When I bought the BMW i8, I knew I wasn’t just buying a car – I was buying into a concept. A plug-in hybrid sports car that looks like something out of a sci-fi film, yet offers usable performance and economy in the real world. It ticked a lot of boxes.
But, less than five months into ownership, things haven’t quite gone to plan.
The Early Niggles
From day one, I noticed a few minor niggles. Nothing serious – just the kind of quirks you half expect when you buy a used car that’s a few years old. But then came the moment that really changed everything.
When the Door Wouldn’t Open…
Yes, really. A bit more than a few weeks ago now, I found myself locked in the car. The driver’s door lock just wouldn’t budge from the inside. In a mild panic, I couldn’t quickly figure out how to use the emergency release – and ended up vaulting over the centre console like I was in Mission Impossible. Once outside, I could open the door from the outside… but then I couldn’t get it to shut properly.
It was bad. So bad, in fact, I took the car straight to Sytner BMW Cardiff the next morning – and it’s been there ever since.
Dealer Service: Surprisingly Decent
I’m not someone who typically flocks to main dealers unless I absolutely have to, but I’ll give credit where it’s due – the service I received from David at Sytner BMW (Cardiff) was excellent. He kept me updated throughout, didn’t leave me hanging, and even arranged and paid for an Uber to get me to work after I dropped the car off.
Issue 1: The Door Drama
The diagnosis didn’t take long: the driver’s door latch had failed. Cost of the part? £366.08. But it didn’t stop there. The fault had also taken out part of the central locking wiring loom (£209.05) that runs from the door into the back of the glove box. So, the labour hours stacked up and the price started to climb.
To be fair, I did some digging and couldn’t find the parts cheaper myself – so I’ve no complaints on that front. It’s the labour where things really ramped up, which is always the case with main dealers.
Still, the service was professional, and I got the sense they really knew what they were doing.
Issue 2: Arctic? Not Quite.
While the car was in, I asked them to check the air con. It’s only ever blown cool, not icy cold like my Mini. I assumed it just needed a regas.
Turns out it wasn’t that simple. After regassing, the system still wasn’t holding pressure – the culprit? A failed condenser, priced at £433.34. More labour. More money.
Thankfully, the car came with a basic AA (Opteven) warranty. While it didn’t cover any of the door-related issues (of course), it did agree to contribute £714.86 towards the AC repair. Every little helps, right?
The Bigger Picture
Both issues, according to BMW, were likely present before I bought the car. These things don’t fail overnight – the corrosion and wear had been building up for a while. That’s where things get really frustrating.
I reached out to the original dealer – Staffordshire Car Company – hoping for some sort of goodwill or shared responsibility. No luck. They flat-out denied any liability. But according to what I’ve read, since these faults came to light within six months of ownership, it’s up to them to prove the problems weren’t already present at the time of sale. Telling me that the door opened and closed and they say the AC was cold is not good enough.
Let’s be clear – if this had been a typical wear-and-tear issue, I wouldn’t have chased it. But this isn’t that. These are long-term, underlying faults that I believe were already in play when I drove the car away.
And while I understand that buying privately would offer less protection, I honestly expected better buying from a dealer.
The Damage
Here’s a breakdown of what’s been done:
Repairs:
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Replaced driver’s door latch and central locking wiring loom
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Replaced air conditioning condenser
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Full testing and diagnostics
Total bill: £3,352.52 (parts and labour)
AA Warranty Contribution: £714.86
Out of my own pocket: £2,637.66
That stings. A lot.
So, What Now?
Has it taken the shine off the i8? Yes – a little. But both Sytner BMW Cardiff and my trusted local specialist, SWSS, reckon the car is now in solid shape overall.
There’s still the small matter of the shock absorber covers, but I think I’ve found a more affordable fix for that – more on that soon.
The bigger question is: do I keep it? Do I hang on, hope nothing else goes wrong, and enjoy what is still a stunning car when it behaves itself? Or do I wait until I’ve cleared the bill and move on?
I had plans for the i8 – little mods, some visual tweaks – but for now, they’re on hold. I’m not quite ready to put more money into it until I’ve seen how things pan out over the next few months.
Stay tuned. I’m not done with the i8 just yet – but it’s fair to say this isn’t quite the ownership experience I’d hoped for.
