I have an early 2014 UK car in the same trim as yours, well the same interior. Mine doesn't have the sunroof and a couple of things look a bit different. My 'things to know' added to your list. 1) range varies A LOT depending on outside temperature. If it's cold I'll get way less distance out of the battery, by up to 20% 2) my car has a lighter coloured footwell and carpets than your car and they show the dirt pretty badly. 3) the suicide doors, whilst they're cool, make it a nightmare to get out of the back if you're bay-parked in a tight space because you have to open the front door first and close it last. Probably not a problem in the US. But you can find yourself shimmying in and out very awkwardly! 3) The front seatbelt anchors are attached to the rear suicide doors, so even if you just want to quickly let someone out of the back, just cracking open the front door isn't enough to open the back door. You also have to remove your belt! (My guess is that this feature is to show off the pillar-less interior space afforded by the highly rigid carbon composite body) 4) the regenerative 'engine braking' doesn't operate as hard at full battery or when you confuse the traction control (e.g. going over potholes) and you come to rely on it, so that can cause a scary moment before you learn to anticipate it! I know I listed all 'bad' stuff, but overall the car is wonderful and a lot of the good stuff you mentioned. One pedal driving, quiet, ready to go straight away, loads of usable performance in traffic, instant torque, great handling (RWD and 50/50 weight distribution), amazing interior. A very special car.

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Dan Katz thank you so much for your insight and additions to the list! I’m sure it will be very helpful to others. I completely agree with the frustration of opening the back doors in tight spaces...especially when you have a bags/groceries to take out. After 6 months, I’m definitely still loving the car, although we are entering the colder season, so I’ll definitely have to see how the battery performs!

@midknight2K

5 жыл бұрын

on the newer models the front seats can also move forward (like 2 door cars do ) to help let your rear passengers not sure if it is on the older i3 models.

@Woflcat

5 жыл бұрын

I have a question regarding the early year i3's, did you experience any sort of battery degradation ?

@dankatz5224

5 жыл бұрын

@@Woflcat nothing I've really noticed, of course the range you'll get versus advertised range can vary depending on your driving style. You might also expect to get smoother as an EV driver and better at extracting that battery charge over the time you have the car. The i3 has a battery thermostat unlike even the new Leaf (IIRC) that is passively cooled or something? So Nissan suggest to extend battery life, you should wait before you plug it in when you've just been driving it, which obviously nobody is going to do. The i3 doesn't have this issue as far as I know. Certainly the variance in range from hot to cold has been much greater than any perceived battery degradation over time. The biggest issue with the i3 in the first place is its range, if you are regularly going to need to go 80-100 miles I would suggest either a Range Extender model, a newer i3 or a different EV like the Chevy Bolt. But of course, then you don't get all the nice design touches and cool experience of the i3. I would say though, if you have another car in the household for taking long trips, you will be amazed at how often you use the i3. They are a fantastic deal on the used market, since many consumers have these same concerns and BMW for their part have obviously over-engineered the car as a 'halo product' to alleviate buyers' fears. I don't think used EVs will be available for such low prices at 2-5 years old for very long as they become more mainstream and understood to be inherently reliable. We do 10,000 - 12,000 miles a year in the i3, just because it's always the first choice for any journey that is within range! I hope that helps.

@dankatz5224

5 жыл бұрын

@@midknight2K yes, indeed they do! The difficulties I'm talking about aren't so much getting your feet on the ground / out of the car, more that when you find yourself there in a tight spot you're stuck between both the half-open doors! You have to shimmy towards the front door and carefully close the back door. Not a huge problem if you're relatively fit and healthy, it's your car and you know what you're doing. But most of the time my rear passengers have never used a car like this before! So the temptation is to let people out of the back before you park in the space, and you can do this, but you have to remove your belt first because the driver's belt braces to the rear door. It's not a deal-breaker by any means, just something to be aware of. I guess it probably wouldn't be a problem in the States because your parking bays are so much wider than ours in the UK. I would also say it's a challenge for the elderly, again only in a tight spot. The car is actually ok in general for older people because it's quite high up and you don't have to stoop to get in, a bit like a compact crossover.

To answer your A/C question, when you said it went back to 132 but air was still blowing. The reason it went back up to 132 from 119 is because you pressed the green A/C button and turned off the air conditioning compressor so the range went back up. It was still blowing air because only the FAN was on blowing in outside air but not cooling it with the Air Conditioner. The fan uses practically no energy so you won’t see much if any decrease in range. You may have felt cold air was still coming in even after you turned off the green A/C button because there was still left over cold air in the unit which hadn’t come out through the vents yet, in a few minutes it would just be the fan bringing in air from outside, at whatever temperature he outside air happened to be. However the salesman should have told you that using A/C or Heating drastically reduces range in all electric vehicles. Actually air doesn’t drain nearly as much as the heater. The heater will drop your range even more if it’s really cold outside. Also batteries get lower range in the cold as well so it’s reduced by that too.

