BMW i4 Reservation Tracker: Add Yours Here!

Personal -- Your first (test) drive

4440 Views 23 Replies 14 Participants Last post by Techwhiz1, Nov 22, 2021

Vincent

Discussion Starter · Nov 10, 2021

Hi,

I might be in a minority here, but I haven't actually placed my order yet. I put down money for a pre-order, but I'm waiting for a test drive (hopefully in December) before I finalize my order.

However, I am very excited and have already been planning my test drive in my head. The BMW dealership is not far from my home and from the place I grew up in so I know all the roads around it like the back of my hand. This is probably what I'll do:

Go onto the A10 (Amsterdam ring road)
Take the A2 (to the south) with the long 90 degree turn. The end of this corner used to be messy, with the car stepping to the side because of cracks, but it's been fixed recently.
When I reach the A9, take the long sweeping curve towards the A9.
Take the first exit towards IKEA. I had a nice little drift there when test driving the 420d a few years ago. That convinced me to swap from Audi to BMW. If I can do that in a test drive, it is a very confidence inspiring car.
Go back to the motor way, go to Amstelveen.
Turn around and head back for the A2 to the North.
Enjoy that perfect 270 degree turn. This is my favourite turn. Go at it at a stable 100 km/h, don't break but ease of the pedal for a bit of motor breaking (Hmm...) and then go into the corner overtaking most people there (including those that slammed past you at 130 km/h 1 minute ago). When you reach 75%, go back on the throttle for some nice acceleration back towards the IKEA.

And of course I'll be playing Ice Cube, erm EV Cube, all the way through.

What are you planning for your first (test) drive?

Regards, Vincent.

Reactions: 3

1 - 20 of 24 Posts

460

· #2 · Nov 10, 2021

I have a 20km trip that loops around my house, with a bit of everything: twisty roads, small roundabouts, hills and even express (110km/h) roads.

My first (post-purchase) test will be to do this circuit by changing the settings at each lap:

EcoPro mode,
Comfort mode,
Sport individual where we can set damping, steering and drive train (2x2x3=12 different settings!)
After the 500km break-in I will try Sport boost,
If I am still alive: I will try Sport boost + Launch control.
If I am still alive: I will try the DSC OFF button

Inside

· #3 · Nov 10, 2021

I am buying the car from a dealer 310 km away from my home (yes I could have chosen a dealer only 7 km away but I didn't like how I was treated there. Also I got a good deal.

I have never been at this dealership before, and I have no idea how the roads are in that area. But I do know, that the home trip is all highway with 110km/h and 130km/h sections. So I will have plenty of high speed cruising on the way home!

Think the trip will be used to learn and study the car from the inside. Learn all the (remaining) buttons, the iDrive system, start breaking in the speakers etc. Then once I get home and I get some alone time with the car, I will go out and find some twisty roads to enjoy and mess with all the driving settings.

Reactions: 1

Baker Canada

· #4 · Nov 10, 2021

I will have a portion at 50km/hr in the city, another will be at 70km/hr and last one on highway at 110-120km/hr

I will take my time to come back home with wifie!

robby.van.mieghem

· #5 · Nov 10, 2021

Well I will take a day off to get the car, and then drive immediately to Germany

just for fun

Reactions: 2

Vincent

Discussion Starter · #6 · Nov 10, 2021

Mycroft said:
I have a 20km trip that loops around my house, with a bit of everything: twisty roads, small roundabouts, hills and even express (110km/h) roads.

My first (post-purchase) test will be to do this circuit by changing the settings at each lap:

EcoPro mode,

Comfort mode,

Sport individual where we can set damping, steering and drive train (2x2x3=12 different settings!)

After the 500km break-in I will try Sport boost,

If I am still alive: I will try Sport boost + Launch control.

If I am still alive: I will try the DSC OFF button

If you repeat step 3 twice, you’ll have broken in your car. And you might be a little dizzy. ;-)

Reactions: 1

xpeetzax

· #7 · Nov 10, 2021

I'm in the US and my dealership told me we probably will not get to test drive before ordering if I want to take delivery for the first production vehicles for the US? Does this sound right? If this is the case, would it be a close alternative to test drive the ICE 4 series gran coupe? Also, would there be a return policy for vehicles that are pre-ordered should I absolutely hate the car after delivery?

Reactions: 1

Sol1

· #8 · Nov 11, 2021

xpeetzax said:
I'm in the US and my dealership told me we probably will not get to test drive before ordering if I want to take delivery for the first production vehicles for the US? Does this sound right? If this is the case, would it be a close alternative to test drive the ICE 4 series gran coupe? Also, would there be a return policy for vehicles that are pre-ordered should I absolutely hate the car after delivery?

Given the demand for this car, it is almost certain there will be no dealer stock for test drives for some time - everything will be allocated to a buyer that special ordered the vehicle (including yours). You almost certainly won't have an opportunity for a test drive before you place your order.

And, no, you will not be able to simply return the car after delivery. You could beg your dealer to unwind the deal, but that will be purely at their discretion.

I'd give the 4 series a shot if you're worried about it. Unless BMW delivers you a lemon of an i4, you'll be stuck with it after purchase.

homerfan

· #9 · Nov 11, 2021

My dealership is right next to the highway. I will exit the dealership, make a right and floor it for about 500 ft before I hit a metering light. Then enter a traffic filled highway for about 8 miles until I get home.

