Thinking of BMW i8

Matt Simis

I think Tesla and full EV's are the future and better for sure, but right now Im interested in the i8 more so as:

- What it looks like, it looks like nothing else!
- Its rarer
- As a hybrid, its a nice juxtaposition of early 21st century transition from traditional ICE to EV. I think the Models S is technically better, but in 20years I also think everything will be Model S like and commonplace.
- Interior and fit and finish is likely considerably better on the BMW, expected as they have been coach-building for far longer. Ive been in a couple of Model S's and been a bit shocked at the rattles and squeaks. I understand the later year models got this under control.
- Currently I live in an apartment and cannot charge a proper EV at all (at home).
- My Insurance company (Liberty) has already ruled out insuring any full EV's and I might be stuck with them a little while yet.
- Personally I like the notion I'd be going from a 1993 850CSi to 2014 i8. Both iconic BMW 8's of their times.


Ive never actually been in an i8 though I did test drive the i3. Any musings to chime in on? Id be importing one in the UK, VRT is currently EUR10k.


PS: Someone please buy my cheap 335d.

unkel

Magnificent motor. How much do they go for in the UK? You sure about the €10k VRT? Seems low.

Good luck!

goz83

How on earth can hour insurer rule out a BEV? That makes zero sense. I call shenanigans.

Marcusm

Matt Simis wrote: »

I think Tesla and full EV's are the future and better for sure, but right now Im interested in the i8 more so as:

- What it looks like, it looks like nothing else!
- Its rarer
- As a hybrid, its a nice juxtaposition of early 21st century transition from traditional ICE to EV. I think the Models S is technically better, but in 20years I also think everything will be Model S like and commonplace.
- Interior and fit and finish is likely considerably better on the BMW, expected as they have been coach-building for far longer. Ive been in a couple of Model S's and been a bit shocked at the rattles and squeaks. I understand the later year models got this under control.
- Currently I live in an apartment and cannot charge a proper EV at all (at home).
- My Insurance company (Liberty) has already ruled out insuring any full EV's and I might be stuck with them a little while yet.
- Personally I like the notion I'd be going from a 1993 850CSi to 2014 i8. Both iconic BMW 8's of their times.


Ive never actually been in an i8 though I did test drive the i3. Any musings to chime in on? Id be importing one in the UK, VRT is currently EUR10k.


PS: Someone please buy my cheap 335d.

I couldn’t live with the doors in a city. Too many times you have to use car parks rather than on street and thus impractical.

k123456

Ferry , indoor/multi story car parks might be an issue when opening door

Virtually no luggage space

But certainly a beautiful car

unkel

goz83 wrote: »

How on earth can hour insurer rule out a BEV? That makes zero sense. I call shenanigans.

Would you not take the man's word for it? It is after all Liberty (used to be Quinn Direct - the only insurance company in the world that didn't employ an actuary :rolleyes:)

And he is stuck to his insurer (presumably because of a recent enough claim)

Dagenham Dave

Amazing car.
Had one for a 48 hour test drive and I could have cried when I handed it back but it just wasn't practical for family etc.

I'd definitely consider a second hand one in a few years time to go with the more practical family car

Matt Simis

unkel wrote: »

And he is stuck to his insurer (presumably because of a recent enough claim)

Almost, my crimes against the Irish insurance industry were being aboard (in a RHD country no less) for 3.75years instead of the mandated max of 3.5years. The horror!

unkel wrote: »

Magnificent motor. How much do they go for in the UK? You sure about the €10k VRT? Seems low.

Good luck!

£50 to 60k in the UK now and yup, EUR10k VRT which I can claim back should I bail again

Soarer

Windows don't go down all the way. So if you like driving with your arm out the window, you're in for a world of discomfort!

mickdw

Matt Simis wrote: »

Almost, my crimes against the Irish insurance industry were being aboard (in a RHD country no less) for 3.75years instead of the mandated max of 3.5years. The horror!



£50 to 60k in the UK now and yup, EUR10k VRT which I can claim back should I bail again

Do you still have the 850csi?
Remembering your posts a few years back, I think you brought it with you when you left Ireland did you not?
A triple garage with 850 one side and i8 the other side with the 335d 'runaround' in the centre would be a nice setup!

