Keterick - I'm in the same position as you. I bought a Kalkhoff Pro Connect i8 with Impulse 2.0 mid motor at the end of 2017. I was advised by the e-bike shop owner that it would be the perfect e-bike for my 12 mile daily round commute through hilly country. I borrowed money from my parents to buy the bike, and paid them back over the next few months.
In fairness, the bike itself is comfortable and good quality, but after a period of patchy employment I finally found a decent job with a 17.4 mile daily round commute and the Impulse motor catastrophically broke down on my third day of the job with 1384 miles on the clock! I was very lucky that it happened when there was no traffic going in the same direction as me and while I was alongside one of the few pedestrian pavements along the route.
Having looked into the Impulse 2.0 motor, I've decided against having it replaced. From posts on this site regarding the Impulse 2.0 as well as information elsewhere, I've taken the motor's maximum endurance as 1400 miles - and using that in my calculations, I've worked out that I'd have to replace the motor every 80 days on a 17.4 mile daily round commute!
Before buying the bike, I researched the bike model and found only positive reviews. Sadly, if I'd researched the Impulse 2.0 at that time then I would have found all the information I found recently (after the motor died).
I feel that I was missold the bike, but the bike shop won't respond to my enquiries. The model I bought was available with either the Impulse motor or a Bosch motor, so I have no idea why the shop didn't recommend the Bosch-equipped model considering that the Impulse motor's problems were a known quantity even before I bought it. I'm sure all Kalkhoff will do is offer to replace the motor like for like, and now that I'm unemployed once again - thanks to the motor failing so spectacularly - I don't have enough money to buy a new bike.
I thought about refitting the bike with a different (i.e. non-Impulse) motor but I don't think another motor would physcially fit the frame (as the Impulse was essentially Kalkhoff's own motor - though from information on this forum, I think a third party designed and manufactured it), plus the cost of a new motor, battery, wiring and control system would probably be almost the same as a new bike.
If you use the bike less than I did (i.e. 2-4 miles a day or something similar as opposed to my 12 - 17.4 miles!) and the bike is still in warranty then it might be worth approaching the bike shop regarding a free motor replacement - or perhaps contact Kalkhoff directly. One of my local bike shops offered to contact Kalkhoff on my behalf regarding a "goodwill" out-of-waranty motor replacement even though I didn't buy the bike from that shop, so you might be able to find someone to help with your enquiries. Ultimately, though, I wouldn't spend any more money on the motor as you'll just have to keep spending.
I'm trying to make a bit of money back by selling my Kalkhoff for spares/repairs but I don't hold out much hope that anyone will want it! A couple of local e-bike shops politely but emphatically turned it down when I offered it to them. I should have a post here in the General Discussions section looking for alternative means of disposal if you want to see how things go for me.
Good luck finding more information about the alternative motor, and solving the Impulse problem in general!
