[Birte]

Yes I hope that they will do t'he right thing too'. The guy I spoke to today from Woolwich said he will keep in touch every day with me, even if there is no definite answer from BMW Germany. He said they were looking after ME and arguing my case against the factory in Germany. I am obviously shocked at the quoted cost and really hope that they will cover almost all of the costs at least. He told me not to worry

 

[Mike J.]

Yes they said to me that that the computer analysis stated today that there is a fault with the EME (electronic unit that controls the high voltage battery).

The EME in my 2014 REx failed 11 months ago (within BMW used car warranty so free for me). The cost is high because the entire power train (but not the battery) has to be removed from the car to the replace the EME. I still have a year's warranty left and will extend said warranty.

 

[Birte]

The EME in my 2014 REx failed 11 months ago (within BMW used car warranty so free for me). The cost is high because the entire power train (but not the battery) has to be removed from the car to the replace the EME. I still have a year's warranty left and will extend said warranty.

I do not have warranty on my car, but at least BMW Woolwich are fighting my corner for me with BMW Germany as they are WELL AWARE of what issues the older models with extender have. It is not fair that we should be involved in such astronomical expenses. YES it seems imperative to have extended warranty for this vehicle and other people on this forum have told me to get it repaired and then sell. Really useful to share advice and experiences here and I 'm glad that so many people have contributed their experiences, mostly bad as I see now. I used to love my BMWi3 car and said it was better than any other car I had ever owned. I shall NEVER say that again - time to tell the trust and then be realistic and opt for an ICE vehicle again. So sad.

Just asked the cost of 1 year's warranty from BMW for the car - £1250. That tells you how unreliable it is, on a £10,000 car from supposedly one of the most reputable marques, this is farcical.

Absolutely fair comment. DO NOT BUY a BMWi3 from 2013-2016 because the cost of repairs could exceed the value of the car several times. A nightmare unless you have serious kind of money and then you would also have to admit to yourself that it was a frightful waste of money - an amount of money that could have you bought another amazing car, ICE or electric, several times over!!!!

 

[Birte]

I do not have warranty on my car, but at least BMW Woolwich are fighting my corner for me with BMW Germany as they are WELL AWARE of what issues the older models with extender have. It is not fair that we should be involved in such astronomical expenses. YES it seems imperative to have extended warranty for this vehicle and other people on this forum have told me to get it repaired and then sell. Really useful to share advice and experiences here and I 'm glad that so many people have contributed their experiences, mostly bad as I see now. I used to love my BMWi3 car and said it was better than any other car I had ever owned. I shall NEVER say that again - time to tell the trust and then be realistic and opt for an ICE vehicle again. So sad.

Absolutely fair comment. DO NOT BUY a BMWi3 from 2013-2016 because the cost of repairs could exceed the value of the car several times. A nightmare unless you have serious kind of money and then you would also have to admit to yourself that it was a frightful waste of money - an amount of money that could have you bought another amazing car, ICE or electric, several times over!!!!

Yes it is time to tell the truth about second hand BMWi3 with extender. They should come with a serious warning about open wallet surgery.

 

[Mike J.]

...... and opt for an ICE vehicle again.

I recommend a Yaris Hybrid - it drives exactly like an EV, but with extra noise when accelerating hard. 5 year warranty with extra years only costing around £200.

 

[Birte]

I recommend a Yaris Hybrid - it drives exactly like an EV, but with extra noise when accelerating hard. 5 year warranty with extra years only costing around £200.

I recommend a Yaris Hybrid - it drives exactly like an EV, but with extra noise when accelerating hard. 5 year warranty with extra years only costing around £200.

Thank you Mike. That's really useful. Leaf 30 is just to big for me - seems like a big family car and I'm on my own with just my little schnauzer. I do about 5-6000 miles max per year and this car seems affordable in the secondhand market. Hopefully also reliable, with all glitches ironed out.

 

[Birte]

Thank you Mike. That's really useful. Leaf 30 is just to big for me - seems like a big family car and I'm on my own with just my little schnauzer. I do about 5-6000 miles max per year and this car seems affordable in the secondhand market. Hopefully also reliable, with all glitches ironed out.

I - like most ladies - do not buy motoring magazines so really do not have that much experience of looking for the next option, ICE or EV or hybrid.

 

[Mike J.]

Thank you Mike. That's really useful. Leaf 30 is just to big for me - seems like a big family car and I'm on my own with just my little schnauzer. I do about 5-6000 miles max per year and this car seems affordable in the second-hand market. Hopefully also reliable, with all glitches ironed out.

