Ex ambulance BMW i3 should I buy it

[Daihatsu997]

I’ve seen this i3 range extender ex ambulance, for sale with the two front seats imbedded with the ambulance emblem.
And all the fixtures and shelving in the back.
It has done 60,000 miles on a 2017 plate for £7700.
The paintwork is immaculate because of the vinyl ambulance wrap it had on it.
In comparison to other normal i3s where they are around £12/15 grand.
Is it worth buying I only do short journeys.
The car is advertised on there car site on good motors bury.

[Paul Drawmer]

I think that the ambulance I3 was a special simple spec base unit, with less of the bells and whistles that regular UK I3s come with.

If you ask the question on this facebook group I think you'll get some definitive replies.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/bmwi3uk

[danp]

Do you want an i3 with shelving etc in the back?!

You can get a decent i3 33kWh (66 plate on) with similar mileage from about that money anyway so it doesn’t sound cheap to me.

I’d personally not want a REx either, get the bigger 42kWh battery if you regularly need more range.

Edit: might also be hard to sell on, must be a bit of a niche market for this?

Edited by danp on Monday 28th October 13:17

[Daihatsu997]

I live in the north, cheapest i3 within 100 mile radius is £10,000 for same car but with rear seats.
I’m a long term car owner always has been, so not to fussed about sell on.

[Jakg]

Daihatsu997 said:

The car is advertised on there car site on good motors bury.

https://www.good-motors.co.uk/used-bmw-i3-bury-lancashire-6323430

To save anyone a google...









Bearing in mind you can get an i3 for like £5-6k privately, unless you actually want a van that seems like a poor deal.

I'd expect the interior will be full of holes, too.

I'm a bit surprised they've only taken half of the stuff off though - who is the target market?

Edited by Jakg on Monday 28th October 13:53

[Jakg]

Jakg said:

Daihatsu997 said:

The car is advertised on there car site on good motors bury.

https://www.good-motors.co.uk/used-bmw-i3-bury-lancashire-6323430

To save anyone a google...









Bearing in mind you can get an i3 for like £5-6k privately, unless you actually want a van that seems like a poor deal.

I'd expect the interior will be full of holes, too.

I'm a bit surprised they've only taken half of the stuff off though - who is the target market?

[TheDeuce]

Jakg said:

Sorry.







(but I would actually say buy it, if you intend to keep it long term and don't have to worry about potential resale. Ex services cars like these are typically very well maintained, it sounds like very affordable and practical motoring - provided you don't need rear seats)

[Daihatsu997]

I forgot jeremys p45 creation, I miss old top gear.
I am test driving it Monday 4th October.
Apparently it still has secret lockable drug compartments
Not that I’m a druggie or owt.
I loved this car when I first saw it, hope it’s better in person.

[TheDeuce]

Daihatsu997 said:

I forgot jeremys p45 creation, I miss old top gear.
I am test driving it Monday 4th October.
Apparently it still has secret lockable drug compartments
Not that I’m a druggie or owt.
I loved this car when I first saw it, hope it’s better in person.

I hope you like it in the flesh and please keep the thread updated

Agree about the good old days of CHM Top Gear..

[Paul Drawmer]

It may also only have AC charging. I know 50kW isn't a lot nowadays, but it's a lot better than 7.5kW!

[LayZ]

It hasn't even got heated seats, avoid, especially at this money.

I love i3s (nailed on classic) but I have to say I think a LEAF makes a better cheap EV if you just want local transport. There's lots that goes wrong on an i3 and very little is easy to fix.

[Olivera]

TheDeuce said:

Jakg said:

[Evanivitch]

I'd avoid the REx. Extra (expensive) liability and reduces available battery.

[Toaster Pilot]

12-13k is 120Ah money, you can pick up a 94ah Rex for much less if that’s what you’re looking for - wouldn’t surprise me at all if you could buy one for the same £7700 that doesn’t have the weird rear conversion and actually has some spec.

[Daihatsu997]

I test drove it today and absolutely loved it, the shelving in the back is not like the photos at all.
When I first posted about this a lot of people said don’t buy it.
Due to shelving and spec.
It has got heated seats for the person who said it hasn’t.

[TheDeuce]

Daihatsu997 said:

I test drove it today and absolutely loved it, the shelving in the back is not like the photos at all.
When I first posted about this a lot of people said don’t buy it.
Due to shelving and spec.
It has got heated seats for the person who said it hasn’t.

So.... You buying this beast or not?

[survivalist]

LayZ said:

It hasn't even got heated seats, avoid, especially at this money.

I love i3s (nailed on classic) but I have to say I think a LEAF makes a better cheap EV if you just want local transport. There's lots that goes wrong on an i3 and very little is easy to fix.

Nailed on classic? It’s an EV equivalent of the Audi A2 (being generous) or the Honda Jazz (being realistic) - no one is buying these as an investment or to enjoy some kind of ‘classic’ EV experience - largely because it’s like any other EV to drive.

[TheDeuce]

survivalist said:

LayZ said:

It hasn't even got heated seats, avoid, especially at this money.

I love i3s (nailed on classic) but I have to say I think a LEAF makes a better cheap EV if you just want local transport. There's lots that goes wrong on an i3 and very little is easy to fix.

Nailed on classic? It’s an EV equivalent of the Audi A2 (being generous) or the Honda Jazz (being realistic) - no one is buying these as an investment or to enjoy some kind of ‘classic’ EV experience - largely because it’s like any other EV to drive.

I think that taking a longer view, it's likely that car museums in several decades time will have row of cars showing the first EV's (ignoring the electric carriages 130 years ago...), and that an i3 will probably feature. The Model S was the first serious, practical mainstream EV, but BMW's early foray with the i3 was novel and has done a lot to dictate BMW's current design principles for their latest generation of EV's.

It was quite an important car for the European EV future, it's just not old enough or rare enough yet for anyone to give a toss.


It's certainly more novel and important to the future of private cars than an A2 or a sodding Jazz!

[loskie]

will it be complex/costly to get insurance for?

[Ste-EVo]

TheDeuce said:

survivalist said:

LayZ said:

It hasn't even got heated seats, avoid, especially at this money.

I love i3s (nailed on classic) but I have to say I think a LEAF makes a better cheap EV if you just want local transport. There's lots that goes wrong on an i3 and very little is easy to fix.

Nailed on classic? It’s an EV equivalent of the Audi A2 (being generous) or the Honda Jazz (being realistic) - no one is buying these as an investment or to enjoy some kind of ‘classic’ EV experience - largely because it’s like any other EV to drive.

I think that taking a longer view, it's likely that car museums in several decades time will have row of cars showing the first EV's (ignoring the electric carriages 130 years ago...), and that an i3 will probably feature. The Model S was the first serious, practical mainstream EV, but BMW's early foray with the i3 was novel and has done a lot to dictate BMW's current design principles for their latest generation of EV's.

It was quite an important car for the European EV future, it's just not old enough or rare enough yet for anyone to give a toss.


It's certainly more novel and important to the future of private cars than an A2 or a sodding Jazz!

I agree with you here 'TheDeuce', I was having this very conversation just the other day with the father inlaw about EVs in museums in years to come and I would imagine a mk1 Leaf would feature in the line up also. I think the i3 and Tesla were great at pushing the idea but the Leaf made EV's accessible for many, and still does as.