Cost of owning a BMW i3

Post by Finnucane » Wed, Aug 28, 2019, 1:35 PM UTC

randcraw wrote: post #55

Finnucane wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

After 20 years, I'd expect it to be different. We have a '99 Honda CRV, and a significant chunk of the money we've paid for maintenance in the 12 yrs we've had it has been for the exhaust system. Over time, on any car, brakes will eventually need replacing, electrical bits will fail and need replacing, bits of your suspension will need replacing, and so on.

You expect owning an electric car to be different, yet Teslas also have the very systems you mention will wear out -- brakes, electric bits, etc -- making them comparably consumable to any ICE or hybrid, especially after 20 years of daily driving (like your CRV). I would imagine any car heavily dependent on advanced sensors and electronics to cost more to maintain than traditional cars, especially after the first few…

Post by lazyjones » Wed, Aug 28, 2019, 1:36 PM UTC

pintxo wrote: post #54

lazyjones wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes, they stopped selling the REX. The i3 is still not a very attractive car for me and despite the good crash test results, it doesn't look safe to me. Here's the aftermath of a frontal crash vs. an old Cadillac that happened recently - both drivers dead: https://image.kurier.at/images/cfs_landscape_1864w_1049h/372...

This [1] seems to be the report including photos you are talking about. Not sure which image you linked here. Totally different story. [1] https://insideevs.com/news/328403/bmw-i3-vs-cadillac-cts-imp...

Post by lazyjones » Wed, Aug 28, 2019, 1:39 PM UTC

MrFantastic wrote: post #64

lazyjones wrote: post #27

Their i3 isn't even an electric car, it's a hybrid with a petrol engine (range extender). The title claims the content is somehow about electric cars in general, but it's just one datapoint about one model and one owner. FWIW, my maintenance costs for almost 3 years with a Tesla S90D were so far: €290 for changing and storing winter tires. No repairs, no breakdowns so far, despite some abuse on italian country roads.…

Your cost should also include the price to set up a charging station at home. That costs $1500+ in the USA.

Post by brightball » Wed, Aug 28, 2019, 1:39 PM UTC

Post by peterwwillis » Wed, Aug 28, 2019, 1:45 PM UTC

gambiting wrote: post #48

peterwwillis wrote: post #20

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don't have to stick to the OEM tire. You can get a different, cheaper size, as long as it doesn't rub the wheel well or bottom out. And the exact tire and manufacturer you get, along with the conditions it was kept in, will determine the wear life of the tire. And when people complain about their tires wearing fast, it's often just badly aligned tires that could be fixed by going to a better mechanic. And buying…

>>You can get a different, cheaper size, as long as it doesn't rub the wheel well or bottom out. In the UK you have to tell your insurer if you do that and it can impact your insurance significantly in some cases. The best one I could find was with Aviva they allow 10mm variation in width of the tyre from the manufacturer spec, so if the original size was 225/45 you could buy 235/45 or 215/45, but anything beyond tha…