

[@WXWXWXWXWXWXW]

Actually, utilizing those three holes in front of the built in cup holder, you can add two extra cup holders, for a total of three! All of them come stock with a second cup holder that fits in one of the holes. So the previous owner of this car just got rid of his for some reason. AND you can also add an iPad holder (aftermarket) to the middle hole. So three drinks plus an iPad are possible. How many cars offer that? (I own one as well).

[@ashke320]

In my opinion the Achilles heel of the I3 is the tires. There is exactly 1 all season tire, and 1 winter tire available on Tire Rack. They cannot be rotated front to back, they also cannot normally be patched if they pick up a road hazard. TFL I would like to see the I3 do the Ike climb, and see if REx can keep up with traffic when the battery runs low.

[@DaddyDan77]

Clamshell doors are cool - extended cabs were so much more handy when they were almost all clamshell. (Yeah I know parking lots, yada yada... I'm just talking about good old entry and exit or helping your kid into their booster seat.)

[@robertpryor7225]

Looks cool with both sides wide open

[@georgev5766]

I almost bought one of these cars last year. The deals you can get on these are superb. The problem this car has is: BMW electronics + relative new tech= Scary investment. I wouldn’t want to be the owner of that car when a module or motor goes out. All I can think is draining my 401k into it. Just get a used hybrid Lexus for about the same price. Last you a lot longer and if it goes wrong, most mechanics can work on them.

[@proboxpepper6752]

Tommy might be the best young car reviewer on entire KZbin, he could make a boring car review interesting!

[@johnmanuel9354]

There are TWO cup holders if you place the optional holder into one of the console front slots. Also, BimmerCode makes a module that lets you switch on European REX control wherein you can dictate the battery level you want to maintain up to 75%. This is very handy on extremely long trips.

[@BionicRusty]

Nearly bought one but in rural areas here in the UK, there’s just no public chargers. 🤷🏻‍♂️ With the radio buttons, try brushing your finger along the presets. In my X1, in the central screen, this shows which channel is being selected before you choose.

[@keithAstansell]

These do that too. Plus you can program the presets for more than just radio functions. I have one set to turn on my range extender.

[@modtick]

I have one of these and I’ve enjoyed it. Used it for gig work. Also i got a second cupholder in that attachment on the front. However I got the bigger charger. I’ve gotten over 50k and has been very useful. I which more car companies would have a range extender system. Its saved me several times. The main thing you’ll notice when it kicks on is the noise.

[@charlesingalz3561]

Agree with the review, especially on the practical use points. Two minor things: the tabs next to the cup holder are for a second cupholder -they are just rarely found on second hand i3's; also the 50kW DC fast charging (DCFC) is on the majority of i3's, it was only an option near the very beginning of production. The lack of DCFC is what likely made the price so low.

[@midlifechrisis8164]

They really are great cars. Super fun to drive and really practical. Love the recycled bits on the interior too. I do NOT recommend getting a 2014 though. That’s the year they came out and suffered some degradation issues from what I’ve seen. Newer ones have fast charging options and become great daily drivers still for a bargain.

[@midlifechrisis8164]

John Edwards Hopefully that’s true. I’m only speaking from my experience. I have driven a “higher mileage” 2014s (50k+ miles) that had about 30-40 miles or so on a full charge. And also seen some big ticket items go wrong (especially REX models) but hopefully it was revised for later model years

[@zeus5544332211]

