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.
The post I Think I Have To Sell My 145,000 Mile BMW i3 But I Don’t Want To appeared first on The Autopian.
