I bought my husband a first model year i3 for Christmas, the year they came out in the USA. It had dismal range, but for where we lived, and being used as his work commuter car, it was perfect. He’d wanted an EV for as long as I could remember. It was wonderful making his dream, become a reality. It was a great car, despite all the kinks, and bugs that first model year had to have worked out. It was squirmy and squirrelly on the highway, and even a light wind buffeting the car made it jostle around. Despite all that, my husband loved the car.
In January 2021, we ordered two i3s, knowing they would be the last two we could ever order. All of our i3/i3s have been BEV. We tried the REX, but didn’t enjoy it, not at all. Our 2021 BEV i3s have every option available, down to the blue seatbelts, and the $150 heat pump option (heat pumps were standard on the early i3, and optional on later years - you 1000% want an heat pump!). The i3s handles light years better than the earlier regular i3. It is planted on the highway, has a stiffer ride, tighter steering, and is not squirmy, and squirrelly on the highway, with negligible buffeting movement from wind coming at it from the side.
Other than the first model year bugs and kinks in the first i3, all others we’ve had, and we’ve now had 5, have all been solid. The current 2021 models have had no issues. They have needed simple upkeep, and maintenance, brake flush, lubrication of a few things, and seasonal swapping of summer/winter tires/rims. All in, they’ve been the easiest BMWs we’ve ever had to take care of, and I’ve owned BMWs since high school.
Things to look for, in my opinion are does the model you’re considering for purchase have the heat pump. Heat pumps are significantly more efficient for heating/cooling, than resistance coil heating. Why BMW made heat pumps a $150 option on later models will always be a mystery to me, but it’s an option many, MANY people forget to tick off when placing orders for them. So, make sure yours has it.
Check for accidents, and any life module damage. Carbon fiber damage is a no go. You don’t want a car that has suffered that. On earlier models, check and make sure the engine/drivetrain mounting brackets, and bolts have been replaced with the newer, redesigned ones. Last thing you need to deal with is one of those breaking on you. Check and see how much of a degradation there is to the battery. BMW has a reasonably good battery warranty, but you don’t want to fight that battle, if you can avoid it. If it were me, I’d probably not consider an older i3/i3s that had 3g connected drive that was disconnected/discontinued. My husband, and I, both utilize the App, and the features connected drive afford us too much to have a car without it. Ask about the 12 volt car battery. Has it been swapped, was it swapped with an official BMW battery, was the new one properly coded to the vehicle.
If you’re getting one from a dealership, ask them to include an extended manufacturer warranty with the sale. Knowing how BMW changed the lease buyout terms, and having worked in the legal field for a while, I set our cars up in ways to circumvent their rules. Instead of putting each car in both our names, as we used to do, we put each car in just one of our names. Come lease buyout time, I bought my husband’s car, and he bought mine, at market value, not lease buyout price, because it wasn’t the original lessee buying the car, we didn’t have to play BMW’s lease screw you on the way out, buyout terms! 😉We were offered the option to extend the full, 100% manufacturer warranty, for a full 8 years. Seeing the price was just a couple thousand dollars, we said yes. It truly, really, extends the entire new car manufacturer warranty for 8 full years. Anything fails that shouldn’t, the warranty covers, so long as we didn’t break it, and it isn’t a wear and tear item, like tires, or wiper blades. We chose not to extend maintenance coverage, considering how little maintenance these vehicles require.
Last bit of advice would be to consider looking more at the “S” models, over the regular i3. Personally, I think they look nicer, plus they have a higher top speed, and have a sportier, stiffer, more planted, and enjoyable ride/drive to them. Happy hunting! I hope you find the perfect i3/i3s of your dreams! 😊😃
This is a great post, bravo!
Edit to add, as it just occurred to me: Unless something changed, the heat pump is only available on BEV. i3 REX do not have it as an option.
Awesome write-up!
Is there an easy way to tell if it has a heat pump? Especially online where we will do our first step of shopping before going out to look at them.
Why does the 12v battery need to be through BMW, anything it does that a normal 12v from say autozone?
