Cancel your order?

[Timaz]

All,

Someone asked me a few questions about cancellation last night that I could not answer and wondered if you had the answers?

1) If I was to cancel my order now after my car has been built, are there any cancelation penalties?

2) Do we get our $99 deposit back?

3) What happens to the Ecototality residential charger? Can they just come back and take it back without any penalties?

If the delays turn out to indicate that this first batch of cars have manufacturing defects, what is the last chance to get out of the deal without incurring any financial repurcussions for the buyers? What obligations does Nissan have to tell this first round of general delivery buyers about any potential issues they have been experiencing this last week in regards to testing?

 

[Gonewild]

1) Yes cancel at any time No penalties.

2) Yes you get $99 back on your credit card.

3) Charger is removed.

 

[Timaz]

Thanks gonewild. Any thoughts on what Nissan should divulge as far as defects experienced during testing on this first batch of cars?

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

as far as initially discovered "defects", Nissan will divulge nothing which is the status quo.

they will fix, adjust or mitigate the issue as much as can be done. hard to do when only extensive field testing is the only real way to determine the effectiveness of most fixes.

 

[Gonewild]

Thanks gonewild. Any thoughts on what Nissan should divulge as far as defects experienced during testing on this first batch of cars?

If it is production and can be fixed say nothing.

If safe fix and still say nothing.

 

[LakeLeaf]

You don't sign any paperwork until you walk into the dealer, so you've made no contractual commitment until/unless you do that.

 

[DaveEV]

If the delays turn out to indicate that this first batch of cars have manufacturing defects, what is the last chance to get out of the deal without incurring any financial repurcussions for the buyers? What obligations does Nissan have to tell this first round of general delivery buyers about any potential issues they have been experiencing this last week in regards to testing?

I think you're worrying about this too much. Nissan won't sell you a car that has defects - can you imagine the bad PR that would result? It would completely derail the billions of dollars they've spent on getting their EVs launched.

Anyway, everyone else has answered your questions.

 

[DeaneG]

Pretty much any complex product will have some design issues at rev 1.0 which could be fixed. At least most of them are in firmware now, so they are easy to fix. As an early buyer of a t0 car, you have to expect to deal with a bug or two. Think of it as part of the fun.

 

[SteveInSeattle]

Clearly, if one wants to play it safe delaying purchase for a year would be wise. The early adopters take increased risk along with the intangible rewards of being an early adopter. I have faith in Nissan for a variety of reasons, one is that the Prius when first new was the most reliable car in Counsumers Reports surveys despite so much new technology-- companies work hard to get these types of projects right because to do otherwise wastes all the good faith the innovation provides. Second, I have had great experiences with every Nissan I have owned, at least 10 so far. And, except for the batteries there really isn't anything absolutely "new" in this car (except the firmware which can be altered).

 

[JPC2822]

Nissan clearly delivered some fully functioning LEAFs already. I really think Nissan is focusing on other countries like Japan and Europe at this time due to the weak dollar and the low cost of LEAF in the USA. I believe our government isn't helping the issue as well...

 

[PaulScott]

You "could" wait for gen 2 of the LEAF, but the line is going to be really long pretty soon, so you risk having to wait till Smyrna opens in late 2012 to get one.

I bought the Toyota RAV EV in 2002, an EV that had little backing from Toyota and was clearly the gen 1 version since Toyota didn't want to make it in the first place, but had to in order to comply with the CA ZEV mandate. This car now has 88K miles on it and has performed flawlessly. The only thing that failed were two shocks at about 65K miles. I replaced all four, and that's it, no maintenance of any kind in at least 5 years.

Yes, there might be some problems with a new car, but the inherent simplicity of the EV should keep them to a minimum, and they'll likely be easy to fix.

Paul Scott
2002 RAV4 EV
2007 Vectrix
Black SL/ETEC
Santa Monica

 

[Boomer23]

I bought one of the first Infiniti G35s (a Nissan product, by the way) in 2003. I knew that it was a first generation car, and there were some defects and recalls. I think I had it in the shop seven or eight times in the first year and a half. I was never bothered by any of this. Nissan stood behind their product, supplied loan cars for all of the repairs and recalls, and it didn't cost me anything. I kind of enjoyed being at the "bleeding edge" of the new product cycle, as weird as that sounds. I liked being an early adopter, knowing about what was going on and talking about it on a G35 forum.

And this was just another ICE car, despite being Infiniti's first serious effort to match the BMW 3 series in performance. While the G35 had a lot of visibility within Nissan, it was nothing compared to the exposure that the LEAF will have, and worldwide to boot!

I have no qualms or worries about taking delivery of a cutting edge new product from Nissan, even if it does need some refining once it is in the hands of consumers.

If there are delays due to fine tuning of the first wave of cars, I see that as a commitment by Nissan to have the cars done right, from the start. Unless I was desperate to have the car immediately, I wouldn't see it as a cause for considering cancellation.

 

[JPC2822]

Well said Boomer! Hey, with your humor I would have never guessed you are a babyBoomer!

 

[Coffee_Slurry]

I bought one of the first Infiniti G35s (a Nissan product, by the way) in 2003. I knew that it was a first generation car, and there were some defects and recalls. I think I had it in the shop seven or eight times in the first year and a half. I was never bothered by any of this.

They must have taken good notes. My 2004 Infiniti G35 never went to the shop for anything unusual. There was a warranty extension on the front brakes that got me a new set of rotors and pads, even though I wore them out normally.
Very reliable and fun car, that G35. It's part of the reason I'm getting back in line for a Nissan.

If the M35h comes out before my $@#% Leaf graduates from "Pending", I may even go round two and wait Leaf 1.0 out altogether.

 

[Boomer23]

I bought one of the first Infiniti G35s (a Nissan product, by the way) in 2003. I knew that it was a first generation car, and there were some defects and recalls. I think I had it in the shop seven or eight times in the first year and a half. I was never bothered by any of this.

They must have taken good notes. My 2004 Infiniti G35 never went to the shop for anything unusual. There was a warranty extension on the front brakes that got me a new set of rotors and pads, even though I wore them out normally.
Very reliable and fun car, that G35. It's part of the reason I'm getting back in line for a Nissan.

If the M35h comes out before my $@#% Leaf graduates from "Pending", I may even go round two and wait Leaf 1.0 out altogether.

Yep, I got the free brake work as well. The brake pads only lasted about 15k miles because they made them soft so that they'd stop as well as a BMW. But BMW covers brakes in their all inclusive warranty, so Nissan had to provide some coverage to satisfy unhappy owners. They solved the issue in later years.

 

[garygid]

+1 Boomer, HNY

 

[Boomer23]

+1 Boomer, HNY

You too, Gary. Don't party too hard tonight, okay man?

 

[garygid]

Boomer,
I am warm and safely at home with my wife and two (8-year old) "puppies".
No, they do not know that they are "dogs".

The isolated fireworks noises (that just happened somewhere outside at 11:11 PM) frighten little Heidi puppy and bother our (somewhat bigger) Boris puppy (both with Maltese roots).
So, Heidi jumps off my lap and goes into the bedroom to "hide" with "mom".

Indeed, we wish you all a safe, warm, peaceful night as well.
Sincerely, Gary

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

our next door neighbors went to the park across the street and fired off several rounds of fireworks, but considering they are illegal here, they only did it for about 15 minutes then ran back inside. the fact that it was about 18º probably helped them to hurry back inside