Swapping the A2 for a BMW i3 - thoughts please
- Thread starter andynics1
- Start date
andynics1
A2OC Donor
andynics1
A2OC Donor
First observations -
Negatives - suicide doors - you can't let a rear passenger in when your in the drivers seat without opening your door first.
Then, you also have to undo your seatbelt as the drivers seatbelt is actually attached to the rear door upright.
Another note on the suicide doors - you need more room to get in - in terms of when parking in shopping Centred etc. If you need this as a family car I'd seriously consider can you live with these doors - thankfully we have a golf Diesel 5 door that the family will use at weekends and holidays motoring - the car was primarily for me to use for work and business use
Andy Nicoll
07977170544
JDM Import specialists
www.facebook.com/bhpimports
Negatives - suicide doors - you can't let a rear passenger in when your in the drivers seat without opening your door first.
Then, you also have to undo your seatbelt as the drivers seatbelt is actually attached to the rear door upright.
Another note on the suicide doors - you need more room to get in - in terms of when parking in shopping Centred etc. If you need this as a family car I'd seriously consider can you live with these doors - thankfully we have a golf Diesel 5 door that the family will use at weekends and holidays motoring - the car was primarily for me to use for work and business use
Andy Nicoll
07977170544
JDM Import specialists
www.facebook.com/bhpimports
andynics1
A2OC Donor
Whoops - just bashed the passenger wing mirror against a parked car on the school run #day1damage - just a white mark to run off thankfully - its wider than the A2 btw 
Andy Nicoll
07977170544
JDM Import specialists
www.facebook.com/bhpimports
Andy Nicoll
07977170544
JDM Import specialists
www.facebook.com/bhpimports
Birchall
Dick Chown Award 2016
Hi,
First few hours of ownership, still loving it BUT there is one thing that is crazy, the rear door arrangement. (Just seen Andy's comment about this after I posted this!)
If you park next to another car you have to have the front door open so that you can open the rear door, but with the front and rear doors open you can't get past them to get in!!! I have to back out to get the grandkids into the back! I am betting that the next i3 will have a different set up.
There is one advantage to the design though and that is if there are just two of you the front doors are very wide (as wide as a two door car). But the design is poor.
Having said that, it is a tiny issue when compared to all of the pluses!
Took it for its fist charge, plugged the fast charge cable in, went for a coffee, checked the charge via my watch and it was not charging!!
I went back to the charging point and everything looked ok, but there was some very small writing that said "To charge visit www.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" oops. So I connected and this time it charged!!
Even though it was a fast charge point, it indicated 5 hours to full charge! (it is only the DC charge that is the really quick one) but it did top it up enough for 15 miles in about half an hour. I am getting a quote for a charging point on Friday BUT there is a footpath that residents use, between our meter cupboard and my parking space, so the cable will have to be buried (expensive) but a home charge is essential.
The grandkids were WELL impressed "wow grandad, that is SICK!!" (which I think is good!!)
Went out for a ride tonight and the drive is great and the LED headlights are really good.
So day one and VERY VERY pleased.
Some pictures (The colour is the one that was only available on the i8 until this model)
First few hours of ownership, still loving it BUT there is one thing that is crazy, the rear door arrangement. (Just seen Andy's comment about this after I posted this!)
If you park next to another car you have to have the front door open so that you can open the rear door, but with the front and rear doors open you can't get past them to get in!!! I have to back out to get the grandkids into the back! I am betting that the next i3 will have a different set up.
There is one advantage to the design though and that is if there are just two of you the front doors are very wide (as wide as a two door car). But the design is poor.
Having said that, it is a tiny issue when compared to all of the pluses!
Took it for its fist charge, plugged the fast charge cable in, went for a coffee, checked the charge via my watch and it was not charging!!
I went back to the charging point and everything looked ok, but there was some very small writing that said "To charge visit www.xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx" oops. So I connected and this time it charged!!
Even though it was a fast charge point, it indicated 5 hours to full charge! (it is only the DC charge that is the really quick one) but it did top it up enough for 15 miles in about half an hour. I am getting a quote for a charging point on Friday BUT there is a footpath that residents use, between our meter cupboard and my parking space, so the cable will have to be buried (expensive) but a home charge is essential.
The grandkids were WELL impressed "wow grandad, that is SICK!!" (which I think is good!!)
Went out for a ride tonight and the drive is great and the LED headlights are really good.
So day one and VERY VERY pleased.
Some pictures (The colour is the one that was only available on the i8 until this model)
Last edited:
manhattan$
Past Member
Lovelly examples Steve and Andy!
I remember when i first test drove one, within seconds i knew i was going to order one.
A few pics of our Mineral Grey i3...
Steve, have you noticed anything with your wheels?
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I remember when i first test drove one, within seconds i knew i was going to order one.
A few pics of our Mineral Grey i3...
Steve, have you noticed anything with your wheels?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Birchall
Dick Chown Award 2016
Do you mean about them being the wrong way around? (Directionally)?
Unfortunately these wheels (428s) are no longer directional, they stopped doing that some time ago (I guess it makes it easier for them to just stock ones that fit both sides) So one side is different to the other when you view it, but all four wheels are identical in design.
Steve B
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andynics1
A2OC Donor
Steve, I burrows my own 10mm armoured cable for the Rolec to be fitted (I was gifted it from my dad via his work too - so bonus ).
Thus my charge point is around 7 metres from the house
on a upright post in my carport. It wasn't hard to fit but did take me about 3hrs.