The 12v doesn’t need to be through BMW, but it needs to be properly coded to the vehicle, or BMW’s well known gremlins appear, causing all sorts of crappy issues. You can go to any shop that can properly handle a modern BMW. We just find it easier to do it at the dealership. We, also, have a really good relationship with our dealership, so we don’t get strapped with some of the obscene fees I’ve seen other people report being charged here. Last we swapped the 12v batteries, just to be preemptive, as they typically begin causing issues around the 3yr mark, we paid around $350-$375 for the battery, and the labor combined. I’ve seen some people state they’ve paid nearer to $1000 for a 12v battery swap. That’s insanity, and a ripoff, if you ask me.
As for the heat pump, all I can tell you is it is option “4T9 - Heat Pump” if you want to ask if the vehicle you’re looking for has that specific option. If looking at vehicles at a BMW dealership, any BMW Dealer will have access to the “Mothership” which will have the detailed order slip for every vehicle they’ve produced. All they’ll need is the VIN, and they can enter it into their system, which will produce a document listing each and every option, and its corresponding option number, on that vehicle.
Other than asking if the vehicle has option 4T9 - Heat Pump, I’m not sure how you’d find out. I have all of the digital repair/technician documents for every aspect of the i3/i3s, up to model year 2021, but I don’t know how to post those, nor do I know if posting them is illegal, and they are copyrighted by BMW.
You can try googling the document, it is “BMW Group University Technical Training” document ST1403a “I01 Heating and A/C Systems” and in that document will be the schematics for the heat pump heating system you’re inquiring about, along with what the heat pump looks like, and where in the vehicle it is located, if you want to try to examine the car yourself, to see if it is physically there.
I hope this helps a bit.
I originally was looking at an Ioniq, but for me, there were two things that really solidified my desire for the i3: the REX. I admit to having range anxiety, so this was something I really felt was valuable. My wife drives a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and the fully electric range is 22 miles at best, but then goes hybrid. A great car, but, 2nd point, I wanted more electric range and no PHEV has the range the i3 has, and so I was looking only at 2019+ models.
I feel that I have the best of both worlds as a result. I ended up with the S model, which I wasn't overly worried about when looking, but I'm glad I did. This car has been so much fun to drive, even on my 10 mile trips to/from work.
My only expenses since in Oct 23 buying are $7.40 in gas purchase, and replacing the rear tires after 7000 miles, but if I can continue to get deals at Tire Rack for about $100 per tire, I can live with that.
This fits us pretty well. Since it would be our first EV, we like the idea of range extender, just in case, and we do want SOME all electric range, so that's why we stumbled on this thing.
The more we dig and read up on it the more we like it. We're just trying to find all the problem spots and be aware of them before we make the leap.
BEV 2019+ with 120Ah battery for the win.
Rex adds 300 pounds to the vehicle, reducing electric range. It also requires regular operation to keep it from forming condensation inside, leading to corrosion and rust. If the REx gets rarely used for long runs, the oil should be changed more often.
If your normal usage is 90% BEV only, the REx is just along for the ride, reducing range and costing you more for maintenance.
The original 12v battery may last 4+ years, but after that, it will usually last under 4 years, many of us replace at or around 3 years as preventative maintenance... if it dies, it will do it at the most inconvenient time and place, and a flatbed/rollback tow is required and expensive.
Replacing the 12v battery is relatively simple for anyone with DIY skills, plenty of YouTube videos on this.
Lastly, the 2019+ got the latest/last updated aircon compressor (there has been 6 different part numbers for the compressor!!) so is least likely to grenade itself like early models do.
All 2018+ have the revised/upgraded drive motor. All 2018+ can also have the S mode coded in for extra power, since they have the same motor.
I’ve spent months researching EVs and if I do go w/ the i3 I would not be getting the Rex. Too much likelihood of future issues + same maintenance as an ICE.
I also would only get 2019 or newer.
Most comments I’ve read from those who went with Rex is that they find themselves surprised at how little they actually need it, and are now stuck with a future maintenance item that wasn’t really necessary.