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for being so thorough in your explanation! I think one of the things that confuses me that I was trying to show, is that sometimes if I press the “auto” button, the range will fluctuate so much. Sometimes the range will increase when I hit auto, as compared to not having any air/fan running in the car. I did read that weather conditions can have a big effect on the range. In Vancouver, we’re lucky it doesn’t get too cold, but it will be interesting to see come winter.

@OurFantasyLife

5 жыл бұрын

The range also fluctuates because it's an estimate, not a hard value.

@lucjaimar4494

5 жыл бұрын

Great explanation! The compressor requires way more power.

@quinn_nz

5 жыл бұрын

Hey, Tim Cook 👋

@ramseya81

5 жыл бұрын

It's the same for every car in the universe. AC consumes power.

5:00 For the rear passengers I think of the i3 as basically a 3 door hatchback - can't get out without front door open, can't roll down the windows. The suicide doors just make it slightly easier to get in and out than tilting the front seats forward.

Greetings from Prague. As for the sunroof which is split into two separate windows. It has something to do with the rigidity and stiffness of the life module from carbon fibers. Safety for all passengers will dramatically decrease if there’s just one big sunroof.

I live alone in Florida, am age 74 and my travel is now limited mostly to 5 miles round trip every one or two weeks to Walmart for grocery curbside pickup. Hence, I last week I was able to get a great, absolutely spontaneous deal on an immaculate 2017 i3 in blue with moon roof. I'd never even set in an EV. I felt totally green casting off combustion range extenders and the maintenance costs of them. I do like the 33kw battery over the older version and made my 110 mile trip home from buying it with a 13 mile reserve on Eco Pro +. It was a great opportunity to really identify my car's max range on a 65 degree day and the 2+ hour trip experience that I now want to do again now that I know the steering wheel goes in and out too as well as up and down. I have been into the Owner's Manual and Genius How to KZread videos like I was back in college learning a new profession lol, and am amazed at the technology I was ignorant of. I once had a 427 Corvette so I won't call the i3 fast, but will say it is more spirited than any car I've had in the last 45 years including my current 2012 Chrysler 200 Limited 3.6 Convertible. (The i3 moon roof saves my sun soul) I see your points about the cons you observed, but my backseat will probably never be used. Since the entire body is made of carbon fiber, I believe the overhead divider is for structural integrity and did give BMW a good reason to design such a handy moon roof setup. The only con I can add, that is probably related more to my oversized stomach than the door design, is the pointed section just below the window sometimes rakes my stomach when I open or close the door in a standing position. I hope you have been having, or had, a great time with yours as I am looking forward to a long and beautiful friendship with mine at least until I need to buy new tires way down the short road I travel. P.S. My dog Molly is gone now but she would have had no use for the back seat either, or even the wonderful navigation system.

@LValiquette

3 жыл бұрын

Hi Rick! Thank you so much for sharing your view on the i3! I truly appreciate hearing from other owners. I'm so happy to hear that you have been loving it. I agree, the moon roof is definitely a must have - I keep it open year round, just for added light in the car (it makes it feel bigger to me haha). I've also had the opportunity to drive it on a long road trip and really test out it's range ability...there was a scary moment where I got down to about 10km of range left, but that was a lesson learned!

very helpful.. i have just ordered mine. cannot wait!

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Exciting! Congratulations!

The reason why you have so much room between the driver and passenger is not because there isn't a console but rather in the EV world there is no transmission as you would have in a traditional ICE vehicle is because that is where the transmission is typically placed. They put a console there to cover the bump there would normally be and a console over the area to add a place for the shift knob and to give you some extra storage.

@LValiquette

3 жыл бұрын

thank you for the info!

It’s perfect for a single person or a couple without small child. Otherwise the Leaf is the best option for a family. I love the i3 because you get all the perks of a BMW without the insane service cost (just tires & brakes)

@LValiquette

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, I completely agree with everything you said!

Great comments - thanks! The stiff headrests are part of the roll cage; they protect you like roll bars if you're in an accident. The divider in the sunroof is probably also there for safety's sake.

@LValiquette

3 жыл бұрын

Ahhh I didn’t know that about the headrests, thank you for the info!

@anhiirr

2 жыл бұрын

yep same to the stationary windows just like coupes. Adds structural integrity for stuff like rear-ending/body panel hits. Vs a movable window with a hollow door....which would buckle more often and be a more COSTLY repair. Since its carbon bmw must have done its HW during testing To bolster the door/dogleg.

I’m a new i3 driver. I completely agree with you on the lack of a lane departure system. I also agree with you on all the pros. The car is uniquely genius and the production and materials are revolutionary. Happy Driving to you! Nice video!

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

I thought that the lane departure system or blind spot monitoring would be standard on most new vehicles now. (I learned that the bmw x1 also doesn't have the blind spot monitor, even as an option.) But, that aside, the car is very unique and the materials used are top of the line. Enjoy your new i3 and thanks for watching!

