My BMW i8 and 05 NSX

First of all, I must say that, after 1/4 of a century the NSX still looks amazing next to any modern-day vehicle.

I've been waiting for the NSX 2.0 and like many others I'm losing patience. I started to look around for other nice options that I like, including Cayman GT4, 911 GT3, MP4-12C and R8. I've also gave Nissan GTR another try. The GTR is a monster and very impressive once you get really fast, but I still hate how bulky it looks. Last weekend, I test drove the BMW i8 and I immediately liked how sophisticated it felt in many ways. I've found a few posts about the i8 on Prime and people were asking for feedback/comment about the i8. Let's start with the negatives. No, it is not as fast as a super car or a car in that price range should be. It is respectably fast; it is quite a bit faster than my '05 NSX with the electric motor assist. Without the battery, there is a slight drag but I've not encountered any issue with power because the battery last pretty well in comfort or sports mode. I suppose the batter will deplete pretty quickly on the tracks, but hey, I ain't going to the Le Man's. The battery range is only about 20-25 miles after testing the E-Drive mode for a few days. It is a pretty short range but enough for my daily commute, plus my company allows free charging /w reserved parking in the parking garage. There is absolutely no trunk/storage space. The trunk in the back is a joke, and you'll have to stuff whatever you bring in the backseats-for-no-leg-people. But lack of storage space is never really an issue for us NSX owners. One complain I have is that this car is even more difficult to get in and out than the NSX. The chassis is a carbon-fiber tub, and that makes getting out of the car very difficult for people who are not agile. Just imagine getting out of your bath tub with a low ceiling over your head. The engine delivers good amount of power, but the sound is very...artificial. I'd much rather hear the real sound of it, wimpy or not it will be quiet and subtle at least.

If I am into pretty numbers in car stats and lap times, I'd go for one of the Porsche. Why did I pull the trigger on the i8 knowing that I may still buy the NSX 2.0? The i8 isn't the top performer in any specific area, but it delivers a lot of things in a single package. I love the sophisticated designs, packs of technology, how comfortable and quite it feels. Oh, and it is hell of a head-turner. Now, with a expected 200k price tag, NSX 2.0 will really have to impress me to make me a NSX 2.0 owner. I am very happy looking forward to the new NSX while waiting in my new toy.

Cool post!

We are in a similar situation debating except debating between the McLaren or Ferrari at this point. The i8 is not even in our scope but it's cool you picked one up to give it a try. Do you use the rear seats in the i8 by chance?

cheers!

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P.S. Are the dealers in your area charging over MSRP on the BMW still?

You have a nice stable of cars looking at your signature, congrats

jas303 said:

One complain I have is that this car is even more difficult to get in and out than the NSX. The chassis is a carbon-fiber tub, and that makes getting out of the car very difficult for people who are not agile. Just imagine getting out of your bath tub with a low ceiling over your head.

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Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I have been in an i8 but never drove it and the car really does feel like a futuristic vehicle for sure.

I just had to share this video after that comment

I liked the overall 'look & feel' of the car, but didn't drive it.
I was debating the i8, Masarati GT, or Aston Martin DB9.

Ended up with a V12 Vantage S

What made you choose i8 over 12c?

blue_myriddn said:

Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I have been in an i8 but never drove it and the car really does feel like a futuristic vehicle for sure.

I just had to share this video after that comment

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Fun video, loved the advice "Use your stomach muscles".

That seat bolster will be worn out in about a month.

To the OP: nice cars.

OMG, how did I miss that video. That is hilarious. I am 5'10" and 160 lbs, so I can get in and out pretty easily but it is still a bit of work.

@Euro,
I do use the backseats of the i8. My kids love to sit in the NSX when I go out, but I can only fit one of them. Now I can take them both in my i8 for a spin anytime. However, it is very difficult to get out from the backseats from the i8. I tried it myself and decided never going into the backseat again.

For the price, I got it below MSRP and I didn't even try very hard at negotiating.

