About to buy.. how does this battery level look?

[aroundlsu]

I am about to buy my first Leaf used from a Nissan dealer. It's a "certified" 2013 Leaf SV. I've got the dealer down to $8999. However, if I am reading the instrument cluster correctly it's already lost two bars. Also, is it correct that it is showing only 54 mile range despite being almost fully charged? Let me know what you all think. I really don't know too much about what I am looking at.

 

[jkline]

My two cents, considering price, missing bars and mileage-- I'd pass. Just one man's opinion...

 

[Stanton]

You need an AHr reading to make an educated guess. For example, that GOM estimate @full charge correlates with a 4-bar loser...so you basically need more info (not that GOM should be trusted).

 

[aroundlsu]

Thanks for the replies. I've been reading on this forum and about the Leafspy app. Unfortunately, the car is about 7 hours away so I can't just drive over and check it out. When discussing the battery level with the dealer on the phone he seems to not really understand what I am talking about (or at least pretends not to understand).

 

[dhanson865]

Thanks for the replies. I've been reading on this forum and about the Leafspy app. Unfortunately, the car is about 7 hours away so I can't just drive over and check it out. When discussing the battery level with the dealer on the phone he seems to not really understand what I am talking about (or at least pretends not to understand).

For any car more than 2 hours drive away I'd want it to either be 12 or 8 or less and be under the warranty cutoffs.

12 bars and its enough charge you can assume it isn't a weak battery (assuming no reset shenanigans)

8 or less and you get a free brand new battery.

9, 10, or 11 bars and you have to wonder if you'll be stuck with a car that lost the 4th bar after the battery warranty cutoff. For those I'd want to be close enough to be able to drive over, check it out with leafspy, think about it and come back empty handed if needed.

I think that $8999 is OK but in a few months you'll be able to do better. The question is are you in a hurry enough to waste a couple of thousand up front?

You'll save money vs a gas car from the day you get it but depending on the gas car and the cost of electricity for you and the miles you drive per month the amount you save may be small.

For $8999 I'd want it to be convenient and have nothing wrong.

I don't know your zip code but on autotrader right now there are these cars:

2012 SL in FL for $6499
2011 SL in FL for $6988
4 more Leafs in FL for $6999
2 more Leafs in FL for $7499
2011 SV in WA for $7499
2011 SL in WA for $7500
2012 SL in AZ for $7573
2013 S in OH for $7663
2012 SV in OH for $7675
2011 in OH for $7700
2011 SL in CA for $7750
2012 SL in AZ for $7873
2012 SL in CA for $7950
2013 S in PA for $7979
2011 in TX for $7980
2011 SL in CA for $7991
2011 in MA for $7995
and on
and on
and on
between there and $8999

I just don't value the 2013 SV that much higher than the 2012 SL in FL for $6499

And I value that CPO status at about $50 more vs a random used leaf with the same battery health.

 

[rosier9]

My two cents, considering price, missing bars and mileage-- I'd pass. Just one man's opinion...

I'd agree with this... $8999 doesn't seem like a good price and at 7 hours away I'd want a good price. With two bars missing and 44k miles it's in no-man's-land for a warranty battery replacement...

 

[LeftieBiker]

I tell prospective Leaf buyers to always assume that a 12 bar car actually has 11 bars, plus a very little, if you can't use LeafSpy. In the case of a 10 bar car, I think you should assume that it's a "solid" 10 bars, so not likely to drop to 8 soon...

 

[tkdbrusco]

I wouldn't bother. You can do much better. You can ask them to check the MFG date on the inside of the driver's door. My guess is that it's early 2013, which means it has the 11/12 battery. It has to have that battery to be down 2 bars since then. My buddy has a 2013 that was manufactured in 7/13 and he still has all of his bars in relatively warm San Jose, CA. He's close to losing one, but still has them all. Honestly, you should be able to find a 2015 model around $11K or so by now. That would be a way better option for you.

