# Plug-in Hybrid Experience

**URL:** <https://community.cartalk.com/t/plug-in-hybrid-experience/176089>\
**Category:** General Discussion\
**Created:** [April 11, 2021, 1:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/plug-in-hybrid-experience/176089 "2021-04-11T13:15:34Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![jee2\_172904](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/0ea827/32.png) [@jee2\_172904](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jee2_172904)\
**Post date:** [April 11, 2021, 1:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/plug-in-hybrid-experience/176089/1 "2021-04-11T13:15:34Z")

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At the end of 2020, BMW was offering dealer incentives on sedans and the plug-in hybrid (330e) was the same final cost as the ICE model (330i). My car, a 2003 330i 6-speed, was in great shape but had developed a very strange/annoying/disgusting failed electric motor smell from the HVAC system that couldn’t be eliminated. So, since manual transmissions are no longer available, a plug-in hybrid replaced my “real” BMW.

After a few months, I still attempt to press the clutch and occasionally grab the “shift” knob, but the car is fine for an automatic, and I’m still running on the fill-up of gas I purchased on my way home from the dealer (165-miles away). It seems, I rarely drive a 4-wheel vehicle more than 30-miles in any given trip and the Plug-in feature covers the first 20~22 miles with all electric operation.

So, it seems this plug-in hybrid thing works for me. And, if I do need to take a long trip, 400-miles appears to be the range on a full tank of gas and charge. That’s, at least, 50 miles more range than my 2013 Tacoma.