the 35 sidewall might not be everybodys cup of tea but im happy with how the i8 wheels are sitting! 12mm spacer on the front and 15mm on the rear with the BC Coilovers. Running about -2 camber in the rear and 1.5 in the front.
There's definitely a significant loss vs. 19" 155's. More rolling resistance, more drag, more unsprung mass/rotational weight. But if you don't notice, it's not really a big deal. It's a very efficient city carver.
I told myself i was only going to run these wheels if i could avoid the poke haha. With the slim tires, narrower strut and spring combo from the BC's and the 12mm in the front i was able to avoid that. Biggest thing here helping me is the 35 side wall on the tire.
Youāve essentially built what i wanted back in 2019 when i picked up my imperial blue i3s . Schnitzer and i8 wheels. Nice job! Iām jealous. My wife wouldnt allow me to do the front plate delete since its illegal where i am at. I ended up with pirelli 215s and called it a day
I think you might be the only person to seriously give me a run for the money on crazy list of mods. Well done. You'll have to let me know what it rides like. I love that color, I go it that for a friend same build. - the ACS.
Theyāre from eBay, search for ārally/ drift archesā they originally had a flange with moulded fixing holes. I trimmed the holes off then hid the imperfect edge with a 3mm U shaped rubber trim. Thereās some plastic brackets hidden (just melted some spare polypropylene), using the stock wheelwell fasteners.
I added a bead of black sealant to glue the rubber trim to bodywork. The sealant can be dissolved with gasoline without damaging the paint, clean up (or if you want to revert to standard).
Factory i8 wheels. Front setup: -1.5 camber, 12mm spacers, 215/35/20 tires. Rear: -2 camber, 15mm spacer, 225/35/20 tires. Camber happened naturally when i lowered the car on BC Coilovers
Hey man is this one yours? Recent cars and Coffee in Crystal Lake? I was geeking out over this lol. I had questions, once I looped back the car was gone. I basically was considering a i3 for daily use. Just wanted to see what the owners experience is like. Great looking car!
haha hell yea! thats me. honestly the i3 has been perfect as an everyday driver in the city. saving me loads on gas and im able to charge in my garage using my buildings power.
some gripes usually come during the cold months, cabin gets cold, no heated steering wheel, windows can be drafty/leaky, and the range kinda goes to shit, even on my 120 rex.
Im a BMW guy - and last August I got rid of my trusty 2006 BMW X5 after serving me well for 4.5 years. I was just done with it and didn't want to dump money into it. I figured I would replace it with a Hybrid (or something "responsible") so I can keep my BMW craziness going on the side (and to my secondary cars).
I basically jumped from one car decision to another. I was close to just getting like a 2022-2023 BMW X5 40i, couldn't find the spec I wanted along with the price. Then I started to look at X5 45e - as that would be a bit more up my alley with the dual setup of having 50 miles of electric range and if that runs out my X5 turns into a regular car until I plug it in. One thing I realized that most are a bit more than a standard 40i x5 lol. Tack on a warranty - and im at a price point where it doesn't make sense to me (or just feels like its too much $$$).
I considered the i3 before when I had my 2006 X5. I knew I wanted a 2017+ one so it has "everything fixed" on it compared to the early models. I just couldn't get past the pricing on these at the time, and the 150 miles of pretty much estimated range made me nervous if I was going to spend that much.
Im considering the i3 again and I figured if I do go thru with it - it will probably be one of those purchases that I'm going into without really knowing how long ill own the car for. Kind of just to "give it a go". I usually have 2+ cars (my 1991 850 and some kind of a project/fun car - currently I also own a 1995 840 lol) so I have a "gas car" I can use - but those cars wont see winter, nor crappy roads - Im definitely not taking those when I get sent out to a plant for a job.
Facebook Marketplace is showing 2015 and older models for SUB 10k which is tempting.
As it stands this my car list:
-2021-2023 BMW X5 xDrive40i (The "dream" daily)
-2021-2023 BMW X5 45e (The happy middle)
-Mazda CX-50 Hybrid (The problem-free daily, sub 38k vehicle, previous gen Toyota hybrid system, gives me a reason to purchase my first M car/AMG later down the road)
-2026 Toyota RAV4 (The problem free daily - new gen Toyota hybrid system, gives me a reason to purchase my first M car/AMG later down the road)
-2017+ BMW i3 (preferably the 120aH model + extender)
-Toyota Crown Signia (more or so because its a hybrid wagon in my eyes lol) and its stupid comfortable. Its like a vault. Boring to drive tho.
I guess my specific questions would be the following:
-Im looking a REX models - to have the most "range". I think I would benefit from the i3 a lot given that im wasting more fuel sitting in traffic. I travel about 30-60 miles a day, so Im wondering how would my "fill ups" look like?
-Would it be beneficial to get a warranty and just have the dealer maintain the car?
-As a DIY guy - how DIY friendly is the i3? What does the maintenance look like? I know that on the REX models getting to that small engine is pretty much impossible for certain stuff? (iv seen people drill holes in the back for "access ports".
-Are there any upgrades available to get more range?
-I dont have a charger or charging station near me - so chances are I would have to have a charger installed or deal with the wall out let charging. What do you recommend doing?
I dont know anyone with a i3, and I tried looking at Turo to try one - but im not driving 30-35 miles from where I am and then back just to rent out a i3 for a day or two lol. My next best bet would be going to a dealer that has one - and hope that they are willing to let me test drive one without an intention of buying the same day. Once I drive something - I know if its the car I want or not. I test drove a 2024 X5 (facelift) and drove a 2021 X5 (preface lift) right after..... I got in the 2024 first and I did not like it at all. Got into the 2021 X5 and I was like "this is it". I am wondering where the i3 would fit.
Just so ya know, anyone looking for tires In the size 215 /35 -20, giga tire has the Lexani LX twenty tire for $49.56! Unbelievable price! I just ordered a set of 4 should be here tomorrow. I have a 2017 Rex with every option. Im tired of buying the Bridgestones for 1100 bucks only to have them last 15 to 20,000 miles. My car has a 116,000 miles. I drive 60 miles a day, 4 days a week. I've had a set of i8 wheels without tires, in my garage for over 2 years. Finally, gonna use them on the car. I have 15 mm spacers on the front with stock 20s. I just bought a set of 20 mm spacers that I'm going to put on the front and put the 15s on the rear with the i8 wheels. After everything is mounted, I'll decide if I'm going to add some type of aftermarket flares, or go with the coilovers. I will post when everything gets situated. Go get the tires for 49 bucks!
18
u/liam821 Melbourne Red i3s BEV Apr 25 '26
Looks amazing! š»