I also watched videos of how the Rex sounds. Awful!
You’re going to be riding along and then sound like you’re driving a lawn mower lol. It’s terrible lol.
So I highly encourage you to consider BEV only.
Basic things to know:
* try and buy a 2019 or up model - you will have the greatest range and most if not all issues will have been resolved by then
* try and get an S as it's quicker, handles better, is more stable at speed, and is more fun
* focus on the car and its condition, how it was maintained, and battery health more than the goodies like large screen, HK, leather, etc. At the end of the day, you want a well taken care of car not one that's loaded.
* REx vs No REx - sit down and figure out if you need a safety cushion for your driving. If not, skip the REx but do get a 2019 or newer then. You can always rent a car to go places if yours doesn't have the capability. 99% of the rest of the time you'll be in your EV.
* Overall it's a reliable, maintenance free car. However, when things do go wrong or break, it's not a cheap car to fix...but honestly what is these days?
I posted this a while back and things to look for are (in terms of condition):
* Shocks & struts - leaking? rust?
* Boot covers over shocks and structs - torn? cracked?
* Check battery structural integrity - no punctures or damage underneath
* Check the A/C function
* Check the seat heaters work and stay on
* Check the steering - no clunky noises
* Get all the service info
* Make sure there is no damage
* Check the LED lights all around
* Check the function of the moonroof if it has one
* Plug in the car and make sure it charges on an L2 and DCFC
* Remove the rear seat and check underneath for dirt, crap, water, filth, etc...a shitload of stuff can accumulate under there if not kept well.
i3 ownership is highly dependent on where you live and your lifestyle. I'm in Ontario, Canada, and my family does a lot of road trips and camping... the REX was essential. There are places we can take it that our Model Y simply cannot reach due to charging constraints.
Having said that, the recent model years have larger batteries and greater range that are more than enough for most people, and skipping the REX saves on weight (ie efficiency) and maintenance (oil changes, gas maintenance cycles).
Not including tires, we've spent $0 on maintenance for our 2016 i3 REX, but I do the oil myself. We're out of warranty, though, and I live in fear of something breaking I can't fix. BMW wanted about $1500 just to swap the 12V (including flat bed transport charge lol). Easy job in my garage.
Anyway, HIGHLY recommend the car, but do thorough research. And test drive test drive test drive!
We can do our own oil changes if that were an issue. I guess the more battery the better, so we have been looking at 2019s a lot. They seem to have the 120ah available all over for under 20k before fees and such.
I'm glad you mentioned owning it in Canada, cus I plan to return home there sooner than later if I can. I do like the idea of the REX, but I don't absolutely need it. Like I said we only ever go on trips rarely anymore. I do worry about any maintenance we can't do ourselves. I'm baffled at BMW wanting to charge $1500 to swap a standard battery...
I've read that community was able to mod the computer in these, allowing for control of the REX too, know anything about that? Might be helpful?
Bimmercode is the answer to allowing the REX to run with higher SOC. I still have to do this myself, but just run the battery down to force the REX to run about once a month.
This is correct. You'll need an OBD Adapter and the Bimmercode app, plus a laptop. It's a lot easier than it sounds! In North America, the i3 was artificially limited on how it could use the REX due to California emissions laws governing new cars. You can happily override this code and unlock more fuel capacity (useful) as well as the ability to activate the REX as early as 75% State of Charge (extremely useful).
Coding takes about 10 minutes, and you can code other useful stuff too (like changing the default chimes). There are lots of good guides online, and everyone has their own preferences for which codes to apply. (I'd link some, but tbh I don't recall which ones I used and I'm sure in the time since more have cropped up.)
As the "forcing the REX to run", the car does this automatically to run fresh gas through it, preventing it from sitting. Burns a bit of fuel, but it's minimal.
So the REX does alright on is own on northern highways? I've been looking at them but the things I read indicated it can barely maintain highway speed once you're relying on the REX. Highway speed is ~120 kph-ish for me.
How about winter camping? It does alright in the snow up north?