Thank you for the review

One-pedal driving is not a "feature", per se - it is a characteristic of regenerative braking. I agree, though, it's kind of cool once you get the timing down. The only drawback is that if I don't use the brake pedal occasionally, rust builds up as it does on any disc brakes.

@tinaturner5186

5 жыл бұрын

Ray Maas Yes, rusty discs is a feature of your (and mine) efficient driving. I have to remember to use them from time to time

Not a battery fluctuation, but rather AC consumes energy that reduces range the fan does not. I also think you meant to say Blind Spot Monitor. Hope you’re still enjoying the car. We love ours. Thanks for posting for those who know less than I do / we do!

Love this car's interior! Nobody else does textures like this anymore. Great video!

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Tacoma98 The interior is definitely unique and the contrasting textures/fabrics are eye-catching. Thanks for watching!

I miss sitting in your little spaceship! Miss you too❤️❤️ I am still laughing at your story of when you went to buy it😂😂

@LValiquette

6 жыл бұрын

Yes, the little spaceship! All that haggling I did... means more money for bags! Hope you guys can come and visit again soon! xo

How do you find it in winter conditions? I'm assuming you're from Canada so I'd like to know how it handles especially in highway with snow. Do you use winter tires? Thx

Great info. Clear, concise, complete. Thanks.

@LValiquette

4 жыл бұрын

Michael Self thank you!

Congratulations on your new i3. I also have a 2017 I3 Rex and I love it too. Super fun.

@LValiquette

3 жыл бұрын

It’s such an amazing car! Glad to hear you are still loving it!

I enjoy watching you as it’s my first time to see your review as I’m considering buying a used 2017 BMW i3. I M a CA girl living in the UK. Your pros vs cons helps me a lot. Keep up the good work. You are very good at doing videos.

@LValiquette

3 жыл бұрын

Georgia Cheer thank you! I’m glad I could help! Buying a car is definitely a big purchase, so it’s always good to hear what others think. Good luck!

Actually really helpful - thank you!

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Glad I could help! Thanks for watching!

I'm thumbs up #1! I enjoyed your honest review cute car thanks for sharing😊

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the support! ☺️

Regarding One-Pedal driving, I agree it's really fun and gives you a lot of control. But most importantly, using that feature helps your range because the energy used to slow the car (without brakes) goes back into the battery. When you use the brakes the energy used to stop is wasted in heat at the wheels.

@martinrobertson8401

5 жыл бұрын

Not always - in a Prius the brake pedal is regenerative braking down to 7mph then friction except in an emergency. So you have a conventional accelerator/brake layout and let the car work out what is best, or have a one pedal accelerator/regen brake and a seperate friction brake and the driver has to figure it out. Also does the one pedal regen braking put the brake lights on so the driver behind knows you are decelerating?

Air con makes air cold, this uses energy... even in a normal car. Turn it off and the coldest the air will be coming through the vents is the outside temperature. This uses less energy. 👍🏼

There is a tilt feature on the head rest . If you look in the back there is a button to change the angle of the head rest

@wioletta9408

4 жыл бұрын

I have exactly the same car .Therevis no button to adjust the headrest:(It has something to push forward the whole backrest to make easy access to the back seat.

The good and the bad. I leased a 2018 i3 Rex with all the options, and for the most part I really like the car. For what it's worth, here is a short list of the things I really like about the car, followed by my top complaints about my i3. I'm in the US, so some issues may pertain just to that version. The Good: - One-Pedal driving (Not unique to i3, but still great) - The large interior despite a small body. - Environmental sustainability of the materials - The headlights are excellent. (Not all new cars can claim that.) - Automatic hold from rolling when stopped going uphill. - (There's more but these stand out.) The Bad: - Speedometer reads 2-3 mph high. Other BMW owners say this is due to Germany laws forbidding a low reading, so BMW opts to error the other way. There is no adjustment as far as I know. This needs to be fixed. - Cannot make mirrors fold in automatically when car is locked, only manually. - No front fog lights offered, even though UK & EU versions have them. - No rear fog light (ala Volvo) offered, even though UK & EU versions have them. - No BLIS (My 2008 Volvo had it, for goodness sake.) - Rear wiper does not resume when car is started, even though switch is left on. (You have to turn it off and back on for some reason.) - Poor enhanced cruise control (much to say, too little space) - No lane assist option - No Up-To-Date operator manuals available, printed or electronic. They all have incorrect or missing representations of the controls and features. - One last negative comment: I've never successfully used the auto-park feature because it takes too long to get it set up and started before someone has come up behind me leaving no room to back up. I can shift into reverse and back into a spot manually much more quickly. ☺

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Bill Spencer thanks for such a detailed list outlining your pros/cons about the car! I didn’t know about the speedometer reading higher, that’s very interesting. I have to say I agree with the majority of your points. I have only used the auto park once, but honestly the car is so small, with a ton of visibility, that it’s so easy to park it.

