When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Lately I find myself lusting for a BMW i8. The 2015 models are now in the ~$70k price range, which makes it the cheapest exotic (scissor doors, hybrid, etc.) sports car with killer looks out there.
Yes i know that it only has a 3 cylinder and the sound is electronically piped into the cabin and it's not as fast as my 997.2
I am looking for people who have some real life BMW i8 and 997 experiences and who can tell me how these two cars compare from their point of view.
My buddy owns one... got the first delivered into PA. He let me drive it. What a head turner. We stopped in at hardware store and folks just stood around and stared as we got out...doors went up... I got out... and said to the group of gawkers "We're from Jupiter!"
It was the coolest car I ever drove and one of the best I've seen. The interior is just over the top. I loved the car. Biggest issue as you noted, is the sound is piped in and really is awful. I recognized it as fake immediately and he didn't warn me... I didn't know. I am not sure if you can turn it off or not but I am not exaggerating when I say this... I would not own that car if I had to listen to that fake cht. Seriously. It sounded horrible.
He didn't drive it much at all as he works from home... he said it has been trouble free... or at least nothing the dealer couldn't deal with.
I will say it did not handle like a Porsche or a sports car. It kinda floated around... not mushy at all but a super-refined ride. It was a Jetsons' car.
Would I own one? Yes if I was swimming in money but it would not satisfy me as a sports car. Most killer GT car ever though... a real collector's gem.
Peace
Bruce in Philly (now Atlanta)
Last edited by Bruce In Philly; 10-27-2022 at 09:59 PM.
For my 70k if I were going in a non-911 direction I’d take a strong look at the AMG GT. Those are down in range now and look, and sound awesome. Probably a great road trip car too. I drove a lot of BMW’s before coming to Porsche but I feel like they’ve lost their way. Porsche has continued to just get better and better.
For my 70k if I were going in a non-911 direction I’d take a strong look at the AMG GT. Those are down in range now and look, and sound awesome. Probably a great road trip car too. I drove a lot of BMW’s before coming to Porsche but I feel like they’ve lost their way. Porsche has continued to just get better and better.
Agree I would rather get a AMG GT.....AMG engines are all hand built with the person that built it has their name on the engine and not many cars these days have that anymore!!!
Like the look. However more of a GT car. I don’t think it could ever replace the 911. Also the electric only range is something silly like 21 miles. However not the reason someone would buy it.
When the i8 is brought up I think of two things:
1. My get in helmet: Youtube
2. The rear end looking like it’s expelling a 991. This ruined it for me.
Always thought they looked cool but I have no interest in owning anything partially or all electric except maybe a 918 Spyder. After my BMW X5 experience I'll never spend my money on another one.
I've only been IN one and never driven one. As someone else said, go see one and try to get in it...it's pretty funny. You basically have to put your *** in first and then swing your legs in. I tried getting in legs first and it was pretty comical.
Like the look. However more of a GT car. I don’t think it could ever replace the 911. Also the electric only range is something silly like 21 miles. However not the reason someone would buy it.
When the i8 is brought up I think of two things:
1. My get in helmet: Youtube
2. The rear end looking like it’s expelling a 991. This ruined it for me.
Hahahaha. I'd never seen this before. I can never unsee it.
Like the look. However more of a GT car. I don’t think it could ever replace the 911. Also the electric only range is something silly like 21 miles. However not the reason someone would buy it.
When the i8 is brought up I think of two things:
1. My get in helmet: Youtube
2. The rear end looking like it’s expelling a 991. This ruined it for me.
Wow never realized it until now you pointed out out lol!!! It almost looks like a 991 within the rear bumper. The i8's has depreciated a lot like more than 60% and has to be a reason for that.
The drivetrain is lame and doesn't match the exotic looks of the car. There's a reason these have such a crazy depreciation curve. It's because they aren't desirable vehicles. I'd take my 70k somewhere else.