Tommy dont forget ONE FOOT DRIVING! You will never have to replace a set of brake pads. I've driven my 2015 iRex 35k miles in the last 3+ yrs and put in a TOTAL of 9 gallons of premium gas. My commute is 30-60 miles round trip depending on if I'm picking up a kid from school, trips to the store. I have driven from Chicago to Indianapolis and have gone from Indy outside the beltway without any risk of running out of electrons because of the range extender. Mine is modern art esthetic white/black with the cheese cutter wheels and eucalyptus dash. This is an around-the-town car not a highway cruiser. But NOTHING with 4 wheels beats me off the line 0-40mph and it parallel parks itself. I drive it like a normal performance car and plug it in when I get home at night - full of electrons in the morning on a 20 amp 120v circuit. I often throw 400lbs of water softener rock salt bags in the back and it does not even feel it. 4 adults fit comfortably when needed. Quiet as a library with all sorts of tech, bluetooth, backup camera, auto emergency stop, adaptive cruise control - I can let it drive in bumper to bumper traffic. It has been an awesome car for 99% of my driving. The 3x/yr I need to do a longer road-trip I swap cars with my wife or rent a car from Hertz for $50. I get the oil changed 1X/yr as preventative maintenance for $90. If you live in the city in a moderate climate this is the best low maintenance, high tech, performance, bargain available. Great video!

[@wesleychou3903]

I've always wanted one of these as my first car to commute to university, ended up getting a used 500e for 7k. Had it for over a year now but I've been eyeing the i3 on the daily even though it costs more and has a really similar battery. Really irrational to switch but it just looks so good! This video just further confirms that haha!

[@KerempatakUSA2401]

I have 500e and i3, great cars... I prefer 500e wife i3... I3 way better car but there's something about 500e that put smile on your face every time you drive it 😃

[@martinfleigel7527]

Those 3 holes up front is for a second cup holder your missing.also the arm rest adjusts down further so you can operate the idrive or lift it up out of the way and use the palm pad

[@Metalbass1979]

Wow, Tommy! You're psychic. I came to the video, gave it a like because it's TFL and I support everything you guys do. But, saw it was the BMW and headed toward the back button......and then you said 'Please don't back out of the video.' I gave you the benefit of the doubt, stayed and learned a little respect for this car.

[@vernongomes]

Tommy, I’ve been asking forever. Thank you!! I just started the video, but I think you’ll love it!

[@vernongomes]

Great review Tommy! Some notes: the tech package is what makes you lose the bigger screen and gets you the smart the cruise control. You can code the generator to have a little bit more range (it’s software limited for the US market compared to Euro) and add hold mode to make it hold the current state of charge. You can also buy that larger Nav screen for $400 and DIY upgrade it. If you can get your hands on a Tech Package i3, you can get the Quidzel adaptor and get fake autopilot (smart cruise control that steers in addition to just following) for $300, I think. I also think the i3 was the fastest production BMW to 30 when it first came out in 2013 (I think even beating the M5, I know you mentioned the M3 part). Greetings from ATL, GA. I was just in Denver/Boulder two weeks ago! Lovely city with a crazy history.

[@vernongomes]

Oh and get the tires from Costco when they do the Bridgestone deals. ;)

[@JREwing78]

This would be a perfect little commuter car. I would personally ditch the range extender and its added weight, complexity, and maintenance. It wouldn't be a road-tripping machine whether or not the extender is there, so I wouldn't bother. But I would get the DC fast charging option. Wonder what a retrofit would cost...

[@rimtasvilnietis2991]

Rex generator is very bad idea, better take 30-40 kwh battery i3 and enjoy it without rex

[@whatever5922]

I remember when the i3 was just a concept car around 2009/2010ish and I thought it looked so futuristic, obviously the production model wasn’t exactly the same as prototype but it’s close

[@whatever5922]

John Edwards good to know!

[@HugoTeixeiraMckoy]

Tommy, enjoyed to watch this video. One note about the cup holders - those 3 little spots in the mid console can take 2 more cup holders, made for this car. .

[@brianaustin1328]

Imagine if BMW originally put these electronics, motors, and tech into the body of an E30 or E36. Under the skin this is an excellent vehicle, but it suffers from the virus commonly known as AZTEK-01.

[@brianaustin1328]

John Edwards it’s the Aztec of BMWs.

[@JuiceBoxScott]

Those "ash tray" holes are actually for an additional cup holder. I think all the i3s came with the cup holder so yours is missing.

