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> I wish it (had) less bicycle-like tires. Agree completely. I absolutely love the i3 (especially the futuristic design, and the rex engineering), and was goin

> I wish it (had) less bicycle-like tires. Agree completely. I absolutely love the i3 (especially the futuristic design, and the rex engineering), and was going to try to get one at some point -- until I discovered the bicycle tires. I'm not sure it's even safe to drive on US roads with tires like that. Did BMW forget that potholes are a thing?

zwily 7y ago
My bro-in-law had one and liked it, then moved to Nebraska. First snowfall they had to get rid of it - it was terrible on anything slippery.
- injb 7y ago
  Then he had the wrong tires, guaranteed.
  - akmarinov 7y ago
    Exactly - bicycle tires.
    - javagram 7y ago
      Perhaps the parent meant to suggest https://www.bmwblog.com/2015/04/04/bmw-i3-winter-tires-review-bridgestone-blizzak-lm-500-vs-nokian-hakkapelitta-r2/ https://www.bmwblog.com/2015/04/04/bmw-i3-winter-tires-revie... for the winter. At least according to that review, using the winter tires would have been better in the snow. Of course if you’d rather run all-weather tires without the hassle of changing from summer to winter tires, it seems like the i3 is a bad choice.
      - untangle 7y ago
        The 19" tire is "All Season" rated. The 20" performance tire is "Summer Only." So if you want an i3 "without the hassle" you simply get one with the more-common 19" wheels.
        javagram 7y ago
        Yep. I rock all season tires on my (not an i3) car as well. They’ll never be great in the snow, but I live in an area where snow is rare so that’s fine. I can certainly imagine the “bicycle” tires must not be very good at all in the snow unless they’re the specialized winter version!
shostack 7y ago
My mechanic said the cost of tire replacements is nuts on them.
- schmookeeg 7y ago
  $180 apiece. (our i3 has the 19" wheels. No idea what the 20" go for) Some Costcos stock them, ours had to order and it arrived next day. I'd expect this cost is in the ballpark for their other cars.
jjtheblunt 7y ago
Traded in my AMG-variant Mercedes for an i3 almost five years ago, and, while I miss the Mercedes, which was far more sure footed than any BMW i've known (probably courtesy of AMG), the i3 is a great entirely weird nerdmobile. And its tail end opens like the back of a cargo plane...just weird and useful. Tires cost a fortune because they're annoyingly thin, so wear down fast, and only are made by Bridgestone, I think. Handling is great: carbon fiber and alumin[i]um.

zwily 7y ago

My bro-in-law had one and liked it, then moved to Nebraska. First snowfall they had to get rid of it - it was terrible on anything slippery.

injb 7y ago
Then he had the wrong tires, guaranteed.
- akmarinov 7y ago
  Exactly - bicycle tires.
  - javagram 7y ago
    Perhaps the parent meant to suggest https://www.bmwblog.com/2015/04/04/bmw-i3-winter-tires-review-bridgestone-blizzak-lm-500-vs-nokian-hakkapelitta-r2/ https://www.bmwblog.com/2015/04/04/bmw-i3-winter-tires-revie... for the winter. At least according to that review, using the winter tires would have been better in the snow. Of course if you’d rather run all-weather tires without the hassle of changing from summer to winter tires, it seems like the i3 is a bad choice.
    - untangle 7y ago
      The 19" tire is "All Season" rated. The 20" performance tire is "Summer Only." So if you want an i3 "without the hassle" you simply get one with the more-common 19" wheels.
      - javagram 7y ago
        Yep. I rock all season tires on my (not an i3) car as well. They’ll never be great in the snow, but I live in an area where snow is rare so that’s fine. I can certainly imagine the “bicycle” tires must not be very good at all in the snow unless they’re the specialized winter version!

shostack 7y ago

My mechanic said the cost of tire replacements is nuts on them.

schmookeeg 7y ago
$180 apiece. (our i3 has the 19" wheels. No idea what the 20" go for) Some Costcos stock them, ours had to order and it arrived next day. I'd expect this cost is in the ballpark for their other cars.

jjtheblunt 7y ago

Traded in my AMG-variant Mercedes for an i3 almost five years ago, and, while I miss the Mercedes, which was far more sure footed than any BMW i've known (probably courtesy of AMG), the i3 is a great entirely weird nerdmobile. And its tail end opens like the back of a cargo plane...just weird and useful. Tires cost a fortune because they're annoyingly thin, so wear down fast, and only are made by Bridgestone, I think. Handling is great: carbon fiber and alumin[i]um.