I had a Yaris hybrid before the i3, bought a 3 year old one - as long as it has a full service history the next 2 years warranty, whether sold by a Toyota dealer or not (in my experience), are active and free. Three downsides, poor headlights, turning circle could be better and weird tailgate corrosion around grommets, etc. Check out this online group Toyota Yaris forum.

Note that the i3 is better in every aspect except for A-pillar width, crosswind stability and reliability (the biggie) .....

 

[andrew*debbie]

Yeah -- LEAF is a lot harder to park than an i3. It doesn't turn very well.

Other than that there isn't anything wrong with one. We've had two, a 2014 and a 2017. The '17 is better for longer trips. Otherwise much the same.


The i3 was an all new car back in 2013. The i3 was a clean-sheet design. That is unusual for a legacy automaker.

It took a few years for BMW to learn about and then correct the issues. The new ones may look the same but there are many small changes under the skin.

The i3 was groundbreaking when they came out. There still isn't another car like it.

 

[Birte]

I had a Yaris hybrid before the i3, bought a 3 year old one - as long as it has a full service history the next 2 years warranty, whether sold by a Toyota dealer or not (in my experience), are active and free. Three downsides, poor headlights, turning circle could be better and weird tailgate corrosion around grommets, etc. Check out this online group Toyota Yaris forum.

Note that the i3 is better in every aspect except for A-pillar width, crosswind stability and reliability (the biggie) .....

Thank you Mike. That's so helpful for me and I shall look into the postings. I am just really scared now of holding onto my BMWi3 although I used to say it was my best car ever ....!!!

 

[spartacus]

The i3 was an all new car back in 2013. The i3 was a clean-sheet design. That is unusual for a legacy automaker.

It took a few years for BMW to learn about and then correct the issues. The new ones may look the same but there are many small changes under the skin.

You're right, and reviews are for the most part glowing based on ride quality, styling and usability, however get down to forum-specific level and you see that there are some fundamental flaws. The key thing for me is will BMW support customers like Birte? We are the ones that have dipped our toes into the water so-to-speak with early electric ownership, and all the pitfalls that result as an early adopter.

If BMW continue to effectively abandon owners (after three year warranty expires, or approved used one year warranty) to face astronomical bills, then our loyalty to the brand is going to cease. If you were running a comparable ICE car, then the worst that can happen is oil starvation or timing belt breaking which effectively means a new engine or expensive rebuild. Both are well documented as part of a strict servicing regime, so for the best part can be avoided. I should know as I've run diesels getting into 175k+ mileage territory or 10+ year ownership.

I know BMW can't have an open wallet on this, as some times it's down to driving style and the care of the vehicle. But if these known documented faults, such as fuel pressure sensor, fuel pump relay, motor mount, high voltage wiring and now EME failure aren't covered via goodwill, then BMW are in for a surprise.

There are similar issues with early Audi eTron and Renault Zoe, so these sorts of things aren't confined to one manufacturer. Anyway - not wishing to go off topic, I'm glued to this thread and want the right result for the OP, as any of us could be in a similar position.

 

[spartacus]

I - like most ladies - do not buy motoring magazines so really do not have that much experience of looking for the next option, ICE or EV or hybrid.

If you step away from electric, then a hybrid option is probably just as bad in my opinion. We know that the UK is proposing banning all petrol and diesel vehicle production by 2030. Not sure how realistic that is, as the Government have done very little to enable the switch. They prefer for market forces to encourage change which is the equivalent of a mouse and bait experiment.

As someone who has worked on diesels from a DIY mechanical point of view, then don't even go there. The technology on current cars such as Euro 6 means Ad Blue, EGR, start/stop, and catalytic converter plus a host of computer wizardry to keep emissions in check. Euro 7 will follow and the EU are already phasing out internal combustion engines by 2025. The point I'm making is that you'll spend half your time going back to the main dealer to have the car scanned at £95 a time (not including the actual repair).

Hybrid technology such as petrol with a little battery power is pointless. Again, there's too much that can go wrong.

Given your mileage I'd stick with a small engine petrol vehicle. Inexpensive to buy compared to a BMW i3 and you can buy a servicing pack.

You might not have to buy. As you do just 6k miles a year a PCP deal might suit, so new car, initial deposit, monthly repayments and hand back after 3 years, repeat.