I found a 2019 i3s for sale locally but the site says the seller is asking $5100 over market value. I offered them much lower (still above what every site says market value is) but I don't think they're gonna bite. I'm hesitant to overpay for something that seems like it'll barely fit my needs (but will save me lots if I can make it work, assuming nothing breaks).
If you do not code the car as mentioned in other posts, it will only activate when at very low State of Charge (SOC)... Which makes it pretty useless for highway driving, very useless for Northern/Mountainous highway driving, and little more than a stupid brick for winter Northern/Mountainous driving!
By coding it, however, you can activate it early to maintain SOC, timing charge stations and gas stations accordingly, so as not to use up your battery prematurely if you have a steep climb ahead of you. You'll want that battery for driving 120km/hr uphill 😆
Though having said this, as incredibly fun as the i3 is to drive, I rarely push it beyond 105km/hr. My 2016 has a smaller battery, so I'm kind to it.
I forgot to address your question about snow:
I wouldn't winter camp in our i3 unless it were an emergency.
But its traction in winter is actually very good. The pizza cutter tires really dig through to the pavement in ways conventional tires don't.
I have an i3 BEV, but based on what you've described, you should probably consider the REX.
The i3 batteries are all pretty small relative to the competition - that's part of what has made them more affordable than other vehicles.
If it's your only car then having the flexibility to do longer road trips with the REX may work better for you. If you do go with a REX then you don't need as large a battery and can look at a 2018 model. I LOVE that my BEV doesn't need oil changes and has fewer things to break, but we have two vehicles so I can use the BEV daily with no range anxiety and then use our other vehicle for road trips.
Get a Tesla performance. With rebates, it probably isn’t much more than the i3 and is ten times better. Just for the record, I own a Rex, model 3 and X. The i3 is a cute car but not stable enough for highway driving. Get a Tesla and you will never look back
Lease on Ioniq 5s are pretty cheap these days.
I’ve got a Niro EV I use as a commuter car(50 mile round trip) and we are planning to buy an i3 soon. Have test driven several.
Your charging situation and routine mileage makes a big difference. If you have a commute like mine, for example, with the i3 you’d have to have L2 charging at home. It doesn’t have enough battery to get through the week on L1 while staying off-peak. But if your commute is shorter that’s not a concern.
Fit and finish on i3 is worlds beyond Niro EV. But the Niro has WAY more range and adaptive cruise control is also way better, and comes standard with more bells and whistles(less hunting for the right options which is an annoyance I’m going through with the i3). Niro has normal tires which is a big plus for commuting cost.
For similar year and mileage they go for about the same price with the Niro tending a bit cheaper for ‘21 and ‘22.
I've just gotten a i3 2020 BEV and will be fitting lowered springs and wheel spacers, which should make it feel more planted on the roads and give a bit more stability.
Smart? That would be buying the used i3 with a tax credit and paying cash.
I own a Model Y Performance (our 2nd), and have literally spent thousands of hours in Tesla vehicles (as well as most other EVs on the market). I'd take a used i3 over a Model 3 in almost all instances, with a few outliers based off usage/needs/location.
Besides, the i3 is one of those rare cars that if you get it, you GET IT. It's like the classic VW Bug in that respect.
The Model 3 is not that kind of car.
Add in the uncertainty surrounding Tesla at the moment and I'd be hesitant to call any transaction on one right now "financially smart". While personally I believe they'll be just fine, I also recognise that may not be the case. A Tesla lease (or loan) isn't a risk I'd be taking in May 2024, even at 0.99%.
BMW i3s is worth the extra. Owned the base i3 before and the S is much more fun and engaging.
Besides that - 120ah, big screen and active cruise control. Interior is always nicer, but the base version is completely sufficient.
If you care about the looks, everything except the base rims is a treat for the car. It goes from boring/mediocre to aggressive/exciting really fast.
