Trailer, buy-out lease, transfer or turn in early?

[Darren]

I leased one of the early 2011 LEAF's. Love the car but recently took a job which will be moving out-of-state so I need your help evaluating my options of what to do with it.

My options seem to be:
1) Trailer or ship the car to the new location and finish out my last 14 months of my lease. This would probably cost me $500-1000 in shipping charges.
2) Sell the car to someone who would buyout the payoff on the lease. I am in a position where I think I would probably break even here but I would love any insights on what a 2011 loaded SL with 11,000 miles is worth.
3) Transfer the lease to someone else. This does not seem like a good option as Nissan Finance tells me I would remain as a secondary/co-signer on the lease until the lease term ends and I would be liable for any damage/excessive use charges.
4) Turn the car into Nissan before my lease ends. Nissan finance tells me that this is a complete gamble as they would sell the car at auction and I would just hope that it covered my payoff balance (due to the car being purchased from a CA dealer).

The car is currently located in UT. I don't know if this helps or hurts the situation.

Lease rates are substantially better now than when I leased. I have even thought about trading it in/selling it and getting another one but can't figure out how to do that across state lines and involving the possibility of multiple dealers. If I do let it go, I will likely be getting either another LEAF or something like it.

Love any insights on what the best approach is with all of this and if you see any other options.

Thanks,
Darren

 

[TonyWilliams]

Where are you going to?

 

[cwerdna]

#3 sucks. I dislike NMAC's policy on this. I found out about this when I was considering leasing. I wish they'd change the policy and if anyone has time, lodge a complaint w/them. Maybe it'll make it on someone's radar at Nissan.

#1 isn't so bad as long as the car's range works for you and you can charge where you need to.

#4 sounds like a bad idea, if that's what they do.

 

[Darren]

Where are you going to?

San Diego

 

[TonyWilliams]

Where are you going to?

San Diego

Welcome to paradise. I wouldn't hesitate to bring a LEAF here. The next question I would ask is do you want a new one? It might be more cost effective to unload yours and get one of the killer deals on a new 2012 here, or wait until March for a 2013.

In that case, absolutely #2 if you have a sucker (buyer).

 

[KJD]

Darren,
Congrats on the new job. What city and state are you moving to ?

I bought my car in CA and had it shipped to Utah. The cost was 680 and it only took a week to get here. Most shipping is cost per mile and if you shop around you can reduce the cost by doing your homework. Make sure it is insured for damages during shipping.

My guess is that any of your other options listed will cost you more than shipping the car. Good Luck whatever you decide.

KJD

 

[Darren]

#3 sucks. I dislike NMAC's policy on this. I found out about this when I was considering leasing. I wish they'd change the policy and if anyone has time, lodge a complaint w/them. Maybe it'll make it on someone's radar at Nissan.

#1 isn't so bad as long as the car's range works for you and you can charge where you need to.

#4 sounds like a bad idea, if that's what they do.

I completely agree that #3 sucks.

Range is a big question of mine on #1 too. Won't really know without actually testing charging stations.

Didn't really like #4 either but the only consolation seems to be that I would hope a LEAF would get more at auction in UT than CA as there aren't really any state incentives here.

 

[Darren]

Darren,
Congrats on the new job. What city and state are you moving to ?

I bought my car in CA and had it shipped to Utah. The cost was 680 and it only took a week to get here. Most shipping is cost per mile and if you shop around you can reduce the cost by doing your homework. Make sure it is insured for damages during shipping.

My guess is that any of your other options listed will cost you more than shipping the car. Good Luck whatever you decide.

KJD

Thanks for the insights on shipping and the congrats. Moving to San Diego. With dealers being more competitive there, lease rates being better and the CA incentives, it almost feels like I could get another one when I get there are probably break even if not come out ahead by just getting a new one when I get there.

 

[cwerdna]

Range is a big question of mine on #1 too. Won't really know without actually testing charging stations.

Didn't really like #4 either but the only consolation seems to be that I would hope a LEAF would get more at auction in UT than CA as there aren't really any state incentives here.

Re: #1, how long will your new commute be? How miles at highway speeds?

As for selling in UT... if there's no demand, it won't sell for much. See http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=10762" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

My wild guess is that if you put it up for sale in CA, you could fetch at least $19K. Waidy sold her '11 SL w/more miles for $20K very quickly. 5 people were in line. I was thinking of buying it, but I'd have been #6.

 

[Darren]

Where are you going to?

San Diego

Welcome to paradise. I wouldn't hesitate to bring a LEAF here. The next question I would ask is do you want a new one? It might be more cost effective to unload yours and get one of the killer deals on a new 2012 here, or wait until March for a 2013.

In that case, absolutely #2 if you have a sucker (buyer).

Thanks for the welcome.

