I really would rather not sell my 2014 BMW i3 with a new high-voltage battery, but keeping it just doesn’t make financial sense. It’s been such a great car over the last 17 months, and it feels weird to sell a car that is, essentially, perfect. But I bought a BMW i3S that is even perfect-er, and it’s hard to justify having $11,000 tied up in a depreciating asset that I don’t even use.
There’s not a whole lot to this article, so if you were expecting enlightenment, I’m sorry to disappoint. No, this article is just me lamenting having to make grown up decisions.
I’ve lived in LA over a year and a half now. I’m now living with my partner, and the future seems bright and fun. But also expensive. I’m also not at all rich, especially not compared to pretty much anyone out here (does everyone feel that way, or is it just me?), and as such, I felt pretty bad for buying that $30,000 Galvanic Gold BMW i3S. That’s a lot of money, and who knows, I or someone I love might need that.
I justified it because it’s not just that cars tie up money, it’s that they tie up time. I have to sell some of my 13-ish cars not just to make some scratch, but to improve how much time I have to devote to my partner/this business. So I figured: If I have to get rid of lots of my cars, can my daily driver at least be something badass? Hence the $30K i3S “Holy Grail.” It’s a truly incredible machine.
But so is the 2014. It’s been perfect since I bought it for $10,5000 and got its battery replaced. I’ve had zero complaints. I have wished for improved range, since it’s easier to just plug in at home than having to stop by a gas station, plus the tires are pretty absurdly expensive, but it’s basically a perfect car. It’s for this reason that I’m having a hard time letting go.
But that’s $11,000 of cold, hard cash. And if we’re being honest, i3 values could continue to plummet as more EVs become available. The truth is, the palatability of a 75-mile-range-EV with a two-gallon-tank for a range extender is limited. I mean, these things didn’t exactly fly off the shelves, and their values are not increasing (they’ve dropped 15% year-over-year). My car has a new battery, but also 145,000 miles on everything else, and a 145,000 mile i3 is worth about…$8500-ish. I figure the decent battery adds at least $2500.
Anyway, a lot of my friends have said they want to buy my i3 — my college friend, Jason, an industry colleague. But when it came down to crunch time, none have committed.
Anyone want a gorgeous 2014 BMW i3 range extender with a new high-voltage battery? Because I’m selling mine for a great deal:https://t.co/r3S6b9gZVA
— David Tracy (@davidntracy) July 23, 2024
In fact, my Facebook listing, below, has only received one truly interested buyer.
It’s a shame, because that new battery makes this i3 feel like a new car, but I guess there are 144,500 miles on all the other components — the suspension, the AC compressor, all the steering bits, the motor, etc. Maybe nobody will buy it at $11 grand and then I can just keep it?
Yes, I love that i3, and part of me wants to keep it as my daily driver so I can preserver my probably-1-of-1 Galganic Gold 2021 model. This thing:
It gets about 135 miles of range versus about 80 on the gray i3. Plus, I mean, just look at it. It looks like a million bucks. The old i3 does look a little friendlier, I think, as it doesn’t have all that blacked out trim:
And I prefer the old i3’s brighter, friendlier interior:
Which version of the BMW i3’s famous “Giga World” interior are you most fond of?
(Notice the slight change in leather color, change in armrest color, and change in fabric pattern). pic.twitter.com/tUkNakP9Pm
— David Tracy (@davidntracy) June 4, 2024
But that gold machine — it’s something special. Sometimes I worry it’s too nice to daily drive, but that’s an absurd thought that I should discard. I only drive my i3 about 7,000 miles a year; it’s made of carbon fiber, aluminum, and plastic so it won’t corrode; and I have a garage to store it in each night —it’ll probably be fine. Plus, its tires are ridiculously cheap and it has a 12-year, 130,000 mile warranty on pretty much every single powertrain component, so I should drive it.
The financially responsible person in me knows it’s one or the other. I’ve already been a bit rash buying that gold one for so much; I can’t be irresponsible and keep both. It’s not just the $11,000. it’s the insurance; it’s the annual registration fees; and it’s the time needed to make sure it’s parked somewhere safe and where it’s not bothering anyone, replace its tires when needed, fix the occasional issue, etc.