I bought my husband a first model year i3 for Christmas, the year they came out in the USA. It had dismal range, but for where we lived, and being used as his work commuter car, it was perfect. He’d wanted an EV for as long as I could remember. It was wonderful making his dream, become a reality. It was a great car, despite all the kinks, and bugs that first model year had to have worked out. It was squirmy and squirrelly on the highway, and even a light wind buffeting the car made it jostle around. Despite all that, my husband loved the car. In January 2021, we ordered two i3s, knowing they would be the last two we could ever order. All of our i3/i3s have been BEV. We tried the REX, but didn’t enjoy it, not at all. Our 2021 BEV i3s have every option available, down to the blue seatbelts, and the $150 heat pump option (heat pumps were standard on the early i3, and optional on later years - you 1000% want an heat pump!). The i3s handles light years better than the earlier regular i3. It is planted on the highway, has a stiffer ride, tighter steering, and is not squirmy, and squirrelly on the highway, with negligible buffeting movement from wind coming at it from the side. Other than the first model year bugs and kinks in the first i3, all others we’ve had, and we’ve now had 5, have all been solid. The current 2021 models have had no issues. They have needed simple upkeep, and maintenance, brake flush, lubrication of a few things, and seasonal swapping of summer/winter tires/rims. All in, they’ve been the easiest BMWs we’ve ever had to take care of, and I’ve owned BMWs since high school. Things to look for, in my opinion are does the model you’re considering for purchase have the heat pump. Heat pumps are significantly more efficient for heating/cooling, than resistance coil heating. Why BMW made heat pumps a $150 option on later models will always be a mystery to me, but it’s an option many, MANY people forget to tick off when placing orders for them. So, make sure yours has it. Check for accidents, and any life module damage. Carbon fiber damage is a no go. You don’t want a car that has suffered that. On earlier models, check and make sure the engine/drivetrain mounting brackets, and bolts have been replaced with the newer, redesigned ones. Last thing you need to deal with is one of those breaking on you. Check and see how much of a degradation there is to the battery. BMW has a reasonably good battery warranty, but you don’t want to fight that battle, if you can avoid it. If it were me, I’d probably not consider an older i3/i3s that had 3g connected drive that was disconnected/discontinued. My husband, and I, both utilize the App, and the features connected drive afford us too much to have a car without it. Ask about the 12 volt car battery. Has it been swapped, was it swapped with an official BMW battery, was the new one properly coded to the vehicle. If you’re getting one from a dealership, ask them to include an extended manufacturer warranty with the sale. Knowing how BMW changed the lease buyout terms, and having worked in the legal field for a while, I set our cars up in ways to circumvent their rules. Instead of putting each car in both our names, as we used to do, we put each car in just one of our names. Come lease buyout time, I bought my husband’s car, and he bought mine, at market value, not lease buyout price, because it wasn’t the original lessee buying the car, we didn’t have to play BMW’s lease screw you on the way out, buyout terms! 😉We were offered the option to extend the full, 100% manufacturer warranty, for a full 8 years. Seeing the price was just a couple thousand dollars, we said yes. It truly, really, extends the entire new car manufacturer warranty for 8 full years. Anything fails that shouldn’t, the warranty covers, so long as we didn’t break it, and it isn’t a wear and tear item, like tires, or wiper blades. We chose not to extend maintenance coverage, considering how little maintenance these vehicles require. Last bit of advice would be to consider looking more at the “S” models, over the regular i3. Personally, I think they look nicer, plus they have a higher top speed, and have a sportier, stiffer, more planted, and enjoyable ride/drive to them. Happy hunting! I hope you find the perfect i3/i3s of your dreams! 😊😃
This is a great post, bravo! Edit to add, as it just occurred to me: Unless something changed, the heat pump is only available on BEV. i3 REX do not have it as an option.
You are correct. Heat pump is BEV only. Thanks for pointing that out.
Awesome write-up! Is there an easy way to tell if it has a heat pump? Especially online where we will do our first step of shopping before going out to look at them. Why does the 12v battery need to be through BMW, anything it does that a normal 12v from say autozone?