[@keithAstansell]

Yep - mine came with the "smoking package" but luckily no one smoked in it. The "ash tray" is a removable cup with a hinged lid that fits in the cup holder. Smoking kit also includes the old style pop-out 12v lighter.

[@JuiceBoxScott]

@@keithAstansell that's funny cars can still come with a cigarette lighter

[@keithAstansell]

@@JuiceBoxScott It's probably a European thing. American's want cup holders, they want ash trays and lighters.

[@JuiceBoxScott]

@@keithAstansell yeah, sounds like a smart modular design so the dealer can swap pieces out quickly and easily.

[@simonhurlimann908]

One of the best features for me are the completely free programmaböe 10 buttons. You can not just programm the radiostation but basically all functions you want

[@mariowhyte2816]

Tommy was totally channeling his inner Doug DeMuro in this video. The quirks and features of this i3 are so many!!! Thanks for the review Tommy and I hope this quirky car serves you all well!!!

[@markallen4514]

Really glad you did this review. There seem to be tons of them in SoCal. I'm thinking it would be the best second car. Hope you’re planning on doing some more reviews after you’ve lived with it for awhile.

[@ericm3991]

I had an i3 for 2 years and it was wonderful!! Mine was like $58k but they had a lease special and it was $350 a month when I worked for BMW (they didn't make any money on these things, this was built specifically to show off the technology). The wool seats were actually super comfortable and the radar cruise with stop and go was really nice. Only down side, under 30 degrees the range dropped in half and the car limited your acceleration. Also, I can't say the range extender version I had was reliable.

[@ericm3991]

PS theres a download so you can kick in the REX engine when the battery drops just below 75% instead of 6%. Help with hills otherwise you'll be going 40mph uphill with the rex going at full tilt at 6% battery, pretty scary.

[@BallantineElectric]

11:06 those buttons are not only for the radio. You can save any function of the car (phone calls, navigation, screen visualization, etc)

[@CedricParker]

I hadna volt that was the best car I've ever owned for daily driving. It was totaled and I've been looking at the I3 as a replacement.

[@CedricParker]

@John Edwards I though with the rex it pretty much operates the same as the chevy volt

[@jdear97]

@@CedricParker It is similar, but the Rex really is a range extender. You can code it to have the rex hold charge between 6% and 75% but the car works much better on electric. We drive ours as an electric car, only using the Rex when we need to. I've done a few longer trips in the car, but it only has 120 miles total range on gas and electric (1st generation) before you need to fill the 2 gallon gas tank. If you go into it understand its limits, it is a wonderful vehicle. But I much prefer it as an electric vehicle.

[@nathankestin1922]

Please don't get rid of that car! Very interested in how it works out in the long run! Keep the videos and updates on that thing comin'!

[@revmedia8108]

My favorite BMW is the supra though. Much love, your friends at Rev Media!!

[@aussie2uGA]

If you’re going down that road, then the best BMW ever made is the McLaren F1 😉

[@BestMillimeter18]

My favorite Chrysler is the Diablo SV

[@JohnGuidetti751]

He means the new supra is based off the new Z4 same chassis & engine.

[@samuelrowland76]

I don’t understand why people always complain about the new Supra being a bmw, but the old one was a Yamaha.

[@yes8032]

Samuel Rowland ikr it’s getting annoying

[@evankatz2893]

Tommy, Solid Review As Always Car Looks Very Clean And Quite A Bargain All The Best To The TFL Crew Evan From New City,NY.

[@kristianmurin3696]

Owned mine for 2 yrs and have torn mine apart mechanically for my degree. 80,000 trouble free miles and I have coded it to use the engine as intended. If you ever want some real technical info or coding information to take full advantage of the car feel free to contact. Thoroughly enjoy my 15 rex.

[@xm3ntal620]

I've leased the electric version. I loved it minus the range anxiety. Any reliability issues with the rex version?

