Considering the Leaf

I'm tempted for a Leaf too. Maybe another year but the Leaf is still top of the list as a replacement.

 

Been quite busy so I won't have a chance to address everything in your post.

Backup camera supposedly became standard on '14 Leafs. I personally wouldn't want the base (S) trim.

I have the QC + LED package you describe above + the premium package. I paid for the rear cargo cover. It's a must IMHO.

Personally, for the infratsructure in my area, I feel the QC (CHAdeMO) port was almost a waste of money. I've had my Leaf since end of July 2013 and have used the QC port only 4 times. For areas where the CHAdeMO infrastructure is good (reliable, plentiful, reasonably priced, etc.) and you're willing to wait, then consider it.

I LOVE the Around View Monitor that's part of the premium package. THAT was worth it, IMHO, esp. on a lease, as the view to the right helps you prevent getting curb rash on your wheels. I enjoy the Bose stereo, even though I am NOT a Bose fan.

Carwings is ok. The nav system on the '11 thru '13 Leaf kinda sucks. It's a step backwards (for the most part) from the one on my 06 Prius . I hear the '14 nav has some improvements. About the only really great feature on the Leaf nav is the "where am I feature?" that shows you current street, next street (ahead) and previous street (behind) and their distances.

In your terrain, I probably wouldn't buy. However, if you buy, your battery might degrade enough in your hot climate to be eligible for 1 replacement. After that, you're on you're own other than living with it until you get to the point where you go with My Nissan Leaf Forum • View topic - Battery Replacement Program Details. Nissan STILL hasn't announced a battery price.

Yes. Max acceleration is very quiet. There's very little NVH at full "throttle". My Prius feels like a noisy rattletrap, in comparison.

FWIW, I'm leasing for 2 years/24K miles total. Long story as to why...

MyNissanLeaf.com is a GREAT community and resource, for anyone interested.

 

I would highly recommend leasing.
Some are the lease deals are phenomenal and the tech is advancing rapidly.
The rebate is 'baked into' the lease, so don't plan on getting that direct.

 

Unless you really want a second vehicle, why not a Plug in Prius, Volt, etc? Overall the cost should be lower compared to owning two cars, and you can do most of those short trips on all electric, while having the ability to do the longer range highway trips efficiently as well.

 

In theory, the Focus EV, iMiEV, and smart ED are also available nationwide. The smart just started expanding availability. With the others, it is a question of whether or not there is dealer reasonably nearby that sells the EVs. It is possible to get the Rav4 EV if you are out of state, too. And *gasp* there is also the Volt. Just don't put any gas into it.

Considering the extra hassle of getting it out of state(OP in Texas), the Rav4 EV might be a better choice than the PPI.

 

You live in the southern part of the San Francisco Bay Area, right? There are a lot more CHAdeMO stations in the Bay Area than there were just a year or two ago. I'm not sure about the pricing, though.

Here's a map showing only CHAdeMO stations in the area (data from PlugShare app).

 

my LEAF is my primary source of transportation and considering I work as an auditor and must travel to every job, that is no small statement. But its range is limited and the charging network is simply non-existent in many parts of my district so what to do? Well, I decided to take on a year long experiment that started Dec 1 and it was to basically find out if the savings driving a LEAF could justify the expense of having a 2nd car for those occasional trips that are beyond the LEAF's range.

So, I got an old beat up Corolla for $2500 knowing that it would probably last a few years at least only because the hard miles around town, short trips, etc. was the LEAFs domain and this gasser would be doing none of that.

Now, this experiment is helped by the fact that 75% of my travel is by POV and I am reimbursed for both time and mileage. I have decided to take the mileage only to see if it will pay for BOTH cars.

now, you might think I am hoping for a lot, but super cheap lease deals along with my $1000 loyalty cash made the LEAF's costs pretty low so the only real question is could I support the 2nd gasser completely?

info on my blog is posted monthly in the drive reports. so far so good...

 

Calling it a "rebate" implies everyone gets the same amount. It's tax time now and there are posts confirming that is not the case. So with respect to leasing, that could be an added advantage.

 

leasing is the ONLY way to go. the LEAF is simply not ready for purchase. the range is too limited. my 2011 started to struggle with the demands of my job for the last 5-6 months I had it. but now with the 2o13, I am back to driving fast, loose and farther without issues. wait until they come out with LEAF II and its 120-150 mile range, then buy

 

This. I'm the kind of person who likes to buy, but its very possible that the Leaf will get a major improvement or a competitor to release a better EV within the next couple years. With the lease, you'll be able to upgrade without trying to find someone to buy your then outdated car.

 

Yes, I do but the problem is that some CHAdeMO stations are Blink (unreliable crap) and with a $5 per session fee (sucks, better to do it by time or by kWh). Some are at dealers, w/most inaccessible after they close.