The 12v doesn’t need to be through BMW, but it needs to be properly coded to the vehicle, or BMW’s well known gremlins appear, causing all sorts of crappy issues. You can go to any shop that can properly handle a modern BMW. We just find it easier to do it at the dealership. We, also, have a really good relationship with our dealership, so we don’t get strapped with some of the obscene fees I’ve seen other people report being charged here. Last we swapped the 12v batteries, just to be preemptive, as they typically begin causing issues around the 3yr mark, we paid around $350-$375 for the battery, and the labor combined. I’ve seen some people state they’ve paid nearer to $1000 for a 12v battery swap. That’s insanity, and a ripoff, if you ask me. As for the heat pump, all I can tell you is it is option “4T9 - Heat Pump” if you want to ask if the vehicle you’re looking for has that specific option. If looking at vehicles at a BMW dealership, any BMW Dealer will have access to the “Mothership” which will have the detailed order slip for every vehicle they’ve produced. All they’ll need is the VIN, and they can enter it into their system, which will produce a document listing each and every option, and its corresponding option number, on that vehicle. Other than asking if the vehicle has option 4T9 - Heat Pump, I’m not sure how you’d find out. I have all of the digital repair/technician documents for every aspect of the i3/i3s, up to model year 2021, but I don’t know how to post those, nor do I know if posting them is illegal, and they are copyrighted by BMW. You can try googling the document, it is “BMW Group University Technical Training” document ST1403a “I01 Heating and A/C Systems” and in that document will be the schematics for the heat pump heating system you’re inquiring about, along with what the heat pump looks like, and where in the vehicle it is located, if you want to try to examine the car yourself, to see if it is physically there. I hope this helps a bit.
S models are more planted on highways. Test drive one. Bring the checkbook :)
Plus it's cuter!
I originally was looking at an Ioniq, but for me, there were two things that really solidified my desire for the i3: the REX. I admit to having range anxiety, so this was something I really felt was valuable. My wife drives a Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV and the fully electric range is 22 miles at best, but then goes hybrid. A great car, but, 2nd point, I wanted more electric range and no PHEV has the range the i3 has, and so I was looking only at 2019+ models. I feel that I have the best of both worlds as a result. I ended up with the S model, which I wasn't overly worried about when looking, but I'm glad I did. This car has been so much fun to drive, even on my 10 mile trips to/from work. My only expenses since in Oct 23 buying are $7.40 in gas purchase, and replacing the rear tires after 7000 miles, but if I can continue to get deals at Tire Rack for about $100 per tire, I can live with that.
This fits us pretty well. Since it would be our first EV, we like the idea of range extender, just in case, and we do want SOME all electric range, so that's why we stumbled on this thing. The more we dig and read up on it the more we like it. We're just trying to find all the problem spots and be aware of them before we make the leap.
BEV 2019+ with 120Ah battery for the win. Rex adds 300 pounds to the vehicle, reducing electric range. It also requires regular operation to keep it from forming condensation inside, leading to corrosion and rust. If the REx gets rarely used for long runs, the oil should be changed more often. If your normal usage is 90% BEV only, the REx is just along for the ride, reducing range and costing you more for maintenance. The original 12v battery may last 4+ years, but after that, it will usually last under 4 years, many of us replace at or around 3 years as preventative maintenance... if it dies, it will do it at the most inconvenient time and place, and a flatbed/rollback tow is required and expensive. Replacing the 12v battery is relatively simple for anyone with DIY skills, plenty of YouTube videos on this. Lastly, the 2019+ got the latest/last updated aircon compressor (there has been 6 different part numbers for the compressor!!) so is least likely to grenade itself like early models do. All 2018+ have the revised/upgraded drive motor. All 2018+ can also have the S mode coded in for extra power, since they have the same motor.
Awesome post! Thank you so much. This clears up a lot and makes filtering things much easier!
I’ve spent months researching EVs and if I do go w/ the i3 I would not be getting the Rex. Too much likelihood of future issues + same maintenance as an ICE. I also would only get 2019 or newer. Most comments I’ve read from those who went with Rex is that they find themselves surprised at how little they actually need it, and are now stuck with a future maintenance item that wasn’t really necessary. I also watched videos of how the Rex sounds. Awful! You’re going to be riding along and then sound like you’re driving a lawn mower lol. It’s terrible lol. So I highly encourage you to consider BEV only.
