BMW’s new key

[StealthP3D]

Take the paint, for example. You’d think, based on reading these forums that Tesla paint is the worst. It’s REALLY not. I was literally just watching a YouTube video today where they addressed this. The Model 3 had a roughly 115 micrometer thickness of paint, which compares extremely favorably with many brands, and is actually even better than some - e.g. Porsche.

Absolutely! A lot of the "noise" about Tesla's having poor quality comes directly from people who want to tarnish Tesla's reputation. Some of them are simply TSLA shorts who would benefit financially if Tesla sales turn soft and the share price declines while others have a financial interest in oil/gas rights or parts/sales/service of fossil cars. There are Russian trolls working for their government who are desperately trying to slow the adoption of EV's because Russia's primary source of western currencies is via oil and gas sales. If demand drops by even 20% the price of oil/gas crashes. The reasons are varied but there are literally hundreds (if not thousands) of people spending a lot of time pushing false or exaggerated negative narratives about Tesla.

In other words, I have never seen a product that was so misrepresented online.

 

[BluestarE3]

That USB location is beyond idiotic.

Yeah, food crumbs and other debris will collect in the USB port. And heaven forbid you slosh your drink cup when you place/remove it from the cupholder.

 

[TKGA]

They do have the option to use your phone as a key for the new 3 series, but in my opinion it is poorly executed. It uses NFC rather than Bluetooth, only works on Android, and you have to physically hold your phone next to the B pillar to unlock.

I actually think NFC might be a better choice. We have a house with a garage right off the kitchen. With passive entry on and the cellphone or fob in our pocket (I have an MX), the car is constantly locking and unlocking when we are moving around in the kitchen. If I am in the garage to throw out trash, the door opens automatically when I approach my trash bin and then closes when I go back to the kitchen.

 

[StealthP3D]

I actually think NFC might be a better choice. We have a house with a garage right off the kitchen. With passive entry on and the cellphone or fob in our pocket (I have an MX), the car is constantly locking and unlocking when we are moving around in the kitchen. If I am in the garage to throw out trash, the door opens automatically when I approach my trash bin and then closes when I go back to the kitchen.

This is pretty funny because Tesla gave you the option to use NFC simply by turning off the proximity lock/unlock on car's menu and using the NFC keycard to lock/unlock the car.

Every Model 3 comes with two key cards and, unlike some other manufacturer's key cards, Tesla key cards do not require a dealer to re-program them. Since we have two cars we have four key cards. Did you know that each key card can be programmed to open multiple cars? All four of our key cards work with either of our Model 3's.

 

[TKGA]

This is pretty funny because Tesla gave you the option to use NFC simply by turning off the proximity lock/unlock on car's menu and using the NFC keycard to lock/unlock the car.

Every Model 3 comes with two key cards and, unlike some other manufacturer's key cards, Tesla key cards do not require a dealer to re-program them. Since we have two cars we have four key cards. Did you know that each key card can be programmed to open multiple cars? All four of our key cards work with either of our Model 3's.

Huh good to know. I have a Model X so key fob. I’m not aware of a proximity lock / unlock option just a passive entry on/off option. Passive entry on has the door auto-open the door for me as I approach.

I’ll play with it more - I’m at 2 weeks with the car so fun to learn all the options.

 

[3laine]

I’m going to beg to differ that the BMW Connected Drive app “works well”. I’ve had a 2014 and now 2017 i3 and the app is one of the worst things about the car. It is slow as molasses to send commands and it fails probably 30% of the time.

The Tesla vs. BMW apps are a bit of a trade-off.

If I had to choose, Tesla's is better and worth the trade-offs, but there are substantial trade-offs.

For the BMW, it's hit or miss, but presumably, that's because it's not always connected and keeping the car semi-awake, so it takes longer to respond.

The Tesla often responds immediately, but it

a) is more important for the function of the vehicle, since it has no actual key. Not having to carry a key is nice, but "Comfort Access" in the i3 is much more reliable and quicker than using the phone or keycard in the Model 3.

b) presumably, the always-on app is partly why there is far more vampire drain in the Model 3 than the i3.

