New to me BMW i3

S

Shadrach777

New Member
Yeah for me, I joined the EV club with a used 2015 i3 BEV.

Giga world
20" wheel upgrade
Technology Package
Parking Assistant
Stereo Upgrade

16.3k + TT&L w/ 24k miles

My daily commute is only 30 miles round trip, so I figured this used vehicle would fit me perfectly. My wife still has hesitations about the purchase for the remote instances where she will need to take the youngest baby to the doctor/pediatrician while I take care of the rest of the kids using our SUV.

My 1 way trip to work consists of roughly 4 mile suburbs, followed with 10 miles highway (70 mph when not backed up) then 1 mile city. First drive this morning had more stop and go traffic than what I was anticipating, but the guess-o-meter still says I have 70 mile range left to get home.

I did run into the strange scenario where the sun light caused my sensor to go awry and not provide cruise control this morning. It worked fine last night when I drove it home from the dealership, but then I was driving home in the rain (in July in Texas??? weird). I'm enjoying the car and look forward to never having to go to a gas station again (for my car) and always leaving home with a preconditioned car and a full battery.
 
Yes, if the sun is just at the right angle it can mess with the camera. Someone mentioned that you should be able to press and hold one of the follow distance buttons to set "Normal" cruise? I haven't tested this yet.

In an emergency you can always summon a Lyft or Uber or rent a car. Make sure she is familiar with the car as it drives differently than most cars.

My work installed charging stations so I am looking forward to having a preheated car this winter and a warm battery.

Enjoy the new (to you) car! I have had my 2015 Rex for about 3 months now, favorite car I have owned.
 
Wow, fully equipped! Nice! Sounds like you're loving the car already. You'll be loving it more and more. This is also my favorite car that I've owned by a long shot. Every car has had it's history that I'll always miss though.

One thing about the i3 though is that if it has to be towed, it needs to go on a flatbed truck. Just be aware of that. AAA doesn't always have flatbeds available, at least where I'm from.
 
sipabit said:
Wow, fully equipped! Nice! Sounds like you're loving the car already. You'll be loving it more and more. This is also my favorite car that I've owned by a long shot. Every car has had it's history that I'll always miss though.

One thing about the i3 though is that if it has to be towed, it needs to go on a flatbed truck. Just be aware of that. AAA doesn't always have flatbeds available, at least where I'm from.
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Yup, still enjoying the car.

There are times when I want something with more range, but then I think about how much more debt I would have to tack on versus just paying $8-$10 for the random super charge as needed. I only super charged 2 times in the last 6 months, and only 1 time it was needed, the other time I was making sure it worked on my car. I've done level 2 charging probably 6-8 times, but mostly just use level 1 charging at home. There's also times when I want more room to seat my family of 6, but I can't afford a Tesla Model X at this point in time.

After 6 months of ownership I believe my wife is 95% towards acceptance. She is still very hesitant for long trips, 60-70 mile round trip with no charging. I tell her that all she has to do is charge it as needed if she think she won't make it home, but she doesn't want to worry about charging it. However, for all other short trips she absolutely loves driving it around town. The bigger kids (5 and 7) always want to ride in Daddy's car because it's fast, and apparently they love telling everyone about it.

I find it funny when I look at my wife's Yukon XL next to my i3 in the garage, it's like they are diametrically opposed.
 
I also noticed that as the kids get older, you don't need as large of a car. No more carseat and no more stroller!
It's not "super charging". Super charging is for Teslas and charge at a much faster rate. You're referring to Level 3 charging.
Glad your wife and kids are loving the car. They'll love it more and more as time goes on.
 
Update: I traded in the i3 for a used Tesla Model 3 mid-range. I couldn't hold back any longer and God blessed me with a higher paying job. Range anxiety is no longer an issue, and I get to enjoy the added benefits of "full self driving", integrated dash cam and security cam. I still can't cart around the entire family in the Tesla, but the Model X was still too pricey and big for me.
 
Shadrach777 said:
Update: I traded in the i3 for a used Tesla Model 3 mid-range. I couldn't hold back any longer and God blessed me with a higher paying job. Range anxiety is no longer an issue, and I get to enjoy the added benefits of "full self driving", integrated dash cam and security cam. I still can't cart around the entire family in the Tesla, but the Model X was still too pricey and big for me.
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Congratulations on finding a very good deal! I can relate as my choices have been similar to yours.

I need a car that allows access to the HOV lane while commuting across the Bay Bridge from Oakland, CA. I drove a 2012 Prius Plug-in Advanced for six years and it was the perfect choice for saving money on fuel and tolls, while providing comfort during my 7 or 8 trips to Los Angeles each year. When the HOV stickers expired I traded the Prius for a used 2014 BMW i3 BEV, it was an even trade.

I loved the i3 but was growing disillusioned watching BMW slowly abandon a car with so much potential. When Tesla started pushing online sales, I gave it a try. They offered a low interest rate loan, and $14.5K for my i3 trade-in, so I made the switch to a Model 3 LR RWD.

The Model 3's operational design is the best I have ever experienced. Small details are both intuitive and well thought out. I'm impressed every time I drive it.
 
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