Advice needed

[arj]

Hi,
I am considering leasing a B Class. Right now I am tossing up between the B class and the BMW i3
The deal Iam gettign from the dealer here in Maryland is:

5K down with $266 a month for 36 months ( 10000 miles / year) for a B Class with Multi media, nav, blind spot warning and leather.

The questions I have are:

1) Is this a good deal?
2) Have you had any issues with the run flat tires. Should I look into the warranty?
3) Is anEV charging station at home a must with the b class? I heard that you can use a 110 Volt charger for the BMW will charge in 8-10 hours but the b class will take close to 30 hours to charge from a 110 Volt socket?
4) Has anyone in Maryland had problems getting the state rebate? I realize the federal $7500 goes to the leasing company.

While I really like the range extender option on the BMW, The finish and space of the b class is definitely better.

Thanks

 

[JeffRay]

arj, lots of detailed posts if you have time. Otherwise, as someone who looked at both cars like you plus the Tesla, here is a snapshot response.

1) Is this a good deal? Need more info, which model year, range extender? Otherwise for 2014 looks like room to negotiate more.

2) Have you had any issues with the run flat tires. Should I look into the warranty? I bought the tire and bumper warranty. Had a nail in a tire, they replaced for $50 deductible. A number of owners have replaced with regular tires and report running smoother and plan to turn in car at end of lease with run flats.

3) Is anEV charging station at home a must with the b class? I heard that you can use a 110 Volt charger for the BMW will charge in 8-10 hours but the b class will take close to 30 hours to charge from a 110 Volt socket? I guess the real answer is if how often you will have to charge when on empty. For example, if you charge 99% of the time when a half mast, then the times are reduced. I only use the provided cable for emergencies and charge at dealer or ChargePoint terminal as I do not have the option of garage charger. If I had a garage and my driving habits, I would upgrade to faster charger.

4) Has anyone in Maryland had problems getting the state rebate? I realize the federal $7500 goes to the leasing company. No comment.

GET THE Be. Beat up the dealer some more and spend the "savings" on the charger.

Head to head - If you are under 35 with no kids, gotta love the i3. I think the range extender is overrated. If you are over 40 with kids, gotta love the space in the Be. My kids are 10 and could not fit comfortably in the i3. If you have to deal with carseats, forget the i3. The other things that turned me away from the i3 was the skinny wheels and the suicide doors vs a standard four door.

Hope this helps.

 

[PlugandPlay]

Jeff has some really good points. I just went through this and decided on the B.

1.) I think you can get the price down lower. $5k down seems really high and I think you may be able to push for more miles if you need them - 12K

I test drove the i3, B Class and VW e-Golf. Like Jeff said, the i3 really doesn't make sense with kids, which I have. The e-Golf is fun to drive but doesn't have the luxury features of the B class.

Good luck.

 

[arj]

Thanks for the responses.

The lease is on a 2015 Be.

If the down payment is on the higher side I will try to get them to add the warranty for the wheels in with it.

I do have two kids , one still in a car seat and the space in the Be is a definite plus in that regard.

I am still trying to figure out if I need the service plan on the car. Not really sure what servicing needs to be done on an electric car? I called the service station and they werent sure about what a regular servicing for the B class entailed or what it would cost as they had never done one till date.

Thank you for your advice.

 

[JeffRay]

ARJ,

There is not much difference between the 2014 and 2015. It will be easier to get a better deal on a 2014 even if the dealer has to get from another east coast location. No start button is one difference. Still, you should be able to negotiate a bit off the upfront. To find out what others on the east coast were able to get, you can scan the relevant posts.

The consensus of the posts is that the service plan is not worth paying for. Mine was thrown in as a Black Friday special. I was also offered three types of add ons by the lease fellow before he would sign the lease. I signed up for rim and tire protection as I am in an urban area with lots of potholes and construction. Already had to replace one run flat that had a nail and for my other car, replaced two rims over 7 years.

Still tossing between i3 and the Be? Test drive the Be, you will enjoy the ride.

 

[wtzouris]

I'd go with the B-Class. The i3 is more fun to drive in terms of tossability, but it feels a little fragile. It gets blown around with the wind.. The Rex is weird, not very green. The battery on both models is a little too small for winter temperatures... The absolute minimum range on the B-Class in freezing temps on extended range charge is 75 miles. In summer you get 100-110 miles. The i3 can give you as little as 50/65 miles in the cold. (Rex/BEV). Since my commute is 58 miles, and I prefer a heavier luxurious ride, (I was coming from a Sienna minivan), I went with the B-Class . NO Regrets! 6 months, 6500 miles driven. One nail in the tire, I just got it replaced, $201 with labor (I had to show the dealer the TireRack tire price). The car is solid, no rattles.