It’s gotta go. I don’t want to, and part of me is moderately concerned that if I sell it I’ll just relapse and buy another, but I gotta get over that. It’s time to grow up and be responsible.
I just went through the same process with my 2014 i3! It didn’t have a new battery, but it did have a the whole a/c system, a known weak point, and 2 new tires, and all options except the range extender. But even with Michigan winters pushing down the range to 45 miles on the worst days, it was never really an issue. A little planning, and I was lucky to have plugs at work, and I got close but never stranded. In a 2 car house, longer trips were in the wife’s family car anyway.
Prices are plummeting, as you noted. You may have better luck in LA, but in Michigan I only got 8k and it only had 78k miles.
If you had to narrow the fleet down to two what would you keep?
Hey David, congrats. I’ve had a similar life trajectory and I get it. Thought I’d never change, thought I’d be working on my projects forever … then you meet someone who changes your life in ways you never predicted.
I’d guess financially you’re doing better than most people in LA. Sure, it’s tough to make a living from a car blog, but lots of people are up to their eyeballs in debt financing flashy cars and renting fancy clothes. I’m guessing that you live within your means. Spending less money than you earn is more important than having flashy things.
It’s weird where all the time goes. It helped me to cut bait and sell nearly all my projects, do without them for a bit, and then pick one hobby or project at a time to focus my free time on. Here’s wishing you the best of luck as you find new routines and find what works for you. Looking forward to continuing to read about your adventures!
Only $11k? Man, this would be perfect for my commute. That interior is what dreams are made of.
It’s time to really go Hollywood. Buy one more, then put together another remake of “The Italian Job.” You must’ve met some producers and directors by now, and everyone else you’ve met out there is bound to be an out-of-work actor. You’ll have to work on your Cockney accent. If this story idea doesn’t appeal, you could always make a Shower Spaghetti Western.
you could always make a Shower Spaghetti Western.
Well he’s in the right place:
https://vivathevalley.com/movies-shows-san-fernando-valley/
Except he pulled a Fancy Kristen and now lives in Santa Monica. 😉
Well it would be soft porn…
With a soundtrack by Ennio Macaroni.
That would be EPIC!
If anyone could make Bow Chicka Wow Wow work in a western it’s Ennio Macaroni.
Placing a car ad on Fazebook Marketplatz distroys all faith in the future of humanity. I was a happy go lucky fella’ before I advertised my Tacoma on Marketplace. Now I’m a cynical, depressed day drinker. “Hi, Is this available”
This is why I love *buying* stuff on classifieds…If you communicate clearly, and actually show up with the agreed $$$ in hand like a serious person, you stand in firm contrast to the rest of the hellscape. The seller is usually so shocked you weren’t another BS artist, and treat you like a superstar. Throw in free stuff, invite you in for food or a beer, etc.
Selling? Terrible. I try to use things until I feel comfortable giving them away for free.
It’s free, but can you drop it off?
You jest, but I actually have done that when the alternative was paying to get rid of it…
Followed by an indignant follow up when I didn’t respond to his email.
“Hi, is this available?”
“Yes”
“I’ll give $5k” – when you’re asking $10k
FML
Is the $11k sell price a realistic price, or the “I’ll tell the wife I’m trying to sell it but nobody wants it” price?
I think it’s the right price.
Biggest surprise here is you still have the old i3 – keep dropping the price until it’s gone. Once it is, you’ll feel less bad about dropping coin on the i3S.
David, you have 13-ish cars. The financially responsible part of you is, at this point, a weak theory.
Fair.
“…I’m having a hard time letting go.”
Face it, David, you have a hard time letting go of crappy vehicles, too. You always have reasons and emotional attachments.
I know he got rid of most of them, but a series of David talking through each car he needs to get rid of with a therapist would be fun.
As much as I’d love the i3, ANOTHER high mileage PHEV especially one with pretty severe limitations once the battery is depleted is probably not in the cards.
And honestly, David, at this price you’re competing with dealer-sold 2019 Bolts with giant IRA rebates on the hood, and I’m not surprised by the lack of interest.
Yeah, you can get a very lightly used Bolt around me for $14k after tax credit. The REX is not that big of a selling point when you still have quite a bit less overall range in the i3. I’d take the $14k Bolt all day.