Matt Simis

mickdw wrote: »

Do you still have the 850csi?
Remembering your posts a few years back, I think you brought it with you when you left Ireland did you not?
A triple garage with 850 one side and i8 the other side with the 335d 'runaround' in the centre would be a nice setup!

Nah, I eventually sold it in NZ and then the engine seized when the new owner was driving home to Christchurch!!

I put the sale $$ to use (although I gave him some money back to cover his repair costs) and now 1.5years later, I might be able to get an i8.

unkel

mickdw wrote: »

A triple garage with 850 one side and i8 the other side with the 335d 'runaround' in the centre would be a nice setup!

I was thinking of a triple garage too!

For when he wins the lotto:

850CSI + i8 + M1

Matt Simis

Christ, I need a better Insurer. Liberty, after much delaying, now won't quote me on the i8 as its a "Term 3" car, something they won't really define for me. Loosely "performance plus cost". Bearing in mine Im going from a 335d so its not likely Im not driving a high BHP car.

Problem is the others I tried at time (Jan 2017) wouldn't recognise my NZ driving experience for the previous 3.75yrs. I'm like 45days till my 1 year anniversary of driving with Liberty.. what to do what to do?

Matt, seen as you have used to driving budget models like Phaeton and those Beemers, how about next 4 years in say a '08 Grande Punto 1.2? After that you could graduate up to some high power model like Sporting.

mickdw

samih wrote: »

Matt, seen as you have used to driving budget models like Phaeton and those Beemers, how about next 4 years in say a '08 Grande Punto 1.2? After that you could graduate up to some high power model like Sporting.

In all seriousness, insurers are a joke here.

Sabre Man

Matt Simis wrote: »

Christ, I need a better Insurer. Liberty, after much delaying, now won't quote me on the i8 as its a "Term 3" car, something they won't really define for me. Loosely "performance plus cost". Bearing in mine Im going from a 335d so its not likely Im not driving a high BHP car.

Problem is the others I tried at time (Jan 2017) wouldn't recognise my NZ driving experience for the previous 3.75yrs. I'm like 45days till my 1 year anniversary of driving with Liberty.. what to do what to do?

Maybe try to find out which insurance company other i8 drivers use?

goz83

Sabre Man wrote: »

Maybe try to find out which insurance company other i8 drivers use?

Ring McGregor :pac:

ted1

Have you tried a broker?

btkm8unsl0w5r4

I8 is an interesting one. Looks like a supercar but goes like a slightly slower m2. Practicality of a 911 without the resale value, hybrid but without the fuel economy (owners report terrible MPG). Sounds alright ish, Doors are dramatic but make you look like a tool getting out of it. There are better BMW's to drive, faster one, more economical one, better hybrids...the I8 is a master of none.

ted1

Nixon Shy Vista wrote: »

I8 is an interesting one. Looks like a supercar but goes like a slightly slower m2. Practicality of a 911 without the resale value, hybrid but without the fuel economy (owners report terrible MPG). Sounds alright ish, Doors are dramatic but make you look like a tool getting out of it. There are better BMW's to drive, faster one, more economical one, better hybrids...the I8 is a master of none.

But it looks like the Batmobile!!!!! I certainly wouldn’t say no to one.

It’s also at the price where the buyer doesn’t really care about its fuel economy

unkel

unkel wrote: »

Magnificent motor. How much do they go for in the UK? You sure about the €10k VRT? Seems low.

Good luck!

seem to start at £55k in the UK

btkm8unsl0w5r4

There are a lot of interesting choices in that price range...thats the problem. I think BMW will nail this category in the next iteration but IMHO the I8 is a bit of a damp squib. I wouldn't say no to one but I wouldn't spend my own money on one. It doesnt look like a batmobile, a lambo does that, it looks like what Steven Spielberg though cars would look like in the future in minority report from 2002....

