Ordering 2012 model today

[N952JL]

I've been trying to order since Monday or Tuesday and the web site has been broken. No problem calling it in and they allowed me to wavier the Home assessment as I'm planing on purchasing the SPX ESPV. Checked today at 4:30 EDT and was able to place my RAQ. Received my LEAF reservation complete email by 10:12 pm EDT. Not quite six hours. They said if I wanted an Ocean Blue or Red to expect an extra 60 days added to the normal 90 to 120 days. So I changed to White. Let's see what the dealers over here in Middle Ga have to say.

 

[TimeHorse]

I've been trying to order since Monday or Tuesday and the web site has been broken. No problem calling it in and they allowed me to wavier the Home assessment as I'm planing on purchasing the SPX ESPV. Checked today at 4:30 EDT and was able to place my RAQ. Received my LEAF reservation complete email by 10:12 pm EDT. Not quite six hours. They said if I wanted an Ocean Blue or Red to expect an extra 60 days added to the normal 90 to 120 days. So I changed to White. Let's see what the dealers over here in Middle Ga have to say.

I saw no such note about Red; mine has always been red, I may have breezed over those selection screens because of it but man, 2 months could mean the difference between 2011 tax year and 2012 tax year and either tricky accounting or waiting up to 16 months to get your $7500 rebate.

 

[StrangerTides]

Ah well, it's looking like it's not to be for me after all this time. Unless some dealer comes through with a deal to get me out the door at 36k or less, I don't think it's gonna happen. Maybe if no one in FL accepts the quotes given, they'll reconsider their fees? :roll: Otherwise I guess I'll be checking back next year to see the price of the 2013.

 

[spike09]

Ah well, it's looking like it's not to be for me after all this time. Unless some dealer comes through with a deal to get me out the door at 36k or less, I don't think it's gonna happen. Maybe if no one in FL accepts the quotes given, they'll reconsider their fees? :roll: Otherwise I guess I'll be checking back next year to see the price of the 2013.

For less than 36K, The Mitsubishi iMev is better suited for you.

 

[evnow]

Ah well, it's looking like it's not to be for me after all this time. Unless some dealer comes through with a deal to get me out the door at 36k or less, I don't think it's gonna happen. Maybe if no one in FL accepts the quotes given, they'll reconsider their fees? :roll: Otherwise I guess I'll be checking back next year to see the price of the 2013.

Are you saying FL dealers aren't even giving at MSRP + destination charges ?

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

Ah well, it's looking like it's not to be for me after all this time. Unless some dealer comes through with a deal to get me out the door at 36k or less, I don't think it's gonna happen. Maybe if no one in FL accepts the quotes given, they'll reconsider their fees? :roll: Otherwise I guess I'll be checking back next year to see the price of the 2013.

I'm getting cold feet too. Not sure what the status is on the $7500 federal credit, and if that could be in jeopardy in the federal budget. Laying out 40k for the equivalent of a Mazda 3 that uses $300 in electricity instead of $1500 in gas per year is starting to sound like a personal financial blunder.

I did think of another way to play this. If a Nissan dealer is able to collect a huge premium for an orphan, maybe they'd make me a killer deal on a Versa or Sentra (or whatever) in return for me "orphaning" my reservation to them.

 

[StrangerTides]

For less than 36K, The Mitsubishi iMev is better suited for you.

No, with a 100 mile range, the Leaf is better suited for me. But thanks for the suggestion anyway!

Are you saying FL dealers aren't even giving at MSRP + destination charges ?

Correct, not that I have found - though even that would excessive. Again, call me naive, but MSRP means MSRP, not MSRP+850.

 

[kmp647]

unfortunately the dealers are so clueless they dont relaize that if you or someone else does not use the reservation with them, they wont get a car

that may change in 10 days when reservations re open , but in the end that store will prob goose egg on julys orders allocation and miss out on a car sale

its use it or lose it right now
one of the local dealers here has 2 leaf allocated for order in july, but has no customers that can manage thru the RAQ process yet for whatver reason

so he is asking for an order!

 

[evnow]

Again, call me naive, but MSRP means MSRP, not MSRP+850.

Well, thats the way many auto majors quote their msrp. So yes, real MSRP = MSRP+destination charges.

 

[Bzzzzz]

It looks like the "fix" is only being performed on people's accounts if they request it and not across the board. I was excited to get home from work to hear that people were finally able to order only to find that my page still has the broken home assessment form and nothing else. Hopefully I can talk to a CS rep tomorrow to get mine fixed.