[@georgeh6856]

I like this car a lot. I even like the looks of it. It's just the combination of "BMW" and "repair" or "BMW" and "maintenance" that sounds way too expensive.

[@josephbustillos91]

This was a good video Tommy. I’ve been looking at these with the range extender for awhile and contemplating picking one up. Your video was super informative. Thanks!

[@ErikTaraldsen]

The presets are not only for the radio. But anything in the menus can be assigned a button. Like traction control.

[@venom5809]

It's actually a pretty cool and appealing car at this price. Nice.

[@gforce95vn]

It is possible to ECU flash the NA i3 into a European i3 where it unlocks the ability to use the gasoline engine from 80% & under instead of just 6%. Funnily enough the gas tank would magically increase in capacity too with the ECU flash. Might help out as this car lacks DCFC.

[@TFLcar]

Thanks, we know about this. Please stay tuned!

[@PaulSuquet]

I purchased my 2015 i3 about 2 months ago. Got it for under 8k. It's been very good, it's got the Rex as well and still gets about 60miles on battery alone. It's a fantastic car, especially for the money. It's fun, quirky and definitely interesting. It does eat through its tires though, mine came with the 20" wheels and a new set is about $1,000 us, they'll last around 15k mi. Everything else is wonderful. Great little car.

[@Gilliatt83]

I have a rule to ignore all smug polluting shopping trolley electric trash cans but I'll make exception this time.

[@04ctsvader]

I've always wondered about these. After the explanation I absolutely appreciate them more but not enough to own one.

[@stephendee7839]

Until an explanation starts putting a LOT of Franklin's in my pocket, I'm really not interested.

[@power4things]

Never considered electric, our i3 (BEV) found us ... friend who has a car dealership had this car; drove it, love it - $13K. Plug it in overnight, and goes around town or local area for the week. The "clamshell" doors take advantage of the carbon fiber frame and save a "B" pillar that might block access. Avant garde? Just about everything, yep.

[@amundalfredsen3479]

Great review! I have a 2014 pure electric i3 that I bought new and have driven it 166000 km or 103000 miles. No real issues, just changed brakes due to rust😅 The hardely get used due to one-pedal driving and the salt on the roads during winter in Norway kills the disks. All in all I am super satisfied with it and just laugh thinking about all the money I have saved on fuel🤩 Really is a one of a kind car with technology that no other manufacturer or even BMW have utilized sice...

[@malcolmscott4150]

Was COTY in Australia in 2014 - expensive list price being the only negative 👎🏻 but with no governmental support and fuel/electricity likely generated by coal power equals dubious efficiency hence I thought technology too new for this award but 6 years later at this price = somewhat worthy with added bonus of being a non parts bin creation. Great choice Tommy and no more self depreciation- you’re perfect 👌 as you are

[@mmmii702]

“My favorite feature in the whole world... a volume knob.” -Tommy the oldest youngest dude I’ve never met. Dude really?

[@Cartier_specialist]

He's not alone. I think everyone prefers rotary volume knobs.

[@mmmii702]

@@Cartier_specialist If there are steering wheel controls then IMO there is no need for a knob.

[@younghex9577]

@@mmmii702 I use the steering wheel volume for lowering and raising the volume a few notches. But when I want to raise or lower the volume really quickly I use the nob

[@Cartier_specialist]

@@mmmii702 The earlier 2004-2008 Cadillac CTS has a rotary volume control on the steering wheel as well. Some people just prefer knobs. The buttons don't allow you to change the volume as quickly when you want to. Cold hard fact there.

[@mmmii702]

Obviously enough ppl still want it or manufacturers would stop doing it. Personally I don’t get it but I’m cool with being in the minority.

[@MarkRVillano]

With the two cylinder there as strictly a back-up, there's a high probability that if the car is just used for short daily commutes, the engine will never be required to run. What do you do with gas in your tank that is more than a year old? Is there an easy way to drain the tank and put in fresh gas? I wouldn't want to put fuel life extenders in anything more expensive than a lawn mower or snow blower.