Henry Ford III

goz83 wrote: »

Ring McGregor :pac:

His association with the car is it's biggest negative factor.

consider an Audi R8 for £35k instead?!

https://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201707137355742?sort=price-asc&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&radius=1500&make=AUDI&model=R8&advertising-location=at_cars&postcode=sw47aw&page=1

Soarer

Nixon Shy Vista wrote: »

I8 is an interesting one. Looks like a supercar but goes like a slightly slower m2. Practicality of a 911 without the resale value, hybrid but without the fuel economy (owners report terrible MPG). Sounds alright ish, Doors are dramatic but make you look like a tool getting out of it. There are better BMW's to drive, faster one, more economical one, better hybrids...the I8 is a master of none.

Exactly.
It's a master of none, but it's the best combination of all the above.

Unless there's something else you can think of?

btkm8unsl0w5r4

any 991 911.

Soarer

Nixon Shy Vista wrote: »

any 991 911.

For economy?
And a hybrid?

btkm8unsl0w5r4

The Porsche is a better all rounder if we are talking about all round ability which was your point I though? If we are getting into specific areas, the I8 will loose out on every count to some other car. .The i8 only gets about 25-40mpg so its no economy hero.

Soarer

You mentioned all the different ways different cars are better than the i8.
I said that the i8 is the best combination of all the other cars, and asked you to mention an alternative.
You mentioned the 911, which isn't a hybrid.

So if a person is looking for a good looking, sporty, economical hybrid, what option do they have besides the i8?

btkm8unsl0w5r4

What does the hybrid part matter? Economical is economical. 911 is economical for the performance.

Or get a Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid, or a honda NSX.

Soarer

You're in the EV & Hybrid section of Boards, and the poster asked about an i8. That's why it matters.

I'm sure he's clued in enough that if he was interested in a 911, he'd have posted in another section.

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Or get a Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid, or a honda NSX.

mickdw

Soarer wrote: »

You're in the EV & Hybrid section of Boards, and the poster asked about an i8. That's why it matters.

I'm sure he's clued in enough that if he was interested in a 911, he'd have posted in another section.

Ya but the op is an out and out petrolhead so I don't think he is stuck on hybrid as his next car. An R8 or some form of 911 are worthy suggestions if the hybrid is not working out.

Soarer

Panamera isn't exactly a sports car is it?

And if you can show me an NSX for the price of a secondhand i8, I'll buy it myself.

Soarer

mickdw wrote: »

Ya but the op is an out and out petrolhead so I don't think he is stuck on hybrid as his next car. An R8 or some form of 911 are worthy suggestions if the hybrid is not working out.

Jesus, he started the thread saying he's thinking about getting an i8.

He's had an 850, and wants another "iconic BMW 8".

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Yep he should get this one...the I8 is not a great sports car for the money, and anyone into BMW knows not to buy into the first generation of their new drivetrains. Look if you like the I8 thats great. The panamera is very very quick and about as good a sports car as the I8 if offering a different polar moment in inerta and less radical looks. I am not a fan of the I8...would rather a tesla.

Soarer

I give up.

Best of luck OP.

Orebro

The amount of EV bashing going on here lately is gas - and all from people that have never owned one, but are convinced they know better than people that do.

mickdw

Im not bashing the i8. I would quite like a phev myself, such as a bmw 530e. Couldnt afford an i8 tbh.

unkel

Nixon Shy Vista wrote: »

The Porsche is a better all rounder if we are talking about all round ability

I don't think anyone can argue with that. The Porsche is a very traditional looking car though. Still close enough to the first one that came out in 1963. The i8 looks like the future. And is far more rare. There's not much of a wow factor with the Porsche if you put it beside an i8

I can certainly see why the OP is interested in owning an i8. Yeah! :cool:

Matt Simis

unkel wrote: »

I don't think anyone can argue with that. The Porsche is a very traditional looking car though. Still close enough to the first one that came out in 1963. The i8 looks like the future. And is far more rare. There's not much of a wow factor with the Porsche if you put it beside an i8

I can certainly see why the OP is interested in owning an i8. Yeah! :cool:

Yeah basically this. The Porsche is the benchmark bearer for sports car. I dont expect the i8 to really be that competitive with it, though it generally surprises the press in how close it gets. Its really more of a GT, like the 850CSi was. And realistically, I like fast cars but dont actually really drive to the limits. A 911 would be wasted on me. I do however like fast flashy cars and long road trips..
And I really want to get into an EV or decent Hybrid (the Lexus is too softcore for me, but on the right track). Within 12mths, despite its flashyness, a 4year old i8 will cost the same as my dad paid new for his Lexus IS300H. Its not really all that extreme but delivers mid engined future sports car looks and good enough performance to be taken seriously (IMO).