 

[jkline]

Fwiw,

I got a 2012 sl with 22k and 85% SOH and 11 bars for the same price. For me it was the best deal in a four hour drive. There were a few better deals and possibly better batteries further afield, but not enough to temp me.

 

[aroundlsu]

Thanks for all the replies. I am really learning a lot. Here is another car.

From looking at this, can you tell if this car qualifies for the battery replacement? It's a 2011 SL. From reading here, I know some owners could opt out of the battery warranty, so let's assume it's not an opt out. If I can haggle a good deal on this one I don't mind turning it into my local dealer for a battery replacement if it's totally free.

 

[aroundlsu]

Here is another picture. I notice the red warning light is on. Does that fall under the warranty too? Does it matter if it's not purchased from a Nissan dealer or if it's not "certified"?

 

[brycenesbitt]

From looking at this, can you tell if this car qualifies for the battery replacement? It's a 2011 SL. From reading here, I know some owners could opt out of the battery warranty, so let's assume it's not an opt out.[/img]

There's a tricky clause in the warranty that the battery capacity reports must be done (and presumably on time). Check with Nissan first!

 

[knightmb]

Here is another picture. I notice the red warning light is on. Does that fall under the warranty too? Does it matter if it's not purchased from a Nissan dealer or if it's not "certified"?

That is the seat-belt not wearing warning light. No worries.

Get the VIN number and call Nissan, they can tell you if it still has the battery warranty.

 

[aroundlsu]

I just called Nissan customer service and they said the car will qualify for a free battery but the warranty literally expires in two days! I trying to get the dealer on the phone to get it into service immediately. Thanks for the help.

 

[aroundlsu]

Man explaining this stuff to non-Nissan dealers is frustrating. I called the dealer selling the Nissan and tried to explain the deal and said he would only take it to Nissan if I left a $500 non refundable deposit AND filled out a credit app (despite already having my own financing approved). Then he didn't understand that a new battery isn't something that is done in a day. It would take a few weeks before it was complete and I am not going to travel 8 hours to pick it up until it's complete.

 

[dhanson865]

Here is another picture. I notice the red warning light is on. Does that fall under the warranty too? Does it matter if it's not purchased from a Nissan dealer or if it's not "certified"?

That warning light comes on if the seat belts aren't buckled. That'd be the first thing I'd check when seeing that. There are other symbols if there is more seriouls problem.

 

[dhanson865]

Man explaining this stuff to non-Nissan dealers is frustrating. I called the dealer selling the Nissan and tried to explain the deal and said he would only take it to Nissan if I left a $500 non refundable deposit AND filled out a credit app (despite already having my own financing approved). Then he didn't understand that a new battery isn't something that is done in a day. It would take a few weeks before it was complete and I am not going to travel 8 hours to pick it up until it's complete.

Yeah, you'll have a find a 8 bar car that has a month or more warranty on it so you can take it in without racing a deadline. Or find a 12 bar car so you don't have to bother.

 

[aroundlsu]

After calling three times I finally convinced them to take it to their local Nissan dealership today if I agree to travel in Saturday to finalize the deal. I gave the Nissan dealer a heads up and waiting for them to confirm they dropped it off and it can get the new battery. If so, I think I'll get a pretty smoking deal on a 2011 SL with a brand new lizard battery!

 

[aroundlsu]

Update: So I passed on this particular Leaf and got another one with 32k miles, 9 bars, and 16 months left on the battery warranty (confirmed by Nissan customer service). Hope to lose that last bar before then!

If anyone wants this leaf I passed on it's at Central Kia in Plano, Texas. They are asking $7700 and it has been checked in at Nissan and confirmed for a new battery. Here's the one problem (and why I passed), it has minor to moderate hail damage. At this point, I bet Kia would discount it quite a bit more to get rid of it if anyone can live with the hail damage and have a new battery in return. It's a 2011 SL.