@waltercardona7404

5 жыл бұрын

I can confirm that even the older models including my 2015 BMW i3 read about 2 to 3 miles above the actual speed you are travelling. Also there is the option to program the rear view mirrors to fold in when the lock button or keyless entry button is held. You just have to buy a Bluetooth OBD2 adapter from Amazon and the bimmercode app from the iOS app store or Google play store. It works wonders and you can even program your REx version to allow you to manually start the gas generator at any point in time after the battery has dropped below 75%. It definitely helps with road trips. Both the adapter and the bimmercode in-app activation purchase run you about $50 to $60 dollars.

@000OO0OOO0

5 жыл бұрын

You can code auto folding mirrors.

@losmeets98

5 жыл бұрын

theory816 In heavy fog the fog lights can be very helpful to display the lane/road markings more clearly. Of course in most parts of Europe and North America these conditions are very rare, and only milf fog is experienced from time to time.

Good job. I test drive it and I love the feeling of driving it.

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

It’s quite a great little car!

I have the 2014 bmw i3 rex- love the car- so does my wife - had it 14 months- still love it- rex version eliminates range anxiety

@mariemathews9618

4 жыл бұрын

Approximately how many highway miles does this car go with rex? And how much of that would the air conditioner consume if I used it? I have highway driving of 133 miles which typically takes 2 - 2 1/2 hours unless there's traffic.

@AliceinJapan

4 жыл бұрын

I want to get an older model however I can’t find one to purchase with a warranty that will cover if the battery or other issues occur.

Great honest review of things the sales people won’t tell you about. A small point to get you thinking, Americans/Canadians (and others I’m sure) call the accelerator pedal the “gas” pedal...... the car you are driving is electric so there is no gasoline in it.....that made me laugh a little.

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

bertie1989 😂 haha! I actually never thought of that, but you’re totally right.

@billspencer6338

5 жыл бұрын

Some people like the term "Go Pedal".

Thank you! Great review and saved me some extra research!

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Ms. Eddy Glad I could help! Thanks for watching!

@tanagrant6252

2 жыл бұрын

I'm thinking of buying one Monday for UberEats. Recommend?

I would like to help you although I have never seen your videos and probably YT targeted me as a BMW owner (not this one of course :D). But I hope this will help you and others that will become car enthusiasts. Hopefully BMW. Not electric :D Anyways, I will go by order: 1. This is not about the seats but about the jeans, and they tend to make them more and more like this. The solution is micellar water (without oil). It is aggressive enough, but will not damage the materials, same as it will not damage our faces much and does not need to rinse. I just hope the colours have not absorbed into your car seats, as then there is no way but chemical cleaning to fix this. So, buy a Curapox super soft toothbrush, spray some micellar on in and put some on the seats. Brus it out, wipe with a dry microfibre cloth. Viola, clean seats ;) You can do the same with other surfaces, your shoes, couches, etc. No need to thank me, when you become a famous KZreadr remember me at some giveaway. 2. This sucks, they should have made it adjustable, but put a pillow on your seat, this will make a barrier between your jeans as well, less cleaning. 3. Lane assist was optional I believe. 4. Most electric cars have these problems with a battery, unfortunately. But if you turn on the AC in a normal car, it will waste 10% more fuel for that reason. 5. You actually don't have rear windows, this is the same with every coupe. The stuff you like I will not comment. Enjoy the drive.

"super duper..." I love your car girl!

great review! Really helped!

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks!

Good and honest review - great like an expert - Greetings from Munich ☺

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you! Greetings from Vancouver!

Is it good for long travel any major servicing costs or anything ??

That was really informative. I have just ordered a 5 door i3 as I really want to go electric.

@LValiquette

3 жыл бұрын

Congratulations! I hope that you love it!

@slavicdollx

3 жыл бұрын

5 door ?

@savedfaves

3 жыл бұрын

@@slavicdollx yes, the door on the rear.

I have the same car, except I have the range extender. As other people have mentioned, the predicted range is just that, a prediction. Gasoline cars with this feature do the same thing. And you can see the % battery remaining on the dashboard. It does not fluctuate. The seat discoloration things seems kind of obvious. Cream colored leather will pick up dye from your clothing. It's one reason why light color interiors are not popular.

This is an update a year later: I have had my “Litl’ Blue” 2017 BMW i3 BEV 33Kw 94Ah since 01/25/2021. I bought it in showroom condition from an original owner with 24k on the odometer. I’m 75, drive it about 30-100 miles a month mostly to pick up online ordered groceries and to visit the VA clinic. I use a 240V, 16A (3.84Kw) Level 2 charger in my carport routed inside as an alternate to my dryer outlet. I get 13.5 miles per hour of charging and at home my FPL electric cost at $0.031 per Mile. If there is a more perfect EV out there, I simply don’t want it. I don’t need more range, acceleration, styling, features, reliability, comfort, handling, or value. Litl Blue is obviously my Forever Car. Paid $16,500 but was offered $24,000 by Edmunds 3 months ago which tickled my worn out ego.😀

@LValiquette

Жыл бұрын

Yay! So happy to hear you are still loving it. It’s really been such a great car for me. No issues and I like that it’s not everywhere…like Tesla’s haha. I still get stopped all the time about it.

