BMW i4

everyone buying a new EV is beta testing a whole new software and propulsion system for the first time in 80 years. They pay their money and take their chance.

the list of issues we’ve seen even in this forum with all the EV makes and models is literally daily and endless - issues we aren’t reading about in the threads about brand new mass market ICE cars.

perspective.

There's definitely a cost associated with the first gen of any car IMHO, even more so for something like a first gen of an EV.

Seems I've stepped into the middle of an ongoing feud here that I've no part of so it was not my intention to fan those flames in any way.

Is BMW Premium... It certainly positions itself that way, German engineering has a place of prestige historically but I don't think it stands up to that level of scrutiny nowadays when all the tech is made in China or the far East anyway. It's all down to personal preference in my opinion now.

What I will say is that having owned 10 BMWs this has been my worst experience by far, a mixture of some bad luck, maybe some unrealistic expectations (from me) and some appalling customer service.

The dealer after sales manager did call me since my last post, he was fair and reasonable, gave me an update and when they have a diagnosis I think we both have some potentially difficult decisions to make... Will see how that pans out in a few days but it'll very much depend on the diagnosis.

Small issue - suck it up.

Large issue with a lengthy timeline to resolution - gonna have to consider alternative solutions.

Sounds like a plan, hopefully nothing too problematic. I know your thinking a entire new battery? Not actually that big a job....just waiting on one is the issue. Get them to stick you in a nice 7 series while you wait.

Nearly bought a BMW EV today, asking price €1000. Would have bought sight unseen but by the time someone give me the heads up and I responded immediately, it was already sold. I suspect very few people in this thread would know about it, but it was Damien Maguire's famous (in nerd circles) Red Arrow

I know what you mean - I was referring to brand new ICE vehicles. Sure, there are some issues in the first few weeks some times, but almost everyone with an EV has a charging issue, or a screen restarting, or a random dashboard light that you clear by restarting the car like a smartphone etc etc.

im not defending ICE cars as better or indeed different, I’m just saying that the new car experience is pretty nailed down at this stage, 100 years on :)

(OMFFFG this new mobile version of Boards is unusable on iPhone if you’re a poster. It’s fine for reading. - jumping around all over the place while trying to type! FFS)

Absolutely correct.

In fact even if you take ID cars the big ticket issues don't even stop you using the car most of the time. But are still unacceptable.

Part of the reason I'm actually in an EV in fact is that I was fed up of reading about various issues on ICE cars.

The big issue on the classic Ioniq was and is the 12 volt battery. Very annoying but a booster pack in the boot gets you going if car fails to start because of it.

A new 12 volt is an easy swop.

Now for the ICE cars.....

I was reading about "common issues" that cost thousands to fix.

Plus the fact that because EVs are so new people are much more likely to mention issues.

What I mean by that is that EVers are more likely to be on a forum or Facebook talking about their car (good and bad) then an ICE driver is.

There's nothing new about electric based propulsion or hybrids, they were around in the 19th (!) century. There is nothing new about the technology currently used either. The problems seem to be almost entirely where incumbent manufacturers struggle with software. The tech is new to them.

(at the risk of starting a Twitter-debate) …

I think you’re turning this into yet another Tesla v ‘the rest’ debate

its new tech to tesla too.

“Tesla has issued a total of 10 recall campaignsin 2022 covering 2.1 million vehicles, NHTSA said. That is the second highest number of vehicles recalled this year behind Ford Motor.”

Im not sure how many cars Tesla have manufactured in their history, but it would seem all recent models are affected by at least one. A lot of those recalls are s/w related too, thinks like blank screens in 140k 2022 cars (all models), or some issue or other with Track Mode on M3P.

In this particular Boardsie example, BMW have had electric tech in the i3 EV for about 8-10years. It’s not new to them.

Just to state it again - None of us woke up on Monday, opened Boards, and were aghast to hear someone had a problem with a brand new EV.

most people who spend a relatively high price on a pretty basic EV aren’t expecting to be beta testers.

i love EVs, love the tech, but (as a career-long software engineer) I don’t want to be a tester.

Looks like BMW are going against what they have been doing up until now in using the same platform for electric, phev and combustion. The next 3 series will be electric only.

That's an unbelievably rosy picture of Tesla service in Ireland.

What about the owners who are waiting months, with new, undriveable Teslas?

Tried contacting them recently? They habitually ignore emails, calls, messages etc., unless it's regarding payment. They unilaterally push out service appointments week after week, with no consultation with the owner.

They no longer provide free "upgraded" loaners. I wouldn't consider a ropey, software locked, 4 year old Model S, in place of their brand new €70k+ Model 3 Performance, an upgrade though. It's Uber credits now. Very useful to non Dubs.

Tesla have a lot going for them but end users are more an annoyance for them it seems. That's fine & they can afford that business model for now. Let's not deify them though.

BMW - at least you can visit your dealer & something might get done, eventually.

Tesla - "use the app & pfo" 😀.

@sk8board - 'I think you’re turning this into yet another Tesla v ‘the rest’ debate'

Hardly. I own a Tesla but I would prefer to own a BMW. Can I be much clearer than that? I'm delighted that BMW is making a comeback in the area of electric cars, perhaps just in time after the diesel loving gobsh1te Krüger nearly managed to bring the company on a path to certain bankruptcy.

I do tell it as it is though, I'm not just a BMW fanboi sitting back and gobbling up everything the company throws at me like generations of sh1te diesels. When I could no longer get a petrol BMW, I went electric. I had to. Hope to get back into the fold soon, but BMW will have to make an electric car that is more than just brilliant to drive...

Found out my car is schedule to be built in week 21, we are in week 19 today so hopefully things will move on smoothly from here!! I managed to get a cancellation, so not everything exactly like I wanted but will get it a year earlier so can't complain too much!!

That's a stroke of luck.

What's the spec on what you're getting now?

I hope your price is locked in to pre price rises

BMW has made logical business decisions given that it is a relatively low volume traditional car manufacturer. The current platform caters for all propulsion types so that it doesn't completely alienate its current user base while keeping production costs low with a common platform (despite the compromises involved). The current platform will serve the company all the way up to the 2030 cut-off for combustion engines by which time the next platform will have to be all-electric only.