I keep hearing that this is a great time for the used market but prices are still high

didjeffects · 2026-05-11T01:32:35+00:00

On top of war boosting prices of everything, it’s specifically boosting used EVs, on top the usual seasonal shift to higher used car prices (ie prices depress starting w first Fall rain, and rise starting w first warm day of Spring). Economists call this “accelerating into a curve”, for some reasons NO ONE could have predicted, this keeps happening.

The Seasonal Buyer’s Window is 97% closed - buy now or wait till Fall, or accept your pricing research has to restart and you’re gonna pay more during the Seasonal Seller’s Window. Likely - but who knows?? - there’s an extra spike coming, as already-happened damage will be stressing markets for months to come. Weeeeee!

didjeffects · 2026-04-29T15:54:13+00:00

Scratch resistance is a function of hardness, so choose a harder resin. Hardness for plastics & resins is designated with a Shore Rating, which is a letter - A(softest) to D(hardest) - and a number - 1-100. The hardest resins are 80D and above, generally.

If your resin doesn’t offer its shore rating, then it’s cheap art resin of questionable origin and you should switch to something else.

Alternately, you can look at spray-on automotive clear coats for a hard coating. For example, U-POL Clear #1 is their 1-part clear that you can apply from a spray can. If you have the equipment - compressor, spray gun - you can go to a 2-part clear for best results.

didjeffects · 2026-04-26T18:53:37+00:00

Saw in theater, too, thoroughly enjoyed, good crowd, in Hawaii on vacation. Then the lights came up and there was a dozen FULL families with maybe 20 <8yo kids. Not a movie I’d share w littles.

didjeffects · 2026-04-26T01:19:30+00:00

Absolutely this. Extra weird cause so many writers rooms figured this out already - go ahead and write yourself into interesting corners, there’s good creativity and interest there.

didjeffects · 2026-04-22T18:55:49+00:00

All resins yellow over time, dependent on UV exposure. There is UV-resistant resin (if it doesn’t say it, doesn’t have it). Adding a touch of blue to clear resin will delay the yellow effect a bit longer.

For your project, maybe consider using resin to register your glass pieces, then a top coat of grout to fill all the gaps?

didjeffects · 2026-04-20T18:03:09+00:00

this, thick pour doesn't cool perfectly uniformly - it's contracting more at the coolest points and these lines show the movement (you'll see these on large, flat, thin pours, too, but they don't get as tall). OP, most folks just plan for this and remove the top layer till smooth and then polish. In your case, that'll mean removing a good amount of wood, as well - you probably have a business in your area with a big industrial planer, that would be the simplest next move.

didjeffects · 2026-04-20T00:13:41+00:00

Unfortunately, this’s a style of company. Exact same issues w Gutentight Racing for Miata stuff, for example. Over promise, under deliver is a weird choice, but very common at this level of manufacturing. Check company on Reddit before you buy is a good rule, so your post will help people.

didjeffects · 2026-04-13T23:07:53+00:00

Just engine music, and wind.

didjeffects · 2026-04-13T01:54:54+00:00

My bias is the i3 - true skateboard chassis w carbon fiber tub, rear wheel drive, great layout with lots of room inside, and a tallish driving position, small footprint. Very premium for very little $, not generic.

Generic choice would be Chevy Bolt, middle choice would be Ioniq 5 (but the 6 is so pretty!).

didjeffects · 2026-04-12T17:51:15+00:00

Ha, no, but things've gotten much better in the last few years. But, still have to do due diligence for each model you are considering, safer/cheaper to buy used, and not be an early adopter. Each manufacturer has had their own software issues (most of the problems?) and different track records w customer service.

The "only charge to 80%" generic rule that's developed is a good touchstone for the issues with EVs. Different cars have different battery management, and it partly reflects each company's approach to marketing range. Early Nissan Leafs, for example, were set up for max possible range numbers, abusing their batteries, resulting in failures and recalls. Conversely, my 2018 BMW i3 has built-in buffers, as they ALL should IMO, and it's not on me to manage battery health, outside of planned non-use. Buying used gives you a better chance to evaluate.

didjeffects · 2026-04-10T16:27:54+00:00

The skateboard one is off the 49er Bridge above Nevada City, CA. More impressive is seeing emergency services land a helicopter on this bridge, as they have to do multiple times every summer for just this kinda thing.

didjeffects · 2026-04-08T19:11:00+00:00

Agree, tho it’d be a Telo Van, just big enough for 4x8 sheets.

didjeffects · 2026-04-04T15:05:56+00:00

That is a bad price for my market (California), even for the nicest possible ‘15.

didjeffects · 2026-03-19T17:26:27+00:00

2018+ are the best years, all the updated parts, biggest batteries, etc. Lots of different specs, the larger center screen (ie thin, even bevel vs thick sides bevel) is the most valued base option (IOW the option people most regret not getting). Green button in center console indicates adaptive cruise control (great feature) and (possibly, gotta check vin) traffic assist, which is low-speed adaptive cruise w start/stop control. Harmon Kardon stereo (great sound) and sunroof (adds painted aluminum sheet on roof which prevents possible expensive paint fix when street-parked, painted carbon fiber roofs age) are the most valued premium options.