Very well done video. Thanks

Liked this one, thanks!

@LValiquette

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Cute and funny! Especially the part where you explain how you can accelerate at the lights🤣

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Lol! I only do it when it’s safe, I swear haha!

Not sure anyone touched on it yet but the description of lane assist is incorrect. What was described was blind spot warning. Lane assist helps you to keep the car in-between the lines on the road. I just got an i3s and don't mind not having lane assist but wish I had the blind spot warning.

I’ve been watching your channel for a while and love it! I’ve recently been looking at i3’s. Wondering if you still have yours and if you are still liking it?

It’s like the fully loaded soccer Mom vehicle that all soccer moms dream of

I want to buy a used one, I drive about 80 miles a day 40 to work 40 to home, which model should I look for?

There is lane assist in your car. Do you mean there is no blind spot detection instead?

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Yep, that’s what I meant! I wish I could go back and change it in my video *facepalm* haha.

@james-tennis

5 жыл бұрын

@@LValiquette you aren't wrong, there is no lane assist. Or I've had the car for 3 years and don't know it. Maybe if you're using adaptive cruise control it can assist if you're getting out of your lane but I'm 99 percent sure it doesn't do that.

@hiitsstacy

5 жыл бұрын

LValiquette thank you so much for sharing your lovely i3! First thing I asked the salesperson was if this car has blind spot assist (I’ve had this feature and it is hard to let go) and he said no because this car has great view and it practically doesn’t need blind spot assists. My question is do you feel the same? Thank you in advance.

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

I would have to agree with the salesperson, the car does have really great visibility! When I do shoulder checks, there aren't really any parts of the car blocking my view. While I would have liked to have the blind spot assist as extra reassurance, it definitely is not needed with the car! Hope this helps!

@hiitsstacy

5 жыл бұрын

LValiquette thank you for the input! It’s really helpful.

Great video!!!

I slided in a 60 inch new TV in its box into the backseat area with no problems at all! Love those back doors!!!!

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

That’s amazing! It is quite roomy!

More options = more weight , if you take note as to the “battery fluctuation” aka the car only has so much juice and turning the AC on will deplete that energy which means the car won’t travel as far.

LValiquette, - Don't use baby wipes on real leather seats, use only mild soap and water or purpose designed cream cleaner, battery doesn't fluctuate it is only the computer estimating the possible range, if you were so inclined you could change the front seats with adjustable head rests? - hugh otherwise good review

Ok the back window thing threw me off. I went to the Stephen James dealership and viewed one of these as I really wanted one. I’ve since changed my mind about buying one, but having seen this vid I don’t regret my decision.

CUTIE... THANKS 👍🏿 FOR THA GOOD INFO

@LValiquette

Жыл бұрын

That's ridiculous!

If you’re on Facebook search for the BMW i3 Worldwide Group. Lots of other owners are on there and we’ve discussed lots of issues at length so it might be helpful for you. :) That said we still have our 2014 i3 BEV and still love it in Chicago.

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

I'll definitely go and check out this facebook group, sounds like I'll get a ton of info from it - thank you! I'm always so happy to hear from experienced i3 owners, glad to hear you still love it!

@TheEvh555

5 жыл бұрын

Oh how do you find it handles in the snow??

@dgdw

5 жыл бұрын

TheEvh555 With proper winter tires it’s a snow beast and works really well in the snow. With the 19” “All Seasons” it’s okay but not great. The 20” option are summer tires and would not be great in the winter at all. If you’re wanting to buy one in an area that gets snow I’d strongly recommend getting a set of winter wheels/tires and swapping them each season. I’ve become a huge fan of having snow tires on any vehicle I drive now, whatever the setup for the driven wheels is (RWD, FWD or AWD)

@AliceinJapan

4 жыл бұрын

Derek G. Weber Thank you. Going to check it out. I really want one but I’m afraid to buy because of the upkeep costs and battery.

smart video from a smart person - hope she can appreciate how much we can appreciate her work ethic..

Supper helpful 👍

@LValiquette

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you!

Great vid! We’ve got one and I agree with your conclusions 👍🏻

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Thank you! After a year, I’ve still really been enjoying it. Glad to hear from another i3 owner 😀

@cupidstunt22

5 жыл бұрын

LValiquette I find the torque great fun literally nothing beats you at the lights Ours is a REX so no battery anxiety And one pedal driving is the future!

Thanks for the info! I have my eyes on the 2018 Rex with all the tech fixings. I like the 2018 for the larger battery update. Looks like a 21-23k investment. Not bad considering it was 50k+ 2 years ago 😳

@LValiquette

3 жыл бұрын

Yes! Getting a 2018 now for such a great price is the way to go!

It's like watching my sister do a review!!!!!

Hi I have a question how does a rear facing baby seat work. Is it easy to put baby in and out? thanks Paula

do the brake lights come on if you take your foot off the accelerator to come to a stop?