The Model 3 is officially more efficient than the i3, but in practice, it's substantially less efficient for me because it wastes several miles of range per day in vampire drain compared to the i3's ~0 miles drain.

Again, the Tesla app is superior, but there are downsides associated with it, as well.

 

[Kilotango74]

I actually think NFC might be a better choice. We have a house with a garage right off the kitchen. With passive entry on and the cellphone or fob in our pocket (I have an MX), the car is constantly locking and unlocking when we are moving around in the kitchen. If I am in the garage to throw out trash, the door opens automatically when I approach my trash bin and then closes when I go back to the kitchen.

Yeah I do t walk around with my key fob or phone in my pocket when I’m home and I don’t lock my car in the garage. Besides you don’t get passive entry with the Model3 key fob or credit card so the phone is the only option to get that feature, which works fine with me.

 

[Kilotango74]

The Tesla vs. BMW apps are a bit of a trade-off.

If I had to choose, Tesla's is better and worth the trade-offs, but there are substantial trade-offs.

For the BMW, it's hit or miss, but presumably, that's because it's not always connected and keeping the car semi-awake, so it takes longer to respond.

The Tesla often responds immediately, but it

a) is more important for the function of the vehicle, since it has no actual key. Not having to carry a key is nice, but "Comfort Access" in the i3 is much more reliable and quicker than using the phone or keycard in the Model 3.

b) presumably, the always-on app is partly why there is far more vampire drain in the Model 3 than the i3.

The Model 3 is officially more efficient than the i3, but in practice, it's substantially less efficient for me because it wastes several miles of range per day in vampire drain compared to the i3's ~0 miles drain.

Again, the Tesla app is superior, but there are downsides associated with it, as well.

I have the BMW connected drive on my X5 and it is nothing but a gimmick. As for the i3 I did two separate extended test drives with that car and what a fail. I guess if everything I ever did was within 20 miles of where I lived it might be ok. Quick off the line but only to about 15mph. Trying to pass on the freeway. Forget about it. Pizza pan tires followed grooves in the road like a train. Overall it was intriguing at first but a big fail by BMW in my book. Especially considering Tesla as competition, which really it is not even I. The same class. It did have a wood dash though.

 

[3laine]

I have the BMW connected drive on my X5 and it is nothing but a gimmick.

Connected Drive works fine for occasionally checking range, unlocking doors, and turning on preconditioning. The BMW key works every time, so it's not as necessary for everyday use... and as a result, it's not constantly wasting electricity.

As for the i3 I did two separate extended test drives with that car and what a fail. I guess if everything I ever did was within 20 miles of where I lived it might be ok.

I've done tons of ~200-mile day trips in a BEV i3 and long trips up to 1,500+ miles with the REx version, using primarily electricity.

Quick off the line but only to about 15mph.

It doesn't even allow full power until about 15mph, so you're mistaken.

Especially considering Tesla as competition, which really it is not even I. The same class. It did have a wood dash though.

Tesla hasn't been competition price-wise until very recently. When shopping in 2015, a Model S cost triple the i3 because the i3 has such good lease deals.

Now, the i3 is probably still cheaper except *maybe* the SR.

Model 3 is a great car, but the i3 has a niche, and it's been a lot cheaper to own than any Tesla up until recently, too.

 

[StealthP3D]

Tesla hasn't been competition price-wise until very recently. When shopping in 2015, a Model S cost triple the i3 because the i3 has such good lease deals.

Now, the i3 is probably still cheaper except *maybe* the SR.

Model 3 is a great car, but the i3 has a niche, and it's been a lot cheaper to own than any Tesla up until recently, too.

Wow! You're comparing the i3 to a Tesla?

 

[TKGA]

Connected Drive works fine for occasionally checking range, unlocking doors, and turning on preconditioning. The BMW key works every time, so it's not as necessary for everyday use... and as a result, it's not constantly wasting electricity.




