Used BMW i3 for sale near Austin, TX

The overall experience was fine but I was just not used to this business model. I bought a $70,000 used vehicle and after having dealt with the Land Rover and Mercedes dealerships for years, the customer service at CarMax is just not up to their level. But I guess that was how I paid $2500 - $5,000 less than what other dealers were charging for the same car.

Have put about 12,000 miles on a used 94ah Rex over the past year. It's a unique little car to be sure, with some substantial upsides and downsides. First the good stuff: It's a fantastic city / mall / school drop off / tight quarters car. Very quick under 50 mph, turning radius of a bike, only a bit larger footprint than a Mini. Just a fun little car to zip around in. The interior fits 4 pretty comfortably, and it's a pretty open, airy feeling despite being so small. Not cramped at all. I really like the styling as well, and it's on the cheap end of cars we've owned over the past 15 years. It's been pretty reliable for the most part, but the Rex does not seem to like to sit for long periods without use. It threw codes several times during the first couple months, all of which cleared and did not immediately recur. I believe it sat at the dealer for many months prior to me purchasing it. After that initial spat of codes, it's worked flawlessly. Range is fine for around town, I would not attempt long distance travel, though you COULD do it. I have always charged it at home, with a level-2 charger I installed myself. Electricity is about 1/4-1/3 the cost of gas under this setup, so it's very efficient. Now the not so good: The rear tires burn up fast, are unique to the car (no other car uses the same tire size), are kind of expensive, and honestly, the traction isn't great. Plan on replacing tires every 12-15k miles, if you make it that far. It's particularly bad in the snow. There's no way to reduce the lift off regen, so it will drag its rear end. You end up left foot braking when it's really slick to make sure you engage the ABS. Do not plan on this being your snow car. The range also goes down significantly in the winter. It'll do >100 miles of around town driving in the summer months, but that's more like 60-70 when it gets cold. Has to run the heat pump, heat the battery, etc. It's only got 4 seats (2 in back). A tiny middle seat probably makes more sense, though it would only be for small children. The BMW connected app subscription is basically a requirement to connect to your utility and get credit for charging off peak (if it's available in your region). It's $120 a year, which is typical German luxury xx. The Odd: The exterior is...different. It sure does attract attention. I guess to each his or her own. Rear suicide doors work pretty well, but they come with a bit of a learning curve. At least people can get in back without front passengers having to get out or bend over. It has a scooter engine, and it sounds like it too! My take: It's a great 3rd car for a family that does a lot of pick up / drop off, grocery-getting, commuting, etc. in a relatively small radius (say 20 miles max, each way). Under that setup, it's very cheap to run, it's fun to drive, it fits everywhere, and it's a nice place to spend time. As the only household car, forget it. As the 2nd car in a 2-car household? Only if you don't spend a ton of time in freezing weather / snow. But in a household where it competes with an M2, an Odyssey and a Cayenne, I put more miles on the i3 than any of the other cars over the past year. So I clearly like the darn thing! Other Recommendation: Get bimmercode app and code on a function that allows you to manually start the Rex at any time the battery is under 75%. Waiting til it hits 6% to turn on automatically isn't going to run it often enough to keep it happy. You don't want to run the battery that empty very often either.

I’ve bought many vehicles in my lifetime. This by far was the easiest and smoothest buying experience. Thank you Norman for all of your knowledge of the vehicle and making sure everything went smoothly through the process!

I bought this 15K miles base model (Electric engine only) for 10K. A steal. Pros: 3 Driving modes for different conditions. Free public ev charging stations, usually charges 26 miles per hour or more, and that means free rides. Easy connectivity Stylish look (people actually have that what heck is that look) Nice cargo space once back seats are down. Cons: Inconsistent mile range readings. Range anxiety. Original Charger is a joke. 40 miles highway travel takes 12+ to recharge. 2-3 miles per hour recovery. Bmw either thinks people will bleed 50k (originally) for a substitute car, or people will always have 12-16 hours time to move between errands. Doors design is unusual. Still not as ridiculous as a coupe door design. Cargo space is so tiny with backseats up. Carseats for infants are difficult to place without sacrificing significant space for either the driver or the front passenger. My final verdict. If you purchase a 24amp or a more capable charger than you can manage. If you're soccer mom, or switch your hats often, this base model may not be for you. Still, if you really really a planner it may work out beautifully. If you're purchasing this as second car for the family, then you can save tons in cost. If you spot a free ev charging station you can literally run your range to close to empty then leave it at the charging station and picked it up after couple of hours.