They are super fun cars, the one pedal driving will also help increase range slightly if you are accelerating and stopping a lot because it spins the electric motor in reverse, acting as a generator which produces electricity, and also slows the car. And the spacious interior and lack of center console is due to the lack of the traditional combustion components. No engine and transmission up front, or fuel tank in the rear. Electric cars still have some learning to do now, but I think can be much more practical.

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Ahh, I actually didn’t really know how the regenerative breaking worked, thanks for explaining it! I have been seeing more electric cars around Vancouver, which is a great first step, but I can’t see what the future holds for EV’s!

@prettybaby80

5 жыл бұрын

One pedal?

It's funny, I'm actually not a big fan of the i3's one-pedal driving. I prefer the e-Golf's system of toggling it on and off via the shifter. But then again, having no shifter at all on the i3 is one of the reasons it's so spacious.

When u turn ac on your air conditioning compresor its turning and its draw curent out your car batery that why your car range drops when you turn off the compresor and let onli the fan to blow the fand draws less energy from your car battery and shows the same km on dashboard

I have a Chevy Spark and I enjoy the car but the range is just so close some days I decide to upgrade to one of these. Thanks so much for the info!

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

I’ve heard good things about the Chevy Spark! I hope you enjoy the i3, after a year of driving it, it’s been fantastic. Thank you for watching!

would you be interested in doing an updated review including thoughts about range if you still have this car?

@LValiquette

2 жыл бұрын

I still have this car and love it! I’ll do an update soon!

I get my i3s in a few weeks and i never realised the back windows dont move....sales didnt tell you that !

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Crazy huh!? Lesson learned, always check the back windows haha!I hope that you are enjoying your new car, the sport model is fantastic!

@70hibby

5 жыл бұрын

Ive only ever driven the i3 but wanted the S version for the extra oompf! :)

@70hibby

5 жыл бұрын

According to the 0-60 times its a little faster but i did watch a drag race on KZread between the 2 and there wasnt that much of a difference :)

Just bought a 94ah, Fully charged myself. LOVE IT. It only takes some time to get used to the flickering in kms

@LValiquette

4 жыл бұрын

Congratulations! It's such an incredible car.

@ilythiaAO

4 жыл бұрын

LValiquette Thank you! Works for everything I do. I don’t travel far. I live in Norway so the range isn’t too shabby, but cold here atm so I notice the reduction. Can’t wait for summer! :) Merry Xmas!

What is the size of your battery and what year is the car

I really love this car😭

Nice to have an owners view of the car rather than an ‘expert’. Nice one !

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Steven Barrett thank you! 😄

Well done excellent video - awesome cognitive think of the car!

@LValiquette

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! 👍

Ahhh! I love this car. It was one I was considering, but the range for my life isn't quite adequate. :(

@LValiquette

4 жыл бұрын

Yes, the range is definitely on the lower side. I'm lucky I don't have far to drive everyday for work, but in the winter...the range drops even more!

That one pedal driving is basically regenerative braking which is a phenomenal feature on all nearly all electric vehicles. Basically the kinetic energy in the car slowing down is used to recharge the batteries and that's what you feel when you take your foot of the accelerator / gas pedal - free energy, YES, FREE ENERGY ! I don't see a gas car doing that in a million years...

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Yes, I completely agree with you! It's amazing how I can drive my 14kms to work...but somehow only use about 8-10 kms of range, just based on the regenerative breaking. I can't wait to see the future of EV's, very exciting!

A/C systems run chillers and pumps and generate cool air and use a lot of power in the process - it's like taking a fridge with you. It's very normal to notice a large drop in range when you enable it - it's a power hungry system, not just on the i3 but even diesel / petrol cars. I drive a Citroen C-Zero in France from time to time with an A/C system and it's exactly the same, about a 16 to 18km drop in range when I enable it. Turn off the A/C and just leave the fans blowing and of course you'll get the range back, however I'd assume that if the fans were on at full blast (no A/C) you'd see a small drop in range. I agree with not having movable windows in the back, bit of a strange decision. They probably thought the A/C would simply keep everyone cool anyway, but for range you may want to switch that off.

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks for your comment, it's very helpful! The drop in range from using the A/C or turning on the heat (now in the fall), is quite shocking. I didn't realize it so much from just test driving the car. It's definitely something that I've had to get used to and I sort of have to choose the luxuries of using those systems or keeping my range.

Any options for a larger battery or has tank

I agree with her on the I3. However, I would not buy new. You can buy a 2018 I3 with 20k miles for only $18k. Great EV for sure. Thank you for your review.

@LValiquette

3 жыл бұрын

I agree with you! if you can get a used one for a great price, it can’t be beat.