[@upnatm7959]

Great review! I Love my I3! Great car. One suggestion. Code It! I turn on the engine when I want it. I also found that I can run at high speed with the Rex, and when I slow down, the engine remains at high RPM until it charges the battery back up to my holding point. It's been great for me.

[@talk2tim]

...had one for about 3 years and it was great. .....except - lots of check engine light ‘cylinder 2 misfire’ codes for the entire time I owned it and bmw could never fix it. Take it up to >~8000 ft and run the extender and it will probably give you the mis fire code when it starts up. Was supposedly a ‘high altitude only ‘ issue - but I did have it come on right in boulder as well. But since I almost never used the rex it wasn’t the end of the world. Don’t forget as an owner you get the use of a smoke generating bmw from any bmw dealer as part of the i-mobility program...doesn’t matter if you bought it used!

[@thefilmguy]

The crazy thing is that BMW decided that even though the i3 was a financial failure they would bring the power train back in the Mini Cooper SE.

[@jdear97]

It really is a solid powertrain and it makes great sense in the Mini Cooper. With the price of the Mini, I seriously considered it; but I really wanted to have at least 200 miles of range for road trips. Add to that, my i3 is actually a better car on a day to day basis going back and forth to work. For road trips I ended up going with the Model 3. The superchargers are hard to beat.

[@davidfulginiti5985]

Love it , have been following the the pricing on the used market. My wife will be replacing her X1 when needed. Thanks! It’s funky

[@caliboyrob]

Love this car. i wish they give us a new model :( but the quality for the price (esp. used) is unbeatable. Great Choice guys

[@jamesbeaman6337]

Dang, I saw this title and thought, maybe a Jeep KJ at last. Oh well, maybe in about 10 years it will get to be interesting enough to garner enough views to be considered by TFL.

[@mikerinck8523]

Totally accurate. I would have never clicked this video if you had told me what car it was. I drove it at the auto show and didn’t like it. The cost of repairing the carbon fiber and the lack of available tires are also huge negatives.

[@angrymuffinsb]

I’ve always had a soft spot for the i3. Similar to the Audi A2, it’s so out of the norm that people reject it. But what a great piece of engineering

[@gregb7353]

I have a Tesla Model 3 and I'm wanting to buy an i3 for my kids. This car has no good reviews as they are all fanboy reviews or have no idea why anyone would want one. So glad you are reviewing it long term! Just don't cause the price to go up!

[@djuell01]

I think the ones with the generator are really nice and under rated for the money. I like them and happy you guys got one.

[@americanrambler4972]

BMW I8, electric Chevy spark, Ford fusion hybrid or electric, ford hybrid C-max, electric Kia Soul, electric smart car, Toyota Prius, Chevy bolt. Cheney Volt, And don’t forget the Nissan Leaf. You can now buy a 2013 up Nissan Leaf and install a bigger aftermarket battery and get up to a little over 200 mile range with fast charge for what you paid for this. And the leaf has a more functional interior. And good luck getting parts for this I8. Glad you bought it, like to see if it’s actually as good as the competition. Oh, and the electric Fiat 500. It’s a crowded market for these electric and hybrid cars at this price point.

[@Cartier_specialist]

I'm not a big fan of the design or the infamous BMW reliability but for the money I think it offers great value. I'll be interested to see the 0 to 60 time and other performance test results.

[@vinnieromero2945]

Love the i3 and plan on getting one for my daughters first car. Great video Tommy!

[@squeakD]

Wow.., the depreciation is unreal! With it being a bespoke vehicle, I can only imagine the out of warranty repair costs.

[@kevinlim2049]

LAPD had a whole lot of them for sale from the same dealership that sold it to them. They had three hundreds of them on their fleet but it was a flop. The funny thing about it that they sold out after it was posted online.

[@rlessmeier]

I saw one of these for sale the other day. I thought, "Dang that's cheap. Its the perfect car for a KZbin channel to pick up." lol.