Guess o Meter at Dealerships

[apacheguy]

Hey folks,

Went in to look at a new 2015 SV yesterday. The car had 16 miles on it. I was concerned when I saw that SOC = 97% and the GOM read only 90 miles.

This was concerning for two reasons. One, storing a Li-Ion at high state of charge for prolonged periods is one of the worst things you can do (along with heat stress). Judging by the low miles, this car has only been charged once and the dealer probably just left it for several months at 100%.

Also, I was concerned with the GOM reading. Sure, it is just a guess, but for a car with only 16 miles on it and brand new to only be showing 90 miles? I dunno, what do you guys think? What do folks normally see for GOM readings on brand new vehicles?

And, no, unfortunately I do not have Leaf Spy.

 

[Tyger]

The charge level may be a concern, but the GOM really depends on how it's been driven. If it has low miles/KWH then it will be pessimistic about it.

One thing you can check to see how long it's been sitting around is the mfg date. Some may be over a year old. On the other hand, if it's only a few months it may not be that bad.

Even if it is a little degraded, it's still probably fairly good and you're going to have to weigh the significant discounts of the 2015 against the future cost of a slightly sooner replacement battery. (Assuming you're buying and not looking to lease.) It may still be worth it if you're not going to be driving it so much that range will be an issue.

 

[Stanton]

And, no, unfortunately I do not have Leaf Spy.

The only way you will ever have any data to make a decision with is to get a LeafSpy (or similar tool).

 

[apacheguy]

The charge level may be a concern, but the GOM really depends on how it's been driven. If it has low miles/KWH then it will be pessimistic about it.

One thing you can check to see how long it's been sitting around is the mfg date. Some may be over a year old. On the other hand, if it's only a few months it may not be that bad.

Even if it is a little degraded, it's still probably fairly good and you're going to have to weigh the significant discounts of the 2015 against the future cost of a slightly sooner replacement battery. (Assuming you're buying and not looking to lease.) It may still be worth it if you're not going to be driving it so much that range will be an issue.

Thanks. It was a mfg date of 03/15 so no great either. I wouldn't have been so concerned if it was a Q3 2015. I'll check the miles/kWh next time.