I am not sure what the answer to your question is about wanting a new one. I love the car and the technology and would probably replace it with either another straight electric vehicle or a plug-in hybrid. Will need to go from Carlsbad to Irvine once or twice a week for work. Don't think my LEAF will do it without charging while in Irvine (55 miles each way). Until I get there I won't know how accessible chargers will be to make that happen.

I remembered seeing a thread somewhere about auction prices of LEAF's but can't seem to find it. Any idea what would be a fair price to a buyer right now.

 

[cwerdna]

^^^
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=8354" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Darren]

Range is a big question of mine on #1 too. Won't really know without actually testing charging stations.

Didn't really like #4 either but the only consolation seems to be that I would hope a LEAF would get more at auction in UT than CA as there aren't really any state incentives here.

Re: #1, how long will your new commute be? How miles at highway speeds?

As for selling in UT... if there's no demand, it won't sell for much. See http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=10762" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

My wild guess is that if you put it up for sale in CA, you could fetch at least $19K. Waidy sold her '11 SL w/more miles for $20K very quickly. 5 people were in line. I was thinking of buying it, but I'd have been #6.

Looks like my longest commute would be 55 miles one way. Lots of chargers near where I would be during the day but no idea availability until I try to use them. I would only have to do this stretch one to two days a week. Almost all of it freeway.

Thanks for the thread on selling.

Was Waidy's the MDH one on this forum?

 

[cwerdna]

Was Waidy's the MDH one on this forum?

No. See http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=10591" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

BTW, if search isn't working so well for you (it frequently doesn't), try Googling for site:mynissanleaf.com (your keywords here instead w/o the ()), possibly also limiting the time frame of the posts.

 

[Darren]

^^^
http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=8354" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Thanks. That was the thread I was looking for.

 

[Darren]

Was Waidy's the MDH one on this forum?

No. See http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?f=41&t=10591" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;.

BTW, if search isn't working so well for you (it frequently doesn't), try Googling for site:mynissanleaf.com (your keywords here instead w/o the ()), possibly also limiting the time frame of the posts.

Thanks. I see in her thread they recommended CarMax. There is one about 20 miles from me. I wonder if I might should explore that.

 

[kubel]

The cost of renting a trailer or even paying someone to haul it is going to be less than the losses associated with buying out the lease and then selling it. The other options (doing a lease transfer, or turning it in early) are not good.

Tow.

 

[TonyWilliams]

Will need to go from Carlsbad to Irvine once or twice a week for work. Don't think my LEAF will do it without charging while in Irvine (55 miles each way). Until I get there I won't know how accessible chargers will be to make that happen.

Well, you don't need to wait until you get here:

http://www.PlugShare.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also, there is a DC quick charger in San Juan Capistrano currently, and many more planned along that corridor.

http://maps.google.com/?daddr=33.472965,-117.675743" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[Darren]

Will need to go from Carlsbad to Irvine once or twice a week for work. Don't think my LEAF will do it without charging while in Irvine (55 miles each way). Until I get there I won't know how accessible chargers will be to make that happen.

Well, you don't need to wait until you get here:

http://www.PlugShare.com" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Also, there is a DC quick charger in San Juan Capistrano currently, and many more planned along that corridor.

http://maps.google.com/?daddr=33.472965,-117.675743" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

There are chargers in the area of where I will need to go in Irvine but my concern is largely, will they be open when when I get there and what will they charge me for parking and/or charging when I get there. What has been your experience? Can you typically find an open charger when you need it?

Good to know about the DC quick charger. I have the port on my car but it has never been used in UT. Is there a charge to use this one?

 

[Darren]

The cost of renting a trailer or even paying someone to haul it is going to be less than the losses associated with buying out the lease and then selling it. The other options (doing a lease transfer, or turning it in early) are not good.

Tow.

I agree that on first perception, you are probably right that the trailer option is the cheapest. I am just trying to feel out the differences between all options including selling and rebuying given how cheap people are claiming to have gotten LEAF's for in CA these days.

 

[cwerdna]

Another possibility for you, if you ditch the Leaf is a Rav4 EV, assuming you Toyota's still putting on the big incentives (put in a So Cal zip code into http://www.buyatoyota.com/Specials/SpecialOffers.aspx?&" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false. You should be able to get the 0% financing and $5K incentive but you're probably SOL re: the $2.5K EV loyalty cash (supposedly meant for current owners of previous gen Rav4 EVs).

Tony Williams got 130 miles on a charge on his rental Rav4 EV before buying one (http://www.mynissanleaf.com/viewtopic.php?p=240769#p240769" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false, and ditching his Leaf.

Too bad it's still kinda expensive even after the above and Federal and CA incentives. But, I suppose it's a "poor man's" Tesla.