 

[Birte]

You're right, and reviews are for the most part glowing based on ride quality, styling and usability, however get down to forum-specific level and you see that there are some fundamental flaws. The key thing for me is will BMW support customers like Birte? We are the ones that have dipped our toes into the water so-to-speak with early electric ownership, and all the pitfalls that result as an early adopter.

If BMW continue to effectively abandon owners (after three year warranty expires, or approved used one year warranty) to face astronomical bills, then our loyalty to the brand is going to cease. If you were running a comparable ICE car, then the worst that can happen is oil starvation or timing belt breaking which effectively means a new engine or expensive rebuild. Both are well documented as part of a strict servicing regime, so for the best part can be avoided. I should know as I've run diesels getting into 175k+ mileage territory or 10+ year ownership.

I know BMW can't have an open wallet on this, as some times it's down to driving style and the care of the vehicle. But if these known documented faults, such as fuel pressure sensor, fuel pump relay, motor mount, high voltage wiring and now EME failure aren't covered via goodwill, then BMW are in for a surprise.

There are similar issues with early Audi eTron and Renault Zoe, so these sorts of things aren't confined to one manufacturer. Anyway - not wishing to go off topic, I'm glued to this thread and want the right result for the OP, as any of us could be in a similar position.

Hi Spartacus. I'm learning fast (!!) and have had to accept this car is not for me due to far too many serious and recurring faults in early models. You might be lucky - you might not - and I was unlucky with my car. I'm what you could classify as a careful and considerate driver and have looked after my BMWi3 with dealership service. Have less than 25,000 miles on the clock after 5 years. They accept all of that at the Woolwich centre - they can take so much information off the key/the computer on board anyway. Also, it was in for a factory recall relating to charging issue recently and they acknowledged that, but it was not strictly speaking for the EME - they told me at the time that it had something to do with charging that I would not have known of. No phone calls from BMW Woolwich today so they are still 'in discussion' with BMW Germany I suppose. It seems really harsh that we owners of vehicles from 2013 to 2016 should fork out enormous sums that are almost equal to the value of the car making it just 'scrap' when it has clearly been well maintained for so many years. Between the factory and the service centre they could easily absorb all or at least most of the cost as I now know that they charge £200 an hour for servicing and no doubt also have a hefty mark up on parts. They have already made plenty of money on my car since I bought it in March 2017. Last year I paid for a new selector lever and that was almost £1300. I do not have deep pockets so the only way forward is to get it repaired and then sell it.

 

[Birte]

If you step away from electric, then a hybrid option is probably just as bad in my opinion. We know that the UK is proposing banning all petrol and diesel vehicle production by 2030. Not sure how realistic that is, as the Government have done very little to enable the switch. They prefer for market forces to encourage change which is the equivalent of a mouse and bait experiment.

As someone who has worked on diesels from a DIY mechanical point of view, then don't even go there. The technology on current cars such as Euro 6 means Ad Blue, EGR, start/stop, and catalytic converter plus a host of computer wizardry to keep emissions in check. Euro 7 will follow and the EU are already phasing out internal combustion engines by 2025. The point I'm making is that you'll spend half your time going back to the main dealer to have the car scanned at £95 a time (not including the actual repair).

Hybrid technology such as petrol with a little battery power is pointless. Again, there's too much that can go wrong.

Given your mileage I'd stick with a small engine petrol vehicle. Inexpensive to buy compared to a BMW i3 and you can buy a servicing pack.

You might not have to buy. As you do just 6k miles a year a PCP deal might suit, so new car, initial deposit, monthly repayments and hand back after 3 years, repeat.

I thought I had purchased a fab car for the rest of my car ownership life, but have clearly changed my mind. Yes, I should certainly consider a PCP because of my low mileage. So much to consider .....

 

[spartacus]

Hi Birte. The EME fault has been recorded on 2018 and 2019 i3's too. This is state-side: BMW is recalling 2019 i3 and i8 models over fears they could lose propulsion - Roadshow

Had a few issues myself this year. My wife's car suffered a drive-train error and was returned to BMW main dealer 4 times to resolve. I even ran out of electric battery power, as it relates to the successful engagement of the petrol engine if you are low on battery power. I even pointed them to the fuel pump relay from the outset which resides under the passenger dashboard and spoke with their electric service technician who assured me they have never ever had an issue with that component in all his years of working on these types of cars. I mentioned forums and was instantly dismissed. They changed the fuel pump first, then the oxygen sensor, then finally the relay I'd asked them to investigate in the first place. £1k later and I'm still angry about it, but nothing compared to the potential bill they are quoting you.