I've done tons of ~200-mile day trips in a BEV i3 and long trips up to 1,500+ miles with the REx version, using primarily electricity.



It doesn't even allow full power until about 15mph, so you're mistaken.



Tesla hasn't been competition price-wise until very recently. When shopping in 2015, a Model S cost triple the i3 because the i3 has such good lease deals.

Now, the i3 is probably still cheaper except *maybe* the SR.

Model 3 is a great car, but the i3 has a niche, and it's been a lot cheaper to own than any Tesla up until recently, too.

Thank you for a thoughtful comparison.

 

[Kilotango74]

Connected Drive works fine for occasionally checking range, unlocking doors, and turning on preconditioning. The BMW key works every time, so it's not as necessary for everyday use... and as a result, it's not constantly wasting electricity.




I've done tons of ~200-mile day trips in a BEV i3 and long trips up to 1,500+ miles with the REx version, using primarily electricity.



It doesn't even allow full power until about 15mph, so you're mistaken.



Tesla hasn't been competition price-wise until very recently. When shopping in 2015, a Model S cost triple the i3 because the i3 has such good lease deals.

Now, the i3 is probably still cheaper except *maybe* the SR.

Model 3 is a great car, but the i3 has a niche, and it's been a lot cheaper to own than any Tesla up until recently, too.

So I fully understand where there could be a market for the i3. I’ve been a BMW fan for years and have owned 5 and still own a X5. I wanted the i3 to be so good, but it just did t fit my requirements. For me comparing the Tesla to the i3 is like comparing a Mustang to a Chevy Silverado. Sure you can get them for around the same price and they both use gasoline but they are not even in the same class. Not even close. In my opinion, and granted I only had one for 4 days total, it struggled on the freeway and those tires reminded me of a motorcycle. I actually loved the uniqueness of its appearance and the interior, but the Tesla checks all the boxes for me while the i3 only some.

 

[afadeev]

I have the BMW connected drive on my X5 and it is nothing but a gimmick.

Well, it's no more or less of a gimmick than the Tesla's app.
I am looking at both right now, both show:

• Lock/unlock the car/frunk
• Remote climate setting and controls
• Location of the vehicle
• Allow to schedule a service visit

BMW app additionally also supports:

• Honk the horn / flash the lights to find car in the parking lot
• Previous drives average speed/consumption
• Set vehicle climate controls on a timer
• Send destination to in-vehicle Nav
• Fuel level/range (for ICE cars)
• Last drive's Efficiency, EV consumption, EV regen/recharging levels/distance driven
• Info on roadside assistance, recalls, order accessories, download integration apps for your Samsung/Apple watches, service discount coupons, etc, etc

To me, most of the above are fluff features.
BMW certainly has more of them than Tesla, though!

As for the i3 I did two separate extended test drives with that car and what a fail. I guess if everything I ever did was within 20 miles of where I lived it might be ok. Quick off the line but only to about 15mph.

Two patently false, and one inflammatory statement.

1. i3's has 153 mile range, so yeah, I guess you will be OK driving withing 20 mile radius.
   • Frankly, I don't need more, and would have gladly paid less for my TM3P if P was available with smaller battery / shorter range. It would have made it a lighter/faster car as well!
2. i3 will beat all Models 3's (other than P) in 0-40 mph (will keep up with ///M3): BMW i3 vs BMW M3 - Drag Race

I really don't understand and can't relate to some folks eagerness to trash other EVs.
There are far too few of us on the roads, altogether, not to be supportive of other EV owners and brands.

