I figured out why I love this car so much!

[Stunt822]

let me tell you a little secret - i commute using converted car. It's not anywhere close in comfort to Leaf, but at least was "free". Covers my 10 miles commute just fine. As far as longer trips - like those to Oregon Coast, or Mount Hood - Leaf won't make it for me anyway...
And i'm saying the same thing - it would be great to drive affordable green vehicle! Just in the segment of low-featured, low range, cheap cars - Leaf is not overly competitive. If only battery would last forever.... but no - likely in 12 years you'll hav eto replaec it. cashing out cost of compact car.

And i'm not 100% sure on recyclability of battery pack. (talking about pollution)


But let me be wrong, especially if I do take delivery of my black SL in April. My problem is - i won't let go of other 2 cars, and insurance alone on Leaf is $60 a month from Geico, while my 2 ton Navigator was $50. Why is this? and any recomendatoins on insurance?

 

[evnow]

I totally agree that oil conservation is a great federal initiative. Federal.

No - for some of us it is a personal initiative. This is what we call taking personal responsibility - not wanting givernment to do everything for us.

And I wish it to be even greater, so there is economical sense for simple souls like me in buying new technology.

There is never any economical sense in buying new cars. On pure finance we should all be driving Kia econoboxes ...

Now, i'm selecting a car here, not donating to Greenpeace to fight with global pollution, compared to which my driving in nothing. To that sense - every one of us can save more polar bears if they buy used Versa at $6k, and donate remaining $20k to the above organization. Right?

Apparently you think AGW is all about saving Polar Bears. Let me tell you something - Polar Bears are gone. There is already enough CO2 in the air to make sure they will be gone in a generation. It is not about saving Polar Bears but about your children's future.

All initial EV adopters are sacrificing some of the features (and some extra money) in the hope that EVs will take off and thus help the future generation.

People go to great extent to minimize financial and personal risks. Buying insurance etc etc. But the tragedy of commons is such that personal sacrifice will not help anyone - if a lot of people don't do it.

ps : Depending on when peak oil really starts hitting, some of us early adopters won't need to stand in a queue outside gas stations.

 

[wsbca]

PLease tell me production cars do not have a plastic filler plug where the ignition key would be on an ICE

I could tell you that, but I'd be lying. As a big fan of code reuse in my own job, I'm trying valiantly to think of it as a sensible re-use (of an otherwise legitimately shared column cover design and mold) saving untold resources that would have been involved in redoing it from scratch - or part of the reduce, reuse, recycle enviro-trifecta... But I'm failing - it bothers me.

 

[GeekEV]

It does look a little cheap, but hardly a deal breaker. I didn't even notice until days later when I was climbing in the passenger seat.

 

[EVDRIVER]

Passenger: What's that button do?

Driver: Which one there are so many high-tech buttons?

Passenger: That big one on the steering column, or is it a cover for a special advanced test port?

Driver: Oh, that's a plastic cap to cover the hole where the ignition used to be on another gas car, like the one you see on other cars with keyless ignitions.

Passenger: Never seen that before, this sure is an advanced "ground up" vehicle! Makes you forget about the ICE vehicle every time you get in for sure!

Driver: I wonder why the Juke does not have that button with it's keyless ignition? I guess that is just an advanced LEAF feature like the solar panel.

Passenger: WOW I feel like I'm living in the future, makes me want to get a plug like that for my Prius!

Driver: That would need to be custom on the Prius, it's standard on the LEAF! I wonder if it has a scrub brush on the back to clean the seats, I bet it does, Nissan thinks of everything!

Passenger: They sure do and I bet all the people that ride in the passenger seat will be amazed when they see that, how retro-futuristic!

Driver: Yep, I'm thinking about making a sticker of a fake gas fill door on the rear as well, I think they should have done that as well.**


**Please note, there is sarcasm in this post, this is a Gary G. approved disclaimer and tested in the Gary G. UL Labs for authenticity in sarcasm.


They made all these new panels for the car and they could not make a new plastic panel for the steering column without the ignition hole. I wonder if the cost cutter that came up with this idea and the heater was the designer of the interior ECO package spa trim in blue sparkle. Grade- FAIL!

 

[Jimmydreams]

PLease tell me production cars do not have a plastic filler plug where the ignition key would be on an ICE, I saw that on a demo car but have not looked on a production car, that would be really pathetic for Nissan to do that.

They do, and I've seen it exactly one time.....when I was looking for it. Out of sight, out of mind.

 

[Stunt822]

that came up with this idea and the heater was the designer of the interior ECO package spa trim in blue sparkle. Grade- FAIL!

What about heater?



ps Very funny, if you imagine south park characters talking inside car

 

[Stunt822]

It does look a little cheap, but hardly a deal breaker. I didn't even notice until days later when I was climbing in the passenger seat.

it's there to impress passengers

 

[ttweed]

Passenger: What's that button do?