Soooo jelly. I have (and love) an older Nissan Leaf (and a petrol guzzling Lexus). Note that the changes in battery usage based on the AC etc still exist on even ICE cars, it's just they aren't predicted and you don't know beforehand how much energy driving modes and accessories will use. I had no idea the rear windows didn't roll down on the BMW, and your explanation of the the two piece sunroof makes perfect sense. Also yeah... leather sucks. My other car is full of it, and I hate it. When I was a kid (I'm old as now), cloth and velour seats came out and everyone was so happy. Now, for some stupid reason, everyone thinks leather is up market. I guess that's how marketing works!!! Great video.

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

I've met so many Leaf owners at different charging stations, you guys are by far the nicest haha. It's so great learning about EV's from them and little tips and tricks! The Leaf is such a reliable car, I'm glad you are still loving yours! I've definitely learned what accessories to turn off and how to maximize the battery of the car. I really think it's a learning curve that you wouldn't be able to get from just test driving it.

The seats are tall because they help with reinforcing the roof. In a roll over. The sun roof is split into for strength as well

@LValiquette

3 жыл бұрын

Got it! Thank you!

Excellent Review and great toes😳😂😊👍

@LValiquette

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you ahaha!

Good video. Wish you touched on the range and charging but this was good to see

@LValiquette

5 ай бұрын

Glad I helped a bit!

Woot woot for the 7th Gen wipes!!!

I think you meant Blindspot Detection? Lane Keeping Assist is when the car steers itself, seeing the lines on the ground and helping you keep centered in the lane. Hope this helps!

@LValiquette

4 жыл бұрын

Yep! Hahaha! I did mean blind spot detection...I didn’t realize until after I posted the video. Thanks!

great review! spark EV is similar in size... and it can do a one-pedal style drive in LOW. but man.....that carbon fiber framing you have is amazing. rear wheel drive too yeah? nice car.

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks! The one-pedal drive has been so great, definitely a little bit of learning curve. I didn't realize the Spark also did one-pedal driving! I've only seen a few Sparks, but I've seen a ton of the Bolt's recently.

@MrPAULONEAL

4 жыл бұрын

The Bolt is the same way.

for those stains on your seats, have you ever tried using one of those "magic eraser" sponges by the Mr. clean guy? you can find them at target, walmart, and even the Dollar Tree if your local store has them! There are some knock off brands, but get the real deal- they work great. You use it dry and with a little rubbing it gets even stubborn marks off the leather, no scratches.

@LValiquette

3 жыл бұрын

Great suggestion! I'll have to give magic erasers a try! Those things are so great around the home, I didn't think to use them in my car.

@familiedejonge6813

Жыл бұрын

Never ever use a magic sponge on leather, it's quite agressieve...

Good torque is important when you’re at a stopped position and want to speed up to switch lanes or when you want to merge onto a highway to beat the sucker next to you.

@LValiquette

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, very true!

Thank you so much!!💕📝🚗✨

@nephmuw5495

4 жыл бұрын

ET W самаааф

Does it have a backup camera?

Great review. I have a 2015 i3 and LOVE it! Sunroof wasn't available that years so I lost out. One thing to note about one pedal operation. When you de-celerate without using the brake, remember that the car behind doesn't realize that this is the method you're using to brake - and because your brake lights don't come on, the reaction from the driver to your rear may be off. You don't want to get rear ended. So as a matter of practice, when I'm de-celerating, I also do a quick tap on the brake just to signal the drivers behind me when I'm stopping.

@keyman8164

5 жыл бұрын

There's a video on KZread that a man did showing brake lights coming on when taking foot off the accelerator .

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks! It really is a great car, isn’t it?! Glad to hear you are still enjoying yours! Hmmm, BMW has changed this safety feature with the one pedal driving in recent years. When I take my foot off the accelerator, my break light automatically comes on.

@ChrisCameronSuccess

4 жыл бұрын

LV - Great video! I love one-pedal driving! Brake lights do come on when decelerating with regen. To see it yourself, drive on a dark road at night with no cars behind you, and you should be able to see the brake lights come on. If you decelerate only slightly, they don't. Best car I've ever driven, and I love the higher driving position.

@melvinryznar2248

Жыл бұрын

Yes the brake lights do come on when you lift your foot of the pedal

Foes the range extender mean unlimited range as long as the ice has gas?

We Canadians love green stuff so I also bought a 2014 i3 and am loving it!

@LValiquette

2 жыл бұрын

Happy to hear that you are loving it! The i3 is a really amazing car.

@willwong1234

11 ай бұрын

@@LValiquette Absolutely, that's why I've influenced 2 friends of mine to get it and they did! Now, we've got three i3's in my friends circle.

the headrest is just "INCASE" you roll and the roof doesn't hold. Unfortunately same with your rear windows they are actually an aspect of structural integrity if they are stationary windows. Its unfortunate but an inherent aspect for safety ratings. It sucks considering you didnt know. This does help since i am considering it for a second job/ride share. Sure beats gas and having to add gas to a write off. With an equal emphasis to toque. I worked as a delivery driver so your statement about being at the front of a green light/line of traffic and jumping to the speed limit to reach the next line of cars...or make green lights IS HUGE in a job type setting or even ride sharing. No Transmisson either so im sure this thing is quite smooth Im not too sure how severe changing to a wider tire/rim would be just for some added performance/grip on turns/on/offramps But it is definitely one of my major interests since i saw they were thin and know its prob for range. Just more tire would be really ideal for passenger/weight. The headrest is going to act like a protection incase debris etc enters in the case of a flip/roll bc of the sunroof etc. Still good to know the info you provided.