I hated this about L.A. I was a young (mid-late 20s) engineer with a decent job and I felt broke living there. Surrounded by $130k cars and it seemed like no one had to work.
There are a lot of “trustafarians” in LA mixed in with people who don’t have a traditional corporate job…and then some people who drive way too nice of a car for their financial situation.
So go rent a $130k car like everyone else.
I’ve lived in Los Angeles my whole life. Like 90% of cars are sun faded Camry’s and Altimas. You will see nice cars on a regular basis but saying everyone is rich is a stretch.
Hi, is this available?
You dirty dog
Tee hee!
You have to get rid of it for your peace of mind. It’s a great car that will serve someone very well for years to come thanks to you dealing with the warranty battery exchange.
Drive and enjoy your golden i3 and enjoy it. Just sitting there is not great for it. Sure, there is a risk, but cars are meant to be enjoyed.
Absolutely no shame in that. I did very similar last year. Due to work changes, my daily driver 2008 Mazdaspeed 3 spent more time in the driveway than it did on the road. It was getting up there in miles (130K) and despite me keeping it well maintained I felt it was only a matter of time before it needed some investment in time or money.
So despite me really enjoying it, I felt bad about letting a cool enthusiast car sit and collect dust so I decided to sell it while it was in good shape and the enthusiast market was strong. Sold it on Cars and Bids, and I think I just caught the tail end of the pandemic price bubble because similar cars which have sold after mine didn’t command as much money.
If it didn’t have the tire issue I almost certainly would have bought it, that’s not your fault but it is really the only reason I wouldn’t get it.
“I’m also not at all rich, especially not compared to pretty much anyone out here (does everyone feel that way, or is it just me?)”
This is a setup for your new series: “I’m living in an Aztek down by the LA river!” right?
Anyone who can plonk down $30k on a used BMW toy is doing alright.
Or at least they were till they bought TWO used BMWs 😉
Don’t try doing that now, or Newsom will impound it.
Those BMWs are EVs so I doubt it.
I wish I could buy it off of you, it would be the perfect car for my situation. Sadly, I’m out of a job right now and my wife thinks the i3 is absolutely hideous for some reason.
It seems everyone’s wife hates the i3! You’re like the 9000th person who’s told me that!
The key is: Get them to sit in it!
Blindfold them and let them sit in it?
I have a Kia Soul so get that people can’t jive with the look. My wife (and honestly many others) can’t get past the looks but also appreciates how useful it is and completely understands why they sell so many of them. Same (except the high sales) as the i3.
Selling a car in perfectly good shape is a completely normal thing to do. For once, you’re selling something that a human being of sound mind would actually buy. The usual Autopian vehicular farewell, where you sell a car because even you can’t deal with it, is not a regular transaction, but rather passing the crazy buck to someone who’s an even bigger threat to polite society than yourself.
Lmao the “Help me feel better! I just sold someone a piece of scrap metal“
articles…
Well yeah, you’re abandoning a perfectly good car with a fresh (and free) battery. Of course it feels silly to sell, but you have no use for it now. Need room for long-term storage of the Aztek anyway.
I wish you luck with your sale, but you said it yourself that selling this 10 year-old EV with 144k on the odometer for “real” money is gonna’ be tough.
Don’t sweat feeling poor in LA. A lot of people are just treading water financially – even though they look like they are living large. A friend just moved from NYC to LA and he’s dumbstruck what it would cost to buy a “nice” house in a “nice” neighborhood for his family of four.
Almost everyone in LA is up to the ears in debt to impress nobody that really cares.
78% percent of the U.S. population is living pay check to pay check. apparently that’s a 6% increase from the previous year. Ouch!
https://www.forbes.com/advisor/banking/living-paycheck-to-paycheck-statistics-2024/#:~:text=or%20lost%20income.-,How%20Many%20Americans%20Are%20Living%20Paycheck%20to%20Paycheck%3F,increase%20from%20the%20previous%20year.
From the linked article
Definition of “Living Paycheck to Paycheck”
The term “living paycheck to paycheck” gets thrown around a lot when talking about money. But what does it mean?
For the purposes of this survey, living paycheck to paycheck describes a financial scenario in which an individual or family’s income barely covers essential living expenses like housing, utilities, groceries and transportation. One missed paycheck would put someone living paycheck to paycheck in a difficult spot.
