It seems like only yesterday BMW launched their highly anticipated technological marvel, their halo car, the stunningly beautiful i8. As you can see from my statement I am certainly a fan of the car’s appearance. When this car was launched it was called the “thinking man’s supercar” by some and there weren’t many that disputed it’s curb appeal. There was however a small group of auto journalists who had issue with its performance numbers but I considered those guys to be the type that would complain about dating a Victoria Secret supermodel. You know, their comments would be something like, she’s too skinny or she can’t cook so she’s not perfect. Yeah buddy, I hear you and if ever I get a chance to connect with her you will be toast and I am going to love driving her around in my i8! Idiot!
Now lets get back to the car. When initially introduced in 2014 BMW actually had a waiting list because of the simple rule of supply and demand. A supercar with sexy looks and performance that delivered Toyota Prius like MPGs and zero to sixty times on par with a BMW M3? What’s not to like about that? BMW basked in its glory for several months as celebrities and the rich overpaid to take delivery and the rest of us mere mortals got on a waiting list to plunk down six figures. Anytime I went online or into a dealership my eyes were gouged with pricing in excess of the sticker and it wasn’t uncommon to see price points over $150,000.00. There were actually some who paid closer to $200,000.00! It amazes me how gullible rich people can be when they want what they want. I go to dealers just for laughs and was told I’d have to wait several months for the pleasure of being gouged. Dealers refer to this not so customer friendly tactic as “market adjustments”, but a funny thing has happened in the past several months, pigs get slaughtered! Now only two years later when you do an online national search for an i8 there’s no less than several hundred lightly used or pre-owned i8s for you to consider. So what happened?
The first thing we should dismiss is that these are bad cars. They are not but an argument can be made about them being overrated but it depends on who is doing the rating. I for one am not one who thinks they are overrated as I believe supply caught up with demand and then for some unknown reason supply outpaced demand creating the situation we have now. The thing to remember is that for most people this car is likely a third car, which means they are expendable, optional, a luxury and probably a weekend toy. To the well-heeled individual it might have even been an impulse buy and now maybe there’s buyer’s remorse. I personally think BMW got greedy (yes they are running a business and the goal is to make as much money as possible building cars) and what was initially going to be a very limited run of cars turned into something more in line with their mass-produced models. The bean counters likely green lit the increase in production as they saw demand outpacing supply and now there is a glut. They should have used the same strategy they used when they launched the now collector car, the Z8. They limited the production numbers and never caved to the temptation of producing more. That car now can’t be had for less than $150,000.00.
Supercars are like trendy fashion items and can fall out of fashion quickly when the next toy arrives even if it’s only a few months later. If you ever were fortunate enough to shop for a Ferrari or Lamborghini and asked to see the CARFAX many times a car as new as two to three years old might have as many owners. Lifestyles of the rich and famous allow for these types of buying habits or trends and what we are now seeing is the BMW i8 is experiencing the backlash of playing in the exotic supercar space.
So what’s in it for you is the question and I am about to give you the answer. This means that a nicely equipped BMW i8 can now be had for a sizable discount off of their MSRP if you don’t mind buying one with a few miles on it. I’m not talking about a car with over 20,000 miles on it. The car I have in mind has not more than 10,000 miles and probably less. Keep in mind that BMW’s standard new car warranty applies to these cars as well and that’s four years 50,000 miles of full coverage. If you buy one from a BMW dealership under their CPO program you get an additional two years added to the new car warranty and up to 100,000 miles or which ever comes first. That’s a better deal than buying new when you consider the savings and the piece of mind of a warranty from the manufacturer. You might be able to save as much as 35% and certainly no less than 15%. Despite the percentages you save this is still a six-figure purchase so not everyone can consider them. For those of you who have a budget slightly south of $100,000.00 and really want this car there’s good news. In about another year these cars will be right there.
Those not familiar with the i8 you should know it looks like one of those Italian exotics named Ferrari or Lamborghini but this one is from Germany and not quite as finicky to live with. However, it’s not without it’s quirk as this is a hybrid. That’s still a relatively new concept by definition and certainly even newer in the sports car category. It’s German heritage makes it a little easier to live with as there is certainly both form and function. On the latter note BMW actually put a back seat in this car but I’d argue that’s more form than function as no normal sized human can sit back there. It does however add to the airiness of the cabin space so it’s more comfortable to sit in and commute than any of its exotic brethren. The theme with this car inside and out is modern luxury. When you enter the car it has doors that flip upwards similar to another Italian exotic. There’s theater anytime you enter or exit and the degree of difficulty will create some awkward to embarrassing moments until you get use to it. Once you get in if you’ve had a BMW before it won’t take long to get familiar. If BMW is new to you then be sure you have the owner’s manual and allocate an hour of reading time if you want to pilot this spaceship with some degree of knowledge and comfort. Unlike the Italian exotics when you push the start button (yes there is no key to turn) and the roar of the engine and exhaust can create this visceral sensation as you grasp the controls, don’t expect that here upon ignition.