I've used my CHAdeMO port 4 times (all at the same dealer). In 3 instances, people practiced bad charging etiquette . They left their cars plugged in, were nowhere to be found and left no contact info. In one case, the car had been plugged in for 50 minutes and their car had ramped down to below L2 speeds of their car (about 4 kW, when they have the 6.x kW OBC). That person should've moved to L2 once they go down to 6 kW rate, as they would've been charging at the same rate.

In one instance, w/an unattended charging car, I was having a friendly chat w/the folks in line in front of me (who also were wondering where the driver was) and we discussed etiquette. When the inconsiderate person finally came, we out loud discussed etiquette in front of them, but it seems that person had no interest in that and left.

Boardwalk Nissan were I leased my Leaf has a free DC FC but someone I know posted about charging there but there were 5 Leafs in line behind her!

Another time, I did want to use my port at Walgreen's, Santa Clara, CA - Electric Car (EV) Charging Station - PlugShare but there already was a friendly driver charging there and nowhere even close to ramp down phase, so I left. I didn't need the juice anyway. I figured I could top off and read email/surf the net on my phone while picking up some free juice. If I needed it, I would've waited...

The problem is a combination of unreliability of Blink chargers, bad Blink pricing, other unreliable DC FCs (I hear the VW Belmont J1772 CCS + CHAdeMO is unreliable), possible lines, accessibility and bad charging etiquette. Heck, Nissan's own DC FC at their own research office in Sunnyvale (Nissan Research Center - Electric Car (EV) Charging Station - PlugShare) has been broken for a month. I've never used that one yet as I don't go by their nor live/work near there.

At one point, both Premier Nissan's DC FCs were broken for weeks.

 

Agreed. An Energi or Volt (PIP is not available in Texas) would cover the daily miles about 90% of the time and still go out of or across town and back at a moments notice. He'd only need two or three tanks a year ($35ish each) vs the $40 every month for the privilege of sitting at a charger.

Warning: once you start driving EV, a "noisy" hybrid begins to lose its luster.

 

I wanted a pure BEV. PiP's "EV" range is too limited and it has too many limitations (beyond moderate acceleration = ICE ON, above 62 mph = ICE ON, etc.) I did consider the Volt and I briefly explained why I didn't ditch my 06 Prius and get a Volt as an only car instead of leasing a Leaf as a 2nd car at Should I buy a Gen III or a Honda Fit? | Page 3 | PriusChat.

And the Volt has a bunch of downsides we've already discussed ad nauseum here (e.g. 4 seater, compact, combined EPA mileage inferior to the Prius, "requires" premium, etc.). And, it has a slow 3.3 kW OBC. At work, I see them pulling ~3.1 kW at 208 volts, which means that for an equal amount of energy that needs to be added, they tie up a charging spot for much longer than my Leaf, which pulls ~5.8 to 6.0 kW on those same EVSEs. (I've started charging sessions for other Volts and observed their Chargepoint graphs vs. mine.)

 

i used to crow about how quiet my Prius was. my ZENN had so much road noise and so little insulation (the car was essentially made of plastic) that the noise difference was minimal but then the LEAF came along and going back to the Prius was a shock. the Corolla even worse. I literally could tell the difference due to the volume levels on the radio which was not noticable until i had a car washing party and realized the LEAF's volume was barely half the level of the Corolla...

 

This thread has been a good read for me. I'm strongly considering buying a 2015 Leaf. I know leasing is probably a safer bet with range loss, but with the 72 months 0%APR + $3500 finance rebate + ~$2500 VPP discount my monthly would come out to what I'm paying on my C. Instead of trading in my C, I'd just finance the Leaf, and take the federal tax credit and CA tax rebate to pay off my C, so my monthly payments would be the same but extended by 3 years to have an additional car. I'm hoping the "lizard" battery chemistry in the 2015s minimizes range loss a bit, but this car would mainly be used for up to a 45 mile round trip drive, so I think I should be okay in SoCal mild climates. 2 years of free 60 minute sessions via No Charge to Charge and December's free L2 charger are plusses too.

It seems like the DC charger would be great for the 2 years of free charging with No Charge to Charge, but far too expensive in SoCal to use after that due to NRG EVGo pricing ($15/ month plus $.10/minute, or $9.95/session if I understand it correctly). Therefore the SV package seems more appealing since the 6.6 kW charger is a must for me and the hybrid heat pump, although it is a bit more pricy. The Around View and Bose seem awesome, but I don't know if they're unnecessary.

 

if cost is your main concern, then there isn't a new car of any kind at any gasoline price point that is going to work for you. as far as gas prices go; I predict gas back over $3.50 a gallon by July 1st

 

Petrol won't stay this low for long. Once it becomes unviable for many producers and they close down, prices will go up again.

People have short memories. Oil costs are 2 steps forward, and 1 back. Early next year would be an ideal time to trade in the gas guzzler and buy an economical car.