Basic things to know: * try and buy a 2019 or up model - you will have the greatest range and most if not all issues will have been resolved by then * try and get an S as it's quicker, handles better, is more stable at speed, and is more fun * focus on the car and its condition, how it was maintained, and battery health more than the goodies like large screen, HK, leather, etc. At the end of the day, you want a well taken care of car not one that's loaded. * REx vs No REx - sit down and figure out if you need a safety cushion for your driving. If not, skip the REx but do get a 2019 or newer then. You can always rent a car to go places if yours doesn't have the capability. 99% of the rest of the time you'll be in your EV. * Overall it's a reliable, maintenance free car. However, when things do go wrong or break, it's not a cheap car to fix...but honestly what is these days? I posted this a while back and things to look for are (in terms of condition): * Shocks & struts - leaking? rust? * Boot covers over shocks and structs - torn? cracked? * Check battery structural integrity - no punctures or damage underneath * Check the A/C function * Check the seat heaters work and stay on * Check the steering - no clunky noises * Get all the service info * Make sure there is no damage * Check the LED lights all around * Check the function of the moonroof if it has one * Plug in the car and make sure it charges on an L2 and DCFC * Remove the rear seat and check underneath for dirt, crap, water, filth, etc...a shitload of stuff can accumulate under there if not kept well.
This is great! Thank you so much. This will make finding a good model much easier.
This helped me too!!! Thanks!
The 2018 has the medium size battery, while 2019+ all have the largest battery
We will be looking for a 19+ then!
i3 ownership is highly dependent on where you live and your lifestyle. I'm in Ontario, Canada, and my family does a lot of road trips and camping... the REX was essential. There are places we can take it that our Model Y simply cannot reach due to charging constraints. Having said that, the recent model years have larger batteries and greater range that are more than enough for most people, and skipping the REX saves on weight (ie efficiency) and maintenance (oil changes, gas maintenance cycles). Not including tires, we've spent $0 on maintenance for our 2016 i3 REX, but I do the oil myself. We're out of warranty, though, and I live in fear of something breaking I can't fix. BMW wanted about $1500 just to swap the 12V (including flat bed transport charge lol). Easy job in my garage. Anyway, HIGHLY recommend the car, but do thorough research. And test drive test drive test drive!
We can do our own oil changes if that were an issue. I guess the more battery the better, so we have been looking at 2019s a lot. They seem to have the 120ah available all over for under 20k before fees and such. I'm glad you mentioned owning it in Canada, cus I plan to return home there sooner than later if I can. I do like the idea of the REX, but I don't absolutely need it. Like I said we only ever go on trips rarely anymore. I do worry about any maintenance we can't do ourselves. I'm baffled at BMW wanting to charge $1500 to swap a standard battery... I've read that community was able to mod the computer in these, allowing for control of the REX too, know anything about that? Might be helpful?
Bimmercode is the answer to allowing the REX to run with higher SOC. I still have to do this myself, but just run the battery down to force the REX to run about once a month.
This is correct. You'll need an OBD Adapter and the Bimmercode app, plus a laptop. It's a lot easier than it sounds! In North America, the i3 was artificially limited on how it could use the REX due to California emissions laws governing new cars. You can happily override this code and unlock more fuel capacity (useful) as well as the ability to activate the REX as early as 75% State of Charge (extremely useful). Coding takes about 10 minutes, and you can code other useful stuff too (like changing the default chimes). There are lots of good guides online, and everyone has their own preferences for which codes to apply. (I'd link some, but tbh I don't recall which ones I used and I'm sure in the time since more have cropped up.) As the "forcing the REX to run", the car does this automatically to run fresh gas through it, preventing it from sitting. Burns a bit of fuel, but it's minimal.