*sigh*
a

 

[TKGA]

Well, it's no more or less of a gimmick than the Tesla's app.
I am looking at both right now, both show:

• Lock/unlock the car/frunk
• Remote climate setting and controls
• Location of the vehicle
• Allow to schedule a service visit

BMW app additionally also supports:

• Honk the horn / flash the lights to find car in the parking lot
• Previous drives average speed/consumption
• Set vehicle climate controls on a timer
• Send destination to in-vehicle Nav
• Fuel level/range (for ICE cars)
• Last drive's Efficiency, EV consumption, EV regen/recharging levels/distance driven
• Info on roadside assistance, recalls, order accessories, download integration apps for your Samsung/Apple watches, service discount coupons, etc, etc

To me, most of the above are fluff features.
BMW certainly has more of them than Tesla, though!



Two patently false, and one inflammatory statement.

1. i3's has 153 mile range, so yeah, I guess you will be OK driving withing 20 mile radius.
   • Frankly, I don't need more, and would have gladly paid less for my TM3P if P was available with smaller battery / shorter range. It would have made it a lighter/faster car as well!
2. i3 will beat all Models 3's (other than P) in 0-40 mph (will keep up with ///M3): BMW i3 vs BMW M3 - Drag Race

I really don't understand and can't relate to some folks eagerness to trash other EVs.
There are far too few of us on the roads, altogether, not to be supportive of other EV owners and brands.

*sigh*
a

If we end up getting rid of our old BMW and go electric we may purposely not go Tesla just to experience other tech and support the EV movement.

 

[3laine]

I actually loved the uniqueness of its appearance and the interior, but the Tesla checks all the boxes for me while the i3 only some.

I get it. It's relatively dependent on use case... and whether it's a REx or BEV i3.

We have a Model 3LR and an i3, and had 2 other i3s before that. For a second/commuter car, a BEV i3 is a great car, and a decent value. There are even reasons why I prefer it as a second car compared to having, say, a second Model 3.

I'm a big fan of hatchbacks. The big, tall opening is just superior to a trunk in a lot of ways. The i3 is more efficient when accounting for vampire drain, which the EPA effectively doesn't account for (they do, but only one night, which is accurate for long trips, but not commuters). The price is right for CPO / leases. It's unique. I don't even live in CA and Model 3s are downright common compared to i3s, now.

So, for me, I'd rather have a Model 3 that's the 'do anything' car, and the i3 as the second car rather than two Model 3s, especially given the cost.

Don't get me wrong, I think the Model 3 is the best overall EV currently available for a primary vehicle. It's not even close, except for the S/X which lose do to much worse value.

The i3 has a niche, though, and I think it's a great second/commuter car.

 

[3laine]

i3 will beat all Models 3's (other than P) in 0-40 mph (will keep up with ///M3): BMW i3 vs BMW M3 - Drag Race

I love the i3, but this isn't true. BMW / dealers keep telling people that it's the fastest BMW or fastest non-M from 0-30 mph, but it's not. It isn't now, and it never was. Tons of other BMWs are quicker to 30 mph, and so are non-P Model 3s.

i3 60Ah BEV*: 2.7 sec**
3LR RWD: 2.1 sec***
F80 M3: 1.7 sec****
'17 330i: 2.0 sec***

*Quickest i3. All others are slower. Even the i3S
** Car and Driver, comparo with MB B-Class
*** Motor Trend, Model 3 First Drive
****Car and Driver, comparo with C63/ATSV

 

[Scott7]

For the BMW, it's hit or miss, but presumably, that's because it's not always connected and keeping the car semi-awake, so it takes longer to respond.

I would say this is not the reason, because my two Chevys were not always on (both ICE) yet both had a much higher success rate than either my 2014 or 2017 i3. My feeling is BMW is just not competitive with software in any of it’s forms.

a) is more important for the function of the vehicle, since it has no actual key. Not having to carry a key is nice, but "Comfort Access" in the i3 is much more reliable and quicker than using the phone or keycard in the Model 3.

This has not been my experience at all, and I was rather surprised this turned out to be the case given all the variables of BT and bringing your own phone. I find my Model 3 “phone key” to be not just as reliable and as fast, but also function better overall because I don’t have to do anything to lock the car and there’s no key to forget/lose. I also wouldn’t be surprised if some have issues depending on what phone/OS they are using. I have an iPhone X running the latest software FWIW.

b) presumably, the always-on app is partly why there is far more vampire drain in the Model 3 than the i3.

