In the US we could file a lawsuit to get the car out of the BMW dealer if needed but it would be costly. Certain states have lemon laws if you buy a new car from the factory but it may not show up. With my old 74 BMW 2002tii, people were replacing BEHR AC piston compressors with Sankyo AC rotary compressors. With EVs, the AC being battery operated complicates matters.

Feel for you Shaun. Been in similar situations. My gen1 leaf precharge blew on my driveway. Its a common ish fault due to some poorly written software regarding failsafes with faiiling 12v batteries. Pulled my leaf off the driveway using a subaru Forrester from a neighbour got it on a flat bed. Took it to a egarage near blackpool where we implemented a precharge resistor replacement. Infact we externalised it using cy cable into an alu enclosure with phenolicboard to isolate its hv inside. It now is road side repairable as you can disconnect the 400v aviation connection (using hv gloves) and the 12v disconnected via the hole for the service disconnect. Anyway nissan fault but my problem. In that respect you problem seems similar.

I'd trust the independent garage over BMW! Sorry to hear of your troubles. Hope you get a solution that works out.

I don’t agree BMW electric cars are poorly designed, but I do agree that BMW main dealer network effectively operate a monopoly on how these cars are repaired. You’re perfectly within your rights to collect the car. You can hire a transport trailer for around £50 plus deposit if you can source a car to tow. Give Claverly Garage near Leeds a call to see if they can load on software? You’d still save hundreds if not thousands of pounds by hauling it there yourself. When BMW tried to repair a drivetrain fault on my wife’s i3 REx they replaced an oxygen sensor fitted by an Indy and fitted their own BMW part. Utter madness, it’s probably made by Bosch in the same factory. BMW technicians even master mechanics follow a well rehearsed script, and rarely deviate. If it’s not in the manual they call Bavaria. The main dealer will never take the hit on repairs outside warranty. Condemning the car is an over-reaction, but the main dealer doesn’t have the ability or experience to repair these components, hence they want to fit new. Component protection as mentioned in a comment earlier is now part and parcel of modern cars, to try and reduce ability to strip and sell on parted out cars. Hope you get it sorted, but seems like the end of the line with the i3.

So just needs programming otherwise it's fine? Maybe get another opinion from someone else who works on that brand? If problem is all in the 12V stuff you don't necessarily an ev wizard, who might not see many of those

sorry to hear this, bmw is a pos! and wish your best of luck buddy.

This is the issue I have with the electrification of cars. Electronics means computers, which means software needed to perform repairs. Guess who won't provide that software to anyone who isn't a 1st party dealership? Just another way for manufacturers to bleed consumers dry, its disgusting.

There's probably a few old guys in your BMW service centre in charge of a dozen inexperienced "technicians", the older mechanics usually consist of, "don't ask me anything about computers, all I know is undoing nuts!", As for the uplift, don't underestimate the possibilities that licking might happen.

P R O M O S M 😎

Might be worth speaking to Louis Rossmann about this and how it relates to the right to repair.