BMW i3

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rawsco
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Re: BMW i3

Post by rawsco » Fri Aug 17, 2018 11:35 am

Hmm so the i3s with RX (the one thats a bit faster and sportier) has a list price of 40,125 making it ridiculous to tax for 5 years, £450 a year. Even if you buy used. for the sake of 125quid BMW could have done their customers a favour.
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Re: BMW i3

Post by Stevoraith » Fri Aug 17, 2018 4:59 pm

That's ridiculous, you'd think manufacturers would be wise to that.
I bet nobody will even pay over £40k for it but it works on list price doesn't it so you'll still get charged the nonsense tax even if you pay under £40k new.

I'll just get one without the REX as that'll be under £40k list price and has the advantage of being lighter and quicker :wink:
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Re: BMW i3

Post by rawsco » Mon Aug 27, 2018 9:27 am

Popped into Eastern to enquire about the i3. It’s just never a pleasant experience going into a BMW dealer. After a load faff, waiting, being mistaken for 3 other customers then some incompetence (they’d lost the keys, couldn’t find a sales person that knew anything about i3s) we got a look inside the i3 demonstrator. Seems quite spacious inside and well finished. Miniblonde agreed. But mostly all optional extras so I think keeping under the 40k threshold for a nice one i.e i3s with the RX and decent interior with a few nice options will be impossible. So this might push me to find a well Specced used example.

Anyways after more faff with the sales droid, we have arranged to have an extended test drive for a weekend to see how we get on with it. I’ve never been asked to “follow the process sir, you need to have a test drive in order to have a test drive” before or felt like i was sitting in some sort of technical assessment centre.
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Re: BMW i3

Post by rawsco » Tue Aug 28, 2018 1:39 pm

So been researching this a bit more and suffice to say that c8rkh somewhat understated the depreciation... taking a 12-18 month old i3 listed for sale with 4k (ish) miles on it, decent spec. probably list about 38k, trade value 18.5K :shock: that is utterly astonishing, even when you take the 4.5K from the gov. into the equation. Going by the price of 3-5 year old cars it doesn't look like thats gonna tail off either. so any running cost benefits are completely obliterated. I thought the X5 was bad, so far looking at a loss of about 8-10K over 2 years on that.

There is absolutely no forking way Im buying a new one, or even a used one given the margins dealers are attempting to retain. Unless there are mahoooooooosive discounts available, like 10k+ off list then I'm out.

That said my mate works for a car Auction company and getting one with a warranty at trade price might be the way to go to minimise potential exposure. Shame. Probably just cancel the extended test drive now.
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Re: BMW i3

Post by pete » Tue Aug 28, 2018 6:52 pm

You're gith in that it is shocking (just back from the BMW dealer ourselves) but you have to make sure you are including the running costs as there is such a massive difference. Was your X5 new?

There's rumoured to be a hard "floor" on Leaf values of around 4.5k just down to the value and utility of the batteries..
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Re: BMW i3

Post by j2 lot » Tue Aug 28, 2018 8:07 pm

rawsco wrote:
Mon Aug 27, 2018 9:27 am
Miniblonde agreed. But mostly all optional extras so I think keeping under the 40k threshold for a nice one i.e i3s with the RX and decent interior with a few nice options will be impossible. So this might push me to find a well Specced used example
Even a used car will have £450 tax for the first 5 years if it was over £40k new and registered after May17. So you will need to find one registered before then to avoid being stung.
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Re: BMW i3

Post by campbell » Wed Aug 29, 2018 12:08 am

Seems there is a way to go yet then.

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rawsco
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Re: BMW i3

Post by rawsco » Wed Oct 10, 2018 4:58 pm

The i3 case limps on and is not dead yet... they’ve just released a 120Ah version which means I don’t need the RX version now... I reckon I can almost pay for it in the savings of diesel via a competitive lease... just awaiting figures.

Not having the lotus just now has highlighted that we really could do with having two cars for day to day stuff especially in the winter when the Exige is hibernating.
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Re: BMW i3

Post by pete » Wed Oct 10, 2018 8:23 pm

We've just spent way too long trying to pick a replacement. The Ipace is nice and on a lease not that much but we really like the i3 so are going to buy it from the lease company.

It's not perfect but it is very good...
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Re: BMW i3

Post by Scotty C » Wed Oct 17, 2018 10:27 am

We are about to head out of town to live in the sticks (kind of) and the transporter if going to be a luxury. I will have a 60+ mile commute per day. so starting to think about something a bit more economical then the Transporter. i showed Lindsay a i3 last night and she hatted it. so what are my options, without braking the bank?

I really like the look of the Toyota C-HR, 4x4 will be handy for the winter and having a family car would be good, we also have a couple of dogs.

Other option is to buy a shed, keep the transporter.
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Re: BMW i3

Post by pete » Thu Oct 18, 2018 6:42 pm

Speak nicely to BMW and try and get a weekend test drive. Lindsay might change her mind.

Suzy just brought ours up to Aviemore even though she had to stop for a charge, she loves it.
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Re: BMW i3

Post by Ferg » Mon Oct 22, 2018 11:37 pm

How long is a stop for a charge? Seems to be a feature. Cup of coffee length or longer?

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Re: BMW i3

Post by rawsco » Tue Oct 23, 2018 6:30 am

80% in 30 min at a dc rapid charge station
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Re: BMW i3

Post by Shug » Tue Oct 23, 2018 8:49 am

rawsco wrote:
Tue Oct 23, 2018 6:30 am
80% in 30 min at a dc rapid charge station
Assuming the one you're planning on using is working that day. Seems to be a bugbear that the networks are up and down like a tarts knickers. Not massive if you're commuting around a city, but limits desire in more rural locales... A mate of mine used to run a Leaf, came down one night planning to jump on a quick charge in Girvan - charger was dead. He had to limp it on faith to a slow charger in Ayr, then sit for two hours. Got home at 3am from a normal evening visit.

It's coming - probably here in city and the 'burbs, but not practical for all yet.
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Re: BMW i3

Post by flyingscot68 » Tue Oct 23, 2018 9:03 am

I took the new Leaf for a test drive a few weeks ago.

Really liked it tbh, feels like a proper grown up car, quick off the mark, plenty room and well equipped. Driving only using the one pedal is a doddle, only takes a minute to get used to how hard the brakes come on when you lift the throttle.

I'm considering replacing one of the taxis with one. There's a couple of guys in town using them as taxis so I'll see how they get on. i3 no use to me as it's only a four seater, then there's the looks.

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