I haven’t noticed a significant difference (when not using Sentry), but then I’m not tracking it that precisely either because unlike with the i3 I don’t need to pay too close attention to range in the Model 3. But again, I think this is a poor excuse anyway because the GM app proved far more reliable than BMW’s.

So in my personal experience, moving from the BMW to Tesla app has not been a trade-off in any way.

Connected Drive works fine for occasionally checking range, unlocking doors, and turning on preconditioning. The BMW key works every time, so it's not as necessary for everyday use... and as a result, it's not constantly wasting electricity.

Have you used “Climatize Now” from the app recently? And it actually worked? It didn’t just say “sending to car” for 3 minutes and then fail? If so, consider yourself lucky! Go check the App Store reviews as I said before and you’ll see all kinds of stories of just just like mine on how this has been broken for months.

BMW app additionally also supports:

• Honk the horn / flash the lights to find car in the parking lot
• Send destination to in-vehicle Nav
• Fuel level/range (for ICE cars)

Tesla app has these... The first is under “controls”. The third is SoC (equivalent of fuel level). The second is built-in to iOS: Find a destination > Share > Tesla App. But unlike the janky BMW system you don’t have to wait for an envelope to appear, go into a Connected Drive menu, open it, scroll to navigate, and click. You just get in the car and it’s already routing in the navigation.

Teslas app additionally supports:

• Real-time charging status
• Real-time availability of Superchargers nearby
• Real-time climate status/temp
• Software updates (and begin install)
• Summon

None of which are gimmicks and are all sorely missed on my i3, with the exception of Summon. And that’s just the first-party stuff. If you get into third-party apps that use Tesla’s public API the sky’s the limit.

I really don't understand and can't relate to some folks eagerness to trash other EVs.

I know you’re quoting someone else here, but at least in my case I trash BMW in areas where they suck because I want them to do better (and frankly fully expect, at their prices) so that Tesla isn’t the only game in town. That would benefit everyone.

 

[Kilotango74]

I would say this is not the reason, because my two Chevys were not always on (both ICE) yet both had a much higher success rate than either my 2014 or 2017 i3. My feeling is BMW is just not competitive with software in any of it’s forms.



This has not been my experience at all, and I was rather surprised this turned out to be the case given all the variables of BT and bringing your own phone. I find my Model 3 “phone key” to be not just as reliable and as fast, but also function better overall because I don’t have to do anything to lock the car and there’s no key to forget/lose. I also wouldn’t be surprised if some have issues depending on what phone/OS they are using. I have an iPhone X running the latest software FWIW.



I haven’t noticed a significant difference (when not using Sentry), but then I’m not tracking it that precisely either because unlike with the i3 I don’t need to pay too close attention to range in the Model 3. But again, I think this is a poor excuse anyway because the GM app proved far more reliable than BMW’s.

So in my personal experience, moving from the BMW to Tesla app has not been a trade-off in any way.



Have you used “Climatize Now” from the app recently? And it actually worked? It didn’t just say “sending to car” for 3 minutes and then fail? If so, consider yourself lucky! Go check the App Store reviews as I said before and you’ll see all kinds of stories of just just like mine on how this has been broken for months.



Tesla app has these... The first is under “controls”. The third is SoC (equivalent of fuel level). The second is built-in to iOS: Find a destination > Share > Tesla App. But unlike the janky BMW system you don’t have to wait for an envelope to appear, go into a Connected Drive menu, open it, scroll to navigate, and click. You just get in the car and it’s already routing in the navigation.

Teslas app additionally supports:

• Real-time charging status
• Real-time availability of Superchargers nearby
• Real-time climate status/temp
• Software updates (and begin install)
• Summon

None of which are gimmicks and are all sorely missed on my i3, with the exception of Summon. And that’s just the first-party stuff. If you get into third-party apps that use Tesla’s public API the sky’s the limit.