Once you start to understand how these dealerships work - you see that they literally throw parts at the car until its resolved based on the data stored in the car. The actual technical expertise is gone in terms of fault finding. They refer to service bulletins from BMW and work through it like an A-Z.

Again, car has been serviced meticulously, oil and filter changes, brakes, air quality sensor, all genuine BMW parts fitted by myself in the last 3 years. It goes to BMW dealer for air conditioning and recalls only as I'm not paying £200 an hour on top of expensive main dealer items. Most of the items are made by other manufacturers anyway and re-badged.

 

[Birte]

Hi Birte. The EME fault has been recorded on 2018 and 2019 i3's too. This is state-side: BMW is recalling 2019 i3 and i8 models over fears they could lose propulsion - Roadshow

Had a few issues myself this year. My wife's car suffered a drive-train error and was returned to BMW main dealer 4 times to resolve. I even ran out of electric battery power, as it relates to the successful engagement of the petrol engine if you are low on battery power. I even pointed them to the fuel pump relay from the outset which resides under the passenger dashboard and spoke with their electric service technician who assured me they have never ever had an issue with that component in all his years of working on these types of cars. I mentioned forums and was instantly dismissed. They changed the fuel pump first, then the oxygen sensor, then finally the relay I'd asked them to investigate in the first place. £1k later and I'm still angry about it, but nothing compared to the potential bill they are quoting you.

Once you start to understand how these dealerships work - you see that they literally throw parts at the car until its resolved based on the data stored in the car. The actual technical expertise is gone in terms of fault finding. They refer to service bulletins from BMW and work through it like an A-Z.

Again, car has been serviced meticulously, oil and filter changes, brakes, air quality sensor, all genuine BMW parts fitted by myself in the last 3 years. It goes to BMW dealer for air conditioning and recalls only as I'm not paying £200 an hour on top of expensive main dealer items. Most of the items are made by other manufacturers anyway and re-badged.

It is really kind of you guys to give me all that information - it takes time to write and you have all been so generous with your time. It so useful for me to get this information in the forum as it is the only way that I could know that other people also have expensive problems with their BMWi3. It is absolutely horrifying that even cars from 2018 and 2019 should have this massive problem of the EME. BMW gives a guarantee for the battery for 10 years, but I think the EME problem is even more expensive to resolve than replacing the battery because of the labour involved. Obviously they are charging at £200 an hour for mechanics who get nothing like that in their pay packet. Yes, it truly shows how much a racket the dealership is. The only sensible advice to me who cannot deal with all of these repair issues myself must be to just be pragmatic and buy a small ICE car and know that it can serviced 'round the corner' by various mechanics.

 

[Mike J.]

..... buy a small ICE car and know that it can serviced 'round the corner' by various mechanics.

I don't think any new car is simple any more, so the 'various mechanic' option is limited. As mentioned before, an in warranty Yaris Hybrid is the best option for a small, nippy, automatic town car if EVs are excluded - note it is a Which 'best buy'. Best to get one with cruise control and 15 inch wheels - the higher profile tyres give a more comfortable ride. Mine had the panoramic roof

 

[Birte]

I don't think any new car is simple any more, so the 'various mechanic' option is limited. As mentioned before, an in warranty Yaris Hybrid is the best option for a small, nippy, automatic town car if EVs are excluded - note it is a Which 'best buy'. Best to get one with cruise control and 15 inch wheels - the higher profile tyres give a more comfortable ride. Mine had the panoramic roof

Thank you Mike. Thats really useful - especially the extra info on the spec on wheels for the Yaris Hybrid which I would not have thought of. Yes - I like your note about the panoramic roof and your advice to buy only an in warranty car that can be extended at low cost - really sensible advice. Great to know that the Yaris Hybrid was voted 'best car' by WHICH. Maybe the best advice is really to buy on lease because at least that way I can change car every 3 years in a fast evolving market that is trying to keep up with changing legislation

 

[andrew*debbie]

If you lease a new car in warranty there is no reason not to get an EV.

My i3 is on a 3 year lease.

Other Small EVs worth a look:
Renault Zoe
Seat Mii electric
Mazda MX-30

 

[Birte]

If you lease a new car in warranty there is no reason not to get an EV.

My i3 is on a 3 year lease.

Other Small EVs worth a look:
Renault Zoe
Seat Mii electric
Mazda MX-30

BUT what is the range for the EVs? I had petrol for peace of mind with my BMWi3. I go regularly to Cambridge (65 miles) and Suffolk (100 miles) to see my sons and the grandchildren. I can charge at both addresses for the return journey