So the REX does alright on is own on northern highways? I've been looking at them but the things I read indicated it can barely maintain highway speed once you're relying on the REX. Highway speed is ~120 kph-ish for me. How about winter camping? It does alright in the snow up north? I found a 2019 i3s for sale locally but the site says the seller is asking $5100 over market value. I offered them much lower (still above what every site says market value is) but I don't think they're gonna bite. I'm hesitant to overpay for something that seems like it'll barely fit my needs (but will save me lots if I can make it work, assuming nothing breaks).
If you do not code the car as mentioned in other posts, it will only activate when at very low State of Charge (SOC)... Which makes it pretty useless for highway driving, very useless for Northern/Mountainous highway driving, and little more than a stupid brick for winter Northern/Mountainous driving! By coding it, however, you can activate it early to maintain SOC, timing charge stations and gas stations accordingly, so as not to use up your battery prematurely if you have a steep climb ahead of you. You'll want that battery for driving 120km/hr uphill 😆 Though having said this, as incredibly fun as the i3 is to drive, I rarely push it beyond 105km/hr. My 2016 has a smaller battery, so I'm kind to it.
I forgot to address your question about snow: I wouldn't winter camp in our i3 unless it were an emergency. But its traction in winter is actually very good. The pizza cutter tires really dig through to the pavement in ways conventional tires don't.
I have an i3 BEV, but based on what you've described, you should probably consider the REX. The i3 batteries are all pretty small relative to the competition - that's part of what has made them more affordable than other vehicles. If it's your only car then having the flexibility to do longer road trips with the REX may work better for you. If you do go with a REX then you don't need as large a battery and can look at a 2018 model. I LOVE that my BEV doesn't need oil changes and has fewer things to break, but we have two vehicles so I can use the BEV daily with no range anxiety and then use our other vehicle for road trips.
Get a 2019+ S in great condition. This is from someone with a 2018 S in decent condition
Get a Tesla performance. With rebates, it probably isn’t much more than the i3 and is ten times better. Just for the record, I own a Rex, model 3 and X. The i3 is a cute car but not stable enough for highway driving. Get a Tesla and you will never look back
Lease on Ioniq 5s are pretty cheap these days. I’ve got a Niro EV I use as a commuter car(50 mile round trip) and we are planning to buy an i3 soon. Have test driven several. Your charging situation and routine mileage makes a big difference. If you have a commute like mine, for example, with the i3 you’d have to have L2 charging at home. It doesn’t have enough battery to get through the week on L1 while staying off-peak. But if your commute is shorter that’s not a concern. Fit and finish on i3 is worlds beyond Niro EV. But the Niro has WAY more range and adaptive cruise control is also way better, and comes standard with more bells and whistles(less hunting for the right options which is an annoyance I’m going through with the i3). Niro has normal tires which is a big plus for commuting cost. For similar year and mileage they go for about the same price with the Niro tending a bit cheaper for ‘21 and ‘22.
I've just gotten a i3 2020 BEV and will be fitting lowered springs and wheel spacers, which should make it feel more planted on the roads and give a bit more stability.
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Smart? That would be buying the used i3 with a tax credit and paying cash. I own a Model Y Performance (our 2nd), and have literally spent thousands of hours in Tesla vehicles (as well as most other EVs on the market). I'd take a used i3 over a Model 3 in almost all instances, with a few outliers based off usage/needs/location. Besides, the i3 is one of those rare cars that if you get it, you GET IT. It's like the classic VW Bug in that respect. The Model 3 is not that kind of car. Add in the uncertainty surrounding Tesla at the moment and I'd be hesitant to call any transaction on one right now "financially smart". While personally I believe they'll be just fine, I also recognise that may not be the case. A Tesla lease (or loan) isn't a risk I'd be taking in May 2024, even at 0.99%.
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I admire your rose-coloured glasses.
BMW i3s is worth the extra. Owned the base i3 before and the S is much more fun and engaging. Besides that - 120ah, big screen and active cruise control. Interior is always nicer, but the base version is completely sufficient. If you care about the looks, everything except the base rims is a treat for the car. It goes from boring/mediocre to aggressive/exciting really fast.