Sell the gold i3 for $30k and improve your financial situation.
I live in the Bay and LA’s one of the few areas that’ll make me feel poor, too – it’s not even just the money, which I can usually match, but the fashion and vibes just makes you _feel_ poor.
You have to ignore it; many people who are flexing often aren’t that loaded. SF is more “quiet wealth.” On the flip side, there are a lot of wealthy people here, whether generational or self-made. Miami takes the cake when it comes to peacocking, though.
Oh for sure, it’s just definitely a vibe. The status markers aren’t just “do you have money”, it’s “do you have style”, and, well, I’m from the bay, so make of that what you will.
I’m led to believe in Miami it’s “do you have abs or tits”, but I don’t know first hand, because I haven’t been, because I don’t.
No Abs, no tits nor a roof, apparently.
Only thing I’ve got going for me!
As someone who likes fashion, I’m regularly disappointed in people’s ability here to dress in LA…a lot of its streetwear vibes or just buying expensive labels. It’s one thing to be 21 and dressing in Supreme and alike, but 35 and up and still looking like a Soundcloud rapper…come on haha.
NYC leads the US in this category, but then you go to Paris or Milan and really see well-put-together individuals.
It’s one thing to be 21 and dressing in Supreme and alike, but 35 and up and still looking like a Soundcloud rapper…come on haha.
I’ve known 40 something moms who raid their 16 yo daughters wardrobes…
(OK maybe it was just one mom but still!)
Counterpoint: Sell the gold one. I know it’s rare, and it’s a neat color, but because of that you will care far more about it, and you’ll have to worry about rock chips, dings, scratches, etc. The black one is a better daily because you just won’t ever car if it gets beat up, because it’s ‘just an i3’
As someone who’s had flawless paint before, I don’t want it again. My 911 had bad paint when I got it, so I wet sanded it into the primer on every single panel down to 1500, and then polished it with 3m perfect it. It’s awesome. I don’t give a single car about rock chips, birdshit, dings, etc. Just polish again and it’s more shiny.
This would give you even more funds for your other projects, which are frankly more interesting.
Absolutely agree here. Some points to consider, David:
-Cars are for driving. If you can’t stand a rock chip/door ding/etc in the Gold i3, then you won’t enjoy driving it and it should go.
-For better or worse, cars (anything, really) are only worth what someone will pay. If minimizing financial loss is your goal, sell the one that does just that.
This is the logically correct take (even if not the emotionally correct take for David). A car (especially a daily driver) is a depreciating appliance to be used and abused. When (not if) the i3 gets banged up in LA traffic or crime, it’ll hurt a lot less if it’s the old one and not the perfect new one. The HV battery is the biggest liability of these cars, and the older i3 has the newest and theoretically longest lifespan from this point on.
But, if we only made logical decisions about cars, there would be no fun cars out there.
The older i3 does not have the longest battery lifespan from this point, since it’s a smaller battery. This means it not only sees more charge cycles, but it at 50% offers a range of 37 miles while the Gold i3 at 50% still has 65 or 70.
But otherwise, yeah, I see your points.
Sell them both and lease an EV6, or Move to CO and lease any EV they are practically giving them away as leases up there.
I’m an i3 man.
Sure, because you’ve chosen to be. You can make other choices.
You’ve made some monumental choices in the recent past that have put you on an upward trajectory, I REALLY applaud you for doing so. You have way more ‘guts’ than I do, although we are at different stages of our lives. I was braver and moved countries for the love of a good woman when I was younger… Choosing a different vehicle shouldn’t be as life altering it’s ‘just’ a car.
Good luck with whatever you decide and thank you for allowing us all to watch and give unsolicited advice from the peanut gallery 🙂
And before that you were a rusty Jeep man.
I don’t know what the next ‘Holy Grail’ EV is, but the i3 is so last week.
The Gold i3 is the better car, make it your daily and enjoy it- It was built to be driven!
It’s a shining example that modern vehicles can be innovative, funky AND practical. Live the dream.
If we were having this conversation in 2050 maybe I could see the argument for preservation, but in 2024 it’s still just a quality first-gen EV with some neat features. Make the most of it.