Driver: Which one there are so many high-tech buttons?

[snipped]

Very funny, EVDRIVER! You need to expand this to include all the "wishlist" items and go to http://www.xtranormal.com/ and make a cartoon from the script, then post it here. Maybe it will shame them into fixing things for the Gen II model.

TT

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

one of many reasons why i like Leaf

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/blog.php?u=291&b=50

 

[Stunt822]

Thanks for linking, great post! I'll try to close my eyes and take delivery, hoping that I can be same happy driving it

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

in this world, there are two things that will be pretty much top of the list to insure that a country can survive (only a watershed technological revolutionary discovery will allow any country to prosper) is relatively cheap power and effective transportation of goods, services and people.

only oil rich countries can attain the latter if there is no major movement to alternative fuels. now we dont have to eliminate oil consumption. we only need to reduce our demand to meet what our country can supply and that includes no more purchases from Canada, Mexico or South America.

EVs along with a renewed effort to mass transit will go a long way towards meeting that goal.

 

[Stunt822]

Well that changed for me in last few days. With gas hitting almost $4, so many of my friends that thought electric car was just a cute idea to now they all want to know where they can get one too. Since Saturday, 4 of them signed-up with Nissan to get notified when reservations open again.

Why they don't go a buy one from retail? Autotrader shows more than 5 in CA. Most with SL and DC charge port, plus a few accessories, so price of $35600 is fare MSRP plus options.

 

[Harv]

Well that changed for me in last few days. With gas hitting almost $4, so many of my friends that thought electric car was just a cute idea to now they all want to know where they can get one too. Since Saturday, 4 of them signed-up with Nissan to get notified when reservations open again.

Why they don't go a buy one from retail? Autotrader shows more than 5 in CA. Most with SL and DC charge port, plus a few accessories, so price of $35600 is fare MSRP plus options.

Can you be more specific and let us know where are these available?

 

[GeekEV]

Huh, he's right. Could these all be orphans? They're listed as new cars, so in theory they should qualify for all the credits and rebates...

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/searchresults.jsp?search_type=new&distance=0&address=95661&make=NISSAN&model=LEAF&start_year=2011&end_year=2011

 

[ttweed]

Huh, he's right. Could these all be orphans? They're listed as new cars, so in theory they should qualify for all the credits and rebates...

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/searchresults.jsp?search_type=new&distance=0&address=95661&make=NISSAN&model=LEAF&start_year=2011&end_year=2011

Read the orphan thread. http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=2868 Most of these ads are BS, and if you call them, there is no car immediately available, they just mine your personal info and put you on a wait list.

TT

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Huh, he's right. Could these all be orphans? They're listed as new cars, so in theory they should qualify for all the credits and rebates...

http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/searchresults.jsp?search_type=new&distance=0&address=95661&make=NISSAN&model=LEAF&start_year=2011&end_year=2011

i am more interested in the 2011 plug in Prius...but alas, it appears to be deceptive advertising

 

[palmermd]

If they are advertising them and they don't actually have them on the lot for sale, they could lose their license for fraud. I suppose "reasonable time" is subjective, but if they don't have the car, and had to put in an order, it could be many months before they could get a car with the same color and options.

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d05/vc11614.htm

V C Section 11614 Unlawful Acts

Unlawful Acts

11614. No lessor-retailer licensed under this chapter may do any of the following in connection with any activity for which this license is required:

(a) Make or disseminate, or cause to be made or disseminated, before the public in this state, in any newspaper or other publication, or any advertising device, or by oral representation, or in any other manner or means whatever, any statement that is untrue or misleading and that is known, or which by the exercise of reasonable care should be known, to be untrue or misleading; or make or disseminate, or cause to be made or disseminated, any statement as part of a plan or scheme with the intent not to sell any vehicle, or service so advertised, at the price stated therein, or as so advertised.

(b) Advertise, or offer for sale in any manner, any vehicle not actually for sale at the premises of the lessor-retailer or available within a reasonable time to the lessor-retailer at the time of the advertisement or offer.

....

 

[Beachcliffs]

All initial EV adopters are sacrificing some of the features (and some extra money) in the hope that EVs will take off and thus help the future generation.

Nailed it! For me personally, it is much more about reducing our dependence on foreign oil than it is about the environment. There is also some psychic benefit of not having to wait in line at CostCo to buy fuel.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

Nailed it! For me personally, it is much more about reducing our dependence on foreign oil than it is about the environment. There is also some psychic benefit of not having to wait in line at CostCo to buy fuel.

ah yes!! i could not agree with you more

http://www.mynissanleaf.com/blog.php?u=291&b=45