Anyone else in Chicago able to order? If so, which dealer did you go with? This is my first post as I have been lurking for a while until I could get to order and now that Illinois is part of tier 2, it was time to get serious!

I'm in Chicago. I called CS this morning, asking for a home assesment waiver. They put it through right away and I was immediately able to RAQ with Mid City Nissan.

Good luck.

 

[spike09]

Ah well, it's looking like it's not to be for me after all this time. Unless some dealer comes through with a deal to get me out the door at 36k or less, I don't think it's gonna happen. Maybe if no one in FL accepts the quotes given, they'll reconsider their fees? :roll: Otherwise I guess I'll be checking back next year to see the price of the 2013.

I'm getting cold feet too. Not sure what the status is on the $7500 federal credit, and if that could be in jeopardy in the federal budget. Laying out 40k for the equivalent of a Mazda 3 that uses $300 in electricity instead of $1500 in gas per year is starting to sound like a personal financial blunder.

I did think of another way to play this. If a Nissan dealer is able to collect a huge premium for an orphan, maybe they'd make me a killer deal on a Versa or Sentra (or whatever) in return for me "orphaning" my reservation to them.

I am willing to pay a premium to stop the flow of oil money. 60% of our oil is imported. 100% of our energy is domestic.

Car buying is not a rational decision! But if you want to talk Value, Consumer Reports just had an article showing cheap cars end up costing more in the end. And Value does not seem to register to all the people using overvalued Luxury cars to go from point A to point B.

Yes the Leaf is compact car that will set you back at least an extra $10K based on a comparable ICE. But the purchase price is only part of the TCO. Cost of maintenance and "fuel" is much less with an electric car. The deprecation value is a wild guess at this point.

The only electric car available in the US for the rest of this year and most of 2012 is the Nissan Leaf. There are more EV's coming in the next 18 months and the only one that will be cheaper is the subcompact Mitusbishi iMev. There are always newer models coming out, that is the nature of the game.

 

[TimeHorse]

Again, call me naive, but MSRP means MSRP, not MSRP+850.

Well, thats the way many auto majors quote their msrp. So yes, real MSRP = MSRP+destination charges.

Exactly why there is a waiver at the bottom of the order confirmation page saying price doesn't include Destination charges. And I'm not guaranteeing Nissan of Chantilly won't charge me the $850 Destination. It's within their profit margin to waive it and just charge MSRP, so it's not unreasonable for them to do so, but for the East Coast, it's unusual to see any dealer going below MSRP+Destination.

The $1,450 price increase over the 2011 SV Trim w/ Cold Weather Package would still make MSRP $35,200 and with Destination that comes to $36,050, which is pretty close to your sweet spot, and I'd not fault a dealership for offering that. I call that following the MSRP guarantee. The MSRP and Options Guarantees don't include Destination charges and certainly if those are rolled into the price or otherwise waved (which is at the discretion of the Dealership) I call that a better than MSRP deal.

Because that's just the way the business works.

One would hope when the car's made in Smyrna the cost will go down, but there's no guarantee of that.

As it is, my likely scenario is buy the car in November 2011; sell the car maybe in maybe August 2013 by trading it in for a late model year 2013. My depreciation hit will be nasty no matter when I buy a 2013 (and by then maybe another BEV will be on the way that makes me drop the LEAF all together) but certainly by buying a new car, a late model year, in August, you're most likely to get the best discounts if not the best choice. But pimped rides are usually the hardest off the lot so that could work to my advantage. At least that's my tentative plan - I want that 6.6kW charger!!

EDIT: Oh, and I should point out I calculate that I will save about $2,500 - $3,000* per year on gasoline alone. So it won't take long for the LEAF premium to pay for itself, at least for me!

* Assumes c. 24K Miles per year at 136.8kWh per week @ 9.6 to 6.4 cents per kWh and 16 gallons of gasoline per week @ $3.905 per gallon. LEAF assumed to achieve 3.33 mi/kWh vs. current gasoline vehicle at best with 28.5 mpg.

 

[TomT]

A good 2 or 3 year old used car is always a better financial deal - short term and long term - than ANY new car... Low mileage ones coming off of lease are a good source.

I'm getting cold feet too. Not sure what the status is on the $7500 federal credit, and if that could be in jeopardy in the federal budget. Laying out 40k for the equivalent of a Mazda 3 that uses $300 in electricity instead of $1500 in gas per year is starting to sound like a personal financial blunder.

 

[dutchinchicago]

I just put in my RFQ in Chicago. I used Martin Nissan in Skokie, IL.