I know you’re quoting someone else here, but at least in my case I trash BMW in areas where they suck because I want them to do better (and frankly fully expect, at their prices) so that Tesla isn’t the only game in town. That would benefit everyone.

I absolutely agree with your last statement. I have been a huge BMW fan for years, but have been left disappointed in their lack of growth when it comes to EV’s and frankly I am tired of waiting. I want Tesla M3P like performance from a BMW ev and they just are not getting up off their a$$ fast enough. Just disappointing.

 

[3laine]

I would say this is not the reason, because my two Chevys were not always on (both ICE) yet both had a much higher success rate than either my 2014 or 2017 i3. My feeling is BMW is just not competitive with software in any of it’s forms.

I've owned 3 i3s, and don't believe I've ever had the app ultimately fail to do precondition or whatever else. I've had it fail once or twice, for instance, and then work the next time, though. I'm not saying the BMW app is better. I'm saying I personally see pros and cons to the different key/app implementations.

As far as power usage, the Tesla is clearly sending more info and more frequent info out to the app, and it's clearly using more power when not driving. Exactly how much of that power is because of the app's connectivity, I don't know... but it reasonable to assume it's part of the vampire drain.

This has not been my experience at all. I find my Model 3 to be not just as reliable and as fast, but also function better overall because I don’t have to do anything to lock the car. There are definitely more variables involved when bringing your own phone, so I wouldn’t be surprised if some have issues depending on what phone/OS they are using. I have an iPhone X running the latest software FWIW.

I have an iPhone XR. Many times I have to move the pocket with my phone in it closer to the car, or pull the handle multiple times, or similar before it works. It's reliable (it doesn't ultimately fail), and it's a first world problem, but the i3 is more consistent and seems to have longer range. The only time it doesn't work is if my wife has the key and is a few steps away from the car or something.

I haven’t noticed a significant difference (when not using Sentry), but then I’m not tracking it that precisely either because unlike with the i3 I don’t need to pay too close attention to range in the Model 3.

It's certainly not a concern from a range anxiety standpoint, but I'm interested because I'm trying to eek out 100% solar offset, so I've noticed that the Model 3 loses 4-6 miles per day of range to vampire drain, so that's ~1+ kWh per day wasted... or ~400 kWh/year.

So in my personal experience, there are only downsides with BMW’s implementation. And I almost forgot having to carry around a key is worse than not having to carry one.

I do like not carrying a key. That's an advantage, for sure. I just wish the phone key wasn't so finicky for me.

Have you used “Climatize Now” from the app recently? And it actually worked? It didn’t just say “sending to car” for 3 minutes and then fail? If so, consider yourself lucky! Go check the App Store reviews as I said before and you’ll see all kinds of stories of just just like mine on how this has been broken for months.

Since you asked, I tried it just now. In ~15 seconds, the car was cooling itself, so I had to go out to the garage and shut it off. I blame you! haha

Like I said, I only need to use it occasionally, so it's not the end of the world to me that it's slow compared to the Tesla one.

Overall, I prefer the Tesla key/app combo in comparison, but the short key range and vampire drain are downsides for me.

 

[3laine]

I have been a huge BMW fan for years, but have been left disappointed in their lack of growth when it comes to EV’s and frankly I am tired of waiting.

I feel the same. They waited too long to make a BEV with more than 4 seats, so they forced me to Tesla.

That being said, I think in the process of bashing BMW's slow EV growth (understandably), the i3 gets thrown under the bus a lot, somewhat undeservedly.

It's the face of BMW EVs, so it gets lumped in with the whole program in general, but for its niche, it's a good car. If you compare it to a Model 3 LR, of course it's not as capable as a road trip car. It's also not a good pickup truck.

BMW has forced these bad comparisons because they've dragged their feet for so long on the i4, etc. Once the i4 and/or iNext are here, then maybe the i3 can stop being the defacto BMW comparison EV no matter the class.