Top Gear (magazine) did a good round up where they covered the 911, i8 and Jag F-Type:
https://www.topgear.com/car-news/future-tech/bmw-i8-vs-jag-f-type-vs-porsche-911


PS: The "terrible" MPG of the i8 is misleading as its only terrible as the EU test for Hybrids is stupid. It actually delivers 2-3 times the efficiency of its peers in the real world. If BMW marketed it as a 45MPG sports car, everyone would be chill with it. Its not 74mpg though.
https://www.honestjohn.co.uk/realmpg/bmw/i8-2014
It would be, according to real owner MPG, the most fuel efficient car Ive owned, maybe barring my old 2.4l Alfa 156 JTD.

Idbatterim

Nixon Shy Vista wrote: »

I8 is an interesting one. Looks like a supercar but goes like a slightly slower m2. Practicality of a 911 without the resale value, hybrid but without the fuel economy (owners report terrible MPG). Sounds alright ish, Doors are dramatic but make you look like a tool getting out of it. There are better BMW's to drive, faster one, more economical one, better hybrids...the I8 is a master of none.

The i8 is the master of looks! Number one criteria for me personally ...

Idbatterim

mickdw wrote: »

Im not bashing the i8. I would quite like a phev myself, such as a bmw 530e. Couldnt afford an i8 tbh.

Say you bought a three year old i8 v a new 530 e. I reckon the i8 will depreciate a lot less less as this stage as it's far rarer, looks amazing and costs nothing to tax and run relatively, for a car that looks like that.

Fair play op. An I8 is my next port of call I reckon. Looks outrageous, costs nothing to run on tax and fuel for a car that looks like that ... dirt cheap vrt due to low emissions! Win / win!

Matt Simis

So bought that, drove from Manchester to Edinburgh to Belfast to Dublin. Its epic, truly epic to drive.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=105589697&postcount=6133

Dagenham Dave

Class car. All the best with it

reboot

5th Gear TV review,. Vicky Butler Henderson. 24 mile range on the battery, with a Mini engine in the back, who wouldn't spend £100 k on that?

Orebro

reboot wrote: »

5th Gear TV review,. Vicky Butler Henderson. 24 mile range on the battery, with a Mini engine in the back, who wouldn't spend £100 k on that?

Jealous much?

Soarer

reboot wrote: »

5th Gear TV review,. Vicky Butler Henderson. 24 mile range on the battery, with a Mini engine in the back, who wouldn't spend £100 k on that?

Irish?

Matt Simis

So, fast(er) charging at public locations.. what cable do I need.. this one:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OFFER-Genuine-BMW-Rapid-Charging-Cable-i3-i8-AC-Electric-Hybrid-61902350237-/122749433896?_trksid=p2349526.m2548.l4275


For whatever reason I didnt get either the public or the granny cable (with home plug) with this i8. Think I was meant to but no matter. I'll ring BMW and see how much the home plug cable is:
http://www.realoem.com/bmw/enUS/showparts?id=2Z22-EUR-09-2014-I12-BMW_i-i8&diagId=61_5430

Soarer

Matt Simis wrote: »

So bought that, drove from Manchester to Edinburgh to Belfast to Dublin. Its epic, truly epic to drive.

https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=105589697&postcount=6133

You should've bought a 911.
Or a Panemera e-hybrid.
Or an NSX.

:rolleyes:

btkm8unsl0w5r4

Just wish the guy well with his lovely new car and stop the point scoring. The discussion is over. I presume the last post is leveled at me, I stand by my opinion, but it doesn't take away from the fact that this car is better than 99% of the cars owned by people on this forum, so my best wishes for many miles of safe motoring to you Matt.