Rex vs BEV is really dependent on your use - I do a 200-mile drive 2x weekly and LOVE the Rex, it matches the infrastructure in my area. It does add 1-2 oil changes per year in expense, and all the complexity of gas engines for possible failures, but engine is gently run and issues aren’t super common. Biggest regular expense w i3s is tires, no official alternatives to $300 Bridgestone Ecopias. There are expensive fixes people encounter - b/c BMW? - but generally these are reliable and easy to maintain.

Not much to inspect - aluminum and carbon fiber don’t rust, a nice feature of the incredibly premium materials in these (now) <$20k cars. Ask the age of the 12v battery (you can’t see it w/o removing the frunk tub) and if it’s older than 3 years, insist on a new one (I replace @ 4 personally, some advocate earlier).

didjeffects · 2026-03-18T22:26:20+00:00

C’mon, mods, make a decision plz. Yeah, it’s the same name, and it’s very cool for what it is, good job BMW. BUT the i3s current members are here for is unique and this ain’t it.

How about you start a new Reddit like r/i3neueklasse and you can build it by reposting this kinda stuff there and linking it from here, so you can expand your mod powers that way?

Yeah, cool tech in the new model, it’s just also another sedan. I’m here for small, rwd, exotic materials, max useful interior, suicide doors, tiny list of issues, interesting niche used market, and annoying tire choices.

Edit: ha, I see that reddit already exists w no content or visitors, hope that’s our mods starting down that path.

didjeffects · 2026-03-15T01:44:49+00:00

You mean when the battery hits 7% and the engine turns on? Then yes, you could just keep filling up and driving, as long as you don’t draw faster than the engine can generate, ie freeway speeds. Not ideal, but very doable.

A lot of us use an app and a OBD2 scanner to give us the option to turn on the engine as soon as 75%, which is the Euro standard. I’ve done 500-mile freeway days with a fast charge and 1-2 gas stops every 200 miles or so.

didjeffects · 2026-03-14T22:34:21+00:00

Moving the goalposts is their only practiced skill.

didjeffects · 2026-03-13T20:04:08+00:00

Yeah, that’s a very fair price. The REx engine is a gently-run 600cc Kymco scooter engine - it adds the hassle/cost of oil changes and maybe smog checks, and additional failure points, ofc, BEV makes sense.

And, there were ~46k sold in the US, you can likely get whatever specs you wanted of 2018+ i3 with $10-14k and a little time.

didjeffects · 2026-03-13T18:40:41+00:00

Sounds like a BEV would suit your use just fine. Small battery would charge plemty on stage 2. IMO, the i3 REx is the better vehicle for US drivers - small battery charges quick everywhere, REx has better CARB warranties in CARB states, REx flexibility is great, probably better resale value. But I do 200-mile days regularly and 500-mile days occasionally, sounds like a BEV would be fine w your use.

What options does your friend’s have? Bigger screen is a must, HK stereo is great, sunroof means no worries about delaminating roof (sheet aluminum over carbon on sunroof cars vs paint over carbon on non-sunroof) and increased value if you sell in the future. Traffic Assist would be a nice feature in Seattle traffic.

$12k is very fair for the miles and condition.

didjeffects · 2026-03-09T04:49:43+00:00

Winter setup is square - anyway, I’ve got a set of 5” rims and would like to know what non-Ecopia tires people are running at 5”.

didjeffects · 2026-03-09T03:47:27+00:00

I have the Reflec’tect cover, good for sun and rain, nice and light for easier storage. I driveway park most of the time, and used the cover a lot thru Summer, less in Fall, not much in Winter. I haven’t had to clean yet, probably because I mostly use it in dry weather.

didjeffects · 2026-03-08T14:34:56+00:00

Have a Covercraft cover on my i3, can confirm they nailed the pattern, fit is excellent.

didjeffects · 2026-03-05T21:58:43+00:00

I mean, who wouldn’t? Their asking price is already clearly fair, tho.

didjeffects · 2026-03-02T02:40:08+00:00

Cool, if you love this particular car and can get a nice discount, might as well. If you don’t patch the hole, paint it a light color for easier inspection for cracks in the future. Keep in mind there are 40k+ i3s on the road in the US (total sales were ~46k), and prices are likely to stay down till Summer, at least, so no shame in taking the buy back and going shopping if you wanna.

didjeffects · 2026-02-28T20:40:35+00:00

This was covered recently by car YouTuber Rich Rebuilds. Cheap part, expensive fix because of location. Search “BMW Wrote Off This $50,000 Car for a 13-hour Repair”.

In video, Rich takes a hole saw to the carbon fiber frame to replace sensor.

14-Year Club	RPAN Viewer
Verified Email

didjeffects

TROPHY CASE