For anyone who cares to know: I rented an i8 today on Turo and here are my observations
first of all, it's not difficult at all to get in and out, not much more difficult than getting in and out of my carbon fiber "GT2" seats in my 997
Pro i8:
- killer super-car looks
- scissor doors (lots of looks and stares at the gas station)
- nice interior
- comfortable
- yes it has a little less power than my car, but it's not a huge difference and the instant torque from the electric motor, gives you a nice kick
- infortainment is a bit more modern than in the 997, but that's not much of a factor, HUD is a nice to have
- gliding in traffic in a car with supercar looks only on electric power - priceless
Well, after driving some local roads and highways I drove both cars (i8, 997) back to back on my "twisty test-track" (Skyline Blvd between Saratoga and Alice's Restaurant here in the Bay Area)
Here are my observations about the i8:
- the steering is not as precise as on the 997
- even though the suspension on the i8 feels stiffer, the car feels floaty in fast bumpy twisties (in all fairness I have the DSC controller in my 997)
- my 997 was way more confidence inspiring (but then again I know the car for more than 10 years, while the i8 is new to me)
- the fake engine sounds are annoying
Summary: the i8 is not a sports car, let alone a track car, but it's a very nice and comfortable GT car. It would make one hell of a sexy commuter with great gas mileage.
Last edited by Hatzenbach; 10-29-2022 at 10:59 PM.
Quote:
Summary: the i8 is not a sports car, let alone a track car, but it's a very nice and comfortable GT car. It would make one hell of a sexy commuter with great gas mileage.
Just my 2 cents:
Been driving a i8 for 5 years, 2014 coupe.
I've had multiple 911's 996 3.4, 997, 991, gt3touring. Allso lots of bmw M cars.
I've been trying to get back to a 911 for years, but after owning a i8 its just not possible as its just so much better at "what it does". So is the 991, at "what IT does".
So the question is what do you want?
The i8 is very often misunderstood, I think it's the fancy doors that does it. You look at it and think, its a über M car. It's not, at all.
It's a 911 that does everything a 911 does bar 1 thing, and does them all better. - Except that last thing.
For one its a modern GT that has 4 seats, like the 911, so you can bring your small kids or big kids for short journeys. Using it a s gt you instanly do not miss the incredible tyre roar that all 911's all the way to 992 has.
It's just a LOT more refined. You can work on the phone without shouting, in fact you can be on the phone @ 200km/h. Nav works intuitively, lights are good, decent stereo, great AC all stuff that are "adequite" in a 911 but otherwise just on par with a gti or worse.
It looks great, like a 911 it has a very distinctive form, very pleasing to the eye from many angles. The BS on this thread on the looks of the rear is just that, there's an equal few angles that makse a 911 look, well dodgy. It's what happens when the styling is not tesla bland.
It's fast, as in really fast, Roll on accelleration (sorry waay too old for quarter miles) on the motorway it's very fast as its really light. The little ****er of an engine and great aero makes it fine for hours of 200km/h cruising on the autobahn.
I took it to the ring, its.. erh ok. not great but ok. It ceartainly handles and you can do a decent enough laptime if the battery is charged, wich will last you 1 lap at full chat, then you need to drive for 1 lap or a few miles around town to recharge the battery.
Ultimately its boring compared to a 911 that is up for it, sounds awesome and just keep begging for one more lap. regardless of model.
So that's it. It's a more modern version of a 911. The sports car gt that does it all. The thing is they only ever made one version. Imagine if you could only choose one 911 and that would be sold to all 911 buyers.
Bit of a shame they never made a M version, and a GTS version, perhaps a CSL (gt3) version, Z3Mbreadvan version...
Well just my 2 cents. I really want a 911 again as the i8 was paid out years ago, but every time I have a go in one I'm disappointed in it.
GT3 touring (awesome sound and handling) waay waaaaaay too much road and transmission noise to work in it.
992, too much noise, too much power, but no sound from engine so you have to drive it hard to hear it wich is REALLY FAST, ie bye license and frankly irresponsible on public roads.
991, ****ty interior crappy manual gearbox, boring autobox shifting early. electronics hopeless.
997, too expensive for what it is, you really need a GTS (wich is way more than a i8).
I digress..
10-27-2022, 09:26 PM
Any BMW i8 owners here?
