BMW i3 accused of "fraud" in Portugal

[andrerodpt]

It came to my attention today a guy in Portugal calling BMW as a fraud because (if a understand correctly) an i3 involved in a accident which has it's airbags deployed, needs to change all the batteries and high-tension cables. The car has 6000km and for now it's turned off. The owner alleges that the accident was not more than 14km/h.
BMW estimates the repair cost in 20.000€ (around 22.000$).

Here it is on the back of a trailer for everybody to see (oh the irony from a customer that lost confidence in BMW brand)
View media item 115522
And here is the statement from BMW vendor/service
View media item 115523Rough translate it affirms that the EV entered the service to check a "impossibility of starting and drive off".
After analysis, it was identified damage in the "high-tension components as well as damage in the passive security systems". It is knowned by BMW that the car was involved in a car crash and that was necessary to change the battery. The car was not repaired in a official BMW service center and BMW considered as a "total loss" (I imagine for insurance).

It sounds fishy, to say the least, but this isn't doing any good for the EV cause in Portugal.
And I bet BMW in not happy.

 

[gaswalla]

Uh, ok...

 

[Kandiru]

Ronaldo may be able to help, like with Euro 16.

 

[ecarfan]

When I click the link in your post to the photo it goes to a TMC page that says "You do not have permission to view media within this album."

If the car was in a major accident than it does seem possible that the battery pack and cabling might have to be replaced. But one would think that if the damage was that major the vehicle chassis would also have incurred a level of damage so as to total the car.

Not knowing anything about the damage incurred I think any such conclusions are speculative at best.

 

[22522]

I would expect full battery replacement after any significant crash in a lithium tech car.

 

[andrerodpt]

When I click the link in your post to the photo it goes to a TMC page that says "You do not have permission to view media within this album."

If the car was in a major accident than it does seem possible that the battery pack and cabling might have to be replaced. But one would think that if the damage was that major the vehicle chassis would also have incurred a level of damage so as to total the car.

Not knowing anything about the damage incurred I think any such conclusions are speculative at best.

I don't know what is happening with the photos... but you can see more here: Fraude BMW i3 - 100% Electrico | Facebook

An update from the owner, it seems all what was required was to replace a fuse.

And from the comments on the same facebook page, some claim that the owner bought the car in Germany post-accident, repaired it in a unofficial BMW garage, and tried to get BMW to put it to work using the warranty. If that is true, I'm wondering why BMW still haven't gone all legal on this guy.

 

[voyager]

And... is "he" coping? I mean the i3...

 

[andrerodpt]

And... is "he" coping? I mean the i3...

Have no idea. Please pray for the soul that gets screwed buying it second-hand. Hopefully all this press will alert possible buyers away from it, leaving the scammer stuck to the car.