@Solidol,
After stalking the Mclaren forum for a few weeks, I just can't keep the MP4-12C on my list. There are simply too many issues - software, transmission, leaking on the side of the door and etc. Plus they say it's a pain to get proper support from the dealership.

Congrats and nice stable of cars!

jas303 said:

i've been waiting for the nsx 2.0 and like many others i'm losing patience.

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Now???

jas303 said:

OMG, how did I miss that video. That is hilarious. I am 5'10" and 160 lbs, so I can get in and out pretty easily but it is still a bit of work.

@Euro,
I do use the backseats of the i8. My kids love to sit in the NSX when I go out, but I can only fit one of them. Now I can take them both in my i8 for a spin anytime. However, it is very difficult to get out from the backseats from the i8. I tried it myself and decided never going into the backseat again.

For the price, I got it below MSRP and I didn't even try very hard at negotiating.

@Solidol,
After stalking the Mclaren forum for a few weeks, I just can't keep the MP4-12C on my list. There are simply too many issues - software, transmission, leaking on the side of the door and etc. Plus they say it's a pain to get proper support from the dealership.

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We considered the 12C and drove a few different examples. The 12C is a really great car and tough to argue against if you can find a low mileage 2013 with warranty. Speed wise it just walks all over the R8 v10 in comparison and definitely the NSX. Thrust was on par with a super bike in some sense.... We also lurked on the McLaren forum for a bit but wasn't aware of the issues you spoke about. We have a local McLaren dealer and they are very supportive here.

You do make an excellent point as most of these 2-seater cars do get tire-some if you have more than one child as one always gets left behind. We have not found a proper sports car with back seats except in the Ferrari FF.

Seems like the i8 fits your needs well - congrats again!

EuroBoutique said:

We considered the 12C and drove a few different examples. The 12C is a really great car and tough to argue against if you can find a low mileage 2013 with warranty. Speed wise it just walks all over the R8 v10 in comparison and definitely the NSX. Thrust was on par with a super bike in some sense.... We also lurked on the McLaren forum for a bit but wasn't aware of the issues you spoke about. We have a local McLaren dealer and they are very supportive here.

You do make an excellent point as most of these 2-seater cars do get tire-some if you have more than one child as one always gets left behind. We have not found a proper sports car with back seats except in the Ferrari FF.

Seems like the i8 fits your needs well - congrats again!

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The 12C is still haunting me. I obsessively believe the 12C-spider is the real NSX 2.0, especially after seeing the new NSX in person. I'm also thinking about looking for an used 675LT spider in a few years, but I really prefer the head light of the 12C.

For issues, I've read more than several posts back in 2013/2014 about transmission and software issues. I heard McLaren fixed them with a free soft/hardware upgrade program later, but the closest McLaren dealer is 800 miles away from me, so that really killed it for me. Service and reliability is really important for me, and BMW has done an impeccable job so far for me. That also played an important role behind my choice of i8. That said, I still really want to get a McLaren some time down the line; maybe I need to move to SFO Bay area.

Nice I8, I was on a similar boat and was highly siding toward the 12c but my wife wants to buy another house first before I spend more money on cars. For the price of the i8 it's a good deal for all that technology.

jas303 said:

The 12C is still haunting me. I obsessively believe the 12C-spider is the real NSX 2.0, especially after seeing the new NSX in person. I'm also thinking about looking for an used 675LT spider in a few years, but I really prefer the head light of the 12C.

For issues, I've read more than several posts back in 2013/2014 about transmission and software issues. I heard McLaren fixed them with a free soft/hardware upgrade program later, but the closest McLaren dealer is 800 miles away from me, so that really killed it for me. Service and reliability is really important for me, and BMW has done an impeccable job so far for me. That also played an important role behind my choice of i8. That said, I still really want to get a McLaren some time down the line; maybe I need to move to SFO Bay area.

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Yea McLaren builds some amazing cars, they just need to get their dealer network in place. People who buy cars like this want good customer service and driving even 200 miles is too far in many cases.

We are lucky we have one 15 minutes from our place and an awesome GM too boot who is extremely knowledgeable!