Nice video. I liked that you touched on the points that no one told you about. I purchased a 2018 Chevy Bolt EV. Great car but as with all there are some quirks that no one mentions.

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Congrats on your new EV! Your car has such great range, happy driving!

@chicagomike2111

5 жыл бұрын

Thanks... yeah perfect for my work car. And like yours Fast as heck!

I have to buy this! But they sadly discontinued the range extender.

With the one pedal driving, do the brake lights come on when lifting foot off and coming to a stop or slowing down? They should as this is a necessary warning to anyone behind you. If not, then yet another flaw in EV's. I understand that in a city and if you do not travel great distances, then an EV is probably a safe purchase, but in rural areas where to go anywhere (like where I live in West Cork, Ireland) involves quite long distances, then an EV is out of the question. Someone near me bought a base model Nissan Leaf ~ the nearest charging point is 34km away, and then there is only one unit; if he wants to drive to Cork city, 50km away, he has to find a charging point there, which is not easy as there are few ideally situated points in Ireland, and then has to wait for 45 minutes to charge it enough to get him home. Once home and it is plugged in to his domestic supply, if someone urgently wanted assistance or he was called out, he could not go as his car was without sufficient charge. On top of all that, Ireland is predominately a wet, cold country, and his Leaf's range is very limited, but if he puts on any heat, or lights, or windscreen wipers, then the range is immediately compromised. EV's in a city, yes if that is your choice, but here in rural West Cork, not a viable proposition. The biggest problem here is the abysmal lack of charging points and the sprawled out countryside.

I hope that in the future they will add rear power windows. Also i think they need to add electric trunk closure

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Orit BC I completely agree!

Important factors! Excellent video! You’d be a great BMW sales rep! You’d be in demand!

@LValiquette

4 жыл бұрын

Thank you for the kind words!

Had my eyes on a used bmw i3 2014 w/the extender. The low price has me 2nd guessing myself but I honestly cannot find a reason not to buy it. Anyone know how much maintenance costs?

@LValiquette

3 жыл бұрын

I find the maintenance very easy! I only need to get the battery checked...it feels good to not have any oil changes 😂

@TheGojodfrey

3 жыл бұрын

Get the service agreement with BMW details online or speak to a dealer surprisingly reasonable and includes recovery and other bits included

@operator4108

2 жыл бұрын

Did you get it ??

Nice user review thanks! Going to pick up mine tomorrow! P.S : that right pedal can’t be called "gas" hahaha

@LValiquette

3 жыл бұрын

LOL! That's true! Congratulations on your new car. I hope you love it!

Just got one of these for my first car. The one you got is technically not the “fully loaded” because the i3 comes in 3 trims or as bmw calls it “worlds” in this order Mega, Giga, and Tera. Your vehicle is the Giga and I can tell by the color or your seats. I got the Tera world which comes with full leather seats that are a dark chocolate color that I LOVE!

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Adam Titus it’s so strange because in Canada they aren’t referred to in worlds. Although when I was online looking at reviews they were often referred to them that way in different countries. The two different dealerships I went to never referred to them that way, so odd. There was the option for the leather seats, but I actually didn’t like the dark brown leather lol! Just personal preference though, glad you enjoy it!

@adamtitus5415

5 жыл бұрын

LValiquette that’s so weird. Mine doesn’t have the sunroofs and it’s actually not an option for the vehicles in California. It is weird....

@derekosborne7983

5 жыл бұрын

In the UK they have different names for the Interior World options. Base is Atellier, then Loft, Lodge and Suite. Your car has the Lodge interior which is a £1,500 option. The Suite is the full brown leather option and is an extra £2,000. The sunroof is a £780 option.

@LValiquette

5 жыл бұрын

Yes, this is what I learned from Adam above. Strange how we don't use the term "worlds" here in Canada. I had the option of getting leather seats, but because my car exterior is already black, I opted for a light interior...just my personal preference though!

@adamtitus5415

5 жыл бұрын

LValiquette you still made a good decision. I love the color seats you got but since my mom bought me this car when I turned 16 I had to drive my little brother to school and I didn’t want to take the chance of having him ruin the light colored cloth.

Can you fold down the back seats for cargo like groceries or for your dogs?

@LValiquette

2 жыл бұрын

You can!

I was looking to buy and called my local BWM dealer to see if they can service it and they said no. So I’m sticking with my Volt for the time being.

@LValiquette

4 жыл бұрын

Oh strange! I’ve taken my BMW in to be serviced. BMW gives the first 4 years of service free! But, the volt is a great car, hope you’re enjoying it!