At least I'll get to test the auto pilot features. 😂

PTB

· #10 · Nov 22, 2021

Sol1 said:
Given the demand for this car, it is almost certain there will be no dealer stock for test drives for some time - everything will be allocated to a buyer that special ordered the vehicle (including yours). You almost certainly won't have an opportunity for a test drive before you place your order.

And, no, you will not be able to simply return the car after delivery. You could beg your dealer to unwind the deal, but that will be purely at their discretion.

I'd give the 4 series a shot if you're worried about it. Unless BMW delivers you a lemon of an i4, you'll be stuck with it after purchase.

Yea I was kind of assuming all of this going into the purchase. I drove a 4 series, ended up being 2022 430 coupe. I'm sure my i4 will be a different experience but it had been years since I have gotten behind the wheel of a BMW. Compared to my Infiniti it drove solid, way more solid than my current car. The acceleration of the 4cylinder turbo wasn't that bad actually, so I assume I will have a huge smile on my face the first time I take the i4 for a drive.

These are crazy times though. Never thought I would be through a pandemic. Never thought I would be willing to pay MSRP for a car. Never thought I would buy a car unseen and undriven. Never thought I would buy a first model year car. I'm hoping it's all good because my wife will definitely point out I had not problems with the Infiniti. The way I see it, most of the tech on the car is generations old, battery and motor tech has evolved from the i3, infotainment has evolved from previous generations of BMW's. As for price, as things are going now and as history kind of proves, prices never really go back down. I have a feeling if / when inflation here eases, the price people are paying for them will remain pretty much the same. Perhaps the MSRP will go up a bit more than normal but then dealerships will discount making the prices about the same. The US tax credit helps as well. If this coming summer I get the car and I have buyers remorse, I probably have a bit of time to sell it for close to purchase price as it should still be hard to get. I would also think that if the dealerships still have empty lots like they do now, they might gladly buy it back and jack up the price to have one on hand. I hope it doesn't get to that point at all. I expect to fall in love with it and drive it for many years.

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Ken7

· #11 · Nov 22, 2021

The only problem is that as of now, there will be no tax credit for the I4. Its base MSRP is too high. Thank you Congress.

Reactions: 1

PTB

· #12 · Nov 22, 2021

Ken7 said:
The only problem is that as of now, there will be no tax credit for the I4. Its base MSRP is too high. Thank you Congress.

Is there a reason why the current $7500 tax credit for ev’s doesn’t apply? Unlike Tesla, I thought BMW was well below the cutoff. I didn’t think that was dependent on base mrrp. I know the newly proposed incentives have more strings attached.

Ken7

· #13 · Nov 22, 2021

PTB said:
Is there a reason why the current $7500 tax credit for ev’s doesn’t apply? Unlike Tesla, I thought BMW was well below the cutoff. I didn’t think that was dependent on base mrrp. I know the newly proposed incentives have more strings attached.

Because Congress created MSRP price caps for tax credit qualification in 2022. If your car is above the price cap ($55,000 for sedans unless it's revised), you get $0 tax credit. That's not what it was last year. This car would have fully qualified, but the geniuses in Congress decided to push price caps. That should help the adoption of EVs...not. I've already read posts from a number of potential I4 buyers who are leaning to simply buying another ICE car if they get no tax credit.

swalt004

· #14 · Nov 22, 2021

Also note that the bill will the MSRP caps has not passed. It has a long way to go if it does pass and will likely see many changes.

teamzans

· #15 · Nov 22, 2021

swalt004 said:
Also note that the bill will the MSRP caps has not passed. It has a long way to go if it does pass and will likely see many changes.

Optimistic I am not re the MSRP though.

Reactions: 1

PTB

· #16 · Nov 22, 2021

swalt004 said:
Also note that the bill will the MSRP caps has not passed. It has a long way to go if it does pass and will likely see many changes.

Thanks, yea I’m here looking for something about a cap and couldn’t find it. I guess I assumed that the current tax incentives stay as they are 200,000 cutoff and newly passed legislation that may be more restrictive would be to get additional credits.

teamzans

· #17 · Nov 22, 2021

PTB said:
Thanks, yea I’m here looking for something about a cap and couldn’t find it. I guess I assumed that the current tax incentives stay as they are 200,000 cutoff and newly passed legislation that may be more restrictive would be to get additional credits.

Unfortunately, that's not how it's written and what passed the house.

PTB

· #18 · Nov 22, 2021

Do you have a link to the bill as it is written right now? I’m truly interested in seeing.

Ken7

· #19 · Nov 22, 2021

PTB said:
Do you have a link to the bill as it is written right now? I’m truly interested in seeing.

If you google it up you'll find many summations on the bill.

Reactions: 1

scarletfever

· #20 · Nov 22, 2021

Ken7 said:
Because Congress created MSRP price caps for tax credit qualification in 2022. If your car is above the price cap ($55,000 for sedans unless it's revised), you get $0 tax credit. That's not what it was last year. This car would have fully qualified, but the geniuses in Congress decided to push price caps. That should help the adoption of EVs...not. I've already read posts from a number of potential I4 buyers who are leaning to simply buying another ICE car if they get no tax credit.

Nothing has changed yet, the bill is a long way from passing. If it does, I imagine the cheaper model will be lowered to 55k. It’s definitely unfortunate for those looking for the more expensive version.

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