So maybe not as expensive as you think, depending on the layout of your property
Andy Nicoll
07977170544
JDM Import specialists
www.facebook.com/bhpimports
Thus my charge point is around 7 metres from the house
on a upright post in my carport. It wasn't hard to fit but did take me about 3hrs.So maybe not as expensive as you think, depending on the layout of your property
Andy Nicoll
07977170544
JDM Import specialists
www.facebook.com/bhpimports
barryleng.bl
Member
Hi i3 eulogisers .. I'm sorry am I missing something here? Is this is the still the A2OC ? ? I admit the whole concept of an electric car or hydrogen fuel cell vehicle is something I wholeheartedly embrace .. and I do admit the i3 is a very compelling concept not at all unlike in many ways to the appeal of the original A2... but it's a BMW... it is not an Audi ...the design is fussy ..I do love some of the features and materials used but the overriding feature I do not like is the useless range .. which will be considerably worse in the winter .. trust me .. until they can deliver 250 - 300 on a single charge you are pioneer guinea pigs .. how a minor player like Tesla can do it but BMW can't beats me !! I only Hope VW/Audi don't show their hand until that is a reality ... and until they can easily replace the batteries the car is worthless once the batteries die ... if u buy it the 2nd hand price plummets...I think I'll just wait ... as for a i3 subsection? Try the i3 owners club ...
andynics1
A2OC Donor
Also I echo your comments about night time driving - wow those LED lights are bright, plus the visibility and clarity on the screen is incredible - even in moderate rain as it was tonight, it was Allways one of my big bears on my A2s that in heavy rain the single wiper could never keep up with clearing the screen - I don't think that will be a issue on the I3
Andy Nicoll
07977170544
JDM Import specialists
www.facebook.com/bhpimports
Andy Nicoll
07977170544
JDM Import specialists
www.facebook.com/bhpimports
Birchall
Dick Chown Award 2016
This thread is posted in the "Car Park" section that is specifically designed for posts that relate to other cars makes and models.
There are a lot of members on here that I chat to constantly about the A2, I see them as "Internet friends" and so it is surely understandable if fellow A2 Owners chat about other cars.
Also I have joined the i3 forum but I do not like it, it is not as well run as this club and so I never really visit it (except if I have an issue)
The A2OC to me is a group of friendly people who share an enthusiasm about A2s, it does not mean that we must refrain from liking other cars, it is a club not a marriage! We can enjoy other cars too.
The very fact that we are fans of the A2 shows that we appreciate cars that are slightly unusual, such as the i3. Nobody is saying they are perfect but they are interesting!
Steve B
andynics1
A2OC Donor
Lol, it's simply a thread in the A2 forum barry, Iv owned 7 audi A2s, over a span of 10years, and have been a member on here for the last 6 - so it's a community I feel I belong to and value their input , that's the only reason we are chatting about the i3 here. It changes nothing in terms of the A2, it's popularity or the future of the club, in fact many of the i3 owners here have kept their A2s in the family or on their driveways.
I can understand if your not a fan of the i3 - it's a marmite car, but hey the same was said about another car around 15years ago, made from Aluminium and one which the company lost money on and the public quite frankly hated at the time - their is certainly some similarities there .
As for audi & VW, I think we all feel strongly about the A2 badge and some of us would loved to have seen Audi bring the A2 in to modern times (perhaps ev) but that's just not in the pipeline at the moment - so despite the badge, it's the drive and feel of the i3 that is attracting (some A2 owners to it). And like Steve says above, it's a open forum #longlivetheA2
Andy Nicoll
07977170544
JDM Import specialists
www.facebook.com/bhpimports
manhattan$
Past Member
Thats right! Although if you buy a set of 428 winter wheels they still have them 'handed'
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andynics1
A2OC Donor
It's the turbine effect/ design, isn't it? If they are on "back to front" they make whirring noise ?? 
Andy Nicoll
07977170544
JDM Import specialists
www.facebook.com/bhpimports
Andy Nicoll
07977170544
JDM Import specialists
www.facebook.com/bhpimports
Birchall
Dick Chown Award 2016
Yes exactly, I am not selling my A2, but by buying the i3 I can now save my A2 fromm the daily commute and being left out in the weather and yet still drive it whenever I want to.
I will still be using my wife's A2 whenever we go on any long journey's or when there are 5 of us travelling.
So the i3 is not diminishong my A2 addiction one little bit!
Steve B
barryleng.bl
Member
Hi Steve
I have a very varied and eclectic collection of cars ... I will post some of my cars on here.. they range from the outrageous to the ridiculous .. however one thing is relevant they are not encroaching on the distinct comparison that an i3 represents to an A2 albeit 16 yrs later ... if it was an Audi i3 I would definitely feel different .. but there seems to be a plethora of A2 owners abandoning the A2 ship for BMW i3 ... not you Steve I hasten to add ...
I have a very varied and eclectic collection of cars ... I will post some of my cars on here.. they range from the outrageous to the ridiculous .. however one thing is relevant they are not encroaching on the distinct comparison that an i3 represents to an A2 albeit 16 yrs later ... if it was an Audi i3 I would definitely feel different .. but there seems to be a plethora of A2 owners abandoning the A2 ship for BMW i3 ... not you Steve I hasten to add ...
manhattan$
Past Member
The i3 is everything Audi should have done for a new A2, but missed the boat. I have never been a bmw fan or owner and i wouldnt want to own any current bmw apart from an i8
The i3's range has never been a problem for me. Fast charge for 20 mins then carry on. I use the i3 99% of the time for journeys within range, so it suits me and many others who research before ordering one.
Buy a £80k Tesla if you want 300 miles.
i3 batteries are warrantied for 8 years and can be swapped out, although i only keep a car around two years. You wont have to change the whole pack if a cell goes wrong.
Things are changing with regards to car ownership. EVs will be like mobile phones, outdated in a year so leasing new is the best option, or buying a bargain used one.
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