Preserving a nice car for decades is nearly impossible for normal people. I appreciate people who try, but think of the opportunity costs associated with keeping that money tied up in something you don’t use. Better off to enjoy it now, enjoy other things, and look for another one some day if the desire is still strong.
It sounds like you know what to do.
“more charge cycles”
Is that a problem if you were to only charge it off 110V and use it occasionally?
Yeah but it’s nice to have one daily beater you dgaf about too much, so you can actually focus on illogical automotive decisions 😛
Oh man, I never heard of that before! As someone that does lots of (unfortunately non-automotive) painting and polishing this looks like something I should know about
I generally agree, and I’d support this if they were identical other than paint- But the gold i3 is also the better daily with the longer range, cheaper consumables and upgraded features. It’s just a superior car that happens to be a nice colour. This conversation really starts and stops at the longer range, IMO.
Sometimes you have to just embrace the upgrade and get on with life. Normal people just buy the nicest car they can afford for their daily, and though they may shed a tear over the first scratch, get on with driving and enjoying it, realizing it will deteriorate over time.
One reason why I have always bought used, let someone else take the depreciation and the first door ding. My cars are all driven. Period. I keep them washed, vacuumed and don’t deliberately do damage. Interior defects bother me more than exterior. But you get scratches, door dings, stone chips, etc. I haul bikes, canoes, camping gear and trips to the big box store. I can panic at every scratch or just use the damn thing.
Yup. Any car that gets driven is going to see some wear and tear. A nice car with a scratch is still a better than a shitty car… That also has a scratch.
Came here to say the same thing. Back in 2018 I picked up a new Camaro SS 1LE. My first new car purchase, actually. Loved it, amazing car. Did a few track days and had some fun with it. After the second winter spent looking at it in the garage, I realized that was a lot of money to have just sitting there for 6 months. Between that and Covid pricing, it just made more sense to sell. I wish I made the kind of money that I didn’t have to worry about it, but I don’t.
I agree, but at the same time for the tire issues alone I’d get rid of this i3 and keep the Gold one.
I don’t like paint, coatings, etc. because they wear off, I’d rather have something that is tough and corrosion proof enough to not rely on coatings that wear off.
If I have to get a painted car I want an aluminum body with silver paint, that way when the paint gets scratched, chipped, etc. it isn’t noticeable and due to the aluminum body it doesn’t rust where scratched, chipped, etc.
Selling cars that you dreamed of owning is hard. I get it and have been there, but at the end of the day you can always pick up a project one to stuff the drivetrain of an M1000RR in the back of and ditch the batteries and electric motor.
That would be absolutely wild. Someone with more money and even less sense, please do this thing
If only there was somebody who had money and the shop and the people who could totally pull that off and maybe also happens to be an owner of this very site…
I have a 2014 Tera and I have always been jealous of the cloth/leather seats of the Giga. Why did the more expensive Tera get the lesser interior?
Also, someone is getting a HECK of a deal. The car only weighs 2800 pounds so those suspension bits, wheel bearings, etc are fine. Also the chassis is carbon fiber and the panels are fiberglass so there is no rust.
Someone buy David’s i3!
Lol they don’t put the same suspension parts under a 2800lb BMW and a 5000lb Tahoe. Weight has absolutely no bearing(no pun intended) on the lifespan of suspension joints, wheel bearings, shocks, ect. If it did, then Geo Metros would be legendary for having suspension parts that last a million miles.
I thought it did? Aren’t Teslas eating wheel bearings at crazy fast rates due to their weight?
It seems like if weight had no bearing on wear, they could use the same parts in a Miata as a Hummer (sizes notwithstanding). A poorly designed or inappropriately specced component will fail faster if it’s not fit for purpose, irrespective of weight, in the same way you could overprovision for durability or high loads.
A cheaply made Geo Metro suspension is still only going to last as long as it’s capable of carrying Geo Metro weights and loads, and considerably shorter if that Geo Metro is laden with crap. (I assume it’s crap at this point, because this is 2024 and you’re still rolling in a Geo Metro that presumably does not have 12 cylinders)
I can’t imagine that weight figure is correct on the range extender versions
Why not swap the interior from the 2014 to the 2021? You can have the best of everything!
The 2021’s interior is pretty awesome. It’s 95% as cool as the 2014’s, so not quite worth swapping over.
Maybe switch just the armrest you like best.