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Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2025 4:56 pm
by Nordboy
KungFooBob wrote: Sat Sep 20, 2025 6:22 pm
All the reviews say the 40 is nicer to drive and more agile due to not having the front motor, it's still 340bhp or something.
I wouldn't know, I was sold on the 50 the first time the salesman told me to floor it.
I've now got a few of these coming into my budget and searches on auto trader. I do like a BMW and this could very much tempt me away from getting a tesla model 3. Quoting 316 miles of range, is that close? Or the expected real world 260-270'ish?
The ones I'm looking at have around 40k miles on them, many issues with them so far?
Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2025 5:02 pm
by KungFooBob
Nordboy wrote: Tue Sep 30, 2025 4:56 pm
KungFooBob wrote: Sat Sep 20, 2025 6:22 pm
All the reviews say the 40 is nicer to drive and more agile due to not having the front motor, it's still 340bhp or something.
I wouldn't know, I was sold on the 50 the first time the salesman told me to floor it.
I've now got a few of these coming into my budget and searches on auto trader. I do like a BMW and this could very much tempt me away from getting a tesla model 3. Quoting 316 miles of range, is that close? Or the expected real world 260-270'ish?
The ones I'm looking at have around 40k miles on them, many issues with them so far?
I reckon from my M50 I could get 240 before I started to panic from 100%.
But there's so many variables.
I averaged around 3.4kwh/mile, with an 80ish kwh battery that should be 272ish miles.
I've not heard of many problems, on the forums you occasionally hear about a stuck charging port door.
Don't get the 20 inch wheels if you want range.
I had to have the carbon trim, it's so much nicer than the base triangular printed alloy. Also DAPP was a biggie for me.
Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2025 6:59 pm
by wheelnut
KungFooBob wrote: Tue Sep 30, 2025 5:02 pm
I reckon from my M50 I could get 240 before I started to panic from 100%.
But there's so many variables.
I averaged around 3.4kwh/mile, with an 80ish kwh battery that should be 272ish miles.
I've not heard of many problems, on the forums you occasionally hear about a stuck charging port door.
Don't get the 20 inch wheels if you want range.
I had to have the carbon trim, it's so much nicer than the base triangular printed alloy. Also DAPP was a biggie for me.
Yeah, I’ve got 21 inch wheels on mine together with 4 wheel drive it does trim the range down. I’m getting about 260 ish
Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2025 7:20 pm
by KungFooBob
wheelnut wrote: Tue Sep 30, 2025 6:59 pm
KungFooBob wrote: Tue Sep 30, 2025 5:02 pm
I reckon from my M50 I could get 240 before I started to panic from 100%.
But there's so many variables.
I averaged around 3.4kwh/mile, with an 80ish kwh battery that should be 272ish miles.
I've not heard of many problems, on the forums you occasionally hear about a stuck charging port door.
Don't get the 20 inch wheels if you want range.
I had to have the carbon trim, it's so much nicer than the base triangular printed alloy. Also DAPP was a biggie for me.
Yeah, I’ve got 21 inch wheels on mine together with 4 wheel drive it does trim the range down. I’m getting about 260 ish
BMW claim a 40 mile range drop between 19 and 20 ich wheels on the i4.
AWD means two motors, that's the extra weight of a motor along with the extra leccy needed to drive it, but you do get a hell of a lot more performance

Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2025 7:47 pm
by Nordboy
I'm wondering about the i4 40 as well, that's still reasonably quick and a bit cheaper. But then, maybe I'd always wonder about whether I should have got a 50? Always the same isn't it?
They're definitely on my list now.
Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Tue Sep 30, 2025 8:10 pm
by KungFooBob
Nordboy wrote: Tue Sep 30, 2025 7:47 pm
I'm wondering about the i4 40 as well, that's still reasonably quick and a bit cheaper. But then, maybe I'd always wonder about whether I should have got a 50? Always the same isn't it?
They're definitely on my list now.
That was me, 40 cheaper and better range, but like typical BMW's every thing is an option, the M50 get nicer base options, also your typical M50 PCP buyer spends a bit more on options than a 40 buyer, so the three year old 50's are much better spec'ed than the 40's.
My car has Parking Assistant Pro (360 cameras and self park), which was part of the Technology Pack that also included HUD and Harmon Kardon audio and the DAPP (which I wanted because my Volvo had Pilot Assist and it's basically the same thing). It's got the heated steering wheel (I think the headed seats are standard on the 50), I've got the Drive Recorder, which uses the 360 parking cameras as dash cams. Iconic Sounds are standard on the 50 and an option on the 40 (Hans Zimmer fake engine noise, which is a lot better than it sounds).
All the UK i4's get the steering wheel buttons for the Adaptive Cruise Control (part of DAPP), but not all cars have the software 'enabled'. If you want it and the car doesn't have it, you can purchase it through 'connected drive' for £700!
My car shows two products I can buy via connected drive, the Speed Camera add on for the Sat-Nag and the High Beam assistant (which was standard on my Volvo, but I never used).
If you do look at any, take a picture of the VIN (you can see it through the windscreen. There's a couple of Vin Decoders on the web that will tell you all the factory options the car has if you put the Vin in, the dealers are notoriously bad at listing what the car has.
Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2025 3:27 am
by wheelnut
KungFooBob wrote: Tue Sep 30, 2025 7:20 pm
BMW claim a 40 mile range drop between 19 and 20 ich wheels on the i4.
AWD means two motors, that's the extra weight of a motor along with the extra leccy needed to drive it, but you do get a hell of a lot more performance
I don’t take it off road and never really used it in the snow properly yet, but it’s a revelation on wet greasy roundabouts.
Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2025 7:02 pm
by Taipan
If it works, it works!

Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2025 8:12 pm
by v8-powered
Taipan wrote: Wed Oct 01, 2025 7:02 pm
If it works, it works!
Is that Jaywick?
Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2025 8:22 pm
by Nordboy
The current list to replace my mini is..
Tesla Model 3 performance or long range awd, very late 2021 onwards with the ryzen ecu
BMW i4, either the 50 or 40
Hyundai ionic 6 ultimate
then outsiders are the Polestar long range dual motor 82kw version and the Volvo xc40 recharge.
That list could well change though, probably as often as the weather tbh.
Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2025 8:26 pm
by KungFooBob
Nordboy wrote: Wed Oct 01, 2025 8:22 pm
The current list to replace my mini is..
Tesla Model 3 performance or long range awd, very late 2021 onwards with the ryzen ecu
BMW i4, either the 50 or 40
Hyundai ionic 6 ultimate
then outsiders are the Polestar long range dual motor 82kw version and the Volvo xc40 recharge.
That list could well change though, probably as often as the weather tbh.
BYD Seal. Look great (well better than an M3P), M50 matching performance. I've not driven one, but the reviews say they don't have the dynamics of some of your other options, but might be worth a look, I guess 'driving dynamics' is totally subjective.
I'm still wondering if I should have scratched that Taycan itch.
Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2025 8:29 pm
by Nordboy
KungFooBob wrote: Wed Oct 01, 2025 8:26 pm
Nordboy wrote: Wed Oct 01, 2025 8:22 pm
The current list to replace my mini is..
Tesla Model 3 performance or long range awd, very late 2021 onwards with the ryzen ecu
BMW i4, either the 50 or 40
Hyundai ionic 6 ultimate
then outsiders are the Polestar long range dual motor 82kw version and the Volvo xc40 recharge.
That list could well change though, probably as often as the weather tbh.
BYD Seal. Look great (well better than an M3P), M50 matching performance. I've not driven one, but the reviews say they don't have the dynamics of some of your other options, but might be worth a look, I guess 'driving dynamics' is totally subjective.
Yes, i did also look at a couple of those earlier, still newish so very much top end of the budget. But they do seem to have great spec. I do think i'd need to drive one though, more performance of the M3 LR, I4 40 and Polestar, rather than the M3P and I4 50. Well the ones I looked at were anyway
Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2025 8:31 pm
by KungFooBob
Nordboy wrote: Wed Oct 01, 2025 8:29 pm
KungFooBob wrote: Wed Oct 01, 2025 8:26 pm
Nordboy wrote: Wed Oct 01, 2025 8:22 pm
The current list to replace my mini is..
Tesla Model 3 performance or long range awd, very late 2021 onwards with the ryzen ecu
BMW i4, either the 50 or 40
Hyundai ionic 6 ultimate
then outsiders are the Polestar long range dual motor 82kw version and the Volvo xc40 recharge.
That list could well change though, probably as often as the weather tbh.
BYD Seal. Look great (well better than an M3P), M50 matching performance. I've not driven one, but the reviews say they don't have the dynamics of some of your other options, but might be worth a look, I guess 'driving dynamics' is totally subjective.
Yes, i did also look at a couple of those earlier, still newish so very much top end of the budget. But they do seem to have great spec. I do think i'd need to drive one though, more performance of the M3 LR, I4 40 and Polestar, rather than the M3P and I4 50. Well the ones I looked at were anyway
3.8 0-60, officially 0.1 faster than the M50... tho' (EDIT: ah that's the AWD one, the single motor is a chunk slower)
In many roads tests the M50 consistently beats the BMW figure (nearer 3.5s) and apparently Tesla's official figures are done from a rolling start!!!
Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2025 8:37 pm
by ChrisW
Just wondering, but - Mr.Dazzle?
Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2025 8:56 pm
by Count Steer
ChrisW wrote: Wed Oct 01, 2025 8:37 pm
Just wondering, but - Mr.Dazzle?
Has vanished.
Pinged him on the 14th, but no response, message unread.
(Last log-in 6th Sept).
Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2025 9:00 pm
by ChrisW
Count Steer wrote: Wed Oct 01, 2025 8:56 pm
ChrisW wrote: Wed Oct 01, 2025 8:37 pm
Just wondering, but - Mr.Dazzle?
Has vanished.
Pinged him on the 14th, but no response, message unread.
(Last log-in 6th Sept).
Hope nothing horrible.
Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Wed Oct 01, 2025 10:15 pm
by Sunny
Holiday, mebbe?
Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2025 7:44 am
by Count Steer
Sunny wrote: Wed Oct 01, 2025 10:15 pmHoliday, mebbe?
A month? Lucky man! But no internet...unlikely. His linked email could be an ancient, defunct one so he doesn't see alerts. He had been very ill after his back op but seemed to be OK, he could be 'detoxing' from the daily battle with people who see actual data as a mere inconvenience or 'fake news'. Who knows? I rather hoped someone was in 'real-world' contact with him.
(I've got 3 more unread PMs in my outbox, that have been there for a while, to people that suddenly dropped out. I know one or maybe two of them got seduced by Faceplant

but Dazzle doesn't seem to be a particular social media fan).
Probably needs a 'missing in action' thread!
Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2025 7:55 am
by KungFooBob
Amorti is a real life friend of Dazzler, may he'll know if Mr D has posted on his Myspace or something?
Re: Would you have an electric car if you had the money for a new car and were in the market for one?
Posted: Thu Oct 02, 2025 7:58 am
by KungFooBob
As the temp has dropped, I've noticed something else about my leccy car.
It's not that the range has dropped, because it hasn't noticeably, but that the cabin warms up so quickly.
I guess in an Ice car you have to wait for the engine to warm up to work the heater matrix, which takes forever in a Derv
The leccy car is just like turning on a fan heater!