I tried to phone them but their leaf specialist is not in till 2pm. Wanted to place my rfq anyway. That dealership has very good reviews and I can always change it later if the deal is bad.

My home assessment is scheduled for 8/31.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

I am willing to pay a premium to stop the flow of oil money. 60% of our oil is imported. 100% of our energy is domestic.

I couldn't agree more Spike, and with your other points as well. But here is another way I am looking at it: Nissan is going to build some number of Leafs and deliver them to the US market, and people are climbing over each other to buy them, even at $40k. So does that group of buyers have to include me to further the adoption of this important technology? Do I really need to be among the chumps who pay $1000 for the first blueray player?

I'm trying to make that TCO case work in my mind as I'd really like to buy the car, but I'm not there yet. And I'm OK overpaying some for the irrational component of ownership of what may well be the worlds coolest car, but at $40k it's getting out of control. California buyers got a good deal for sure. Between the MSRP increase, no $5k state credit, even greedier dealers, and concern over the $7500 credit this is looking like a scarier proposition for FL buyers.

 

[TimeHorse]

I am willing to pay a premium to stop the flow of oil money. 60% of our oil is imported. 100% of our energy is domestic.

I couldn't agree more Spike, and with your other points as well. But here is another way I am looking at it: Nissan is going to build some number of Leafs and deliver them to the US market, and people are climbing over each other to buy them, even at $40k. So does that group of buyers have to include me to further the adoption of this important technology? Do I really need to be among the chumps who pay $1000 for the first blueray player?

I'm trying to make that TCO case work in my mind as I'd really like to buy the car, but I'm not there yet. And I'm OK overpaying some for the irrational component of ownership of what may well be the worlds coolest car, but at $40k it's getting out of control. California buyers got a good deal for sure. Between the MSRP increase, no $5k state credit, even greedier dealers, and concern over the $7500 credit this is looking like a scarier proposition for FL buyers.

Shame you're not in Georgia; last I checked they also have a $5,000 credit.

EDIT: Corrected thank to nogajim.

 

[rnkepler]

Finally got my order in this morning. I was surprised to hear from the dealer that their allocation for this month was only 2 cars and next month they only have 4. Anyone else hear allocation numbers for tier 2 dealerships?

 

[spike09]

Again, call me naive, but MSRP means MSRP, not MSRP+850.

Well, thats the way many auto majors quote their msrp. So yes, real MSRP = MSRP+destination charges.

Exactly why there is a waiver at the bottom of the order confirmation page saying price doesn't include Destination charges. And I'm not guaranteeing Nissan of Chantilly won't charge me the $850 Destination. It's within their profit margin to waive it and just charge MSRP, so it's not unreasonable for them to do so, but for the East Coast, it's unusual to see any dealer going below MSRP+Destination.

The $1,450 price increase over the 2011 SV Trim w/ Cold Weather Package would still make MSRP $35,200 and with Destination that comes to $36,050, which is pretty close to your sweet spot, and I'd not fault a dealership for offering that. I call that following the MSRP guarantee. The MSRP and Options Guarantees don't include Destination charges and certainly if those are rolled into the price or otherwise waved (which is at the discretion of the Dealership) I call that a better than MSRP deal.

Because that's just the way the business works.

One would hope when the car's made in Smyrna the cost will go down, but there's no guarantee of that.

The cost should go down when the car is made in the USA. If you factor in the price of the yen the MSRP of the 2012 Leaf is actually cheaper than the 2011

 

[TomT]

It depends to a great extent on how many of the components, and materials required to build the components, actually come from the USA. The more foreign content, the less building the vehicle (and batteries) here will affect the bottom line.

The cost should go down when the car is made in the USA. If you factor in the price of the yen the MSRP of the 2012 Leaf is actually cheaper than the 2011

 

[spike09]

I am willing to pay a premium to stop the flow of oil money. 60% of our oil is imported. 100% of our energy is domestic.

I couldn't agree more Spike, and with your other points as well. But here is another way I am looking at it: Nissan is going to build some number of Leafs and deliver them to the US market, and people are climbing over each other to buy them, even at $40k. So does that group of buyers have to include me to further the adoption of this important technology? Do I really need to be among the chumps who pay $1000 for the first blueray player?

From what I hear, about half the reservations do not turn into order. Mostly likely from people who put down $99 (refundable) and did not bother budgeting for the car. I kept ignoring the hassle and expense of buying a new car, Nissan gave me plenty of lead way with their delays in the Tier 2 states.

Now the order day is upon us and the Sticker shock is not going away. My finances are tight but I will make changes in my budget to be an "early adopter" of the resurgence of the Electric Car.